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Arafat to open - and the noise is something to behold!

Bopara jogs out with Wright. Here we go. "I really liked
the comment made by "Miaow". He has a very good point indeed," says Arzoo.
Woof.

Anthem-watch 2 Collingwood’s singing - there’s
Swann. He loves a good anthem. Rob Key’s smiling and singing, and
Kevin Pietersen’s doing a fantastic job in the middle order too. Fine effort
from England - I’d say they won that little contest.

Anthem-watch It’s the moment you’ve all been
waiting for. Younus is mumbling, or possibly chewing gum. Superb anthem
this, from Pakistan - the right mixture of tonal variation and cymbals. Lots
of cymbals. There’s Kamran! Belting it out, almost.

Don’t forget, you can sign up for Cricinfo’s live audio
commentary - the perfect accompaniment to our ball-by-ball words of wisdom.

Just very briefly, looking back to England’s frankly
calimitous loss to Netherlands, have a read of our UK editor

Andrew Miller’s take and an alternative and deeply sarcastic view from

Andy Zaltzman.

Emails pouring in by the bucket-load. "If England and
Australia both do not make it to semis," says one. "it will make sense to
cancel Ashes series. Who will be interested in watching ‘minnows’ series?"
Miaow.

Miller: "Rashid for Sidebottom. Interesting. This is the
fourth match on this strip."

England 1 Ravi Bopara, 2 Luke Wright, 3 Kevin
Pietersen, 4 Owais Shah, 5 Paul Collingwood (capt), 6 Dimitri Mascarenhas, 7
James Foster (wk), 8 Adil Rashid, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James
Anderson

Pakistan 1 Salman Butt, 2 Ahmad Shahzad, 3 Kamran
Akmal (wk), 4 Younus Khan (capt), 5 Misbah-ul-Haq, 6 Shoaib Malik, 7 Shahid
Afridi, 8 Yasir Arafat, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Mohammad Amir, 11 Saeed Ajmal

Here’s the toss…Pakistan have won and will bowl.
Younus expects the ball to move around, which is a fair guess - it’s breezy
and rain is in the air. Collingwood says England are looking to put the
Netherlands match behind them, yadda blah etc. Sidebottom is out,
Mascarenhas and Pietersen are in. Full team news is imminent.

About 25 minutes to go, so let’s ponder what we have
ahead of us. England’s selection will be fascinating: if Pietersen doesn’t
play, will they opt for Rob Key again, or go with some power - Napier
perhaps? Everything rests on Pietersen. Talking of nothing, we’ve just heard
that Richie Benaud will be commentating on the Ashes for Channel 5 this
summer, which might please some of you. And talking of commentary, I can
recommend Peter Baxter’s

autobiography which I’ve just finished. Fascinating insight into the
history of TMS.

5pm We spotted Kevin Pietersen gobbling some
pills (medicine - no funny business) so we think he could be playing, in
spite of his Achilles pain. We’ll confirm shortly. "If he doesn’t," says
Andrew Miller, "they’ll have to feign his injury until the eve of the
Ashes." Glorious.

Good afternoon and welcome to our coverage of this
absurdly fascinating contest between England and Pakistan. I’m Will Luke,
and I could scarcely be more up for this. As if you need reminding, if
England lose this they’re out of the tournament. Gone. Zip. Bye bye. No team
news yet but, by ‘eck, there will be soon. Stay tuned.

0.1

Yasir Arafat to Bopara, no run, wide of the off stump
and left alone - touch of swing away from the right-hander

Tremendous atmosphere here!

0.2

Yasir Arafat to Bopara, no run, a little too wide once
more, but Bopara leaves it well alone

0.3

Yasir Arafat to Bopara, FOUR,
smashed over point for four! Short, wide and given the treatment

The noise is quite unbelievable. Packed house; thousands
of Pakistani supporters

0.4

Yasir Arafat to Bopara, 1 run, nudges a single to the
off side - this’ll be tight. Good grief, get a move on Bopara - he dives in
but Afridi’s throw hits the stumps! It’s touch and go - the boos around the
ground confirm that it’s not-out

0.5

Yasir Arafat to Wright, no run, good, sharp delivery
which lifts and leaves the right-hander’s off stump. He plays and misses…

0.6

Yasir Arafat to Wright, FOUR,
short, wide and flayed in front of square on the back foot. He’s timed that
brilliantly, Wright. Plenty of pace in this pitch, and an excellent outfield

1.1

Mohammad Aamer to Bopara, no run, well wide of the off
stump and left alone

Mohammad Aamer is just 17-years-old.

1.2

Mohammad Aamer to Bopara, OUT,
superb catch by Shoaib Malik at backward point! Bopara drove on the up, it
took a thick outside edge and Malik dived to his left to cling onto a very
fine chance

c Shoaib Malik b Mohammad Aamer 5 (4m 6b 1×4 0×6) SR:
83.33

Here’s KP

1.3

Mohammad Aamer to Pietersen, no run, on his legs,
clipped to midwicket

The atmosphere and noise is quite something. This is
more Lahore than London

1.4

Mohammad Aamer to Pietersen, no run, drives and gets a
thick inside edge to the leg side

Oohs and ahhs reverberate around the ground. Good pace
from young Aamer

1.5

Mohammad Aamer to Pietersen, 1 run, plonks it out to the
off side and he sets off for an Achilles-testing run. Looks fine, too.

1.6

Mohammad Aamer to Wright, no run, 87mph, short and
punched out to the off side

There are whistles, horns, flags, foam-fingers,
chanting, clapping, drumming. Pietersen shouts a middle-stump guard to the
umpire just to be heard.

2.1

Yasir Arafat to Pietersen, no run, hammered to mid-off!
Timed the cover off that, KP, and the crowd acknowledge the safe stop with
thumping applause

2.2

Yasir Arafat to Pietersen, 1 run, steals a quick run to
mid-on and Saeed fumbles, which receives ironic jeers from the English
contingent in the crowd.

2.3

Yasir Arafat to Wright, no run, good line and length,
Wright punches to cover

2.4

Yasir Arafat to Wright, 2 runs, steps across to the off
side and pats this through midwicket for two, scattering a load of pigeons

2.5

Yasir Arafat to Wright, no run, he’s timed that - but
straight to Afridi at cover. Afridi is going berserk out there, clapping and
applauding like mad. He’s completely up for it

2.6

Yasir Arafat to Wright, FOUR,
cheers greet Wright who flicks one for four past the short fine-leg

3.1

Mohammad Aamer to Pietersen, no run, steps down the
pitch and slaps it impetuously, aggressively to mid-on

3.2

Mohammad Aamer to Pietersen, 1 run, pushed out to the
off side

"A loft of pigeons. That’s the collective noun," geeks
Neal Brasier

Aamer is over the wicket still to the right-hander

3.3

Mohammad Aamer to Wright, no run, shorter ball, Wright
steps to leg and tries to slap him over the keeper and slip but misses

This ball is shooting through. What a match we
have here. Balls flying all over the place, a fervent crowd - wonderful
stuff

3.4

Mohammad Aamer to Wright, FOUR,
Wright steps to leg and smacks this into Mars - it’s gone miles in
the air, but is it safe? It’s high, high, high over long-on and beats his
chase

3.5

Mohammad Aamer to Wright, SIX,
bang! That’s more like it, England. A thumping pull over midwicket - flat
for six, and England’s first of the tournament

3.6

Mohammad Aamer to Wright, FOUR,
four more - full toss outside off and it gets a thick bottom edge which
beats Akmal’s dive

"A pie of pigeons," suggests Alastair.

4.1

Yasir Arafat to Pietersen, no run, bashed back to the
bowler who fields in his follow-through, and thousands of Pakistan fans all
appeal. Bump ball, though

4.2

Yasir Arafat to Pietersen, 1 run, pushes for one to
cover. No sign of his Achilles problem. Ahem…

4.3

Yasir Arafat to Wright, FOUR,
bosh! Wright’s on form here - too short and straight and he pulls it with a
short-arm jab, muscularly through midwicket

4.4

Yasir Arafat to Wright, FOUR,
carved down to third man - woops! Comical from Umar Gul who lets it
through his legs. Gul strokes his chin, wondering how on earth he missed the
ball, before laughing hysterically. The bowler, however, finds it rather
less amusing

4.5

Yasir Arafat to Wright, 1 run, pushed out to the off
side

4.6

Yasir Arafat to Pietersen, (no ball)
FOUR, a high full toss slapped over
mid-on for four. Really difficult shot to time, but Pietersen did well there

4.6

Yasir Arafat to Pietersen, SIX,
big, massive - monstrous! He slaps it over the top into the old radio
commentary boxes by the pavilion, hammering off the reddened brickwork. 104
metres of meaty goodness. Terrific strike!

Gul into the attack

5.1

Umar Gul to Wright, 1 run, on his legs, Wright nudges
for a single

5.2

Umar Gul to Pietersen, (no ball)
FOUR, a no-ball full toss smashed down the ground

Free hit now

5.2

Umar Gul to Pietersen, 3 runs, sliced to cover - who
misfields! Oh dear, that’s a howler from Ahmed Shehzad

5.3

Umar Gul to Wright, OUT,
bowled him! The roof’s coming off at The Oval now! A yorker sends Wright’s
stumps shattering and Gul goes into orbit to celebrate

b Umar Gul 34 (31m 16b 6×4 1×6) SR: 212.50

If you’re in London, regardless of where, stick your
head of the window and you’ll probably hear the noise at The Oval.

Here’s Shah. Had a lean time of it lately - poor shot
against the Netherlands, too, holing out to square leg

5.4

Umar Gul to Shah, 1 wide, a bouncer down the leg side
and eventually wided, to the hilariously ironic cheers of England’s fans

5.4

Umar Gul to Shah, no run, pushed defensively out to
mid-off

5.5

Umar Gul to Shah, no run, back cut to point. Good field
to counter Shah’s square-of-the-wicket play

5.6

Umar Gul to Shah, no run, great yorker, it really is.
Right up there - Shah had to dig it out with a shovel

Shoaib Malik into the attack with his offies

6.1

Shoaib Malik to Pietersen, 1 wide, and he starts with a
wide down the leg side

6.1

Shoaib Malik to Pietersen,
FOUR, oh he’s hit that sweetly. Tossed up outside off, Pietersen
sweeps him through square leg with power. Lovely crunchy noise of ball on
bat

6.2

Shoaib Malik to Pietersen, 1 run, a little straighter
and nurdled around the corner

6.3

Shoaib Malik to Shah, 1 no ball, beats him outside off

A no-ball! Oh dear. Free-hit for Shah

6.3

Shoaib Malik to Shah, FOUR,
full toss banged over long-off for four. Top shot

6.4

Shoaib Malik to Shah, no run, driven out to the off side

6.5

Shoaib Malik to Shah, 1 run, down the pitch and mistimes
it, aerially, to a deepish mid-on

6.6

Shoaib Malik to Pietersen, 1 run, driven to long-off. No
spin on offer yet

Afridi into the attack. Love watching this guy bowl

7.1

Shahid Afridi to Pietersen, 1 run, starts with a full
toss which is stroked to long-off

7.2

Shahid Afridi to Shah, 1 run, quicker ball on his legs,
Shah flicks

7.3

Shahid Afridi to Pietersen, 1 run, smashed
straight back to Afridi who, somehow, doesn’t break a finger in attempting
to field it. Ouch

Sheesh, he timed that!

7.4

Shahid Afridi to Shah, 1 run, nurdled for a single

7.5

Shahid Afridi to Pietersen, 1 run, goes for a huge smash
and gets an inside edge - excellent quicker ball

7.6

Shahid Afridi to Shah, 1 run, turned to leg for another
single

Tight over, that

8.1

Saeed Ajmal to Shah, 2 runs, flicked to leg for another
jogged two

Ah - Saeed Ajmal is bowling. Forgot to mention

8.2

Saeed Ajmal to Shah, no run, a touch quicker and nudged
to the leg side

8.3

Saeed Ajmal to Shah, no run, excellent tight delivery on
middle stump. Shah’s forward, smothering

8.4

Saeed Ajmal to Shah, 2 runs, nicely played off his pads
and he’s paced that beautifully for two

8.5

Saeed Ajmal to Shah, 1 leg bye, straight, flicked off
his pads - Shah looks like he’s got his feet into a tangle as he made his
ground. And yes, replays confirm the tangle was entirely of his own doing.
Winner

8.6

Saeed Ajmal to Pietersen, 1 wide, down the leg side

8.6

Saeed Ajmal to Pietersen, no run, has he dropped
him, the bowler? Yes! A ferociously smacked drive and he can’t cling on

9.1

Shahid Afridi to Shah, no run, somehow Shah isn’t
bowled! Opened up all three stumps in a slog-sweep but missed the ball
completely

9.2

Shahid Afridi to Shah, no run, pushed out to the off
side, Shah sets off for a single without considering he has a batting
partner at the other end, and has to dive back into ground. The throw’s
good, but it’s not a direct hit and, thus, dear readers, he is home

9.3

Shahid Afridi to Shah, 1 run, how has that not bowled
him? A quicker top-spinner which bamboozles Shah completely, the ball
rushing over his stumps

9.4

Shahid Afridi to Pietersen, no run, and the googly
rushes onto Pietersen, this time, who looks horribly late on this chopping
shot. Hit on the back leg, but outside oeg

9.5

Shahid Afridi to Pietersen, 1 run, powerfully pulled and
fine leg nearly makes a complete mess of it

9.6

Shahid Afridi to Shah, no run, defended back to the
bowler. Afridi threatens to decapitate Shah with a ghosted throw, and
Pietersen’s chuckling at the other end. All fun and games

10.1

Saeed Ajmal to Pietersen, FOUR,
oh shot. Inside-out, hugely poweful cover-drive for four. Immense
strength!

Shot of the day

10.2

Saeed Ajmal to Pietersen, 1 run, swept to square leg

10.3

Saeed Ajmal to Shah, FOUR,
Shah’s second four, slog-sweeping between the two men on the leg side.
Excellent, urgent strokeplay

10.4

Saeed Ajmal to Shah, no run, spins back sharply on Shah

10.5

Saeed Ajmal to Shah, 1 run, tickled off his toes to
square leg. Kamran Akmal is going to be hoarse by tomorrow - screaming his
throat off out there.

There’s England’s 100

10.6

Saeed Ajmal to Pietersen, no run, swept to short fine
leg

KP has a whopping great grin on his face today - how
good to see. Afridi to continue

11.1

Shahid Afridi to Shah, no run, Shah takes a step down
the pitch but is rapped on the pads. Too fast for him

Afridi is all over England here

11.2

Shahid Afridi to Shah, FOUR,
excellent shot! Swept hard behind square for four.

11.3

Shahid Afridi to Shah, 1 run, Shah steps outside leg and
chops it to mid-off

11.4

Shahid Afridi to Pietersen,
SIX, that’s out - out of the ground! A big sweep by Pietersen and
I thought he’d miscued it, but oh no. That’s six all the way

11.5

Shahid Afridi to Pietersen, 1 run, ooh shot once more -
well wide and he did well to reach it, slapping it to wide long-off. Shah’s
too slow to get two…

11.6

Shahid Afridi to Shah, 1 run, flicked to leg

13 from the over - a good’un for England

Aamer to bowl his third over

12.1

Mohammad Aamer to Shah, 2 runs, a short-arm jab - Shah
thinks this is going for four and is only walking the first run. Poor
cricket - he really must be more aware

12.2

Mohammad Aamer to Shah, no run, goes for a slap over
midwicket but misses

12.3

Mohammad Aamer to Shah, SIX,
he’s timed that. Yes, he’s timed the socks off that! A short-arm jab with
massive amounts of bottom hand, bunted massively over wide long-on. Huge!

Resounding "crack" of bat on ball

12.4

Mohammad Aamer to Shah, 1 run, back cut to third man

12.5

Mohammad Aamer to Pietersen, no run, Pietersen walks
into a drive but mistimes it

12.6

Mohammad Aamer to Pietersen,
SIX, another monster from Pietersen, this time driving inside-out
over extra cover! Wow - that really was a massive flump!

What a difference a KP makes. Gul back into the attack

13.1

Umar Gul to Shah, no run, starts with a straight slower
ball

13.2

Umar Gul to Shah, OUT,
got him! A much quicker delivery at 86mph beats Shah’s attempted pull, the
ball shooting low and smashing his stumps. Gone!

b Umar Gul 33 (26m 32b 3×4 1×6) SR: 103.12

Right - game on, here. Gul’s looking threatening and
Collingwood, well, he needs to get KP on strike for as long as he can

13.3

Umar Gul to Collingwood, 1 run, straight delivery worked
to mid-on

13.4

Umar Gul to Pietersen, 1 wide, a bouncer - KP leaves it
alone … and eventually it’s called a wide on height, much to the cheering
delight of the England fans

13.4

Umar Gul to Pietersen, 1 leg bye, fast ball but on his
legs and Pietersen whips to leg. The crowd all cheer for his fifty, but it’s
a leg-bye! And they boo. Great, pantomime atmosphere here

13.5

Umar Gul to Collingwood, 1 run, nudged down to long-on

13.6

Umar Gul to Pietersen, FOUR,
a thick inside edge past the stumps to bring up his fifty. Top knock! 31
balls

14.1

Saeed Ajmal to Collingwood, 1 run, worked through
midwicket

14.2

Saeed Ajmal to Pietersen, no run, goes for a sweep but
misses

14.3

Saeed Ajmal to Pietersen, 1 run, that’s well bowled -
much much faster, as he saw KP charging him. Great ball in fact

14.4

Saeed Ajmal to Collingwood, no run

14.5

Saeed Ajmal to Collingwood, 1 run, down the pitch,
Collingwood flips him to square leg but just for a single

14.6

Saeed Ajmal to Pietersen, no run, driven back to the
bowler - excellent, tight, economical over

15.1

Umar Gul to Collingwood, 2 runs, dropped at
square leg, diving forward to collect this flicky shot off his toes. Tricky
chance but Arafat really ought to have swallowed that

15.2

Umar Gul to Collingwood, FOUR,
Collingwood pulls muscularly and it fairly races away - I didn’t think he’d
timed it, but that shows how much I know

15.3

Umar Gul to Collingwood, FOUR,
a full toss bunged through the leg side - four more! Collingwood’s timing is
spot on tonight

15.4

Umar Gul to Collingwood, 1 run, angled behind square

15.5

Umar Gul to Pietersen, 1 run, ooh fine delivery, another
Gul yorker on the off stump and Pietersen can only squeeze it out to the off
side for a single

15.6

Umar Gul to Collingwood, 1 leg bye, a full toss on his
legs and it beats his pull

16.1

Saeed Ajmal to Collingwood,
OUT, got him! Afridi takes a simple catch as Collingwood tries to
smite him over the top but can only sky it to long-off

c Shahid Afridi b Saeed Ajmal 15 (8m 11b 2×4 0×6) SR:
136.36

Right. Time for England’s apparently-specialised
pinch-hitter, Mascarenhas

16.2

Saeed Ajmal to Pietersen, 1 run, timed to cover - they
set off for a quick single and in comes the throw to the wicketkeeper but I
think Mascarenhas is in. Direct hit would’ve been tasty

16.3

Saeed Ajmal to Mascarenhas, 1 run, pushed out to the off
side

16.4

Saeed Ajmal to Pietersen, 2 runs, stands tall, working
it off his hip for a well-run two

16.5

Saeed Ajmal to Pietersen, OUT,
done by the doosra! Goes for a massive shot but gets a thick outside edge to
short third man!

c Umar Gul b Saeed Ajmal 58 (70m 38b 5×4 3×6) SR:
152.63

Excellent comeback from Pakistan

16.6

Saeed Ajmal to Mascarenhas, 1 run, nudged to leg

17.1

Yasir Arafat to Mascarenhas, 1 run, cracked out to
mid-off

England slipping here. Three overs to go and they really
need 185+

17.2

Yasir Arafat to Foster, no run, ooh, beaten by a corker
which cuts back into him!

17.3

Yasir Arafat to Foster, 1 run, dropped by Saeed
at short fine leg - a little paddly sweep by Foster

17.4

Yasir Arafat to Mascarenhas, 1 run, Mascarenhas tries to
bash a four over the top but whacks it into his foot…

17.5

Yasir Arafat to Foster, 1 run, flicked to leg

Thank god for Nick Berry’s email. "Re ;apparently-specialised;
pinch-hitter - no need to hyphenate compound adjectives where the first word
is an adverb ending in -ly. thought you’d be aching to know that at this
juncture of the game." Thanks

17.6

Yasir Arafat to Mascarenhas, 1 run, full and straight,
worked to leg - excellent tight over

Afridi’s coming back into the attack with two overs to
go

18.1

Shahid Afridi to Mascarenhas,
FOUR, flogged over midwicket for four - much too short from
Afridi

18.2

Shahid Afridi to Mascarenhas, 2 runs, short of a length
and again flinged over the leg side, but for two this time - good running

18.3

Shahid Afridi to Mascarenhas, no run, seriously quick -
79mph!

18.4

Shahid Afridi to Mascarenhas, 1 run, carved out to
long-off - another very quick ball

18.5

Shahid Afridi to Foster, SIX,
a back-foot smash for six - what on earth’s going on? He stepped to leg and
gave himself room, flinging it over extra cover for six - what a shot!

18.6

Shahid Afridi to Foster, 2 runs, a similar shot winging
its way short of long-off this time

19.1

Umar Gul to Mascarenhas, 1 run, yorker, bashed out to
cover

19.2

Umar Gul to Foster, 1 run, another yorker but he
squeezes it out cleverly to the off side

Top bowling, this

19.3

Umar Gul to Mascarenhas, 1 run, bashed back to the
bowler - this’ll be run out. No! Mucked it up! He’s bounced it straight over
the stumps!

19.4

Umar Gul to Foster, 2 runs, flayed over point and Salman
Butt at deep cover point….drops it! And he’s fumbled it while
trying to pick it up, too!

Calamity upon calamity

19.5

Umar Gul to Foster, 1 run, really full, forced out to
the off side

Last ball - England really need a four or a six here

19.6

Umar Gul to Mascarenhas, 2 runs, squeezed out to the off
side, Gul fields and again wangs in a throw which misses the stumps by a
country mile! Overthrows for England

And there we have it. Pakistan need 186. Better display
by England, but I feel they’re 15 runs short really. Beware Pakistan! Join
us in 10 short minutes for their reply. It’s time I made a cuppa.

Welcome back. A quick reminder for you: England have to
win this to stay in the competition. And Shahid Afridi has had a shocker
with the bat for a rather long time. Fascinating hour on our hands here.
Mascarenhas to open the bowling

0.1

Mascarenhas to Ahmed Shehzad, 1 run, leg-stump line,
flicked through square leg

Here’s Butt - will he crack under pressure?

0.2

Mascarenhas to Salman Butt, no run, a wide outside the
off stump. But he gets away with it…!

0.3

Mascarenhas to Salman Butt, 1 run, short, wide, slapped
… but he has a sweeper out on the boundary, Swann, whose influence on this
game could be huge

0.4

Mascarenhas to Ahmed Shehzad, no run, a nasty one
cutting back into the right hander. Good, straight delivery

0.5

Mascarenhas to Ahmed Shehzad, 1 run, cuts away this
time, punched out to the off side for a sharp single. Good running, that. In
fact - really super running

0.6

Mascarenhas to Salman Butt,
FOUR, that’s four! A cracking drive through extra cover is
greeted with horns, whistling, cheering and general mayhem

Anderson now

1.1

Anderson to Ahmed Shehzad, no run, oh well bowled! Beats
the outside edge and that was pacey, too - 87mph

1.2

Anderson to Ahmed Shehzad, 1 wide, down the leg side -
wide!

1.2

Anderson to Ahmed Shehzad, 1 run, down the leg side and
nudged off his hip

1.3

Anderson to Salman Butt, 1 wide, oh that’s unfair.
Batsman backed away to the leg side by about two feet so Anderson threw it a
little wider, and it cut wider still. Harsh to be called a wide

1.3

Anderson to Salman Butt, no run, drilled into the covers
and well fielded

Collingwood’s got a scowl on. This is massive

1.4

Anderson to Salman Butt, no run, bashed out to the off
side

1.5

Anderson to Salman Butt, 1 wide, another wide outside
the off stump

Pietersen and Collingwood are discussing it with the
umpire

1.5

Anderson to Salman Butt, 1 run, better line, carved out
to the off side

1.6

Anderson to Ahmed Shehzad, 1 run, nice shot, cutting it
hard out to the off side but Mascarenhas runs round from third man to make a
fine stop

Righto, so here’s Mascarenhas once more

2.1

Mascarenhas to Ahmed Shehzad,
OUT, a great catch by Collingwood! He stepped to leg to give
himself room and slapped it, mistiming it horribly, and Collingwood
backtracked from cover to take it high above his head while tumbling
backwards

c Collingwood b Mascarenhas 4 (10m 7b 0×4 0×6) SR:
57.14

"A halfwit ran onto the pitch after that wicket, and he
wasn’t even a streaker," spits Miller, with tangible disgust. "Poor effort."

2.2

Mascarenhas to Salman Butt, 2 runs, goes inside out to
drive this over extra cover. Swann fields on the rop

Foster up to the stumps now

2.3

Mascarenhas to Salman Butt, no run, guided out to the
off side

2.4

Mascarenhas to Salman Butt,
FOUR, a one-handed fling over mid-off for four! Who needs two
hands?

2.5

Mascarenhas to Salman Butt, no run, good comeback by
Mascarenhas, cutting this back into the left-hander

2.6

Mascarenhas to Salman Butt, 1 run, pulled short of the
deep square leg

Stuart Broad replaces Anderson

3.1

Broad to Salman Butt, no run, very well timed, stroking
it to point but straight to the fielder

Broad jogs back to his mark and Wright applauds
everybody for no apparent reason

3.2

Broad to Salman Butt, FOUR,
that’s a fine shot - stepping to leg and cutting it behind square, beating
Wright’s dive at backward point

3.3

Broad to Salman Butt, no run, passes by the left-hander
this time! He really gave it everything but missed it completely

3.4

Broad to Salman Butt, no run, wellies it short of mid-on

3.5

Broad to Salman Butt, FOUR,
way, way too short and Butt capitalises - uppercutting it over point for
four! Great over this for Pakistan

3.6

Broad to Salman Butt, 1 run, pulled to mid-on

South Africa crushed Scotland in the day’s other match,
for your info.

4.1

Anderson to Salman Butt, FOUR,
four more! A mistimed smudge over the leg side for another boundary

Pakistan racing along at the moment. Butt has 26 from 18

4.2

Anderson to Salman Butt, no run, much better, fuller
delivery, squeezed out to cover

4.3

Anderson to Salman Butt, 1 run, clattered to mid-on

Breaking bail news the bail is broken.

4.4

Anderson to Kamran Akmal, no run, swings and misses
outside the off stump

4.5

Anderson to Kamran Akmal, no run, fabulous ball! Shapes
back into the right-hander and beats him on the outside edge

4.6

Anderson to Kamran Akmal, 3 runs, flays this over point,
high, high, high but not very handsome. Collingwood prevents four with a
typically determined chase and effort

Broad to continue

5.1

Broad to Kamran Akmal, 1 run, mistimed pull short of
Wright at deep midwicket

5.2

Broad to Salman Butt, no run, another mistimed drive to
mid-off

5.3

Broad to Salman Butt, 1 run, nice and full - this is
excellent bowling from Broad now. Squeezed out to the off side

5.4

Broad to Kamran Akmal, 2 runs, goes on the pull -
where’s this gone? Lands safely on the leg side

5.5

Broad to Kamran Akmal, OUT,
short of a length, on the pull and this time he does find Wright at
deep square leg - got him!

c Wright b Broad 6 (16m 6b 0×4 0×6) SR: 100.00

145 needed from 85 and there are some very dark and
nasty clouds hovering ominously. Or ominously hovering

5.6

Broad to Salman Butt, OUT,
gone first ball! A quick bouncer, he went for a pull and skied it straight
to Bopara at point

c Bopara b Broad 28 (30m 23b 5×4 0×6) SR: 121.73

Game utterly on. That’s really put the cat amongst the
pigeons

Torrential rain in south London writes Alex, presumably
from south London. Still fine at The Oval. Here’s Younus Khan, and here’s
Rashid

6.1

Rashid to Shoaib Malik, no run, shorter ball which
hurries onto the batsman, played off the back foot. Good stop to Rashid’s
right

6.2

Rashid to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, shorter and straighter
still, stroked out to long-on

6.3

Rashid to Younis Khan, 1 run, flatter delivery on leg
stump, flicked uppishly to square leg

Wrong line from Rashid here

6.4

Rashid to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, squared up - nicely
bowled, as the right-hander tries to whip him through midwicket but got a
leading edge

6.5

Rashid to Younis Khan, no run, good, tight ball on
middle stump

6.6

Rashid to Younis Khan, 2 runs, pulled past short fine
leg but deep square leg cleans up

Swann into the attack and the rain is falling.

7.1

Swann to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, stroked to long-on

7.2

Swann to Younis Khan, no run, gives it flight and all he
can do is defend

Applause by the England supporters. I get the feeling
they’re really trying to get behind England today. However hapless their
defeat to Netherlands was, they just want to see them bounce back

7.3

Swann to Younis Khan, FOUR,
full and fast, swept for four

7.4

Swann to Younis Khan, no run, again he goes for a sweep
but it raps him on the pad

7.5

Swann to Younis Khan, 1 run, reverse swept to short
third man

7.6

Swann to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, short of a length, chopped
out to point

"Up in the press box, we’re trying to work out the
permutations of this group, and reckon that an England victory of any margin
will suffice to send them through, because their net run-rate deficit is so
small from the Dutch match," wibbles Andrew. "The onus would then be on
Pakistan to crush Netherlands, which in doing so would send them out. If
Netherlands won both games, England would progress … I think. The
confusion will come if England win today’s on a Super Over."

8.1

Rashid to Shoaib Malik, 2 runs, the googly, and he chops
it out to the off side but lacks any power in it

8.2

Rashid to Shoaib Malik, no run, defended out to the off
side

8.3

Rashid to Shoaib Malik, no run, nice leggie, pushed out
to cover

8.4

Rashid to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, gives himself a bit more
room, cracking it hard out to Anderson on the deep extra-cover boundary

8.5

Rashid to Younis Khan, no run, plays and misses outside
off! Good take by Foster. Big, spinning legbreak

8.6

Rashid to Younis Khan, 2 runs, square-cut out to the off
side

9.1

Swann to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, spins back hard and flicks
it to leg

9.2

Swann to Younis Khan, 2 runs, down the pitch and he
tries to loft it over the infield, and in fact he does loft it over the
infield

9.3

Swann to Younis Khan, 1 run, flatter ball outside off,
swept down to fine leg

9.4

Swann to Shoaib Malik, no run, applause for Swann as
it’s another dot ball

9.5

Swann to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, comes down the pitch and
chips it to long-on

9.6

Swann to Younis Khan, no run, worked off his pads - lots
of shouting by England’s fielders to get the ball back in and that’s a
really tight over by Swann

10.1

Rashid to Shoaib Malik, FOUR,
oh that’s a top shot, sweeping it powerfully and over square leg

10.2

Rashid to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, driven out to the off
side

10.3

Rashid to Younis Khan, FOUR,
another fine shot. Too short from Rashid and he sweeps it from outside off
with tremendous power. Such a short boundary on the leg side

10.4

Rashid to Younis Khan, 1 leg bye, beaten by turn, the
ball bounding off his pad, and the throw comes in to Rashid’s end but he’s
in front of the stumps. And they’re home anyway

10.5

Rashid to Shoaib Malik, no run, stopped by Collingwood
out on the off side

10.6

Rashid to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, driven uppishly out to
the off side

11.1

Swann to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, faster ball, driven off
the back foot

11.2

Swann to Younis Khan, 1 run, flicked to long-on. Good,
straight delivery

11.3

Swann to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, tossed up but again he can
only get a single, nudging it to leg

11.4

Swann to Younis Khan, FOUR,
oh he’s drilled this - absolutely scorched it back down the ground! He gave
it everything

11.5

Swann to Younis Khan, 1 run, reverse-swept and Foster
sees him coming - brilliant effort and I think he got his leg in the way to
prevent four. Hmm - excellent work

11.6

Swann to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, stroked out to long-on -
nearly a mix-up between the pair

103 needed from eight overs. Here’s Wright

12.1

Wright to Shoaib Malik, 1 wide, ridiculous wide. Batsman
steps to the off side, Wright sees him coming and thus sends it wider and he
plays and misses. But it’s wided. Really, really harsh!

12.1

Wright to Shoaib Malik, 2 runs, carved down to third man
- Morgan fields with athleticism

We think Morgan’s on the field for Mascarenhas

12.2

Wright to Shoaib Malik, 1 wide, a wide on height.
Wright’s not happy. Nor is Ian Chappell, who’s absolutely slamming these
decisions

12.2

Wright to Shoaib Malik, OUT,
got him this time! Malik’s feet were concreted and he flung his bat at this
good-length outswinger, edging it behind

c †Foster b Wright 20 (20m 21b 1×4 0×6) SR: 95.23

Boom Boom Afridi

12.3

Wright to Shahid Afridi, no run, slams this first ball
to a short mid-off. Brilliant stop by Collingwood

It’s beginning to rain more I’m afraid…but nothing
terminal just yet. We’re fine

12.4

Wright to Shahid Afridi, no run, Afridi tries to slam
this over midwicket - ha, he really did throw the kitchen sink at that!
Missed it by miles

12.5

Wright to Shahid Afridi, 2 runs, thick outside edge
flying over cover - he was aiming to whack it over mid-on

Oh it’s Shah off the field, that’s why Morgan’s on.

12.6

Wright to Shahid Afridi, no run, a wide outside off -
and it’s not called a wide. Well, I don’t know what’s a wide and what isn’t
any more. Good over from Wright though

Rashid’s continuing

13.1

Rashid to Younis Khan, 1 run, lovely legbreak on
middle-and-leg, stroked to cover

13.2

Rashid to Shahid Afridi, no run, a hugely spinning
legbreak, Afridi tries to clout it over midwicket but is beaten by the turn

Good stuff this, from Rashid

13.3

Rashid to Shahid Afridi, 1 run, goes for a pull and
top-edges it over the wicketkeeper’s head - three fielders converge but no
one can reach it

13.4

Rashid to Younis Khan, 1 run, cracked out to Mascaremhas
at deep extra cover

13.5

Rashid to Shahid Afridi, no run, shorter ball, whipped
to leg

13.6

Rashid to Shahid Afridi, 1 run, stroked to cover to end
a very, very impressive over

"If Afridi doesn’t perform," threatens Muhammad Ismail,
"I am going to call him DOOM DOOM Afridi from now on." You do that, sonny.
Super effort

14.1

Wright to Shahid Afridi, no run, good-length ball on the
off stump which is defended

14.2

Wright to Shahid Afridi, no run, another swing and a
miss. Afridi is not the batsman he once was. He doesn’t seem to be watching
the ball, at all…

14.3

Wright to Shahid Afridi, 1 run, very full, driven with a
thick outside edge down to third man

Wright’s bowled tidily and with pace and control today.
A big, big effort from him; he and Rashid have done a good job in tandem

14.4

Wright to Younis Khan, 2 runs, full toss but it’s
squeezed out for just two

14.5

Wright to Younis Khan, 2 runs, full toss, slammed
through extra cover! Timed that nicely, but Anderson’s out on the boundary
and has the best arm in the England team

14.6

Wright to Younis Khan, FOUR,
another full toss - this one’s been properly dispatched, clubbed through the
leg-side. Bosh

84 needed from five overs…

15.1

Swann to Shahid Afridi, OUT,
Afridi’s holed out to mid-on! A horrid swing and he mistimes it completely
to Morgan who safely swallows it

c sub (EJG Morgan) b Swann 5 (7m 12b 0×4 0×6) SR:
41.66

15.2

Swann to Younis Khan, 1 run, swept to fine leg

Misbah’s in.

15.3

Swann to Misbah-ul-Haq, 1 run, nice and full, he clips
it to long-on and walks a single

15.4

Swann to Younis Khan, 2 runs, flogged over midwicket for
a couple

15.5

Swann to Younis Khan, 1 run, swept on the bounce to
square leg

All rather pedestrian from Pakistan here. Singles and
twos are nowhere near enough

15.6

Swann to Misbah-ul-Haq, 1 run, short, pulled to square
leg

16.1

Wright to Misbah-ul-Haq, no run, that’s a good, straight
line just outside off and he defends

16.2

Wright to Misbah-ul-Haq, 1 run, stands tall to defend on
the back foot but is rushed into an edgy block to the leg side

16.3

Wright to Younis Khan, 1 run, driven to cover

16.4

Wright to Misbah-ul-Haq, SIX,
wow - what a shot! He just planted his feet and flogged it for a flat six
wide of long-on!

16.5

Wright to Misbah-ul-Haq, no run, Bopara’s dropped
a dolly at point! He’s blaming the lights, but really…

16.6

Wright to Misbah-ul-Haq, 1 run, fast yorker with which
to finish an entertaining over

Here’s Anderson

Hundreds of emails coming in. Yes, we know we had Rashid
bowling five overs - a glitch in the system as our scorers hadn’t realised
Swann was into the attack. All sorted now, so please try and calm yourselves

17.1

Anderson to Misbah-ul-Haq, OUT,
tries to repeat the shot from the previous over but holes out to mid-on.
Easy catch

c sub (EJG Morgan) b Anderson 10 (4m 8b 0×4 1×6) SR:
125.00

17.2

Anderson to Younis Khan, 2 runs, a slower ball which
comprehensively beats the batsman, who is fortunate that his drive lands
safe behind the bowler’s head

17.3

Anderson to Younis Khan, 1 run, powerfully drives this
fuller delivery out to long-off

17.4

Anderson to Yasir Arafat, 1 run, nudged out to the off
side for a suicidal single … but somehow they get home!

Netherlands versus Pakistan. Now that match is suddenly
all rather crucial. You’d have to fancy Netherlands on current form…!

17.5

Anderson to Younis Khan, no run, a shorter and slower
ball, he tries to pull it around the corner but can’t time it

17.6

Anderson to Younis Khan, FOUR,
gorgeous drive - he goes inside out and times it quite beautifully. All too
late now

Broad on a hat-trick…he got two-in-two in his last
over

18.1

Broad to Yasir Arafat, no run, no hat-trick this time,
calmly guided to the off side

18.2

Broad to Yasir Arafat, 1 run, back-cut down to third man

Delay here. Not sure why. Ah…someone’s got a runner

18.3

Broad to Younis Khan, 1 run, full toss wanged through
midwicket

18.4

Broad to Yasir Arafat, no run, steps to leg, Broad sends
it down just outside off…and it’s oddly left alone

18.5

Broad to Yasir Arafat, 2 runs, a full toss which he
bashes down the ground powerfully

18.6

Broad to Yasir Arafat, OUT,
got him! Great running catch by Wright, running to his right from mid-off to
swallow a mis-timed slap

c Wright b Broad 4 (8m 6b 0×4 0×6) SR: 66.66

19.1

Anderson to Umar Gul, FOUR,
carved out wide of long-off - Swann gives chase, and rather feebly gives up
on it.

19.2

Anderson to Umar Gul, no run, a swing and a miss

19.3

Anderson to Umar Gul, no run, and a swing and a miss
once more

19.4

Anderson to Umar Gul, no run, a very quick bouncer -
much too quick for Gul

19.5

Anderson to Umar Gul, 2 runs, a wellied slap - horrible
mistimed shot falls safe over the bowler’s head

19.6

Anderson to Umar Gul, 2 runs, nudged to leg

And there’s the win for England! A surprisingly easy
one, too; a surprisingly feeble effort from Pakistan. Terrific innings by
Pietersen who really powered England’s 185, and Adil Rashid bowled with
impressive composure. And this puts England through to the Super 8s,
confirmed by Travis Basevi. Do have a read of the bulletin and keep an eye
on our series page for the full reaction to today’s games. Until tomorrow,
it’s goodbye.