da betsson： England’s quest to secure their first trophy in a 50-over global tournament came to grief in emphatic fashion in Cardiff as Pakistan surged into the final of the Champions Trophy with masterful unpredictability
da pinnacle： The Report by David Hopps14-Jun-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:50
Agarkar: Pakistan were the better team on the day
England’s quest to secure their first trophy in a 50-over global tournament came to grief in emphatic fashion in Cardiff as Pakistan surged into the final of the Champions Trophy with masterful unpredictability, completing a thumping win by eight wickets with nearly 13 overs to spare.Central to Pakistan’s victory was their commendable vigour and skill with the ball on a dry, abrasive surface to dismiss England for only 211. A re-used pitch was the one on which Pakistan had earned their semi-final spot by edging out Sri Lanka in frenzied fashion on Monday, and it might have been designed for them. This time, there were no alarms with the bat as both their wickets and nerves remained intact.England, who have been routine collectors of 300-plus scores since the last World Cup, have rarely looked as subservient since they adopted a more daring brand of one-day cricket largely fought out on more batsman-friendly surfaces. They became becalmed with the bat as Pakistan’s pace attack found enough reverse swing to be perpetually dangerous, and they did not match their opponent’s standard when it was their own turn to bowl.Neither should this England defeat be remotely put down to an inability to cope with the demands of the occasion, because interest in this tournament on their own shores has been manageable, disappointingly so. They tried to adapt to conditions but came up short. Morgan’s measured comment that they “did not prepare for a used wicket” was revealing.They were simply outplayed. All six Pakistan bowlers acquitted themselves impressively, backed up by combative fielding and the desire of their wicketkeeper-captain, Sarfraz Ahmed, to maintain an attacking intent.Hasan Ali, a fist-pumping, arm-outstretching inspiration, finished with 3 for 35 and his 10 wickets make him the leading wicket-taker in the tournament – the face of Pakistan’s success. He continued to sweet-talk the Kookaburra ball into occasional responses – a reluctant grunt of reverse here, a wink of compliance there. Junaid Khan was another impressive suitor.Pakistan had been dealt a potentially grievous blow before the toss when Mohammad Amir, their attack leader, was ruled out of the match with a back spasm. However, Rumman Raees, his reputation enhanced in the Pakistan Super League, put in a solid shift of left-arm fast-medium on his ODI debut. Imad Wasim’s left-arm slows and the leg spin of the recalled Shadab Khan also contained England’s ambitions on a dry, used surface, with the seasoned Mohammad Hafeez equally hard to combat.Pakistan’s chase was a breeze, and Fakhar Zaman’s exuberant innings – 57 from 58 balls – was an unfastened kite that swirled around unpredictably in that breeze. An opening stand of 118 in 21 overs made necessary early inroads into England’s total. While Azhar progressed intelligently to 76, Fakhar pretty much did what he liked.Fakhar, a former navy trainee who is in his first ODI series, claimed his second successive half-century in a do-or-die game. England’s quicks pounded the middle of the pitch in an obsessive belief that they could dismiss him with the short ball. Their conviction was understandable because it was a seat-of-the-pants innings from the moment he top-edged the second ball he faced, from Mark Wood, over fine leg for six. Another flew in the same direction off the helmet. An on-the-charge pull against Jake Ball was another variation.By the time England reviewed for a supposed catch behind the wicket, Fakhar had his fifty and one suspected that Wood, back for a second spell, wanted the replay because of sheer aggravation. It showed, as Fakhar knew it would, that the ball had brushed his hip. He fell in the next over, deceived by Adil Rashid’s googly as he made room to blaze him over the off-side to be stumped by Buttler.2:35
Agarkar: Pakistan bowlers’ lengths made the difference
Azhar Ali increasingly looks a class act. Little troubled him until he charged a slower ball from Ball and bottom-edged it into his stumps. There is talk of a slight calf strain and Pakistan need him in the final. Mohammad Hafeez, who should have been stumped by Buttler off Rashid, sparked celebrations by pulling a long hop from Stokes to the boundary. Stokes’ 3.1 overs disappeared for 38 – an off-colour display that epitomised England’s collective lethargy.Such a towelling was not remotely signalled as noon approached. That England reached 80 for 1 midway through the 17th over was contentment enough. It was at this stage that Jonny Bairstow – summoned in preference to the woefully out-of-touch Jason Roy, who had made 52 in his last eight knocks – fell for 43 from 57 balls. Joe Root and Eoin Morgan also got starts (not that Morgan ever settled), but it was Stokes’ careworn innings that was most revealing.Stokes had pummelled Australia at The Oval to knock them out of the tournament, but he failed to hit a boundary in scraping 34 from 64 balls before he struck a slower off-cutter from Hasan straight up in the air 15 balls from the end. It felt like hard work: he might have been batting in dense air. England hit only 15 boundaries, only one in the last 11 overs – and that was an edge.Pakistan restricted England despite the sensation that luck was siding with the home side. Three reviews fell in their favour in the first half of the innings. Bairstow might have fallen lbw second ball, for nought. But Bairstow survived against Junaid by virtue of umpire’s call and a plentiful supply of leg-side whips gave England the sort of start they had been lacking all summer.Bairstow was dropped twice, too, on 27, when Azhar failed to cling to a tough, leaping catch above his head, and again on 42 when he swiped at a wide one from Shadab and another head-high chance this time evaded Babar at slip. Generally, however, Pakistan’s outfielding was at the top of its game.Alex Hales overturned his dismissal, lbw to Raees on 9, but failed to prosper as the same bowler defeated his advance down the pitch courtesy of a catch at short extra cover. Morgan also benefited from a review, on 19, rightly confident that the deflection when he reverse-swept Shadab would prove to have come off his forearm.If Bairstow had become anxious at England’s slowing progress, it was nothing compared to the disquiet in the second half of the innings as the ball softened and reverse swing became evident. It has been a while since Morgan allowed himself such a prolonged period of assessment, a succession of defensive pushes at deliveries angled into him symbolising England’s unease.Joe Root was England’s fall-back on such a surface and he proceeded to 46 from 56 balls with a succession of learned pushes that were beyond his team-mates – 30 singles in all. He took painkillers in case his back played up, but fell cutting when Shadab summoned a little extra pace and bounce.Morgan, fortunate not to be bowled by Hafeez when he tried to pull early in the innings, eventually charged at Hasan in desperation and the ball, not just wide but moving wider, was edged into the wicketkeeper’s hands. Jos Buttler soon followed, Junaid angling the ball across him.As Stokes laboured, nobody else filled him with hope. Moeen Ali departed to a top-edged pull against Junaid, excellently held on the run by Fakhar at deep square leg. Rashid suffered a hangdog run-out after being struck on the pad by a yorker. England’s bowlers hoped they would be happier with a ball in their hands. Instead, the truth was far less palatable.
