Key events
England pose briefly with the trophy, but it is left abandoned on the plinth as they all troop off to sleep before flying in the morning. The World Cup starts on June 2, England begin their title defence on Tuesday against Scotland; Pakistan’s tournament lifts off against the USA on Thursday.
Thanks for your company tonight, and see you during the World Cup. Good night!
Player of the match – Adil Rashid Player of the Series – Jos Buttler
Adil RAshid, for his 2-27 and a couple of catches. “Trying to be clever, bowling tight lines, its very crucial to assess the conditions, varying the pace.
Hoping to win another?
“Inshallah thats the aim, get another trophy, not going to be easy, have to have the right mindset.”
Jos Buttler, winning captain, and player of the series. “Good feeling around the squad, Edgbaston especially the bowling group and again here. I think the quest to keep improving is how I improve, given me a bit of extra energy and motivation. It would have been good to have a few more games but good to get a couple of wins. Selection is always difficult, got lots of different options, great to see Jofra and Mark Wood.”
After a 23-run win at Edgbaston and two matches abaondoned without a ball bowled, a morale -boosting seven wicket victory for England to squeeze in their cabin bags when they fly to Barbados tomorrow.
“They were particularly impressive with the ball after the power play says Broad. “We need to strike in the pre death overs which allows the death overs to control the run rate. And the opening partnership – incredible ball striking by Buttler and Salt, Pakistan dropped a couple of catches but when those two get going you need some luck.”
Pakistan couldn’t capitalise after Rizwan and Babar got them a good start, fluffed a few chances in the field, and couldn’t get a hold of England’s batting – “got their lengths wrong” says Broad.
England win by seven wickets!
15.3 overs: England 158-3 (Bairstow 28, Brook 17)After nailing Haris Rauf for four earlier in the over, Brook uppercuts six with elan to win the game with four and a half overs to go.
15th over: England 148-3 (Bairstow 28, Brook 6) Bairstow being beastly to Naseem Shah again – six over midwicket, four angled away , then one straight down the ground which Haris Rauf keeps off the hoardings with some nifty footwork. Naseem smiles beseechingly.
14th over: England 135-3 (Bairstow 16, Brook 6) With only 27 needed, Babar brings back Shaheen Shah Afridi. A pause in the mayhem, with a handful of singles.
13th over: England 131-3 (Bairstow 14, Brook 4) Tight from Naseem Shah, beats a moving Brook by moving with him.
12th over: England 126-3 (Bairstow 13, Brook 1) Back to back sixes from YJB off Shadab, power poker! Excellent hands from a man in the crowd.
11th over: England 113-3 (Bairstow 1, Brook 0) Fabulous from Rauf, who suffers the indignity of Jacks slamming his slower ball for six before reaching for that glorious yorker.
“Im afraid no-one is stating the obvious here, taps Mike Turney, “you have to be agile to be a keeper!” Hmmm. Azam Khan is definitely built in the Inzamam mould but must be nimbler than he looks– no? Rizwan is in the team after all and could take the gloves.
WICKET! Jacks b Rauf 10 (England 112-3)
Just a peachy 90mph yorker. Jacks turns his head to survey the wreckage.
10th over: England 102-2 ( Jacks 10, Bairstow 0) Nice from Shadab again, whistling through six balls, at once point Bairstow ends up stepping on the ball at the non-striker’s end and Shadab, lying on the floor, semi-appeals (in jest).
WICKET! Buttler c Azam Khan b Rauf 39 (England 101-2)
9th over: England 101-2 ( Jacks 9) Haris Rauf is furious as poor Azam Khan drops an absolute sitter off Buttler – straight into the gloves and onto the tundra. Things get worse when Buttler toe-ends him for four. Finally gets his reward off the last ball, which falls into the gloves before Azam throws it to the ground in disgust. Rauf celebrates by waving three fingers – third time lucky.
8th over: England 96-1 (Butter 35, Jacks 8) Shadab brings a semblance of order to events, whistling through an over and conceding just five singles.
7th over: England 91-1 (Butter 33, Jacks 5) Jacks eases his first ball for four through the covers at his home ground. Jos wristily pulls four more. Haris Rauf finishes with a dot and a shrug. A wicket – but surely too late.
WICKET! Salt c Rizwan b Rauf 45 (England 82-1)
A flat swat caught on the rope. Relief for Pakistan!
6th over: England 78-0 (Salt 41, Butter 29) The first ball eased through backward point for four by Salt, leaves Amir shaking his head. Salt swings at the second, beaten for pace, gets an edge, but Azam Khan can’t hold on. Four more and more head shaking. That makes it six boundaries in a row. Pakistan picked apart during the power play.
5th over: England 67-0 (Salt 30, Butter 29) Naseem the next to come under pressure – Salt hams his first ball for six. A ramp, side step and shimmie, brings Buttler four. Naseem smiles as he walks back, lime green wristband on his left arm. Next ball also disappears into the crowd as JB walks into another six and four more comes with a square drive. Last ball brings four more, 25 from the over. Buttler smiles his enigmatic smile.
4th over: England 42-0 (Salt 23, Butter 11) Mohammad Amir, older, wiser, bearded, left-arm; Buttler sends him flying through backward point for four. Salt then jimmies him for six and shimmies through the covers for four more. A slower ball to end the over, brings a quick single.
3rd over: England 26-0 (Salt 12, Butter 5) A tidy over from Shaheen but one loose ball sings down the leg side, past the tumbling keeper who is more agile than might seem.
2nd over: England 18-0 (Salt 11, Butter 5) Sun dropping at The Oval, lights twinkling in the pavilion, frowning sky. Naseem Shah serves up a half volley which Salt cover drives for four. Another tempts, but swings away from the swinging Salt. A second boundary comes from a clip off the legs.
1st over: England 10-0 (Salt 3, Butter 5) Shaheen Afridi with his giant strides from the Vauxhall end, towel hanging out his trouser elastic. Pings one in the slot right away, England run overthrows, then Buttler angles one away, through second slip for four. Excellent fielding by Haris Rauf saves a Salt boundary.
“Shaheen Afridi with the new balI in this shortest format, to dominate, one needs a world class Wrist Spinner,” says Zain Malik.
”You have the likes of Adil Rashid, Rashid Khan, Kuldeep Yadav, Zampa. Pakistan, conventionally known for its invoation in that department falls short at this year’s WC.
”With Shadab Khan coming in the side after a victorious PSL outing, his individual form has been dwindling. The batting has gambled on him to provide the glue for the middle order but he has failed to deliver. Thus, a major rethink for Gary Kirstien. The middle order needs a tweak and they need a leg spinner, perhaps, Abrar can do the trick.”
England need 158 to win
After an energetic start from Rizwan, Babar and Usman, Pakistan dropped away. Fire and brimstone from the quicks but the wickets shared, with two each for Livingstone, Rashid and Wood. The target is just under eight an over – should be very doable but they do say Pakistan’s strength is their bowling…
WICKET! Haris run-out 8 (Livingstone-Buttler) (Pakistan 157 all out)
19.5 overs: Pakistan 157 ( Amir 0) All out, with a ball to go, as Pakistan try to squeeze the last drops out of a inelegant hash, and Livingstone’s throw beats the cantering Haris by a pogo stick.
19th over: Pakistan 150-9 ( Amir 0, Haris 1) Naseem picks up four with a lusty blow for four, before Wood gets his revenge next ball.
WICKET! Naseem c Buttler b Wood (Pakistan 149-9)
Goes to pull the cantering Wood, but its all too fast and he can only top edge to Butter.
WICKET! Iftikhar c Brook b Jordan 21 (Pakistan 145-8)
18th over: Pakistan 145-8 (Naseem 12, Amir 0) CJ back, and ratchets up the pressure. his fourth skirts the wide line with a blush but wins the umpire’s heart. Iftikhar has a huge hoike at the last ball, after only two singles, and Harry Brook barely has to move at long on.
17th over: Pakistan 143-7 (Iftikhar Ahmed 20, Naseem 11) An over of singles until Naseem reaches for the wok and pings Rashid into the clouds and over the rope.
16th over: Pakistan 133-7 (Iftikhar Ahmed 18, Naseem 3) Jofra back for his third over, very much a shirt tucked in boy, red soles matching his shirt. Chance of a run-out but Rashid at backward point can’t hit. Singles and a wide.
Hi Tanya! Hello there Gareth Wilson. “My question- is Mark Wood the most over-rated of England’s players, taking into account J Bairstow is in the team?” Harsh Gareth! Wood is a rare racehorse imho – who lends his brittle body to England on occasion. YJB runs hot and cold but on form surely has given more pleasure to England fans than most?
15th over: Pakistan 126-7 (Iftikhar Ahmed 16, Naseem 0) A double wicket maiden for Liam Livingstone, who looks very chirpy about the whole thing.
WICKET! Shaheed Afridid b Livingstone 0 (Pakistan 126-7)
Shaheen Afridi opts for a one-kneed plough across the line and loses his stumps. Jofra gives Livingstone a glance as if to say, you lucky, lucky boy.
WICKET! Usman c b Livingstone 38 (Pakistan 126-6)
A classic bit of Chris Jordan, as Usman tries to take Livingstone to the cleaners but instead picks out Jordan in the deep, who zags to the left at full pelt and catches as he falls forward.
14th over: Pakistan 126-5 (Usman Khan 38, Iftikhar Ahmed 16) Usman, wide, very wide leg stance, late cuts Jordan down to the rope, past the diving Rashid, who dries his hands neatly on a navy blue napkin that matches his trousers. Then Iftikhar aims the same, slightly different angle, same result. Pakistan capitalising on the odd wide ball.
13th over: Pakistan 114-5 (Usman Khan 32, Iftikhar Ahmed 10) Livingstone starts with a wide, and is a lucky boy to get away with the second. Iftikhar slams the next but it goes to ground just short of Jordan at long on. Singles, twos all add up to nine from the over.
12th over: Pakistan 105-5 (Usman Khan 29, Iftikhar Ahmed 6) Usman Khan likes to cut – so the commentators tell me. But he doesn’t cut here, goes for a farmer’s plough to plug Rashid over long-off for four.
11 over: Pakistan 96-5 (Usman Khan 21, Iftikhar Ahmed 5) Usman slides four from the first ball back, to Wood’s anguish. We haven’t lost any overs btw, just a later night in south London.