RASH, BANG AND WALLOPED!
Run-outs set up whitewash, but now England face the really hard decisions
ADIL RASHID produces a superb piece of fielding to run out Babar Azam with a brilliant backhand throw as England warm up perfectly for the World Cup with a series whitewash of Pakistan.
Decision day arrives for england with eoin Morgan and the selectors spoiled for choice when they sit down today to solve their World cup puzzle and come up with a final 15 after another comfortable victory over Pakistan.
The good news is england, 4-0 winners in this dress rehearsal series after yesterday’s 54-run victory, have never had such an embarrassment of riches ahead of a home World cup they have an excellent chance of winning.
The bad is there seems certain to be at least one very unlucky bowler who will be told he is missing out even though he has done nothing wrong and has played his part over the last four years in taking england to the top of the one-day world.
David Willey, with one expensive wicket yesterday as Pakistan were bowled out for 297 chasing england’s 351 for nine, and Joe Denly appear the most vulnerable members of a squad who have had far too much power for Pakistan in this Royal London series.
The absence yesterday of Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Liam Plunkett suggests all three have done enough to be named at Lord’s tomorrow, while Tom curran will surely join them after an impressive series with ball and bat. chris Woakes took three wickets in nine deliveries with the new ball and five in all to provide further evidence of his importance — and more bad news for Willey.
only if england believe they must have the variety of a left-arm swing bowler will Willey survive, in which case Plunkett would come under scrutiny. Denly, too, could miss out if Morgan and coach Trevor Bayliss can convince national selector ed smith that Liam Dawson, in superb white-ball form for Hampshire this season, is a better bet as back-up spinner despite his absence in this series.
‘i could pick 17 at the moment,’ said Morgan, suggesting Dawson is still in the frame. ‘every member of the squad has made the decision even tougher. There will be a couple of disappointed men in the next couple of days but those guys could still be called upon during the World cup.’
The final full one- day y international before the World cup followed a familiar path, with england’s batting far too strong and their bowling good enough to stop Pakistan recording even one victory in these five matches, with the first washed out at the oval.
They also showed some brilliance in the field yesterday, with Adil Rashid running out Babar Azam and Jos Buttler doing the same to sarfaraz Ahmed when both looked set for centuries having rebuilt Pakistan’s innings with a 146-run partnership.
At least one of england’s batsmen should have gone on to a really big hundred on the flattest of Headingley pitches and against a Pakistan side who were shambolic in the early overs.
england had reached 95 for the loss of just James Vince after 10 overs and 191 for two at the halfway point as Pakistan struggled to find any sort of accuracy or penetration.
And when Joe Root and Morgan were cruising along in a stand of 117 in 19 overs england looked set for their highest g one-day y international score. But Morgan, who approaches the World cup in superb form himself, will be content that all his batting big guns have spent quality time in the middle in this series ahead of their World cup opener against south Africa on May 30.
Buttler was sublime in southampton, Jonny Bairstow belligerent at Bristol and man of the series Jason Roy tremendous at Trent Bridge in smashing centuries. Here the captain hit five sixes in his 76 off 64 balls aided by some woeful bowling and fielding. if anything Morgan was surpassed by Root, who hurried to 84 off 73 balls, emphasising the importance of an anchorman for the rest of england’s big hitters to bat around.
The eldest curran brother again showed what a much improved batsman he is, an extraordinary last-over scoop over his head off Hasan Ali for four the pick of his 29 off 15 balls with two sixes in a late england flurry after they had lost four for 38.
Pakistan rallied after Woakes’ early burst through Babar and sarfaraz but three brilliant pieces of fielding — the two run-outs and a sharp return catch by Rashid — ensured england had no hiccups other than to endure some last-wicket swishing.
The only disappointment was a poor crowd at a Headingley ground boasting its impressive new emerald stand, with even the famously raucous Western Terrace surprisingly subdued. The ground was barely two thirds full and the decision to hold an Ashes Test here in Leeds this summer rather than Trent Bridge looks ever more questionable. it was the only blot on a very rosy landscape.