Humiliated off the field, Pakistan thrashed on the field

LONDON: England crushed Pakistan by an innings and 225 runs to win the fourth and final Test at Lord's with more than a day to spare.

Victory, wrapped up before lunch on the fourth day, gave England the series, their last before they defend the Ashes in Australia in November, 3-1.

But Pakistan’s heaviest defeat in Test cricket, surpassing their innings and 198-run loss to Australia at Sharjah in 2002, was overshadowed by allegations they had been involved in a betting scam at Lord’s. Unusually, the post match presentation ceremony was moved indoors from the outfield to the Long Room of the Lord’s pavilion.

During the ceremony, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Giles Clarke refused to look Aamir in the eye when presenting him with Pakistan’s man of the series award.

But this all happened after Pakistan collapsed for the second time in this match on the field. Resuming on an overnight score of 41 for four, having been made to follow-on after being dismissed for 74 in their first innings, Pakistan were bowled out for 147.

They lost five wickets for 34 runs in 61 balls on the final day before a last-wicket stand of 50 between Umar Akmal - whose 79 not out was the lone act of Pakistan batting resistance this match - and Asif briefly checked England.

Off-spinner Graeme Swann took three wickets for four runs in 15 balls on his way to final innings figures of five for 62 in 12 overs which gave him a match haul of nine for 74 after he took four for 12 in the first innings.

Pakistan started still 331 runs adrift of England’s first innings 446 and batsmen Azhar Ali and Umar Akmal, both zero not out overnight, were booed by some spectators as they walked onto the field at the ‘home of cricket’. England did not have a long wait until they took their first wicket when in the day’s third full over Swann bowled Ali.

And Pakistan’s 63 for five soon became 64 for six when Kamran Akmal was caught behind by opposing wicketkeeper Matt Prior off James Anderson.

New batsman Aamir, one of the men at the centre of the scandal, did not last long at the crease, bowled for nought by Swann. Wahab Riaz gave the spinner another wicket when he holed out for a duck to Kevin Pietersen at mid-on.

Pakistan were now 73 for eight and that became 97 for nine when Saeed Ajmal was run out by Stuart Broad’s direct hit.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30^th, 2010.