First ODI: Pakistan come crashing back to earth
Steven Finn destroyed Pakistan’s batting with four early wickets off 29 balls to dismiss them for 130 in 35 overs.
ABU DHABI:
Paceman Steven Finn took a career-best 4-34 and Alastair Cook hit his highest score to help England beat Pakistan in a fortune-turning 130-run win in the first day-night international here on Monday.
Finn destroyed Pakistan’s batting with four early wickets off 29 balls to dismiss them for 130 in 35 overs. after Cook’s 137 helped his team to 260-7. The win gives England a 1-0 win in the four-match series after a disastrous Test series. Pakistan looked all at sea against Finn, who used helpful windy conditions to move the ball.
Earlier Cook, whose previous best of 119 came against Sri Lanka at Lord’s last year, hit 14 boundaries during a fluent 142-ball innings and shaped well against Pakistan’s spin-dominated attack. Cook added an invaluable 131 runs for the third wicket with Ravi Bopara (50) to revive England after they lost two early wickets.
The second match will be played here on Wednesday.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 14th, 2012.
Paceman Steven Finn took a career-best 4-34 and Alastair Cook hit his highest score to help England beat Pakistan in a fortune-turning 130-run win in the first day-night international here on Monday.
Finn destroyed Pakistan’s batting with four early wickets off 29 balls to dismiss them for 130 in 35 overs. after Cook’s 137 helped his team to 260-7. The win gives England a 1-0 win in the four-match series after a disastrous Test series. Pakistan looked all at sea against Finn, who used helpful windy conditions to move the ball.
Earlier Cook, whose previous best of 119 came against Sri Lanka at Lord’s last year, hit 14 boundaries during a fluent 142-ball innings and shaped well against Pakistan’s spin-dominated attack. Cook added an invaluable 131 runs for the third wicket with Ravi Bopara (50) to revive England after they lost two early wickets.
The second match will be played here on Wednesday.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 14th, 2012.