5th ODI Eng v Aus

Many thanks for following this English Summer loads more international cricket to come in the Winter a very good night to u all!

Eng 249 (Aus win by 49 runs & 2-1 series win) wickets as they fell

KP Pietersen run out 0 (1/1) forward just outside off, comes off the pad, cry for lbw, was outside the line, it runs past Matthew Wade and Carberry sprints through for a leg bye, Pietersen is very slow taking off and is well short of his ground as the throw comes into the bowler's end. Another calamitous run out involving these two and Pietersen is gone for a duck! Just what Australia wanted

MA Carberry lbw b Faulkner 30 (50/2) full and straight, wraps Carberry on the pads, huge cry for lbw, not out given but Clarke goes for the review. I reckon this is a good effort, Carberry got a long way down the pitch but it did look straight as he missed playing across it. No mark on Hot Spot and Hawk Eye has it crashing into middle stump, good review and Carberry is gone. He tried to shuffle across and create some angle for himself but missed. That he was down the track and possibly outside the line created enough doubt for Rob Bailey but the review proved it was a good shout

JE Root b Johnson 21 (64/3) full and wide of off stump, Root pokes at it without moving his feet and gets a thick inside edge onto his middle stump and that ends a very average innings from Root, he's looked rather out of touch today and played a poor stroke there. On a better day that would have been driven handsomely through the covers but a tentative prod has seen a thick inside edge smash into middle stump

LJ Wright run out 0 (68/4) drops one short, there's a direct hit... and Wright is run out, brilliant bit of work from Bailey! Wright is guilty of ball watching here, Bailey swooped in from the covers, threw on the move, only a stump and a half to aim at but the contact is just enough to nudge the bails off and Wright didn't run his bat in. If he has, it would have been mighty close

EJG Morgan st †Wade b Voges 30 (103/5) slides the ball across the advancing Morgan and Wade completes a simple stumping! Big wicket for Voges, that could well be the game. The bowler maybe saw him coming, Voges tossed it a little wider, beat the outside edge and the rest is a Michael Jackson LP

JC Buttler b Faulkner 42 (195/6) full and straight through him stumps parted and a killer blow for England, think Buttler just played around one, done by the angle perhaps. It was around the wicket from Faulkner, angled in to the stumps and Buttler tried to swing it down the ground and missed, is that England's last chance walking off?

RS Bopara c Voges b Johnson 62 (197/7) steps to leg and slaps straight to extra cover and now England are dead. Bopara nailed it, creamed it right out of the meat of the bat but couldn't evade extra-cover who's taken a very sharp chance at head height with two hands, a cold night is not the time for those chances but that was very well held. Bopara can't believe it because he couldn't have timed that any better but he's got to go and two wickets at the start of spells have killed any hope England still had

CJ Jordan c Bailey b Watson 14 (236/8) swung over the leg side, big stroke but not big enough and George Bailey, who has enjoyed an outstanding day in the field, has taken the catch a yard inside the boundary. It sounded, and looked, a pretty good slug from Jordan but they're pretty decent boundaries at the Ageas and that needed a bit more tap

BA Stokes c Clarke b Faulkner 27 (240/9) tries the ramp, it was another excellent yorker, it was a little too far outside off, tried to steer it over the off side in the end but just ended up chipping a catch to Clarke who pouched the simplest of chances gleefully

WB Rankin b Fawad Ahmed 4 (249/10) not that it matter because Rankin has swung and missed at the next delivery, lost his off stump and that's the game. Ahmed take the final wicket with a floaty legspinner that Rankin swung across and missed completely

Australia 298 (Watson 143, Clarke 75, Stokes 5-61) beat England 249 (Bopara 62, Faulkner 3-38) by 49 runs


As in the Ashes, Shane Watson saved his best until last to enable Australia to end their almost four-month stay in England with silverware as they wrapped up the NatWest Series with a convincing 49-run victory. Watson's 143 provided nearly half of Australia's total and his stand of 163 with Michael Clarke, who battled through with his troublesome back, was the defining period of the match and series.

England's chase only ignited when Ravi Bopara and Jos Buttler were adding 92 in 13 overs; perhaps it was the autumnal chill which descended and left spectators huddle up in jacks that prevented an early spark. But by then it was a monumental task, even for Buttler's nerves of steel. Kevin Pietersen was run out in the third over and any remnants of a chance, however slim, disappeared when Eoin Morgan departed straight after the halfway mark of the innings.

 

Australia were clearly the better team over the three-and-a-bit ODIs that the weather allowed and this trophy, although low down in the priority list when they arrived in late May, will be some solace for Darren Lehmann - who wasn't even in charge when the Champions Trophy squad landed at Heathrow. Australia really have been here that long.

 

That is not to say there are no benefits England can take, and in this match it was the bowling of Ben Stokes and debutant Chris Jordan - who replaced the injured Steven Finn - as they shared eight wickets. Stokes finished with 5 for 61 having struck early in the innings and then during Australia's collapse of 7 for 87. Both young pace bowlers were sharp, hitting 90mph, and held their nerve against flashing blades.

 

As in Cardiff, Australia struggled at the top and tail of their innings but this time the central plank provided by Watson and Clarke was so dominant it made a crucial difference. It appeared a rain break in the 10th over might derail their innings when, on resumption, Stokes struck twice in consecutive balls to leave Australia 48 for 3. But England's inexperienced attack could not keep up the pressure as Clarke and Watson feasted on some wayward bowling during their rapid partnership.

 

Watson reached his eighth one-day hundred from 87 balls in a muscular display of hitting and then latched on to Joe Root's sixth over, which cost 28, the most expensive by an England bowler in ODIs, including three massive leg-side sixes. He was threatening his best score against England - an unbeaten 161 at the MCG in 2011 - but edged behind to give Stokes his fourth wicket.

 

Stokes claimed his fifth two balls later when Mitchell Johnson lobbed back a return catch and along with Jordan and Boyd Rankin, the latter superbly economical on another good batting pitch, provided a positive glimpse at some of England's depth. Jordan had managed to open his wicket tally in his second over - after being driven twice by Aaron Finch in his first - when he beat Phillip Hughes for pace and the left-hander top-edged to midwicket.

 

Jordan returned in the batting Powerplay, taken early by Clarke in the 29th over, with Australia at the peak of their scoring rate and removed the Australia captain when he clubbed to mid-off for 74 five balls after Rankin had dropped him in the same position. Clarke had not been convincing at the start of his innings, as England tested out his back with the expected short-pitched attack, but was given early scoring opportunities to get his innings underway and was rarely under a run-a-ball. His straight drive for six off Stokes stood out.

 

The problem for England was that the combined 10 overs of spin from Root and James Tredwell went for 96; Watson immediately aimed Tredwell over midwicket in a four-over spell that proved his only one of the day. If other sides have been taking notes, Tredwell will need to "batten down the hatches", as he put it the other day, in future series.

 

Overs 21-30 of Australia's brought 93 runs - a scoring rate considered impressive for the final 10 of an innings - and at 202 for 3 after 30 overs anything seemed possible, but a combination of some laziness from them and resilience from England gave the final 20 overs a very different outcome, to the extent that Australia did not use up their final five deliveries.

 

Australia rued their late collapse in Cardiff, but it never had the feel of a repeat here. The Pietersen-Michael Carberry opening partnership has not hit it off in this series and for the second time it ended through a breakdown in communication. Pietersen was beaten but Matthew Wade could not take the ball cleanly and it bobbled to short fine-leg. Carberry started to make his way up the pitch, but only made a positive call a few seconds later, by when there was not enough time for Pietersen to make his ground.

 

Carberry's hometown innings - and perhaps, even, his last for England - was ended by the DRS after Rob Bailey had turned down an appeal from James Faulkner. Joe Root, who laboured for his 21, dragged on against the quick and thrifty Johnson when playing without footwork and most shambolically Luke Wright - a last-minute replacement for Jonathan Trott, who suffered a back spasm - was run out when he did not even attempt to ground his bat going for a sharp single.

 

Adam Voges gained an lbw decision against Bopara with his first ball, only for DRS to show it was sliding past leg stump, but he claimed the key wicket of Morgan when the England captain was drawn out of his crease and Wade did not add to his list of errors.

 

For a while, as Buttler and Bopara started picking off boundaries at will, a grandstand finish was not out of the question until Faulkner, from round the wicket, cleaned up Buttler. Seven balls later Bopara rifled a catch to cover off Johnson's first ball back to give him his 200th ODI wicket. That was that, barring the finishing touches, but for anyone who is feeling misty-eyed at the end of England-Australia contests, don't worry: it all starts again in 66 days.

Aus all out 298 (49.1 ovs) here is how England took the wickets

 

Hughes c Carberry b Jordan 2 dug in short again, tried tries to pull and Hughes has got a huge top edge - it loops to midwicket and Jordan leaps in the air to celebrate his first England wicket! Think Hughes was beaten for pace, the bottom hand came off the handle and he knew where this was going as soon as he connnected - poor Pippy, it's been a long few months FOW 13/1   AJ Finch c Morgan b Stokes 26 fullish, bit of width and Finch is tempted, doesn't get over a square drive and picks out Morgan first ball after the resumption! Not sure what Finch was thinking there, he surely could have done with a sighter, didn't need to go after that delivery but he's thrown away a promising start and the England players are singing in the post-rain  FOW 48/2   MS Wade c †Buttler b Stokes 0 and he's gloved his first ball behind, a golden duck for Wade! This is quackers, we've had a brief interruption and Australia have come out and lost two in two! Stokes beat Wade for pace with the bouncer, it was a touch leg side, again could have been ignored but the new batsman chased it, clear flick of glove and Stokes has another FOW 48/3   MJ Clarke c Pietersen b Jordan 75 another chance to mid-off, Pietersen's there this time and takes the catch as Clarke splices a pull stroke. Tried to open up the off side again did Clarke but didn't become a great position from which to play a pull stroke, perhaps got hurried by Jordan and got nowhere near enough on the stroke and it looped to Pietersen who showed Rankin how to do it FOW 211/4   GJ Bailey st †Buttler b Root 4 Bailey sweeps and misses, Buttler nudges off the bails and trots away to celebrate with Root - he seems pretty certain but the umpires send it upstairs to check. And the evidence is pretty clear, Bailey's foot stayed grounded just beyond his crease, he made no effort to get it back, so must have lost his bearings... This is going to be out, Root has done the trick, in slightly bizarre circumstances FOW 221/5   AC Voges c †Buttler b Stokes 8 edged and gone, caught at the wicket with Buttler plunging to his right! Bit of a nothing stroke from Voges, half forward and attempting a little push, the ball kissed the edge and just about carried through FOW 244/6   SR Watson c †Buttler b Stokes 143 steps away, swings the arms ... and nicks off! There'll be a few sighs of relief on the England balcony, as Watson was just threatening to take the game away again. He was looking to hit down the ground here but it wasn't quite full enough, Watson played down slightly the wrong line, small deflection and comfortably held FOW 282/7   MG Johnson c & b Stokes 2 tries to turn to leg again, leading edge and gone, caught and bowled! Stokes has five-for! Johnson departs with alacrity, having made just a couple, and England have now claimed 5 for 73 in 13 overs (which would look a whole lot better without that Watson assault on Root) FOW 284/8   JP Faulkner c †Buttler b Jordan 10  slightly back of a length and darting across Faulkner, Buttler throws himself down the leg side to take a sharp catch - was there a bit of glove on that? Umpire Dar thinks so but Faulkner immediately reviews. He thinks it flicked his sweater - and it did, but not before tickling the inside edge of the bat, Hot Spot clearly shows the mark and the decision is upheld. England have another FOW 294/9

CJ McKay c Root b Rankin 5  McKay steps to leg, Rankin follows him and the slog across the line goes up in the air, to be safely pouched by the man coming in from deep square leg! Boyd Rankin, the pick of the attack, has a wicket at last and Australia have been bowled out for less than 300 FOW 298/10 Innings break Australia 298 (Watson 143, Clarke 75, Stokes 5-61) v England  As he did in the Ashes, Shane Watson saved his best for the final match of the one-day series, as his 143 off 107 balls guided Australia to an imposing 298 at the Ageas Bowl, although Ben Stokes' five-wicket haul kept the target within England's range. Watson and Michael Clarke, who overcame his troublesome back, which had made him doubtful for the match, added 163 for the fourth wicket after Australia had found themselves in early trouble.   It appeared a rain break in the 10th over might derail the visitor's innings when, on resumption, Stokes struck twice in consecutive balls to leave Australia 48 for 3. But England's inexperienced attack - even more so in than the other matches of this series due to Steven Finn being ruled out with a side strain - could not keep up the pressure as Clarke and Watson feasted on some wayward bowling during their rapid partnership. However, there would be an impressive fightback in last 20 overs. Watson reached his eighth one-day hundred from 87 balls in a muscular display of hitting and later latched on to Joe Root's sixth over, which cost 28 including three, massive leg-side sixes. He was threatening his best score against England - an unbeaten 161 at the MCG in 2011 - but edged behind to give Stokes his fourth wicket.    That became five when Mitchell Johnson lobbed his second ball back to the bowler, leaving the tail to try and bat out the overs. They failed to do even that, for the second match in a row, as Boyd Rankin removed Clint McKay with the first ball of the final over to complete a collapse of 7 for 87 in 18 overs.   Finn's place in the line-up had gone to Chris Jordan, the Sussex pace bowler, as he earned his maiden ODI cap having been with the squad throughout the series. England had been forced into another last-minute change when Jonathan Trott went down with a back spasm meaning Luke Wright also played his first game of the series.    Jordan soon caught the eye with his speed - nudging 90mph - and although he was twice driven by Aaron Finch in his first over, in his second he beat Phillip Hughes for pace and the left-hander, who had replaced the injured Shaun Marsh, top-edged to midwicket. Jordan finished with an impressive 3 for 51 and a priceless learning experience.   Finch, who plundered a world-record 156 on this ground in last month's Twenty20, began positively but Australia did not restart well after a half-hour rain delay. Finch slashed at Stokes and provided a catch to backward pointing without giving himself a sighter and Stokes, who bounced out Marsh in Cardiff, then sent down a well-directed short ball at Matthew Wade after he had been promoted to No. 4.   Clarke was not convincing at the start of his innings as England went after him with the short ball, testing out that fragile back, but consistency was lacking to allow both him and Watson plenty of scoring opportunities. Watson was particularly powerful as he picked off Stokes through the leg side and the same bowler was also straight-driven for six by Clarke.   Further sixes followed for Watson, who was in the bullying form he showed at The Oval, off Ravi Bopara and James Tredwell, during another concerted effort to attack the spinner, whose four overs cost 38 - 17 of those coming off his second. Bopara, usually reliable in the middle overs, drifted too often on to leg stump and England's attack was looking a little threadbare.   At 30 overs, Australia were 202 for 3 and a total well above 350 was on the cards, the previous 10 overs having brought 93 runs. Clarke had opted to take the batting Powerplay in the 29th but did not see out the restrictions when he clubbed to mid-off against Jordan five balls after being dropped in the same position by Rankin, although it was a chance that travelled at a rate of knots.   England chipped away during the next 10 overs; George Bailey dragged his back foot out of the crease, Adam Voges edged Stokes behind and Bopara's last three overs cost just nine. Watson looked set to give the innings a powerful finish but, although he couldn't continue his plunder to the end and the innings plodded tamely to a close, it will still be a tough ask for England's batting line-up.

4th ODI Eng v Aus

Morning all 4th ODI at Cardiff

Aus 227 (48.2 overs)

FOW: Finch lbw b Finn 0 (1/1) but this ain't no loosener, full and straight, struck on the pad and given out lbw. Oh yes that's dead, finger goes up straight away and Finch is gone. A fast full delivery that seamed in a little bit and beat the attempted straight drive, hit the pad flush around the ankle and right in front of middle and leg, great start for England

Watson c Buttler b Rankin 6 (11/2) full length, nibbles away and this time Watson has nicked it behind and that is an outstanding over from Rankin that has been rewarded. A fuller length this time has Watson trying to drive it though mid-off but a little seam movement sees the ball leave the batsman, taking a thin outside edge and a simple catch to Buttler. Outstanding bowling, set him up perfectly there

Marsh c Buttler b Stokes 25 (51/3) bouncer, surprise delivery, hooked at and Buttler takes it well above his head, has Marsh gloved this? Yes he has and Stokes makes the breakthrough. Surprise delivery and it really hurried Marsh who was in no control of the hook which got up on him and brushed the glove, it flew high above Buttler's head but he leaped up with his right hand and made a smart grab

Clarke lbw b Finn 22 (57/4) full, it nips back and strikes Clarke on the back hanging back on his stumps, given out lbw Clarke has a chat with Bailey and decides to review. Was it going down? Was it too high? Umpire Ravi though it looked good. There's no bat on Hot Spot. Hawk Eye has it clipping the top of leg stump and that is good enough for umpire Ravi and England, Clarke goes, done by a delivery that seamed back in and change back to Finn has worked but Clarke may feel a touch hard done by then

Voges b Bopara 30 (124/5) bowled him, just tickled a bail and Bopara has struck! He is ecstatic, running off with a huge grin on his face, not quite sure what did for Voges there but he was through the shot early, attempting to pull a ball not quite short enough for the stroke, it passed under the blade and just nudged the woodwork Maybe just skidded on a touch, rather than bouncing as much as usual, and sold Voges a dummy

Wade c Carberry b Tredwell 36 (209/6) comes down the pitch, has another flamin' yahoo and gets a thick outside edge, which is plucked from the air at backward point. Wade goes and Carberry is the man with a smart catch! Respite for Tredwell, who continued to give the ball a bit of air, it dipped on Wade and he sliced a drive, looked like it might clear Carberry but he leapt like nimble-footed teenager and took it one-handed

Faulkner run out (Trott) (210/7)  Bailey tickles one off his pads, straight to backward square leg and Faulkner is struggling here, Buttler takes Trott's flat throw in front of the stumps and swing his arms back to break the wicket ... It goes up to the third umpire but he is well short and Australia have lost two for one in five balls

Johnson b Tredwell 4 (218/8) skids through the defences, bowled him! Flat delivery from Tredwell, Johnson should have been forward, couldn't get his bat down in time and the ball juddered off stump. Australia have lost three for nine in 17 deliveries

Bailey c Buttler b Rankin 87 (218/9) doesn't move the feet again, pushes and nicks off! Just a tickle of a feather of a scrape, Buttler went up immediately and it was just audible on the stump mic, umpire Ravi heard it too and Bailey, the redoubtable George Bailey, falls!

McKay b Tredwell 2 (227) tries to hit down the ground, grips a little and McKay gets an inside edge on to his pad, then through to disturb the stumps! Australia have been bowled out with 10 deliveries still on the shelf, England taking the last five wickets for 18 runs

Innings break Australia 227 (Bailey 87, Tredwell 3-53) v England

England started and finished their bowling effort strongly in Cardiff to restrict Australia to 227 as they aim to keep the one-day series alive, but George Bailey's 87 ensured the visitors at least posted something competitive after their top order had been knocked over by high-quality pace bowling.

Having been 57 for 4, Bailey led a recovery, firstly with Adam Voges and then with Matthew Wade, before the innings faded dramatically with Australia losing their last five wickets for 18 in six overs.

 

James Tredwell, who like at Old Trafford was targeted with the short, straight boundaries on this ground, responded impressively after his first six-over spell went for 48 (35 of Bailey's half-century came against the offspinner) to claim three wickets as part of the late collapse.

 

Eoin Morgan had gambled by giving Steven Finn and Boyd Rankin 15 of their combined overs within the first 21 of the innings, having seen early wickets fall. While that strategy brought Michael Clarke's demise it left England vulnerable in the second half of the innings and added further weight to the argument they are a specialist bowler short, although Morgan will point to Australia's underwhelming total as justification for the selection.

 

Heavy rain fell for much of the previous afternoon and evening, but a dry, bright morning brought much-needed relief after the poor weather that has already led to two abandoned matches in this series. With a 10.15am start, and the surface having been covered for a considerable time, it was a more-than-useful toss for Morgan to win, akin to many a September one-day final at Lord's.

 

For the second time in the series, Finn made a breakthrough in his first over, this time with his first legitimate delivery of the match - having started with a wide - when a full ball that nipped back into Aaron Finch's pads.

 

Rankin then produced his most eye-catching spell in an England shirt so far as he worked over firstly Shane Watson and then Clarke. He twice beat Watson's outside edge with deliveries that bounced from a good length, then nipped one back into his pads, which was too high for lbw. But next delivery he drew Watson into a drive away from his body and found the edge.

 

England went on their now-common attack to Clarke, bringing in a short leg and aiming at his body, which again made him look uncomfortable. An inside edge whistled past leg stump and an unconvincing pull was top edged fine of long leg either side of him being beaten three times in four deliveries by Rankin.

 

Briefly it appeared the pressure was going to be relieved on Australia, when Ben Stokes' first over cost 10 and two further boundaries followed in Rankin's next, but Stokes responded with a rapid bouncer (registered at 91mph by the TV speedgun) that Shaun Marsh gloved through to Jos Buttler, who took the catch one-handed above his head. It was Stokes' first ODI wicket.

 

Sensing his chance to get back into the series, Morgan stacked the first part of Australia's innings with his quickest bowlers rather than turning early to Ravi Bopara or Tredwell. His reward was the key wicket of Clarke, given lbw to Finn's third ball back into the attack, although he could consider himself unlucky as it was the ultimate bail-trimmer, upheld by the DRS.

 

Bailey and Voges added 67 for the fifth wicket before Bopara scuttled one through to beat Voges' pull but England's allrounders struggled to stem the runs between overs 30 and 40, which included the batting Powerplay. Bailey, who could have been run out on 51 with a better throw from Michael Carberry, was strong down the ground while Wade, who has had very limited chances at the crease on this tour, cut and drove strongly as the pair put on 85 in 12 overs.

 

It was looking like a struggle for Morgan to find the allotted overs before returning to Finn and Rankin at the death, but his decision to recall Tredwell after a one-over spell from Joe Root paid dividends when Wade got a thick outside edge to short third-man, where Carberry held a sharp, one-handed catch. In the same over James Faulkner was run out, then Tredwell slid one through Mitchell Johnson's defence and Rankin capped a fine display by finding Bailey's outside edge. Australia finished with a whimper.

25 overs Australia 92 for 4 (Bailey 20*, Voges 15*) v England

High quality quick bowling put Australia on the back foot in the fourth one-day international in Cardiff. Having been put into bat the visitors struggled to 92 for 4 at the halfway stage on a pitch with notable pace and bounce as Steven Finn claimed two wickets, including Michael Clarke, and Boyd Rankin impressed with a fiery spell that troubled the Australian captain.

Heavy rain fell for much of the previous afternoon and evening, but a dry, bright morning brought much-needed relief after the poor weather that has already led to two abandoned matches in this series. With a 10.15am start, and the surface having been covered for a considerable time, it was a more-than-useful toss for Eoin Morgan to win, akin to many a September one-day final at Lord's.

 

Whether it was a case of win the toss, win the match only time will tell but the early indications were that it provided England a considerable advantage. The conditions only went to further fuel the debate about the balance of England's team - unchanged again - despite Ben Stokes picking up his first ODI wicket with a rapid bouncer to remove Shaun Marsh.

 

For the second time in the series Finn made a breakthrough in his first over, this time with his first legitimate delivery of the match having started with a wide, when a full ball that nipped back into Aaron Finch's pads.

 

Rankin then produced his most eye-catching spell in an England shirt so far as he worked over firstly Shane Watson and then Clarke. He twice beat Watson's outside edge with deliveries that bounced from a good length, then nipped one back into his pads which was too high for lbw. But next delivery he drew Watson into a drive away from his body and found the edge.

 

England went on their now common attack to Clarke, bringing in a short leg and aiming at his body, which again made him look uncomfortable. An inside edge whistled past leg stump and an unconvincing pull was top edged fine of long leg either side of him being beaten three times in four deliveries by Rankin.

 

Briefly it appeared the pressure was going to be relieved on Australia when Stokes' first over cost 10 and two further boundaries followed in Rankin's next over, but Stokes responded with a rapid bouncer (registered at 91mph by the TV speedgun) which Marsh gloved through to Jos Buttler who took the catch, one-handed, above his head.

Sensing his chance to get back into the series, Morgan gambled on stacking the first part of Australia's innings with his quickest bowlers rather than turning early to Ravi Bopara or James Tredwell. His reward was the key wicket of Clarke, given lbw to Finn's third ball back into the attack, although he could consider himself unlucky as it was the ultimate bail-trimmer upheld by the DRS. 

 

George Bailey and Adam Voges set about trying to rebuild and with Finn and Rankin having used 15 of their combined overs with the first 21 the pressure was going to be on England's other bowling resources to maintain the pressure.

 

Eng 231/7 (49.3 overs - target 228)

FOW: Pietersen lbw b McKay 5 (8/1) full and straight, Pietersen plays across it and is bang in front lbw a good early strike for Australia. Simply straight delivery right up there, it seamed back a little and evaded Pietersen's flick towards midwicket, wrapped low on the front pad and the finger went up straight away.

Trott c Finch b McKay (8/2) full and wide of off stump, Trott drive first ball and gets a thick outside edge straight to second slip, disastrous shot first ball and Trott's slump continues. That was so wide, only just inside the guidline outside off but for some reason Trott decided to go out to try and drive it. He got a thick edge to shoulder height of Finch who held a solid chance

Root c Watson b McKay (8/3) full just outside off, Root drive at it and nicks to first slip!! McKay has a hat-trick!! Unbelievable! What a moment for McKay. Dan Christian took a hat-trick in March 2012 and now McKay has repeated the feat. A full ball a couple inches outside off stump, Root, like Trott, aimed a decent-strength drive at it, got a thinner edge but still healthy enough for it to carry through to Watson who held on down low, what a moment

Morgan b Watson 53 (112/4) length ball, slightly cramped and Morgan has chopped on! A ball after reaching his fifty, Morgan perishes, now it's Watson's turn to roar out "C'mon!" The batsman got himself in a bit of a tangle, played with an wonky bat and instead of running the ball into the off side, could only under-edge on to the timber

Carberry b Coulter-Nile 63 (126/5) bowled him, behind the legs - Carberry's done for this time! Nathan Coulter-Nile has his first ODI wicket and it's a dismissal we don't see all that often, Carberry has been walking across his stumps all innings, tried to flick a length ball off his hips and misses it, off popped the bails

Bopara lbw b Faulkner (144/6) Bopara drives, beaten on the inside and hit in front - given! And this one isn't worth reviewing, Bopara's painful stay is ended, he never managed to find his sea legs and was stuck on the crease, struck just in line with off stump and the ball would have decapitated middle

Stokes b McKay 25 (219/7) bowled him, played all around it! There's a twist yet... The ball just gripped a little, nibbling in off a length and hitting the top of leg stump, there was a gap between Stokes' bat and pad and he walks off shaking his head. McKay has four-for


 25 overs England 84 for 3 (Morgan 43*, Carberry 33*) need 144 more runs to beat Australia 227  

England were shocked early in their run chase by a hat-trick from Clint McKay, the fifth by an Australia bowler in ODIs, to leave them with an uphill task to square the series.

In his second over, the third of the innings, McKay took the 33rd hat-trick in ODI history when he removed Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott and Joe Root. From 8 for 3, England managed to recover their composure but it was hard work for Eoin Morgan and a nervous Michael Carberry.

 

While most attention was focused on what Mitchell Johnson would deliver (he later pushed the speedgun near 94mph) the early drama came from the other end. McKay, a key part of Australia's one-day side but a bowler who rarely gets the acclaim, began by trapping Pietersen lbw as he aimed to flick through the leg side.

 

Trott, who has struggled in the latter half of this season, then edged a drive at a wide delivery to collect his second first-ball duck of the series before a similar stroke by Root, although to a delivery closer to off stump, took a thinner edge low to Shane Watson at first slip.

 

Carberry watched it all from the non-striker's end but was soon in the firing line of Johnson as the left-armer crashed a searing short delivery into his gloves at 93.6mph - the ball looped in the air but fell between three fielders. It was mighty hard work for Carberry as Australia's pacemen all maintained their accuracy, although there was momentary relief when he shimmied forward and drove James Faulkner through the off side then produced a rasping square cut off McKay early in his second spell.

 

Morgan has found form late in the season and was more assured, although was still cut in half when McKay nipped one back between his bat and pad. Australia burned their review against him, when he had 8, for a caught-behind appeal which replays showed was nowhere near the outside edge. After a considerable period of reconnaissance - which was desperately needed by England - Morgan began to open up with three boundaries in five balls off McKay's eighth over.

 England 231 for 7 (Buttler 65*, Carberry 63, McKay 4-39) beat Australia 227 (Bailey 87, Tredwell 3-53) by three wickets
 Jos Buttler added to his burgeoning reputation as the man to close out an innings by ensuring that the NatWest series went to the deciding match, as he guided England to a tense three-wicket victory with three balls to spare in Cardiff. On a surface where free-scoring was a rarity England struggled in their chase of 228, dented early on by Clint McKay's hat-trick, but just when the requirement was getting out of hand Buttler and Ben Stokes produced a strong argument as to why they have packed the batting order.

Buttler had earlier been given out lbw on 8 but was saved by the DRS when it showed the ball sliding down the leg side. When the seventh-wicket pair joined forces England still needed 84 off 68 balls but overs 39 to 43 brought 40 runs as the equation started to favour the home side. Buttler eased the tension further by drilling James Faulkner into the River Taff and then brought up his half-century from 41 balls.

 

However, when Stokes was bowled by McKay the job was not quite done for England, especially as James Tredwell struggled to get the ball away. Buttler scrambled a single to take the strike for the final over (a direct hit would have found him short) then settled the contest in a grand manner with a huge six over midwicket off Mitchell Johnson, followed, two balls later, by a fierce straight drive.

Although Buttler has shown his class on the international stage before, this is the first time he has completed a run chase for England in his brief career, so it was an important tick for the coach, Ashley Giles.

 

Stokes, while not as convincing, more than played his role in supporting Buttler as he continued in the No. 8 role earmarked for him since the match against Ireland. However, there were a couple of crucial moments Australia will look back on. When Stokes had 2, Aaron Finch could not hold into a tough chance at third man when he upper cut Johnson then, on 9, he was given not out to a huge appeal for a gloved hook which Hot Spot showed had made contact. Australia had burned their review much earlier against Eoin Morgan, when he was nowhere near edging it. Next ball, Stokes clipped Johnson for a boundary.

 

After less than three overs of the chase, England had an uphill task to level the series, despite Australia being held to 227. McKay, a key member of Australia's one-day bowling unit but someone who doesn't always get the acclaim, took the fifth hat-trick by an Australian in ODIs and the 33rd overall.

 

He began by trapping Kevin Pietersen lbw as he aimed to flick through the leg side then Jonathan Trott, who has struggled in the latter half of this season, edged a drive at a wide delivery to collect his second first-ball duck of the series. A similar stroke by Joe Root, although to a delivery closer to off stump, took a thinner edge low to Shane Watson at first slip.

 

Michael Carberry, whose ODI career has not had an easy start, watched it all from the non-striker's end but was soon in the firing line of Johnson as the left-armer crashed a searing short delivery into his gloves at 93.6mph - the ball looped in the air via the Carberry's shoulder but fell between three fielders. It was hard work for Carberry, as Australia's pacemen all maintained their accuracy but he did not allow the pressure to get to him; the presence of Eoin Morgan at the other end no doubt had a calming influence.

 

The pair added 104 in 28 overs to haul the innings back on track. Morgan was the more convincing, but Carberry started to branch out as the balls got softer and a couple of rasping square cuts - such a feature in his batting for Hampshire - stood out. He was, in fact, quicker to his fifty than Morgan, 83 deliveries compared to 91, but both departed in the space of four overs to turn the tables again.

 

Morgan, the ball after reaching his half-century, chopped on against Watson and then Carberry tried to pull a delivery that was too straight, handing Nathan Coulter-Nile his first ODI wicket. When Ravi Bopara, who was dropped on 0, a horrendous fluff by Matthew Wade, was lbw for a scratchy 7 it left Australia favourites but England's batting depth proved decisive.

 

It made Australia's late collapse even more costly. Their last five wickets fell for 18 after George Bailey had rescued the innings from 57 for 4, following impressive new-ball spells by Steven Finn and Boyd Rankin. Finn struck with the first legitimate ball of the match and Rankin produced his most impressive spell in an England as he worked over Michael Clarke. The Australia captain was rarely convincing although could consider himself unfortunate to be given lbw to Finn, the delivery shown by DRS to be just grazing the bails.

 

Bailey took advantage of short straight boundaries to attack Tredwell, as had been Australia's game plan at Old Trafford, and 35 runs out of his first 50 came against the offspinner. While he and Wade were adding 85 in 12 overs a total in excess of 250 was in sight but Tredwell recovered from his earlier treatment to take 3 for 5, while Rankin capped a testing 10 overs by finding Bailey's outside edge.

 

 

2nd Test Day 5 Zim v Pak

Zimbabwe 294 (Masakadza 75, Taylor 51, Junaid 4-67) and 199 (Mawoyo 58, Rahat 5-52) beat Pakistan 230 (Younis 77, Manzoor 51, Vitori 5-61) and 239 (Misbah 79*, Manzoor 54, Chatara 5-61) by 24 runs


It took a long time coming. The last time Zimbabwe won a Test against a team other than Bangladesh was in 2001, but they stayed patient through the final day even as Misbah-ul-Haq threatened to dash their hopes to win the second Test and square the two-match series. 
 

Zimbabwe began the day just five wickets away. Pakistan weren't too far either: they needed 106 with Misbah still around. By lunch it became two wickets and 47 runs with Misbah still fighting it out. However, despite some quick runs post lunch it took Zimbabwe just one over with the new ball to mop up the Pakistan tail and spark wild celebrations in the ground, in the dressing room, and possibly all over Harare. Tendai Chatara bowled that over, completing his maiden Test five-for.

 

When the teams started after lunch, there were still four overs to come with the old ball, and Misbah was keen to make the most of it. He lifted the second ball of the second session over the umpire's head, but was fortunate it dropped just short of a diving mid-on fielder.

 

Misbah curtailed his instincts for the next two overs, taking singles towards the end of each as he shielded Junaid Khan from the strike. In the 79th over, he pressed forward and blasted a full delivery over extra cover, then stole a couple of runs to deep cover before walking down the pitch and driving another full delivery past midwicket to the boundary.

 

Off the fifth ball, he took a single to make it 11 off the over. In the 80th, he scored two more boundaries, but crucially for Zimbabwe, the second came off the last delivery, which meant Junaid would be exposed to the new-ball.

 

Chatara, who had taken two wickets earlier in the day, was entrusted with the new ball and his first delivery - an outswinger past the edge - set the tone as the cordon readied themselves. It didn't take long as Junaid got a thick edge of the fourth delivery, straight to Malcolm Waller at gully. Rahat Ali was the new batsman, and was on strike.

 

He, too, got an away-going delivery and was lucky his edge fell just short of Waller. Misbah, either sensing it wasn't safe to leave the No. 11 even for one delivery or thinking the ricochet had gone far enough for them to take two runs, charged down the other end. He had one ball to face, and he had to make sure he kept the strike for the next over.

 

Mishah pushed the last ball softly towards cover, but after taking a couple of steps, he realised the fielder was too close. He tried to send the charging Rahat back, but by that time it was too late. The fielder lobbed the ball to the non-striker's end to complete an easy run-out, and the team erupted in ecstasy after completing their third Test win against Pakistan.

 

The start of the day was more sedate and planned. The home team didn't show any signs of restlessness as they stuck to their disciplined lines outside off and preyed on batsmen's patience. Adnan Akmal didn't last too long, falling in the fourth over of the morning to Chatara. Abdur Rehman provided more stubborn resistance. He partnered Misbah for 16 overs, but the stand didn't really threaten Zimbabwe as only 34 runs were scored.

 

Towards the end of that partnership, Rehman showed the first signs that Pakistan were getting a move on when he charged down the pitch against Prosper Utseya and smashed for four over mid-on. His eagerness to score - he almost drove a slower delivery straight to cover in the next over - finally consumed him as he poked at a length delivery, and was caught behind. Zimbabwe had an opening, and they widened it further with the wicket of Saeed Ajmal late in the session. Chatara pitched it just short of a length and got it to sharply jag back into Ajmal, who was hit in front of off as the ball stayed low.

 

The bowler then sprinted towards the boundary in celebration knowing the team was slowly inching close.

 

The celebration paled in comparison with the scenes the eventual win brought about. The magnitude of this win for a team that was not even ranked in the ICC Test team rankings before the series, in circumstances that were testing the fabric of the game in the country, is huge. The signs were there. They team won a match in the ODI series, and competed hard in the first Test only to lose it at the end to some individual brilliance. There was a bit of Cool Runnings about it; only that the Zimbabwe team went one better than the Jamaican bobsleigh team to emerge winners.

Intercontinental Cup Ire v Sco 4 day game

Day 1 Ireland 35 for 0 trail Scotland 138 (Sharif 41, Young 4-53, McCarter 3-13) by 103 runs

Craig Young made an impressive debut for Ireland, claiming 4 for 53 against Scotland, as they took control of their Intercontinental Cup meeting at Clontarf.

Ireland's seamers combined to remove the visitors for 138 after putting them into bat following a delayed start and were able to round off the day on a strong note with the openers reaching 35 for 0 in reply. Ireland currently lead the table, 12 points clear of Afghanistan, and are now well placed to consolidate that advantage.

 

Without Tim Murtagh, who played the ODI against England and one of the 50-over matches against Scotland, where Ireland secured the World Cricket League Championship, the coach Phil Simmons needed to delve into his bench strength for this four-day encounter and he will have been delighted with the outcome.

 

Young, 23, opened his tally in his third over when Freddie Coleman slashed to point, and by the end of his first spell had 3 for 28, having also accounted for Richie Berrington and Preston Mommsen who were both bowled by full deliveries.

 

Kevin O'Brien contributed two wickets, and sandwiched between them held the catch at second slip which accounted for Majid Haq.

 

At 68 for 7, three figures was looking out of reach for Scotland but the lower order rallied through a stand of 56 between Moneeb Iqbal and Safyaan Sharif. Graeme McCarter then struck twice in three deliveries (spread across two overs) before Young finished the innings with his fourth when he had Sharif was caught behind for 41.

 

In fading light, the closing overs should have been tricky for Ireland's openers, but William Porterfield and Paul Stirling were able to score at nearly six-an-over to round off a superb day for the home side.

 

Day 2 Ireland 99 for 1 (Stirling 50*) trail Scotland 138 by 39 runs

Just 21 overs were possible on day two in Dublin as Ireland were robbed of the chance to build a solid first innings lead over Scotland.

They are in an excellent place to do so with Paul Stirling unbeaten on fifty and John Anderson combining to share an unbroken partnership of 50. Stirling went to his half-century in 73 balls with a single in what proved to be the final over of the day.

 

Rain arrived just after lunch and came and went throughout the afternoon. The umpires gave the ground every chance to dry up but the showers proved too persistent and play was eventually called off at 5pm.

 

Day 3 Scotland 138 and 143 for 8 (Sharif 60, Sorensen 4-32) trail Ireland 350 (Stirling 65, Anderson 56, Iqbal 4-68) by 69 runs

A strong batting display from Ireland, followed by an incisive spell of 4 for 32 from right-arm seamer Max Sorensen left the hosts on the cusp of a comprehensive victory against Scotland in their Intercontinental Cup match in Dublin.
 

Sorensen, who picked up three wickets against Scotland in a World Cricket League Championship game last Sunday, dismissed Hamish Gardiner and Freddie Coleman in the third over. Preston Mommsen and Calum MacLeod also fell victim to Sorensen's first spell as Scotland slumped to 27 for 4 in the 11th over.

 

It became 64 for 7 before No. 9 Safyaan Sharif manned a rearguard action for the second time in the match. He added 79 runs with Majid Haq during an eighth-wicket stand that lasted 26 overs. Sharif recorded his maiden first-class half-century but lost his wicket off what became the last ball of the day, leaving Scotland at 143 for 8, and needing another 69 runs to avoid an innings defeat.

 

Despite rain wiping out most of day two, Ireland's batsmen put up a solid performance as Paul Stirling composed a 101-ball 65 that included 11 fours, and together with John Anderson, added 92 for the second wicket to take Ireland beyond Scotland's first-innings score of 139. Anderson played the ideal foil for Stirling, picking up a fifty himself, which included five fours.

 

But Stirling threw his wicket away, pulling straight to deep mid wicket off seamer Alasdair Evans and Legspinner Moneeb Iqbal dismissed Anderson for 56 off just his second delivery.

 

With two new batsmen at the crease, Scotland might have sensed the tide changing, but Andrew White and Kevin O'Brien put up a 52-run stand for the fourth wicket and then, when Iqbal and Haq removed the pair in quick succession, Andrew Balbirnie and Stuart Poynter contributed 62 runs for the sixth wicket to increase Ireland's lead.

 

Iqbal and Haq took four wickets each, but were unable to curtail the flow of runs from the Ireland batsmen, who together struck a total of 43 fours and four sixes in the innings to build a lead of 212.

Day 4: Ireland 350 (Stirling 65, Anderson 56, Iqbal 4-68) beat Scotland 138 (Sharif 41, Young 4-53) and 168 (Sharif 60, Sorensen 5-37) by an innings and 44 runs

Ireland needed less than 10 overs on day four to bowl Scotland out for 168 and thump the visitors by an innings and 44 runs in Dublin. 
 

Scotland had been put on the back foot for large parts of day three, owing to a devastating and incisive spell from pacer Max Sorensen, who finished with figures of 5 for 37. But a 79-run partnership for the eighth wicket between Safyaan Sharif and Majid Haq appeared to give the visitors some mild hope heading into the final day.

 

However, John Anderson removed Sharif off what ended being the final delivery of the day to dent any chance of a Scotland recovery. Only three overs were bowled on the final day before Iain Wardlaw edged Craig Young to Kevin O'Brien at second slip, as Scotland slumped to 148 for 9. The final pair Haq and Alasdair Evans survived 40 deliveries, but Sorensen eventually induced an edge off Haq's bat for O'Brien's second catch of the innings, to seal the win for the hosts.

 

The win increased Ireland's lead at the top of the Intercontinental Table to 22 points, and marked a very successful summer for the hosts after they also sealed the World Club Championship in Belfast last week, again by defeating Scotland. The result also ensured that Ireland will play Afghanistan in the final of the competition, where even a draw will be enough for them to take home the trophy since they topped the table.

2nd Test Day 4 Zimbabwe v Pakistan

Pakistan 230 and 158 for 5 (Manzoor 54, Chatara 2-29, Usteya 2-40) need another 106 to beat Zimbabwe 294 and 199 (Mawoyo 58, Rahat 5-52)

This Test has been played with pay strife and load shedding as the sightscreens, but Zimbabwe were five wickets short of lifting that gloom momentarily. Misbah-ul-Haq stood between them and only their fifth Test win against teams other than Bangladesh, their first since 2001. It seemed they had given up a significant bit of their advantage as they lost their last six wickets for 78 and as the Pakistan openers attacked them for quick early runs, but Tendai Chatara and Prosper Utseya pulled Pakistan back with timely strikes.
 

Pakistan themselves were chasing a bit of a landmark: a win here will be their third-highest successful chase, and their first of a 200-run target in close to last 10 years. Having fallen behind over the first three days, Pakistan tried the classical big-team trick: bowl tight and let the opposition batsmen make the mistake, and try to demoralise them when they bowl.

 

The first part worked well. Rahat Ali led a bowling unit that aimed for the cracks as opposed to trying anything spectacular. The scoring stalled with in-and-out fields in place.

 

Three of the six Zimbabweans to be dismissed today fell to poor shots. But when Pakistan's batsmen tried to dominate the bowlers, though, they couldn't keep it up for long enough. Chatara struck the first blows with wickets of Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali, and Utseya accounted for the dangerous Khurram Manzoor for 54, and Asad Shafiq.

 

That batting freely would be difficult was evident for the morning session. Rahat and Abdur Rehman began with the simple plan of landing the ball near the crack that runs down the middle of the pitch. The ball would jag either side after hitting the crack, and a wicket always looked around the corner. Rahat first got Vusi Sibanda, who batted at No. 6 because he was unwell on the third day.

 

The pressure - the two bowled the first 12.4 overs of the day for just 25 runs - was palpable. When Saeed Ajmal came on to bowl, Malcolm Waller saw release in a short and wide ball, but failed to keep it down and gave point the catch. Junaid Khan, the other change, hit the crack even more regularly. Once when he did, the ball moved away from Elton Chigumbura, beating his outside edge. From a similar area, the next ball didn't move, but the muscle memory had already drawn Chigumbura across, and the edge was taken.

 

The chaos continued after lunch when Brendan Taylor ended his fighting innings with a limp drive at a full and wide delivery. The lead hadn't yet reached 250. Richmond Mutumbani now began to attack, scoring 21 off the 25 balls he faced after Taylor got out. Those crucial runs added, he got a leading edge to Ajmal, followed shortly by a flailing pull from Tendai Chatara.

 

Chatara was much more effective when it came to bowling. The Pakistan openers had somewhat rattled the Zimbabwe bowlers a bit as they began to walk at them and drive prodigiously. By the end of the seventh over, they had reached 29. Only one of those 29 was run.

 

Taylor then called on Chatara. Hafeez continued to walk down the wicket. His premeditation consumed him. First he pulled a ball he should have been cutting. If this one fell short of mid-on, the next early walk down the wicket resulted in a leading edge that was swallowed by mid-on. It was followed up by a beauty to Azhar, a length ball that held its line in front of off, squaring the batsman up and hitting the off stump.

 

All this didn't deter the first-innings half-centurion, Manzoor, who remained positive and kept attacking loose deliveries. The attitude seemed to rub onto Younis Khan too: they added they added 44 in 11 overs. Zimbabwe refused to let up, though. Utseya, despite being hit for two fours by Manzoor, troubled him with the dip he got. Soon after Manzoor reached his second fifty of the match, he fell to the dip. He pushed forward to defend, but the ball dropped shorter than he expected, and popped up for a bat-pad catch.

 

Younis soon moved too far across to a straight delivery from Brian Vitori, losing his leg stump. Between them, the top four hit 21 boundaries in 99 runs. Attacking the inexperienced bowlers seemed something that was discussed beforehand. With four wickets down for 100, though, Misbah went back to the way he has become used to. For company was Asad Shafiq. They defended and defended, but they - Shafiq in particular - never really looked comfortable. Vitori especially troubled him from round the stumps, a wide angle that has got him more than once in this series.

 

Shafiq's end, though, came to Utseya when he went back to cut a ball that wasn't short enough, and edged it through to Mutumbani. Misbah and Adnan Akmal saw off the remaining 9.4 overs without further incident, making sure neither team could sleep more comfortably than the other.

2nd Test Day 3 Zimbabwe v Pakistan

Zimbabwe 294 and 121 for 4 (Mawoyo 58) lead Pakistan 230 (Younis 77, Manzoor 51, Vitori 5-61) by 185 runs

Pakistan's collapse against the second new ball and determined batting from Tino Mawoyo and Hamilton Masakadza put Zimbabwe slightly ahead in the second and final Test. Zimbabwe's fast bowlers ripped through Pakistan on either side of lunch, the visitors collapsing from 211 for 4 to 230 all out. Mawoyo and Masakadza then built the lead to 185, but their dismissals, at the stroke of stumps, helped Pakistan to claw back.

Brian Vitori, in his first Test in nearly 20 months, did most of the damage with the ball, claiming his maiden five-wicket haul, while Tinashe Panyangara dislodged the solid Younis Khan for 77. Zimbabwe's efforts earned them a 64-run lead, to go along with a 78-run first-innings advantage in the first Test.

 

Pakistan's strategy in the morning seemed to be to try and get through to the ball change, due in 12 overs at the start, with their overnight pair of Misbah and Younis. That was a sensible thought, the pair having added 67 in a rebuilding effort the previous evening. But the manner in which both executed that strategy stalled Pakistan. Only 19 runs were added in the 12 overs leading up to the new ball, five of them from part-timer Elton Chigumbura.

 

Admittedly, as on the previous day, run-scoring wasn't easy on the pitch. The ball wasn't quite coming on, the medium-pace and disciplined lengths of the Zimbabwe seamers weren't helping and the cracks on the good length area would have been on the minds of the batsmen. Still, 48 runs from 28 overs in the morning session was too sluggish a scoring rate.

 

After successfully making it to the new ball in his chosen way, Misbah decided to change his approach. The second delivery Vitori bowled with the new one, a wide one outside off, Misbah lunged to drive and edged to first slip for 33 from 120 balls. It was the third successive time in the series Misbah had fallen after getting a start and also the third successive time he had given it away trying a forcing stroke against the run of play.

 

Asad Shafiq hung around for a while before he was bowled by a sharp incutter from Tendai Chatara, stuck on the crease in a dismissal identical to the way he had gone in the second innings of the first Test.

 

Pakistan ran only eight singles in the first session and went to lunch on 211 for 5, still 83 behind Zimbabwe's 294. After the break, Younis came out appearing intent to make amends for Pakistan's sedate start. He drove at everything that was pitched up. Panyangara gave him three successive such deliveries, wide outside off, all of which were driven. The fourth one was bowled into the pad. Younis, with his instinct to push forward, could not keep the flick down and midwicket took the catch.

 

It was mostly down to Adnan Akmal now, Abdur Rehman having gone lbw first ball to Panyangara. But unlike the second innings of the first Test, the wicketkeeper disappointed. He was beaten on the drive by Vitori, bowling from round the wicket, but went for a similar expansive stroke next ball, and was taken at second slip. Unlike Zimbabwe's last pair, there was absolutely no resistance from Pakistan's tail, Vitori snapping up the last two to end with 5 for 61.

 

Zimbabwe were hampered at the start of their second innings, the ill Vusi Sibanda unable to open. The offspinner Prosper Utseya, who usually bats at No. 8, was promoted instead, but did not last long. Mawoyo and Masakadza, though, hung in to get through the 14 overs till tea. The often unplayable zip and movement Junaid Khan had generated in the first innings was absent, and that allowed the duo to settle in. Both drove well off the front foot, especially against the spinners.

There were a few hiccups after tea, chiefly against Rehman. But luck favoured Zimbabwe.

 

Masakadza played back and was beaten off two successive pitched-up deliveries from Rehman that stayed low, but just missed off stump. Rehman got the odd ball to kick from around the same spot, but was unlucky to miss the edge. When he found it, with Mawoyo on 52, Adnan dropped the catch.

 

Rehman's perseverance finally brought him just reward, with only two more overs left, as Mawoyo was trapped in front on 58 with an arm ball. Four deliveries later, Rahat rapped Masakadza on the pad, and umpire Steve Davis upheld the appeal, replays suggesting the ball may have missed off on the angle. Two deliveries later, Rehman struck again, having the nightwatchman Chatara pop one to short leg. Zimbabwe's lead was 15 short of 200, but Rehman had ensured Pakistan were still in the game.

2nd Test Day 2 Zimbabwe v Pakistan

Pakistan 163 for 3 (Younis 52*, Manzoor 51) trail Zimbabwe 294 (Masakadza 75, Taylor 51, Junaid 4-67) by 131 runs

It was down to the old firm of Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq to stabilise Pakistan after the top order wobbled again. Khurram Manzoor did make a determined half-century in his comeback series but Mohammad Hafeez had another failure at Test level and Azhar Ali fell early as well, leaving it to the experienced hands to start the repair job at 96 for 3. By stumps, Younis had become the fourth Pakistan batsmen to go past 7000 Test runs on his way to one more fifty, Misbah had dug in for the long haul as usual, and the stand had grown to 67.

There was almost an air of inevitability to this familiar partnership, which was saying a lot on a pitch where a batsman was never quite in. The expected deterioration hadn't happened yet, but there were many deliveries that stayed low. Scoring was difficult through the day but Younis and Misbah were assured, Younis pushing and driving straight, Misbah guiding and nudging square. There was the occasional play-and-miss and lbw appeal, but that could induce no change at all in the men's temperament or their methods.

 

Manzoor had shown excellent composure till he rushed out for a single to square leg soon after tea and was stranded, Younis' refusal coming a touch late. The opener had kicked on from an uncertain start to play several aggressive drives with superb timing through point, cover and straight down the ground.

 

Zimbabwe's fast bowlers came nowhere close to matching the kind of bite Junaid Khan had generated on the first morning. They weren't able to target the good length areas, where there were cracks, as well as Junaid had. Often, they overpitched, and Pakistan, chiefly Younis and Manzoor, capitalised.

 

Manzoor could have gone without scoring. In the sixth over, he seemed to have got some glove off Brian Vitori for the wicketkeeper to take it down the leg side - there was a clear deviation - but the umpire probably felt it had come off the thigh pad. He was 1 off 23 at one stage and it was Hafeez who began with confidence, flicking and straight-driving for three fours as Pakistan got through the potentially tense period of eight overs before lunch unscathed.

 

He fell in characteristic fashion soon after the break, though, poking at a Vitori length delivery to edge to first slip on 22. Azhar could have gone fourth ball, when Tendai Chatara hit his pad in front of middle but the appeal was turned down. But he was to fall in similar fashion, trapped leg-before off Tinashe Panyangara for 7.

 

By then, though, Manzoor had got over his early nerves, and Zimbabwe had turned to Hamilton Masakadza, possibly to give their specialist seamers some leeway after the workload they carried in the first Test. However, Brendan Taylor stuck with Masakadza for four overs after Younis came in, allowing the batsman to settle in against harmless, gentle length deliveries outside off.

 

In the morning, Chatara and Vitori also had had few problems settling in, as they batted into the second hour of the day in a last-wicket stand of 46 that stretched the Zimbabwe innings to 294. The hosts began the day on 237 for 8, hoping to make the most of the remaining two wickets with the surface expected to deteriorate significantly later. There was quite some sense on display from Nos 10 and 11 as they defended resolutely and earned precious runs.

 

Pakistan felt they had got Chatara caught behind on 1 when Junaid ripped a lifter past the batsman's prod. There was a faint sound as ball passed bat, but umpire Steve Davis was unmoved. It would be an hour-and-a-half more before Pakistan finally ended the innings.

 

Chatara was fortunate again when a couple of close lbw shouts were turned down, off Ajmal and Hafeez, the latter one appearing especially tight. Abdur Rehman ultimately broke through in the 20th over of the day when umpire Ranmore Martinesz decided ruled the latest leg-before shout against Chatara, on 21, was far too plumb to be turned down.

 

Panyangara had one lbw appeal negated against Misbah when he was on 18, the ball hitting the Pakistan captain high, on the back thigh pad. That was about as close as Zimbabwe came to separating the familiar partners.

3rd ODI Eng v Aus No result

Rain ended the third one-day international between England and Australia after 15.1 overs at Edgbaston.

In the play that was possible, England slipped to 59-3, with Michael Carberry, Kevin Pietersen and Joe Root dismissed.

Australia lead the five-match series 1-0 after victory at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The fourth match takes place at Cardiff on Saturday, with the series concluding in Southampton on Monday.

One-day series

• 1st ODI - Headingley, 6 September, no result
• 2nd ODI - Old Trafford, 8 September, Australia won by 88 runs
• 3rd ODI - Edgbaston, 11 September, no result
• 4th ODI - Cardiff, 14 September
• 5th ODI - Southampton, 16 September

England had opted to field an unchanged side from the XI that lost by 88 runs at Old Trafford, a team that included only three frontline bowlers in Steven Finn, Boyd Rankin and James Tredwell.

However, it was the home batsmen that came under pressure when Australia captain Michael Clarke won the toss and elected to field in grey, wet conditions.

With rain having delayed the start for 20 minutes, England lost opener Carberry in the first over, run out in a mix-up with Kevin Pietersen.

Pietersen set off after the ball hit his thigh and trickled into the leg side for a single that may not have been on. Carberry hesitated and, by the time he jogged through, bowler Clint McKay had gathered the ball and broken the stumps at the striker's end.

Pietersen had already hit his first ball for four, but the dismissal of Carberry prompted some uncertain strokes. Scoring only two runs from his next 16 deliveries, he was caught at square leg off the extra pace of Mitchell Johnson.

Jonathan Trott had an lbw decision from the same bowler overturned on review as he compiled an unbeaten 28, but Joe Root offered a return catch to left-arm spinner Adam Voges before the rain came.