Ali Martin's match report
And in county cricket …
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Right, that’s us done, but our match report of a brilliant win for England will be here shortly. Bye!
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Oh, and he also says that there are some selection problems for the selectors now, with some of the current side looking over their shoulders.
Sporting something of a pudding basin, Ben Stokes thanks all the players, coaches and support staff who made the match happen and is very proud of how his team played. He notes that a lot of the credit must go to Morgan, Silverwood and Trevor Bayliss, who set the method the team follow and enabled him to ask his boys to express themselves – as illustrated by Salt’s effort today.
Next it’s Babar Azam, who reckons his team started well but were sloppy in the field and the bowlers couldn’t stick to their plans. He also congratulates Vince for his innings and appreciates England’s quality but says they had opportunities and couldn’t capitalise because of the aforementioned fielding. He hopes that his team will learn from their mistakes and apply that new knowledge in the T20 series.
Saqib Mahmood is named man of the series and says that it’s been a special week. He was given the responsibility of the new ball and is really glad to have paid back the faith shown in him. He reckons the ruthless, aggressive, winning mindset is set by Morgan and Silverwood, but isn’t tempted to say he hopes to stay in the squad, just saying he’ll take what hapepns as it happens.
Vince tells Zainab Abbas that England’s fast start meant the rate never got out of hand, and they were able to knock it around then pick up boundaries when they needed them. He’s pleased to make a contribution, having not expected this opportunity, but isn’t pressed enough on what that ton must’ve meant – I’m sure Hazel Irvine would’ve had him bawling.
Babar scored 158 off 198 and he’s not going to get the player of the match, because that goes to James Vince, whose 102 decided the match. I’m so happy for him.
I don’t want to bring all this stuff back to Tests, but two other aspects of today made me wonder about England’s team: Matt Parkinson’s ball to Imam, and Zak Crawley’s cameo. I don’t think Parkinson is ready, but there’s a lot with which to work, while Crawley has found some form and might just keep his job as a consequence.
Pakistan’s catching and outfielding was the absolute pits, but you’ve got to credit England’s approach, from Salt smashing it about to Overton calmly finishing it off, with Crawley, Vince, Stokes and Gregory stepping up in the meantime. The first two matches, you could argue Pakistan were acclimatising, but today they made a score only to be beaten by a perfectly-paced chase to which almost every third-choice batsman contributed.
But let’s focus on Vince for a second, who batted absolutely beautifully; Rob Key reckons he was more relaxed than previously, because he wasn’t expecting a go and wouldn’t have thought it’d lead to anything. Now, though, it might be too late for him to get into the limited overs squads, but the Test batsmen aren’t exactly settled so you never know.
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That is an absolute joke. Sure, Pakistan can play better than they did over this series, but for England IIIs to hammer them twice, then calmly negotiate a testing chase, is an unbelievable effort. The strength in depth is up there with Australia’s in 90s and 00s.
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England beat Pakistan by three wickets to win the three-match series 3-0!
48th over: England 332-7 (Overton 18, Carse 12) Target 332 Babar turns to Shaheen, who wangs a full-bunger at the top of the pads - it’s a miserable delivery. So Overton pulls to midwicket ... and another misfield ushers him through for two more! It’s at least three matches since I saw fielding as bad from a touring team. A one and a two follow, though in between times, Carse plays and misses; it’s not going to matter. It’s not going to matter at all, because he’s stepped outside the final ball of the over to guide four through extra cover!
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47th over: England 323-7 (Overton 15, Carse 6) Target 332 Hasan Ali returns and Overton picks out Babar at mid off, running anyway ... if he shies and hits, it’s dead ... but he slips! A single and two follow, then Overton picks a short one, settles into position, and clobbers four to midwicket! That’s a poor delivery, but the way he stepped inside it was very smart, and when he jabs a yorker, also to midwicket, he hauls Carse through for a tight two! A asingle follows, and this is over! England need 9 runs from 18 balls.
46th over: England 312-7 (Overton 5, Carse 5) Target 332 Yup, here comes Shadab, and Carse belts his first delivery to cover for one. Three further singles follow, and that’s an ok over for Pakistan – just four runs conceded – but really they needed a wicket. He finishes with 2-61 from his 10. England need 20 runs from 24 balls.
45th over: England 308-7 (Overton 3, Carse 3) Target 332 This has been, and still is, a bazzing game of cricket. My sense is that England’s batters did just enough, but I’d not be surprised to see a few more wickets either. Overton takes one to cover, then a wide adds another to the total before Carse narrowly avoids edging behind. He can bat a bit though and forces two over the top and down the ground, then guides a single to third man. I daresay we’ll see Shadab’s final over now. England need 24 runs from 30 balls.
WICKET! Gregory c Shadab Khan b Haris Rauf 77 (England 303-7)
Well! Gregory looks to hit Shadab out of the ground but top-edges it hectares into the sky ... surely Pakistan can’t drop this too! But Sarfaraz, who has the gloves, leaves it to Shadab, who chases in, dives onto the square, and holds what turns into a screamer, then screams at the keeper!
44th over: England 303-6 (Gregory 77, Overton 2) Target 332 I wonder if Vince will get a go at a Test this summer – he’s had so many chances, but I bet England are tempted. Shaheen goes around to Gregory and cedes a leg bye then a single – in between times, Overton nurdles into the on side for one. But will Gregory take the final ball of the over for a boundary? No! Shaheen’s penultimate delivery is short and straight, so he hauls it for four through backward square then takes a further single! England need 29 runs from 36 balls.
43rd over: England 294-6 (Gregory 71, Overton 0) Target 332 Overton can bat but there’s not much after him; have England done enough of the work already? England need 38 runs from 42 balls.
WICKET! Vince c Babar Azam v Haris Rauf 102 (England 294-6)
NOW THEN! England have been cruising for a while, but the match is back in the balance now! Vince drives straight to mid off – we can see he’s changed because he didn’t edge to slip – and deserves the ovation he gets walking off.
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43rd over: England 294-5 (Vince 102, Gregory 71) Target 332 OK, I take it back. Gregory sees a short one outside off, waits for it, and absolutely annihilates six over midwicket! He is loving out there and it’s beautiful to see ... then he does it again the ball after next! Both batsmen are absolutely buzzing, at different points in their career but discovering themselves together and loving it – watching this kind of thing is one of the best things about sport.
42nd over: England 281-5 (Vince 102, Gregory 58) Target 332 Ah man, I’m so happy for Vince. You know how good he should be because hard, grizzled men who know better than you keep giving him a chance to show it, and his celebration, incorporating shouting, fist-pumping and hugging, was well-earned and well enjoyed. Lovely stuff. Shaheen returns, his first five balls yield three singles and a leg bye ... but there’s no boundary off its sixth! Pathetic.
James Vince makes his maiden international century!
41st over: England 276-5 (Vince 100, Gregory 56) Target 332 A better over for Pakistan, who must be fearing the worst now, and a 3-0 drubbing from England IIIs would be very much that. Vince takes a single to cover, then Gregory does likewise to midwicket before totally missing a slower ball only for it to leap above the stumps! And here comes the last ball of the over ... no way! Vince clatters it through midwicket for four, and there it is! What a moment! It’s taken a lot longer than it should’ve done, but at the age of 30 has he finally found the balance? England need 56 runs from 54 balls.
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40th over: England 270-5 (Vince 95, Gregory 55) Target 332 A single apiece begins Shadab’s penultimate go-around, then Gregory pulls into the on side, they run two, and that’s his maiden international fifty! He’s batted with such control, and after the first five balls of the over yield four, can he find yet another boundary with its final delivery? Yes he can! A miserable drag-down arrives about the pads, and all he follows it around the corner to clip four more! England need 62 runs from 60 balls.
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39th over: England 262-5 (Vince 94, Gregory 48) Target 332 The crowd, nicely lubricated, are singing about Haz Maguire while England take tight singles from the second and third balls of the over. They run them well, but Pakistan’s fielding today has been the useless side of dreadful ... and as I type that, Vince drops one just short of Faheem ... then square drives four to the point fence and prods out a yorker! The composure of these two has been quite something, but if they see England home I hope Vince gets himself caught at slip for the laughs. England need 70 runs from 66 balls.
38th over: England 256-5 (Vince 89, Gregory 47) Target 332 Shadab returns and this might be Pakistan’s final dart at the match – he’s got three overs left, and if he goes wicketless, that might be it. Vince takes his first ball for one to cover, taking him up to 84, his highest score for England, Gregory twizzles into the on side ... and Vince hauls a slog-sweep from outside off to the square leg fence for four! England need 76 runs from 72 balls.
37th over: England 249-5 (Vince 83, Gregory 46) Target 332 Faheem returns and one shy of his international best, Vince waltzes down and has a heave, missing entirely ... but then the ball does likewise with his stumps. So he pulls a single to deep square, equalling his magical 83, that was really worth 3, from that heady day at the Gabba. Gregory then takes two to midwicket, and again, just as an over looks like ducking in under the required rate, still just over six, Gregory carts its final delivery for four, this time over the top to wide long on.
36th over: England 242-5 (Vince 82, Gregory 40) Target 332 What England have done really well here is maintain their boundary count – not at the same rate they began with, but they’ve not let Pakistan bog them down, keeping the scoreboard ticking. And here we go again, three from the first three balls, then Gregory misses with a pull and does well to preserve his timber, then, facing the final delivery of the over, the release, again – this time, a short one clobbered down to long on for four! This is really very fine behaviour from him.
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35th over: England 235-5 (Vince 81, Gregory 34) Target 332 In commentary, they’re discussing England’s T20 squad, which is named tomorrow. Saqib has a chance of getting in that, and I wonder what the long-term plan is, both for him and Matt Parkinson – the former is a Test bowler, but if the latter was too, that would really change things. Meantime, England take three singles and run two leg byes, then Shaheen tries a decent-looking bouncer ... but Gregory rides it, absolutely mass-murdering six on the up, over deep backward square! He’s been given a chance and he’s absolutely devouring it – it’s beautiful to see.
34th over: England 224-5 (Vince 79, Gregory 27) Target 332 Haris Rauf returns and Gregory, who’s been quietly competent, one-hands a brace through cover then times a glorious clip, k-nuck, past midwicket for four. England are seeing this away very nicely (at the time of writing).
33rd over: England 218-5 (Vince 79, Gregory 21) Target 332 If you’d like to donate to the Bob Willis Foundation – do it – text TEN, TWENTY or THIRTY, depending on how much you’d like to give, to 70820. Back out in the middle, Shaheen returns and Gregory pulls him for one then Vince does so for two, Fakhar Zaman diving in the deep but allowing the ball to bounce off his chest – that’s the fifty partnership and a very good one it’s been too. The problem Pakistan have is that England went off so quickly that they can afford to take things more gently now; the problem England have is that Vince will need to get most of the runs but can’t afford to get out getting them, because though there are batsmen who can stay with him, there are none who’ve proved they can commandeer a chase at this level.
32nd over: England 213-5 (Vince 75, Gregory 20) Target 332 This is a better over from Hasan Ali, two singles from it, then Gregory looks to cut a wide one and narrowly evades his off stump with an ill-timed chop. A single follows, and that’s drinks.
31st over: England 210-5 (Vince 74, Gregory 18) Target 332 Talking of Bairstow, is he England’s greatest ever one-day batsman? I can’t think of anyone better. The run rate is 6.41 now, and England take six from the over, four singles and a two – they’re looking calm out there, but one rash shot and things change significantly.
30th over: England 204-5 (Vince 72, Gregory 14) Target 332 “James Vince has glided to 60,” says Wardy, which makes me wonder why the past tense of glide isn’t glid. Either way, here he is waiting for one from the returning Hasan Ali, and there’s four glid to backward point! And when the next ball is wide, he gets down on one knee to go harder, flaying over backward point for four more! We’ve not actually seen too many tracks like this in England over the last couple of years – tracks that offer the bowler nowt – and I shudder to think what Roy and Bairstow might’ve done on it. Anyway, a wide a one and a two make it 12 from the over.
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29th over: England 192-5 (Vince 63, Gregory 12) Target 332 Gregory takes one to cover then Vince swipes, squirting two over point, before forcing one to midwicket. It feels like both teams are steadying themselves before they start windmilling.
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28th over: England 188-5 (Vince 60, Gregory 11) Target 332 Shadab overpitches, so Vince comes forward to rattle him through extra cover for four, the second time in three overs England have relieved pressure with a first-ball boundary. The bowler comes back well though, a two to Vince the only further runs from the over.
27th over: England 182-5 (Vince 54, Gregory 11) Target 332 Poor old Rizwan is off with pain, Sarfaraz returning to keep in his stead, with Saud Shakeel coming on to bowl. And after tow singles come from four balls, Gregory looks to drive over the top ... and oh my days, that’s another drop! Imam-ul-Haq leaps at mid off, but with one hand when two would make it easier – did it come back of a wall that only he can see? – tipping over the bar with the absolute minimum of effort.
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26th over: England 178-5 (Vince 52, Gregory 9) Target 332 After a bit of a dull period in the early part of the last decade, 50-over cricket has become a game of real texture, and this is, so far, a great example of its ability to tell a compelling story. The first ball of Shadab’s latest over is short, so Gregory zetzes a pull over the top for four, and three singles follow. I wonder if England will chase the rest of these runs in a style that contravenes the Morganist theory, looking to knock rather than blaze them off. It’s probably the only way they can win.
25th over: England 171-5 (Vince 51, Gregory 3) Target 332 It feels like this could end quickly now, partly because there’s no evidence to the contrary and partly because this is, despite the Morgan era, still England. But they only need 6.43 an over, knocking singles from each ball of this latest one, Vince raising his second straight fifty in the process.
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24th over: England 165-5 (Vince 48, Gregory 0) Target 332 Shadab beats Gregory first up with a scrambled seam delivery that spins past the outside edge and that might just be the crucial over of the match, three runs and one wicket from it. Other hand, what a test for the men in the middle.
ON-PITCH DECISION STANDS!
The ball pitched outside off and was hitting the middle of leg. England are in trouble.
ENGLAND REVIEW!
I suppose they felt obliged, but I’ve not a clue what they’re looking for.
WICKET! Simpson lbw b Shadab 3 (England 152-5)
Might this be the matchwinning spell? Simpson is beaten by the spin as the ball digs back into him and that looked plumb to me.
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24th over: England 152-4 (Vince 48, Simpson 3) Target 332 It shouldn’t be funny hearing a man yowling through a mic, but, well, when Vince calls Simpson back for a second run, the throw comes in and raps Rizwan on the inside thigh. He takes the opportunity to exercise his vocal cords and the physio comes out while the crowd remind him that never have good times seemed so good (so good, so good). Vince then takes a single, and...
23rd over: England 162-4 (Vince 45, Simpson 3) Target 332 Looking at my local turf accountant’s site, Pakistan are favourites now, 4/9 versus 7/4, which I guess makes sense, because there’s not much proven batting to come. It may be that, say, Lewis Gregory can produce a woakesian innings to see England home, but we can’t deem it likely and a decent over from Faheem cedes just twp.
22nd over: England 160-4 (Vince 44, Simpson 2) Target 332 The scoring is slowing a little, but with the required rate at 6.14, Pakistan need wickets – or at least Vince out. Four singles from the over.
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21st over: England 156-4 (Vince 42, Simpson 0) Target 332 England don’t have many more wickets to play with but that’s not going to stop Vince chasing a wide one, and he drives Faheem’s first ball for four through backward point. A single to midwicket follows, then Simpson plays away three dots and this is bubbling very nicely indeed.
WICKET! Stokes c Mohammad Rizwan b Shadab Khan 32 (England 151-4)
Finally Shadab gets his man! Stokes tries to slog-sweep a ball that’s tight to him just outside off and feathers an under-edge behind! Pakistan are still in this!
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20th over: England 151-3 (Vince 37, Stokes 32) Target 332 Stokes reverses for a sprinted two, then he loses patience and carts a drag-down into the Hollies for six! Those drops were quite some oversight.
“Obviously England play in baby blue to remind them of the colour of the sky when the sun’s out,” tweets Gary Naylor. “Sometimes whole weeks can go by.”
19th over: England 143-3 (Vince 37, Stokes 24) Target 332 Stokes steps back in the crease to stroke one into the on side, then Vince presses forward to square drive past point for four more!
“I was only watching the 1981 rerun because it is embedded within the tribute edition of the Spin that you linked to during the innings break!” returns Richard O’Hagan.
Ha, I did not know that – someone more talented than me needs to set that to Bob – but I’m led to believe that Stokes’ innings at Headingley is also quite good.
18th over: England 138-3 (Vince 33, Stokes 23) Target 332 Vince takes one to cover, then Stokes whacks over the top to long on and Sohaib is there! Truth is, though, that exclamation was courtesy because he’s not a great a fielder and his team are having one ... and shonuff, he leaps one-handed and palms the ball down and over the boundary. The only surprise is he didn’t send it for six, but a one-bounce four.
17th over: England 132-3 (Vince 32, Stokes 18) Target 332 What’s the opposite of decapitate? I’m asking because Stokes hammers down the ground and clumps Vince on the thigh – he finds it as funny as you do when it isn’t you – and a two follows, then four driven just past mid off. Pakistan need a wicket, badly.
16th over: England 126-3 (Vince 32, Stokes 12) Target 332 Shadab into the attack, and after a two and a one to Vince, Stokes top-edges a slog-sweep more or less straight to Hasan Ali, who not only misses it but doesn’t really get close, the ball passing between his hands as he flaps like a child trying to catch a balloon. Worse still, it trickles over the boundary for England’s 20th four, and Pakistan’s fielding has been absolutely miserable today.
“Surely Sam Curran has the youngest-looking tag sewn up?” wonders John Starbuck, but I’m not so sure. On the pitch, he wears the angry face of a four-year-old, but he doesn’t have the fresh-faced just been tangoed aspect that Crawley rocks so beautifully.
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15th over: England 118-3 (Vince 29, Stokes 7) Target 332 By the way, Ireland absolutely clattered South Africa earlier today, 290-5 v 247 all out in 48.3. And the thing is, that result isn’t really very surprising, which I guess tells us about both teams. Anyhow, Stokes misses out on one directed into his pads, so when the next ball is full and straight, he makes sure to drive it hard for four to long off, and England, though two wickets away from trouble, are making this look easy.
14th over: England 113-3 (Vince 28, Stokes 3) Target 332 Faheem into the attack and when he drags down his loosener, Vince cleanses a pull from outside off through midwicket – which tells you just how long he had to wait for that. Three singles and a dot follow, then Stokes flicks two to wide mid on; maybe he’ll be the man to play the sensible anchor role (or maybe not).
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13th over: England 104-3 (Vince 22, Stokes 0) Target 332 This is not unlike watching England bat in a Test.
“Close up on TV of bloke with blue wig and Bob Willis mask playing a trumpet (again)“ tweets @Mysteron_Voice. “Woman in the picture looking thoroughly nonplussed that she’s got a seat next to a bloke with blue wig and Bob Willis mask playing a trumpet (again).”
The very definition of barmy, at the same time as redefining barmy.
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WICKET! Crawley b Haris Rauf 39 (England 104-3)
And there it is! Crawley plays all around a straight one that does nothing and hears the death rattle behind him, middle stump out of the ground. Do England have someone who can bat long enough to navigate this chase?
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13th over: England 104-2 (Crawley 39, Vince 22) Target 332 Pakistan are really struggling in the field, Sohaib, rolling all over a mistimed flick from Vince that yields three. Which just brings Crawley onto strike, and he moves onto tippy-toes like Michael Jackson singing Bad to coax four through backward point.
12th over: England 97-2 (Crawley 35, Vince 19) Target 332 They play Talking Heads’ Psycho Killer between overs, a lovely touch, and which reminds me, courtesy of the Flying Pickets’ cover version, that during Babar’s innings, I was singing his name to Yazoo’s Only You, also covered by Flying Pickets (whose lead singer, Brian Hibbard, played Doug Murray in Corrie). Back in the middle, Crawley runs a single down to third man, then Vince chops hard and sees the ball race away for four through backward point! At the start of England’s innings, I wondered who, if anyone, would be good enough to play a subsubsubsubsubstantial knock, but maybe five or six decent ones will be the way they go.
11th over: England 90-2 (Crawley 34, Vince 14) Target 332 Rauf beings with three dots, but then Vince takes a couple of steps down to reach around his front pad and bash four through midwicket. A two to cover follows, and England are cruising.
“Young-looking,” says Richard Hagan. “I’ve just been watching a re-run of Bob Willis’ spell at Headingley in 1981. Graham Dilley looks about 16 and somewhat bewildered.”
And it’s not even raining. Can I recommend the Borg-McEnroe tiebreaker as one to try next?
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10th over: England 84-2 (Crawley 34, Vince 8) Target 332 Why do England play in baby blue? It’s a nice colour, granted, but so is mauve, which has equal amounts to do with England. Anyway, Shaheen is back into the attack and sends down a much better over, just one from it ... until Crawley carts his final delivery to deep square for a one-bounce four. Thats the end of the first powerplay, and England have absolutely loved it.
9th over: England 79-2 (Crawley 30, Vince 7) Target 332 Rauf returns and Crawley strokes him to midwicket for two – he’s making the best of this unexpected opportunity, which tells us something about him because he’s under a lot of pressure here ... and a push adds four more through third man. I doubt he can force his way into this ODI squad, but he might just be preserving his space in the first Test, because they believe in his talent; he needs them to believe in his form.
8th over: England 72-2 (Crawley 24, Vince 6) Target 332 Pakistan change keeper, Rizwan returning to replace Sarfraz, then another misfield allows Vince two through cover before a shove earns him two more. I’m a little surprised they went back to him, as I was the last time and the time before that, though I guess that tells us just how much ability the experts think he has. Meantime, Hasan Ali looks to have twanged his groin, and he won’t be feeling any better when Crawley twizzles him over midwicket for another four. On which point, is he England’s youngest-looking cricketer of all-time?
7th over: England 62-2 (Crawley 20, Vince 1) Target 332 Field change for Pakistan, Babar sticking in 450 two slips. He gets underway immediately with a single into the on side, then Crawley stands tall to glide four to long off and next ball pulls four more to square leg! This is brilliant from England.
WICKET! Salt c Fahar Zaman b Haris Rauf 37 (England 53-2)
Salt pulls confidently but uppishly and is caught at midwicket, a straightforward end to a terrific knock.
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7th over: England 53-1 (Salt 37, Crawley 12) Target 332 Shaheen Afridi is thanked perhaps an over too late.
6th over: England 53-1 (Salt 37, Crawley 12) Target 332 Oh dear me. Salt bunts into the off side and a dreadful misfield sends the crowd into raptures; they run one, and though Salt wants another, Crawley sends him back. Three dots follow, then Crawley chips over mid on for a brace, and the batsmen are in total command; I wonder which will drive airily to mid off in the next 10 minutes.
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5th over: England 49-1 (Salt 36, Crawley 9) Target 332 Babar has work to do here, though he could do with some help from his bowlers, and Shaheen concedes just one from his first four deliveries, a single to Crawley. But then a short one on the hip – on Salt’s hip – is hauled around the corner for four more! I’m surprised the ball was bowled there – I think it was deliberate, not a mistake – and Salt is absolutely loving this, hollering up his runs. A two and a one follow, and England are all over this.
4th over: England 42-1 (Salt 30, Crawley 8) Target 332 Two dots, then Salt looks for a single and retreats, so Saud hurls at the non-striker’s though Crawley is back, and is duly punished with four buzzers! England do not need help of that ilk, and as I type that, Salt unloads the suitcase at a wide one, top-edging four over third man, then edges towards the same area where a fumble is greeted with derision and delirium – derisium – and what a start this is from England IIIs.
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3rd over: England 32-1 (Salt 20, Crawley 8) Target 332 Crawley drives down the ground for two, and what a boon this situation is for him – he badly needs runs to keep his Test place and there’s no four-day stuff, so the opportunity to score for England must be very welcome. And here he is, driving superbly down the ground for four! Like Root and Pope, he’s a beautiful strokemaker until he gets out for fewer than he should, and two more follow when a dab to third man allows the batsmen to sprint there and back.
2nd over: England 24-1 (Salt 20, Crawley 0) Target 332 Gosh, Ultra Edge doesn’t think Malan got anything on that, but he walked and didn’t review. That is going to sting, hard. But back in the middle and after a leg bye, Salt hurls hands at a wide one to earn four through point, and he is motoring.
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WICKET! Malan c Mohammad Rizwan b Hasan Ali 0 (England 19-1)
This is an excellent delivery, swinging in and pitching full, on leg, then slanting across Malan. Off the back of a duck in the last match, he fences, and is caught behind! It’s odd to say this in just the second over, but Pakistan needed that.
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2nd over: England 19-0 (Salt 16, Malan 0) Target 332 Eeesh! Hasan Ali opens with a hat-trick ... of wides, two down leg side and one harsh one down off. As you might imagine, the crowd are full of sympathy for the bowler.
1st over: England 16-0 (Salt 16, Malan 0) Target 332 Babar Azam, though. Meantime, Salt misses out on a first-ball full toss, picking out cover, but the second, a floaty yorker, ends up in the slot and he opens the face to hammer four through point. And have a look! Salt carts a decent delivery over mid off, then gets forward to time four down the ground to long off, then dematerialises four uppishly through the covers! Sixteen off the over – I hope his dressing room nickname is Perry!
The players are back with us, Shaheeh Shah Afridi with the ball.
Oh go on then, you’ve twisted my arm. Not many better combinations of music and drama, though feel free to advise me to the contrary. .
We play sport to see what’ll happen, and rarely have I had as little idea as I do now. In normal circumstances, I’d be heavily favouring England because just over a run a ball ain’t no thing for them. But I’ve not a clue how this line-up will chase this total, which makes this a fascinating match.
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We’re remembering Bob Willis today, so here’s a piece on him (with guest appearances from the other Bob).
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Thanks Tim and good afternoon everyone. I guess Pakistan’s innings looked a bit like you’d expect it to look, were England missing 10 of their first XI (but for the fact that the worst figures were delivered by its only remaining member). On the one hand, that speaks volumes for how well they played in the first two matches, but on the other, shows what a flat track and a bit of acclimatisation Babar Azam can do. He’s an absolute joke.
Pakistan finish on 331! England need 332 to complete a 3-0 series win!
50th over: Pakistan 331-9 (Shakeel 3, Haris Rauf 0) And that is that, with England getting a flurry of consolation prizes, but Pakistan making off with the laurels. Babar Azam made a majestic 158, and all Stokes’s Makeshift XI could do was show some spirit, which resulted in a nice little five-wicket haul for Brydon Carse, all of them at the death.
England now need to mount a huge chase, something they have done before against Pakistan, though not with a bunch of plucky understudies. It’ll be a stiff test of mettle – which they certainly have – and shot-making invention, which some of them have. Come on Zak Crawley, come on James Vince: this is the moment to turn one of those stylish 50s into something monumental.
And that’s me done. Thanks for your company and correspondence, and Daniel will be with you shortly to see whether England’s batsmen can rise to the challenge on a pitch with plenty of runs in it.
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Wicket! Shaheen Shah Afridi c Vince b Carse 0 (Pakistan 329-9)
Yet another one! Carse digs it in and Shakeel can only dig it out to mid-on, where Vince takes a simple catch. And Brydon Carse has a nice cheap five-for!
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Wicket!! BABAR c Malan b Carse 158 (Pakistan 328-8)
Got him in the end! Wickets are suddenly tumbling and not even Babar is immune. He holes out and departs to the standing ovation he deserves, after an innings that went from watchful to explosive the minute he passed fifty.
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49th over: Pakistan 324-7 (Babar Azam 154) Hasan’s role was enthusiastically taken up by Ashraf, who could see from the field setting that Saqib was planning to drop short. He pulled for six and top-edged for four, but then Saqib pitched one up and that was that. Saqib adds another wicket to finish with three for 60, and nine wickets in the series.
Wicket! Shadab c Simpson b Saqib 0 (Pakistan 324-7)
Two in two! But still not Babar.
Wicket! Faheem Ashraf b Saqib 10 (Pakistan 324-6)
Saqib’s slower ball does for Ashraf – but he hit 10 off four balls, so the momentum is still there. And so is Babar.
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48th over: Pakistan 312-5 (Babar Azam 153, Faheem Ashraf 0) Hasan Ali was promoted to throw the bat and he succeeded, getting two top edges – one flying away for four, the other bringing his downfall. But England haven’t got the wicket they want, that of Babar, who now has the highest score by a Pakistani in ODIs against England.
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Wicket! Hasan Ali c Crawley b Carse 4 (Pakistan 309-5)
Another one! Again it’s the short ball, again it’s the pull, only this time it’s more of a skyer, well held at midwicket.
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Wicket! Shoaib Maqsood c Vince b Carse 8 (Pakistan 305-4)
The short stuff sees off Maqsood, who holes out to midwicket. Not so much a breakthrough, more of a consolation prize.
47th over: Pakistan 304-3 (Babar Azam 149, Sohaib Maqsood 8) Back comes Saqib for the death, bowling full and wide at Babar, then short and straight at Maqsood – who misses one bouncer, but pulls another for four. The carnage continues.
46th over: Pakistan 296-2 (Babar Azam 146, Sohaib Maqsood 4) In comes Sohaib Maqsood and he gets four off his first ball, albeit via the outside edge. Well bowled Brydon Carse.
Wicket!! Mohammad Rizwan c Simpson b Carse 74 (Pakistan 292-3)
At last! Rizwan gloves a bouncer and England know it’s out, so, after a pause for thought, he walks. That’s the end of a sparkling innings and a spectacular partnership of 179 off just 20 overs.
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45th over: Pakistan 284-2 (Babar Azam 139, Mohammad Rizwan 72) Overton deceives Babar, luring him into a top-edged pull, but it’s such a bad shot that it doesn’t carry to mid-on. By the end of the over, Babar has found his touch again, playing a proper pull for four. With 139, he now has the highest score of a glittering one-day career. Poor old Overton finishes with figures of 10-0-64-0, despite delivering a very tidy opening spell. It’s as if this England are bowling at the team they’re standing in for.
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44th over: Pakistan 271-2 (Babar Azam 133, Mohammad Rizwan 66) Babar, stung by that quip about Baba O’Riley, is dropped at midwicket off Parkinson. He swept, hard, and Brydon Carse did well not to be seriously injured. The partnership sails on to 152 off 110 balls. Babar celebrates by ambling down the track and hitting a straight six. The next ball is a good one, a googly that nearly takes out the off stump as Babar plays an injudicious cut, but he gets away with it. Thirteen off the over, so Parkinson now has 1-70 off nine. He’s bowled better than that would suggest.
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43rd over: Pakistan 259-2 (Babar Azam 126, Mohammad Rizwan 61) It’s still Overton, trying some slower balls. One ball is too short, so Babar dispatches it for four. Another is too leg-side, so it’s a wide, the seventh of the innings. Eleven off the over: it just feels as if there’s a tap on, with runs flowing out of it.
“Babar Azam’s not bad,” says Andrew Benton, “but Baba O’Riley’s better.” Ha. We need to know if Bob Willis liked The Who as well as Dylan.
42nd over: Pakistan 248-2 (Babar Azam 120, Mohammad Rizwan 57) Stokes has asked himself what would Eoin do, and the answer is “Bring back the leggie”. It’s worth a try, but maybe even Adil Rashid would struggle in this situation. Parkinson goes for two twos, then three singles, and finally a four, as Babar seizes on a semi-short ball and cuts hard past extra-cover. He’s been immense since he reached fifty.
41st over: Pakistan 237-2 (Babar Azam 115, Mohammad Rizwan 51) Stokes’s inclination to attack has evaporated, which is understandable but perhaps unwise. Even with the field spread far and wide, these two are finding the gaps. Rizwan flicks Overton round the corner for four to reach an excellent fifty off 42 balls. He hasn’t played second fiddle: he’s played rhythm guitar, setting the tempo and galvanising the lead guitarist.
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40th over: Pakistan 227-2 (Babar Azam 113, Mohammad Rizwan 46) Saqib, given a third over in a row and an eighth in all, is pulled for four by Rizwan. He fights back well, beating him outside the off stump. These England stand-ins have plenty of spirit, but their skills are being tested by this flat pitch and Babar’s mastery. He sees a bouncer early and pulls it for four, dismissively.
39th over: Pakistan 215-2 (Babar Azam 106, Mohammad Rizwan 41) Craig Overton comes back, replacing Carse. Rizwan takes a quick two and hurts himself diving for the crease as his helmet clonks him on the nose. Babar dabs for a couple, an elegant way to bring up the hundred partnership off only 12.4 overs. It’s been so much more purposeful than the partnership of 92 that preceded it.
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38th over: Pakistan 208-2 (Babar Azam 103, Mohammad Rizwan 37) Mahmood is still running in hard, but Babar’s eye is in, the sun is out, and the magic has gone. I’m beginning to see why Stokes delayed Saqib’s return.
And we have an answer to the baseball question (15:25). “Yes it is the luxury of having a glove to catch a larger, lighter, softer ball!” says Ross Dawson. “Hardly a marginal difference.”
Hundred for Babar Azam!
Babar cuts Saqib for four and that’s his century, his 14th in 83 ODIs. It took him 15 balls to make his first run, and he was sluggish all the way to fifty – but he’s been a cheetah ever since. His second fifty has come off only 32 balls.
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37th over: Pakistan 200-2 (Babar Azam 97, Mohammad Rizwan 35) With Parkinson off, Saqib is teamed with Carse, which perhaps isn’t the best combination – they’re much the same pace. Carse is hitting the pitch hard but Rizwan is onto him, pulling for four. Babar sees that and plays the same shot, with a touch of majesty, and then runs it down to third man to bring up the 200. The first 100 took 143 balls, the second one only 89.
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36th over: Pakistan 190-2 (Babar Azam 92, Mohammad Rizwan 30) And here is Saqib, who can bowl five of the last 15 overs. Babar faced 14 balls from him earlier and didn’t score a single run, but his eye is in now and after one dot, he cuts for two, then flicks for two more as Saqib over-compensates. Seven off the over, and no alarms: so much for my bowling change.
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35th over: Pakistan 183-2 (Babar Azam 87, Mohammad Rizwan 28) Stokes does do something: he takes Gregory off – but rather than Saqib, he brings back Brydon Carse. He nearly nabs Babar with a yorker that beats the bat and somehow misses off stump. With only four runs, that’s England’s best over for a while.
34th over: Pakistan 179-2 (Babar Azam 85, Mohammad Rizwan 26) Parkinson is still causing a problem about once an over. He draws Babar forward, luring him into a nick – but again there’s no slip, so it just dribbles away for a single. To reassert himself, Babar dances down the track and lofts an innocent delivery for six. Ten off the over: Stokes badly needs to make something happen.
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There’s a hold-up while Babar takes a comfort break, so here’s a tweet from Voice of the Mysterons. “Given the marginal differences between the specifications of a baseball and a cricket ball,” they say, “why doesn’t the fielding side in cricket ping the ball about in the same way as they do in baseball ... or is it just the luxury of having the glove that allows them to do it?” That’s a good question, but well above my pay grade, so I’m going to throw it out to the floor.
33rd over: Pakistan 169-2 (Babar Azam 77, Mohammad Rizwan 24) Gregory is still on too, more surprisingly. He tries a slow bouncer and that’s fine by Babar, who swats it like a fly and sends it skimming to the midwicket boundary. And then Rizwan plus a handsome on-drive, too straight to be stopped at mid-on, so that’s four more. The partnership is already 56, off 45 balls, and that’s drinks with Pakistan on top. Stokes needs to ask himself one question: what would Eoin do? Bring back Saqib, surely.
32nd over: Pakistan 159-2 (Babar Azam 72, Mohammad Rizwan 19) Parkinson is still on and he nearly defeats Rizwan, groping at a googly – in fact UltraEdge shows there was a nick, so that’s dropped by John Simpson, tough as it was. Pakistan still get five off the over, and they are eyeing 300 now.
31st over: Pakistan 154-2 (Babar Azam 69, Mohammad Rizwan 17) Gregory is not quick, and the ball is no longer swinging, so he’s bowling slower balls and even slower balls. It doesn’t stop Babar chipping for three or picking up the singles. He has 22 off his last 15 balls, a sharp contrast from the 47 he managed from his first 68.
30th over: Pakistan 147-2 (Babar Azam 64, Mohammad Rizwan 15) Babar’s enjoying himself now, going inside-out to chip Parkinson over mid-off. After inching to 76 off the first 20 overs, Pakistan have added 71 off the last ten.
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29th over: Pakistan 140-2 (Babar Azam 58, Mohammad Rizwan 14) Stokes gets the message and removes himself from the attack, but it’s not the main man, Saqib – it’s his sidekick, Lewis Gregory. Babar takes this as a hint that he should change gear, spotting a slower ball and pulling for six off the front foot. That’s more like it. The loss of Imam has actually helped Pakistan, who have added 27 in three overs since Rizwan came in.
28th over: Pakistan 131-2 (Babar Azam 50, Mohammad Rizwan 13) Rizwan sweeps Parkinson for four, and then Babar gets that fifty with a suitably sober shot, a push into the on side. It’ has come off 72 balls with only five fours. It’s his 31st fifty in ODIs and 13 of those have turned into hundreds, as this one may if he gets a move on.
27th over: Pakistan 122-2 (Babar Azam 49, Mohammad Rizwan 6) Stokes isn’t taking himself off yet. Rizwan gets off the mark with a single as a crisp push is misfielded by Saqib, finally blotting his copybook, at mid-off. And then Stokes drops short yet again and Rizwan pulls for four. Another short ball is deemed a wide on height, much to Stokes’s chagrin, though to be fair it could have been a wide on width. Rizwan is rocking already, and Babar would have his fifty if it were not for a fine stop by Phil Salt at backward point. Stokes surely needs to try someone else, preferably Saqib.
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26th over: Pakistan 113-2 (Babar Azam 46, Mohammad Rizwan 0) Stokes gives Parkinson his reward – a slip and two short extras for Rizwan, who’s a good player but surely too high at No.4. He plays a dogged forward defence, and that’s the end of a very good over, a career highlight for Matt Parkinson.
Wicket! Imam-ul-Haq b Parkinson 56 (Pakistan 113-2)
The breakthrough! And it’s a peach of a ball from Matt Parkinson, pitching outside off, turning a yard and going through the gate. England needed that, and so did the game.
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25th over: Pakistan 111-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 55, Babar Azam 46) Stokes keeps himself on – and if he had a slip, which he probably would for any other seamer, Imam would be out. Instead a thick nick flies away for four. Before that, Imam played a guide to third man to bring up his fifty off 66 balls with seven fours. He had a slice of luck early on, with an LBW that was neither given nor reviewed, but he’s been quietly impressive ever since. And that’s the halfway stage, with Pakistan building an innings, 1980s-style. Stokes, who now has 3-0-22-0, may have to back himself with a slip, or sack himself and send for Saqib.
24th over: Pakistan 103-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 49, Babar Azam 43) After treating Parkinson with respect in his first over, the batsmen tuck in now. Babar lofts him over mid-off, where Stokes seems to slip but probably wouldn’t have plucked it out of the air anyway, and then Imam cuts for three to bring up the hundred. Which starts next week, by the way.
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23rd over: Pakistan 93-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 45, Babar Azam 38) Stokes is going to have to have a stern word with the one bowler who’s been a bit expensive: himself. He drops short and Babar cashes in, in a modest way, with two twos. Stokes has gone for seven an over, nobody else for more than four and a half.
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22nd over: Pakistan 88-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 44, Babar Azam 34) And here is Parkinson, with his unusually slow leg-breaks. He manages to get Babar back into watchful mode: three dots in mid-over, only singles off the other three balls.
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21st over: Pakistan 85-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 42, Babar Azam 33) And here is Stokes, coming on for only his second over of the series. A year ago, in a Test against West Indies, he was the kind of captain who tries to do everything himself, as if leading the Under-11s, but he’s older and wiser now. As a bowler, he’s more of a partnership-breaker these days, but he doesn’t break this one right away, and when he tries a bouncer, Babar smacks it away for four, in lordly fashion. Pakistan are quietly pressing on the accelerator.
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20th over: Pakistan 76-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 40, Babar Azam 26) There are three main ways England can break this partnership: either Ben Stokes brings himself on, or he turns to Matt Parkinson’s leg-spin, or there’s a run-out. These two have had a few mix-ups and they flirt with danger now as a shy comes in, and hits, but they’re home. The pitch is “a belter,” according to David Lloyd.
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19th over: Pakistan 72-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 38, Babar Azam 24) Babar, facing Carse, is playing exclusively with his wrists, which is great to watch. A wristy flick for two, a wristy cover-drive for four, and that’s the fifty partnership. It’s been sedate with some classy moments. On the PA, they’re playing Tangled Up In Blue, inn honour of Robert George Dylan Willis. If you’d like to make a donation, please go to the Bob Willis Fund.
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18th over: Pakistan 65-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 38, Babar Azam 17) Finally, some runs off Overton – four singles and a two. This is how things used to go in the old Texaco Trophy, back when Mike Atherton was opening for England: build a platform, get to 100-1 off 30 overs, and only then let your hair down.
17th over: Pakistan 59-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 34, Babar Azam 15) Three more singles off Carse, including one that would have brought a run-out had the shy hit the stumps. And that’s drinks, with Pakistan motoring along but struggling to get above 30mph. England’s change bowlers, Overton and Carse, have bowled eight overs for 29, and Saqib Mahmood has again been the best player on show.
On the day that we remember Bob Willis, another fine cricketer has gone too soon, alas: the Indian batsman Yashpal Sharma, who has died aged 66. He was part of the historic World Cup triumph in 1983. “Sad to hear the news of Yashpal Sharma,” says Sourav Ganguly on Twitter. “Had the opportunity to work with him as captain, player and then on TV .A very important part of 1983 win which showed young players like us [that we could] dream of trophies.”
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16th over: Pakistan 56-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 32, Babar Azam 13) Overton is hitting the pitch hard and keeping Babar quiet. After three dots, the last of them a play-and-miss, Babar steps onto off stump and works a length ball away to midwicket for two. Overton won’t mind that too much: it might give him a sniff of an LBW.
15th over: Pakistan 54-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 32, Babar Azam 11) Another false shot from Imam, who gets a toe-end as he tries to pull a bouncer from Carse. A second ball swings after it passes the bat, and a third is a wide down the leg side. This varied seam attack, with its pace and swing, has asked a few questions of John Simpson, the England keeper, and he’s answered them all very smoothly.
14th over: Pakistan 51-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 30, Babar Azam 11) Pakistan bring up their fifty, though not in great style – it’s a leading edge by Imam off Overton, which brings a jammy two. Dear Younger Reader, the past hour is what one-day cricket was like until 1996, when the Sri Lankans put a rocket under it.
And here’s Brian Withington. “Your reference to Saturday’s gender-neutral Player of the Match (2nd over) reminded me that the phrase ‘Man of the Match’ is now a registered trademark in UK and EU (hence, apparently, the adoption of ‘Star of the Match’ for Euro 2020). I’m wondering whether I can register the phrases ‘Cup Winner’, ‘Series Winner’ or even ‘Wooden Spoon’ and clean up licensing them for various future tournaments? All proceeds of course going to worthy ‘Grassroots Causes’.” Ha.
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13th over: Pakistan 48-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 28, Babar Azam 11) A few singles off Carse, and that too is progress for Pakistan. They’re not great fans of the age-old game of Tip’n’Run, and this England team, like the one they’ve replaced, are sharp in the field.
12th over: Pakistan 45-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 26, Babar Azam 10) Babar too is warming to the task, biding his time against Overton, waiting for something on his hip, which he flicks away for four with wristy authority. He’s just been the subject of a tweet from Andy Zaltzman, the TMS scorer: “This is the first time in his ODI career that Babar Azam has taken 10 or more balls to get off the mark.” It feels as if he may be about to make up for that.
11th over: Pakistan 39-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 26, Babar Azam 4) Saqib is getting a breather now, and you can almost hear the sighs of relief from Babar. On comes Brydon Carse, who is the understudy for Mark Wood – quick, willing, banging it in. He adds to the great pile of dots, with five in a row, but then drops short and gets pulled for four by Imam.
I managed to miss the end of the PowerPlay – that’s how subdued this start has been. England are ahead on points, but Pakistan, warming to the task of batting in England, have plenty of wickets in hand.
“Brilliant as Saqib has been,” says Richard O’Hagan, “you have to feel so sorry for poor George Garton. Not only was he left out of a series he should’ve played in, he’s now been comprehensively leapfrogged by Saqib as a result. The guy must have run over a slew of black cats recently.”
10th over: Pakistan 35-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 22, Babar Azam 4) Gregory gives way to his Somerset team-mate Craig Overton, and Babar finally gets off the mark, from his 16th ball, clipping off the pads for four. If it weren’t for the half-volley on the pads, the score would now be about 18. But Overton, like the others, follows the bad ball with several better ones. England’s reserves of talent are peculiar at the moment: shallow for Test batsmen, modest for Test spinners, but immensely deep for one-day batsmen, and for seam bowlers in any format.
9th over: Pakistan 30-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 21, Babar Azam 0) Saqib to Babar again, and it’s another maiden. Since that first over, with its two fours, Pakistan have been treating Saqib as if he was his mentor, Jimmy Anderson. His five overs have consisted of three fours, two wides and 27 dot balls.
8th over: Pakistan 30-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 21, Babar Azam 0) Imam does his best to get out the same way that Fakhar did, fending outside off, but he’s facing Gregory, not Saqib, so the ball is a touch slower and the edge goes a bit wider, eluding even the long tentacles of Crawley.
7th over: Pakistan 26-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 17, Babar Azam 0) It’s Saqib to Babar, the duel that has defined this series. Saqib is setting an examination, and Babar is equal to it. That’s a maiden, which shows how much respect the world’s No.1 batsman in this format has for someone playing only his seventh ODI.
Meanwhile Gary Naylor is on Twitter, musing about RGD Willis. “Big Bob (as my father always called him) was a singular man wasn’t he @TimdeLisle? Nobody looked like him (I saw him sat on a bench waiting for a tube - I almost blurted out, “It’s Bob Willis!”) and nobody spoke like him either. I suspect he would have made a very funny teacher.” Yes! Of English, perhaps, or Religious Knowledge.
6th over: Pakistan 26-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 17, Babar Azam 0) Gregory gives Imam some width outside off and gets cut for four. Unruffled, he keeps calm and goes back to nibbling it around on off stump and just outside, so Imam is watchful again. This Pakistan top order, unlike their England counterparts, don’t mind a few dots.
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5th over: Pakistan 21-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 13, Babar Azam 0) In comes Babar Azam, a superstar who hasn’t got going yet in this series. Ben Stokes gives him a warm welcome by adding a third slip.
That was the seventh wicket in the series for Saqib Mahmood, who has managed to give an ODI masterclass while also looking like a hot prospect for the Test team. I’d be more than happy to see him take the new ball against India at Trent Bridge on 4 August.
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Wicket!! Fakhar c Crawley b Saqib 6 (Pakistan 21-1)
Saqib strikes again! He goes across Fakhar, who wants to upper-cut but ends up just fending the ball high to second slip’s left. Unfortunately for him, second slip is Zak Crawley, who is 6ft 5 and waiting to take a superb catch.
4th over: Pakistan 19-0 (Imam-ul-Haq 13, Fakhar Zaman 6) It’s Gregory’s turn to offer a freebie and this too is tucked away by Imam, as if he’s facing Saqib in slow motion. He’s on course to make a hundred consisting only of leisurely clips off the pads – but then he ruins it with an attempted cut, which brings a single to leg gully off the bottom edge.
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3rd over: Pakistan 13-0 (Imam-ul-Haq 8, Fakhar Zaman 5) It’s Saqib again, finding the edge of Fakhar’s bat but seeing the nick fly through the vacant third slip and go away for four. By the way, Saqib had a strangled LBW shout against Imam in the first over, which England didn’t review, suspecting an inside edge – but it was pad first and would have been out if they’d reviewed it. Where’s Stuart Broad when you need him?
2nd over: Pakistan 9-0 (Imam-ul-Haq 8, Fakhar Zaman 1) At the other end it’s Lewis Gregory, the Player of the Match on Saturday, with his deceptive little swingers. He keeps things tight and concedes only a single as Fakhar Zaman gets off the mark with a leg glance.
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1st over: Pakistan 8-0 (Imam-ul-Haq 8, Fakhar Zaman 0) Imam-ul-Haq is a big player having a miserable time, with scores of 0 and 1 so far. But the first ball of the innings is a gift, overpitched on his pads, and he clips it away as if the past week had never happened. Then he plays and misses, twice, as Saqib finds the corridor, but another gimme comes along and Imam tucks that way for four more. Game on.
The players are out there and the ball is in the hands of Saqib Mahmood, the player of the series so far.
#BlueForBob
Sky have been showing some photos of Bob Willis as he struggled with prostate cancer. They’re so touching: he looks both very different and very much himself – beaky, beady, angular and endearing. His widow, Lauren Clark, is on the field, giving an interview. “I wish I didn’t have to do it,” she says, “but we’re trying to make something positive out of a really bad situation.”
Mike Atherton, who’s with her, says that Willis had two contrasting sides to his personality – the fearsome fast bowler who became an outspoken pundit, and then the private man, who was “warm and quite shy”. He would hate all this fuss, they agree, though he’d be proud of what is being achieved – raising not just money, but awareness of a disease that sneaks up on men of a certain age and can be too embarrassing to confront.
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Those teams in full
England 1 Phil Salt, 2 Dawid Malan, 3 Zak Crawley, 4 James Vince, 5 Ben Stokes (capt), 6 John Simpson (wkt), 7 Lewis Gregory, 8 Craig Overton, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Saqib Mahmood, 11 Matt Parkinson.
Pakistan 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Babar Azam (capt), 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wkt), 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Sohaib Maqsood, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Hasan Ali, 10 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 11 Haris Rauf.
Teams: both unchanged
After making 11 enforced changes when the series began, England have made none since, so the likes of Will Jacks and David Payne will have to wait their turn. No changes from Pakistan either.
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Toss: England win and bowl
Ben Stokes takes yet another leaf out of Eoin Morgan’s book.
Preamble: the end of a good story
Afternoon everyone and welcome to the final act of a fascinating drama. Stokes and the Understudies: a story so improbable, and endearing, that if it ever reaches the stage, it may have to be a musical. Today this eccentric England line-up – seven Cinderellas, two or three princes, and not a single ugly sister – will either round off a rout or come back to earth with a thud. As in the first two games, they have very little to lose.
Pakistan improved sharply from the first match to the second and they may well do it again at Edgbaston today. It wouldn’t be like them to be consistently off-colour: they just need Babar Azam to see off Saqib Mahmood, and the back-up seamers to be more like Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali. In this run of white-ball games the scoreline stands, bizarrely, at England 7, Sri Lanka & Pakistan 0. Saturday’s win by 52 runs was the closest we’ve come to a close-run thing, so come on guys, give us a cliffhanger.
Not that today is all about the game. It’s also about the late great Bob Willis, as his old home ground turns #BlueForBob. A few weeks ago I walked past his memorial bench on the green in Barnes, south-west London. It’s elegant and dignified and says simply that he was “a cricketer and a gentleman”. He was also a great fast bowler, a very decent England captain, a hilariously bad batsman, an acerbic commentator, a severe insomniac, and such a big Bob Dylan fan that Dylan was his middle name. So there may be the odd Dylan reference today, as we get tangled up in Bob.
Play starts at 1pm UK time, the forecast is fine for once, and I’ll be back with the toss and teams around 12.35.
