Team England earn plaudits from Cook
England 297 & 445-6d beat Pakistan 400 & 201 by 141 runs
thereis no ‘i’ in team as the world-weary cliché states. And there were no hundreds or fivewicket hauls for England as they produced the ultimate team performance to pull off a stunning victory in Birmingham.
When it came to picking a man of the match, Moeen Ali walked away with the honours by virtue of his twin half-centuries, not to mention the two wickets on the final day, including the glorious, match-winning one of Sohail Khan.
Pakistan dug in manfully to establish a first-innings lead of 103. Under normal circumstances that would be enough to at least avoid defeat.
However, they came up against an England side who collectively pulled together to, firstly, drag themselves back into the contest and then seized control of the match and the series through sheer force of will.
At lunch on the final day, the tourists were cruising on 69-1 chasing a notional victory target of 343.
Pakistan were relatively comfortable even after Moeen, whose drift drew Azhar Ali into a drive that resulted in a slip catch for captain Alastair Cook, claimed their second wicket.
However, the game changed midway through the afternoon session when England’s bowlers started to get the ball to reverse swing.
James Anderson started things by removing Younis Khan, the 38-year-old flummoxed by the lateral movement and edging to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow.
Chris Woakes and Steven Finn, who had been without a wicket since the final Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s in June, then took four wickets between them for one run in the space of 23 balls to dismember Pakistan’s middle order and put their side on the cusp of victory at tea.
With three wickets needed in the final session, Anderson and Stuart Broad accounted for Yasir Shah and Mohammad Amir before Moeen, after a 50-run lastwicket stand, finished off proceedings.
From seemingly nowhere England had chiselled out a 2-1 series lead and, if results go their way, they could be No.1 in the world if they can finish off the series with a win at The Oval.
Cook said: “We seemed to be behind most of the game, just hanging on in there. And when we got the chance to win it we were fantastic.
“Everyone in the dressing room can be very proud to be part of the team in which everyone contributed — and that doesn’t always happen.
“I thought maybe this side has toughened up a bit. In the past we’ve been very good when we’ve been ahead, but this was the first game in a while when we’ve been behind and fought back.”
Gary Ballance, with a hardfought 70, and Moeen, scoring 63, were key to ensuring England at least made 297 on a first day that also saw Sohail take a maiden fivewicket haul in Tests.
Anderson was in hot water on days two and three, first having to apologise for his “petulant” behaviour after being warned twice for running onto the pitch and then, the next day, being removed from the attack for the same offence.
Day three, though, was when the fightback began as Cook and Alex Hales, producing the finest innings of his fledgling Test career, wiped out the deficit and earned their team a 17-run lead by stumps.
Both openers scored half-centuries, as did Joe Root, before Bairstow and Moeen took the game away from Pakistan in the evening session.
They counter-attacked brilliantly during a century stand to establish a 311-run lead for their side by stumps on day four.
That was broken early on the final day after they had shared 152 runs, Cook declaring four overs in.
The bowlers, after a slow start, then stole the show.
Even James Vince, coming into this game with question marks over his future, stood up.
He may not have scored a halfcentury, 42 in the second-innings his high point after making 39 first time around.
Yet his 59-run stand with Ballance on day one, after England had been reduced to 75-3, and then partnerships of 95 with Root and 31 with Ballance on day four were vital in getting England back into this match.
He played his part in the ultimate team performance, which was perfectly illustrated when five bowlers shared the 10 Pakistan wickets on the final day.