England levelled the series with a terrific second innings bowling display to claim a 55-run win over Pakistan.
Jos Buttler almost single-handedly took England from their overnight 302-7 to a commanding 363 all out, more than double Pakistan’s first innings score. Buttler ended on 80 not out off just 101 balls, carving the flagging Pakistan bowlers for 11 fours and two sixes.
The Pakistan bowlers all had a share in the wickets, but Faheem Ashraf had the best return with 3-60 off his 20 overs.
In response, a game England put the ball in the right spots to trap the Pakistan batsmen in the corridor of uncertainty, and ensuring they extracted maximum use of the Headingley pitch that usually responds well to seam and pace bowling and is well pitched up to the bat.
Jimmy Anderson made the early inroads, bowling Azhar Ali for 11 with a peach of a delivery, and having Haris Sohail caught for eight.
Usman Salahuddin and Imam-ul-Haq offered a small measure of resistance before Dom Bess removed them both in the 30s. Top-scorer Imam-ul-Haq was out lbw for 34 off 64 balls, failing for the first time in his short career to not be at the crease when Pakistan hit the winning runs. In his six Test innings, he has been not out twice, caught once and lbw three times.
Salahuddin was the eighth wicket to fall, being dismissed for 33 off a more watchful 102 deliveries in a brave effort to postpone England’s inevitable charge to victory on day three of a Test that had already lost half a day to rain.
The England bowlers all returned excellent figures, with Anderson’s 2-35 being valuable in starting the rot, while Stuart Broad (3-28 off 12 overs) and Bess (3-33 off 11 overs) did the major damage.
Buttler deserved the nod for Man of the Match for putting the match out of reach of the Pakistanis on the final morning to square the series ahead of a busy white ball itinerary and a Test series to follow against a powerful Indian side.
Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images
