Pakistan put last nail in England coffin
Grab series by winning hard-fought Pindi ODI - President witnesses 4th encounter - Announces Rs.200,000
award for each player
By Asghar Ali Mubarak

RAWALPINDI—Pakistan chalked up a hard-fought 13 runs victory in the low-scoring 4th match at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Monday to wrap up the five-game One-Day series against England 3-1, puting in last nail in England’s cofin, who are struggling to save image eversince they arrived in Pakistan after winning the Ashes series against World Chmpaions Australia Shahid Afridi (3-34), Rana Naved (2-38) and Shoaib Akhter (2-47) bowled Pakistan to the splendid victory as the tourists crumbled for 197 runs in 48.1 overs after a defiant 33 runs last wicket stand between Kabir Ali (39 off 51 balls with five 4s) and James Anderson (11) had brought England tantalizingly close to an upset win against the home side. England had lost their ninth wicket in the 39th over when Ian Balckwell was run out for 29 off 36 balls with total on 164-9.
The home crowd heaved a sigh of relief when fast bowler Shoaib Akhter had last man James Anderson caught by Younis Khan at first slip off the very first ball of the 49th over when 14 runs were required for victory off 12 balls. Earlier, skipper Inzamamul Haq compiled a gritty 81 not out to help Pakistan set the Englishmen a modest victory target of 211 runs. Having already won the three-Tests series 2-0, Pakistan also outplayed the Ashes-winning England side in the five One Day Internationals series with the last match to be played at the same venue on Wednesday. President General Pervez Musharraf, accompanied by his son Bilal, watched Pakistan innings for about an hour, starting from just after 1.00 p.m., after Inzamamul Haq had won the toss for the first time in the one-day series and promptly elected to bat with his side already up 2-1.
President General Pervez Musharraf who had earlier left the ground returned to watch the proceedings when the match was heading for a close finish. At the prize-distribution ceremony, the President announced a Rs. 200,000 award for each member of the Pakistan team. Coming to the crease when Pakistan slumped from 34-0 to 34-3 within the space of seven balls, Inzamamul Haq featured in two good partnerships to see his team reach 210 before being all out in 47.2 overs.
Inzamamul Haq and Shoaib Malik (23 off 32 balls) put together 60 runs off 75 deliveries for the fifth wicket. The skipper and Shahid Afridi then produced 56 runs in 65 balls for the sixth wicket before Afridi was bowled off a slower ball from Plukett after making 34 off 33 balls with two 6s. Pakistan’s new-ball bowler Rana Naved-ul-Hasan brought the crowd to its feet with scalps of opener Mathew Prior and Andrew Strauss off successive balls at the start of 4th over in the England innings,the former caught behind by Kamran Akmal and the latter trapped leg before. The Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhter, playing on his home ground, dealt another blow in the seventh over of the innings when he bowled Vikram Solanki as England slumped to 25-3.
Then two incidents in the ninth and tenth overs of the England innings left the capacity crowd rather displeased. Andrew Flintoff, who went on to make a top score of 40, was let off Shoaib Akhter as wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and third-man fielder Rana Naved looked for each other to take the catch but let the ball drop between them. The score then was 31-3. In the very next over, the New Zealand umpire AL Hill ruled England captain Marcus Trescothic not out though the tv replays showed he had nicked the rising delivery from Rana Naved.
Marcus Trescothic and Andrew Flintoff were involved in a 45 runs fourth wicket stand before Pakistanis came away with another two wickets in successive overs to reduce England to 77-5. Left-hander Marcus Trescothic made 23 before he was bowled by Pakistan “super substitute”, off-spinner Arshad Khan, in the 16th over while Paul Collingwood handed an easy catch to Shoaib Malik at gully off fast bowler Muhammad Sami for 6. When Shahid Afridi sent back Andrfew Flintoff, lbw for 40 with England tottering on 99-6, for the first of his three wickets, England fight looked as good as over. Flintoff faced 48 balls and hit four boundaries and a 6.
Earlier, Pakistan were jolted when Salman Butt was run out off a no-ball with a direct throw by Vikram Solanki while medium-pacer Flintoff had vice captain Younis Khan bowled first ball. In the next over, James Anderson uprooted the stumps of makeshift opener Kamran Akmal to leave Pakistan 34-3 before Inzamam steadied the ship in company with Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi. Another England seamer Liam Plunkett then removed Shahid Afridi and Abdur Razzaq off successive balls to check the progress of Pakistan innings which slipped to 174-7 before getting past the 200 runs mark. England seam-bowling quartet of Liam Plunkett, James Anderson, Andrew Flintoff and Kabir Ali all finished with two wickets each as England’s frontline swing bowler Steve Harmison was rested due to throat infection.