Embarrased England out

Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman adds to his tally udring the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final against England at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff ENGLAND checked out of the Champions Trophy with an embarrassing whimper in an eight-wicket semi-final trouncing at the hands of Pakistan in Cardiff.

Eoin Morgan’s men returned to Wales on the back of an unblemished group-stage campaign with their eye on a third successive home final in this tournament, and an ongoing statement of their intent for the 2019 World Cup on home soil.

However, after mustering only a meek 211 all out on an awkward surface, they managed to delay Pakistan for a mere 37.1 overs as the tourists booked their place at The Oval this weekend - possibly against their great rivals India, who face Bangladesh in the second semifinal at Edgbaston today.

Hasan Ali (three for 35) was exemplary as the Pakistan attack performed well - despite the key absence of Mohammad Amir with a back spasm - and with a top-score of just 46 from Joe Root, England fell badly short after being put in.

They lost their last eight wickets for 83 runs, failed to hit a single six on this small playing area, and were unable to make Pakistan pay for a series of early fielding lapses which benefited Jonny Bairstow especially.

Many wondered if a tricky chase might nonetheless be on the cards, but openers Azhar Ali (76) and Fakhar Zaman (57) made a mockery of that notion in a stand of 118.

Their opposite number Bairstow - brought in to open for the first time in international cricket in place of the out-of-form Jason Roy had responded with a battling 43, but on a used pitch that precluded fluent strokeplay as the ball swung too, England could never get a foothold and folded tamely in their attempt to set a defendable total.

Conditions provided only transient mitigation as Pakistan confirmed a paltry return for opponents accustomed to a benchmark of at least 100 more of late.

Bairstow had his scrapes from the outset, narrowly avoiding a secondball duck when Junaid Khan’s review for lbw achieved only an umpire’s call survival, and was then twice dropped, at midwicket and slip, before pulling the third ball of Hasan’s first spell straight to deep square-leg.

Alex Hales’ attempt to up the ante had already ended in a faulty chip to cover, advancing to Rumman Raees to give the one-day international debutant his maiden wicket.

England were still without a 50 stand when Root went short of his own half-century, edging a cut behind off young leg-spinner Shadab Khan.

Morgan tried to dominate Hasan at the start of his second spell, but instead edged behind from up the wicket when the seamer pushed the ball wider.

After Jos Buttler’s departure to Junaid, flapping another caughtbehind to the first delivery after drinks, England were undoubtedly in a spot of bother.

Ben Stokes took 30 balls over his first 10 runs. But wickets kept falling at the other end, four for 34 in 11 overs by the time Junaid bounced out Moeen Ali thanks to a memorable running catch in the leg-side deep from Fakhar.

England’s £1.7million man therefore had little option but to delay his charge deep into the last 10 overs and his patience was not to be rewarded significantly before he mistimed an attempted big hit into the off-side ring off Hasan to go for a highly untypical 34 from 64 balls, having hit no boundaries.

In the first over of Pakistan’s reply, they managed two statistics which had proved beyond England.

Azhar was responsible for the first three of the match, from a pull at Mark Wood, and Fakhar added a six with a mistimed hook at the England strike bowler.

Fakhar predictably came out swinging against the new ball, and England’s attempt to make things happen by going short to both batsmen came to nought. ARRON CHARLTON of Kirkheaton hit the only century of the Drakes League second XI programme.

Batting at No3, he scored a fine unbeaten 112 in their Cedar Court Conference Two victory at home to Thurstonland.

His effort, backed by 29 from Simon Beaumont, enabled Kirkheaton to reach 177-9 in their 45 overs.

Charlton then bowled eight overs for just 31 runs as Thurstonland were Cawthorne B 0ao *Barkisland B 1-0. Cawthorne 0pts Barkisland 6pts. Hoylandswaine B 214-9 (J.Ashton 35, J.Lockwood 40) *Clayton West B 104ao (K.Rank 31, D.Taylor 30; J.Lockwood 3-33, J.Holmes 4-20) Hoylandswaine 6pts Clayton West 0pts. Armitage Bridge B 198ao (S.Harrison 28, E.Harrison 25, J.Harrison 29; S.Moorhouse 3-39, R.Bartram 3-29, G.Senior 3-31) *Cumberworth United B 83ao (E.Harrison 4-2, J.Vickerman 3-18). Armitage Bridge 6pts Cumberworth 0pts. *Delph & Dobcross B v Broad Oak B Abandoned. 2pts each. Skelmanthorpe B 101ao (A.Moore 28) *Honley B 103-3 (S.England 42*) Skelmanthorpe 0pts Honley 6pts. *Kirkburton B 216-7 (R.France 41, T.Cliffe 78; F.Brook 4-41) Slaithwaite B 170ao (L.Bradley 60, H.Garside 53; D.Winterbottom 3-41, S.Atkinson 3-26). Kirkburton 6pts Slaithwaite 1pt. Elland B 188ao (W.Burley 48, J.Rawson 64, U.Tariq 27; G.Pearson 3-25, D.Holmes 3-29) *Scholes B 192-4 (J.Clayton 35, J.Bryson 26, J.Saville 50*, G.Pearson 58*). Elland 0pts Scholes 6pts. Birkby Rose Hill B 232-6 (Z.Ahmed 65, T.Iqbal 31, I.Farooq 66, H.Rehman 27*) *Almondbury B 56ao (W.Javed 3-10). Birkby RH 6pts Almondubry 0pts. *Almondbury Wes B v Hall Bower B Abandoned. 2pts each. Denby Dale B 153-7 (G.Shuttleworth 35, R.Lammyman 77) *Edgerton & Dalton A 156-1 (H.Shallow 89*, S.Gheewala 52*). Denby Dale 0pts Edgerton 6pts. *Golcar B 232ao (D.Pearson 32, A.Iqbal 72, M.Turner 42, D.Moorhouse 31; A.Geldart 3-25, S.Mohammad 3-62) Nortonthorpe A 55-2 Abandoned (B.Geldart 32). Abandoned 2pts each. *Holmbridge A v Flockton A Abandoned. 2pts each. *Marsden B v Cartworth Moor A Abandoned. 2pts each. Moorlands B 126ao (Revised to 81) (J.Anderson 3-18) *Rastrick B 82-3 (S.Farlow 31*, R.Lambert 27*). Moorlands 0pts Rastrick 6pts. *Shepley B 140ao (P.Marsh 36, N.Hoyle 33, A.Reza 25; G.Thornton 3-23, G.Brown 3-13, L.Watmough 3-37) Holmfirth B 116ao (I.Whiteley 37*; N.Hoyle 5-24, J.Cockroft 3-31). Shepley 6pts Holmfirth 1pt. *Cartworth Moor B 50ao (J.Aylward 3-4, I.Siddiq 3-7) Thongsbridge B 51-1 (J.Aylward 32). Cartworth Moor 0pts Thongsbridge 6pts. *Emley Clarence B 241-9 (L.Taylor 37, R.Whetham 25, G.Ferguson 44, K.Taylor 44, T.Heath 31*; J.Woodhead 3-36, J.Horton 4-56) Holmbridge B 64ao (N.Mccann 3-15). Emley 6pts Holmbridge 0pts. *Flockton B 62-8 (N.Amin 3-3) Lepton Highlanders B 64-0 (Y.Azam 29*, A.Tattersley 31*). Flockton 0pts Lepton 6pts. *Kirkheaton B 177-9 (A.Charlton 112*, S.Beaumont 29) Thurstonland B 161-8 (G.Holmes 25, J.Booth 49, D.Rishton 29*; S.Ogden 4-34). Kirkheaton 6pts Thurstonland 2pts. *Lascelles Hall B 199-9 (M.Marshall 30, M.Woodhams Kirkburton B ............................. Hoylandswaine B ................... Honley B ...................................... Cawthorne B ............................. Barkisland B .............................. Broad Oak B .............................. Armitage Bridge B ................ Scholes B* .................................. Skelmanthorpe B .................. Clayton West B ........................ Elland B ........................................ Slaithwaite B ............................. Delph & Dobcross B ............. Cumberworth United B ..... Edgerton & Dalton A .............. Almondbury Wes B ................ Shepley B ...................................... Flockton A .................................... Birkby Rose Hill B .................... Rastrick B ..................................... Nortonthorpe A ........................ Denby Dale B .............................. Moorlands B ................................ Holmfirth B .................................. Holmbridge A ............................. Golcar B ......................................... Hall Bower B ............................... Meltham B .................................... Almondbury B ........................... Marsden B .................................... Cartworth Moor A ...................