LONDON, 23 June 2003 — Marcus Trescothick’s unbeaten hundred guided England to a four wicket win over Pakistan in the third and final One-Day International at Lord’s here yesterday.
The result gave England the series 2-1 — their first one-day series win since they won 5-0 in Zimbabwe in October 2001.
In a close match Trescothick’s fifth one-day international hundred, which came off 101 balls including five fours, was decisive.
But the Somerset left-hander, who made 86 in England’s equalizing win at The Oval on Friday, was twice dropped and twice nearly run out, the first time on one, before he finished the match with a six off Azhar Mahmood as England won with nine balls to spare. He received good support from Chris Read, 25 not out, who helped him add 77 runs in 76 balls in an unbroken seventh-wicket stand.
Trescothick was first dropped on 35 when Mohammad Hafeez at midwicket floored him off medium-pacer Abdul Razzaq.
And on 93 he had a second reprieve when Pakistan captain and wicketkeeper Rashid Latif dropped him off fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar with England still needing 32 runs for victory. Both chances should have been held although off-spinner Hafeez did his best to atone with a one-day career best three for 31. But Shoaib, the Rawalpindi Express, had no luck at all, his wicketless 10 overs going for 40 runs.
Earlier Razzaq’s blistering 64 off 53 balls took Pakistan to a competitive total.
Azhar Mahmood, 20 not out, supported Razzaq in a stand of 60 from 37 balls, Pakistan scoring 91 in the last 10 overs.
Younis Khan, out for nought in the two previous series matches, made a patient 63 which rescued Pakistan from the depths of 61 for four. All-rounder Andrew Flintoff finished with an impressive four for 32 from his 10 overs but Pakistan still managed 91 from their last ten. Shoaib and Mohammad Sami lived up to their billing as the fastest new-ball duo currently in world cricket, both bowlers repeatedly beating the outside edge. England had all the luck going with captain Michael Vaughan dropped on nought by Hafeez at third slip off Shoaib and on 10 bowled by Sami off a no-ball.
But Latif held on when diving to his right he dismissed Vikram Solanki (12), twice nearly involved in run-outs with fellow opener Trescothick, off Sami. But on 29 he pulled medium-pacer Azhar to Hafeez on the boundary, who this time held on.
Hafeez almost turned the tide with three wickets for three runs in 17 balls.
Flintoff (four) drove him straight to Sami at mid-off before Hafeez had Anthony McGrath (two) stumped by Latif. And when Latif’s excellent leg-side catch dismissed Rikki Clarke (four) for Hafeez’s third wicket, England were faltering at 154 for six. Pakistan, after losing the toss, following a rain-delayed start, suffered a collapse which threatened to be as bad as the one which reduced them to 185 all out at The Oval before Younis came to their rescue.
Hinds, Lara Put Windies
in Command at Lunch
In Gros Islet, St Lucia, Wavell Hinds struck 113 and captain Brian Lara an unbeaten 80 to put West Indies in command at lunch on the third day of the first Test against Sri Lanka yesterday.
In reply to Sri Lanka’s first innings of 354, the home side finished the morning session on 253 for three, left-handers Hinds and Lara having shared in a stand of 174 for the third wicket. Hinds hit eight fours and four sixes in a solid 113 before he was run out by Marvan Atapattu in the 56th over of the innings, following a mix-up with Lara.
