RAWALPINDI, 22 December 2005 — England gained some late consolation when they defeated Pakistan by a slender 6-run margin in the last One-Day International here yesterday. Pakistan has already won the five-match ODI series 3-2. England won the first and last match while Pakistan claimed the second, third and fourth matches of the series.

Earlier Pakistan had won the three-Test series by 2-1.

England batting, for the third time in succession, failed to post a defendable total and except for Vikram Solanki (49), Andrew Flintoff (39) and Paul Collingwood (33) no other England batsman could make it big and they finally wrapped up at 206 for 9 in 50 overs.

The tourists again won the toss and opted to bat first but suffered two early setbacks. Both openers, skipper Marcus Trescothick and Mathew Prior were dismissed by debutant paceman Mohammad Asif, who accounted for the England openers in his first three overs.

Asif, who came in place of Shoaib Akhtar, who was rested in this match along with skipper Inzamam ul-Huq, is no stranger to England batsmen.

In Lahore last month during a three-day warm-up match he had captured 10 for 106, as England carried an embarrassing seven-wicket defeat into the first Test at Multan.

Solanki and Andrew Strauss decided to play safe and steady the innings with just 46 runs coming in the first 15 overs. Strauss made the most of what little running there was, moving along to 26 from 57 balls before being stumped off a leaping off-break from Arshad Khan.

Solanki and Flintoff, who had scored 40 in the fourth ODI here on Monday, added 65 runs for the fourth wicket, — the best contribution in the England innings before Rana Naveed caused serious damage by dismissing Flintoff and Ian Blackwell (0) on successive deliveries.

Earlier, leg-spinner Shahid Afridi had Solanki caught by stand-in skipper Younis Khan for 49.

England had by then lost six wickets for 161 but a rearguard action by Paul Collingwood, who was unlucky to be run out at 33, helped England cross the 200-run mark.

Newcomer Asif and Rana Naveed shared two wickets each for Pakistan as England innings came to a close at 206 for 9 in the 50th over.

Pakistan’s reply was equally shaky as it lost the openers, Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal for 21 runs. It was for the second time in the ODI series that Pakistani openers failed to give a good start.

But Yasir Hameed, coming in this match for Inzamam and veteran Mohammad Yousuf kept Pakistan innings on course. As long as these two on the crease Pakistan were in the match with a chance. The two went on score half centuries and when Hameed (57) was dismissed at 122 Pakistan needed 85 runs to win and a lot of batting to come. But skipper Younis Khans departure after addition of 30 runs was a big setback and from then on Pakistan, now 152 for 4 from 40 overs never recovered. The home team lost the last five wickets within ten overs, adding on 48 and falling short by six runs.

Heartbroken Shabbir Considers

Quitting Cricket

In Lahore, Pakistan fast bowler Shabbir Ahmed yesterday said he was considering quitting the game after he became the first bowler to be banned from bowling for 12 months for an illegal action.

“I am heartbroken and once you are repeatedly embroiled in such a situation you are compelled to think about quitting,” Ahmed told AFP.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Monday banned Ahmed after tests on his questioned bowling action proved he exceeded the limit of 15 degrees allowed to bowlers.

In Test cricket’s 130-year history there is only one previous example of a bowler quitting the game over his illegal bowling action.

Australian left-arm seam bowler Ian Meckiff was no-balled four times in one over in the first Test of their series against South Africa in 1963-64.

A disgusted Meckiff quit the game immediately.

The 29-year-old Ahmed was reported for a second time this year during the first Test against England at Multan last month.

The ICC has been facing tough times in dealing bowlers with illegal actions as they allowed Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan and Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar to continue bowling after Australian biomechanic experts said they had deformities in their bowling arms.

The ICC introduced a new process for dealing with bowlers with suspect actions in March this year, allowing bowlers to straighten their arms by 15 degrees, which is visible to the naked eye.

Ahmed was reported for the fist time under the new rules in May this year.

The subsequent tests proved he transgressed the limits for which he was banned in July this year.

However, tests by Australian experts cleared him in October, but he was reported again for his suspect action at Multan. He took six wickets at Multan to take his tally to 51 in 10 Tests and revealed he was thinking of quitting the game before the Multan Test, but was convinced to resume by captain Inzamam ul-Haq.

Ahmed has 14 days to appeal against the ban and would meet Pakistan Cricket Board officials to decide about the appeal today.