Pakistan’s worst defeat, lose series 1-3 to Englan

**Sadaf Gondal** · 29-08-2010, 08:47 PM

LONDON: England crushed Pakistan by an innings and 225 runs to win the fourth and final Test at Lord's here on Sunday 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.

Britain's News of the World newspaper claimed it gave 150,000 pounds (230,000 dollars, 185,000 euros) to a middle man in return for details about three "no balls" which later were bowled in the match exactly when he had predicted.

The report alleged two Pakistan bowlers, Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif,
delivered the three blatant no-balls at points in the match agreed with the alleged fixer.

On the field, Pakistan collapsed for the second time in this match.

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 Sunday 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.

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.

That gave Swann a match haul of nine for 74 after he'd taken four for 12 in Pakistan's first innings.

Pakistan started Sunday still 331 runs adrift of England's first innings 446 and batsmen Azhar Ali and Umar Akmal, both nought not out overnight, were booed by some spectators as they walked onto the field at the 'home of cricket'.

England did not have long wait until they took their first wicket Sunday 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 Aamer, 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.

Umar Akmal's four off seamer Anderson meant Pakistan avoided the embarrassment of being dismissed for under a hundred and he subsequently lofted Swann for a huge straight six.

And his seventh four, off Swann, saw Umar Akmal to a 67-ball fifty.

Umar Akmal continued to blaze away, hoisting Swann for a legside six and cutting him for four in the course of a fifty stand with Asif of which the bowler's share was just one.

But the match ended when Swann had Asif caught by Paul Collingwood at slip.

Pakistan's three lowest totals against England have all been made during this series.

They were skittled out for 80 in a 354-run first Test loss at Trent Bridge and dismissed for 72 in a nine-wicket second Test defeat at Edgbaston.

It appeared the damage at Lord's was done as much as anything by a world record eighth-wicket stand of 332 between Jonathan Trott (184) and Broad (169) which rescued England from the depths of 102 for seven.

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