England brush aside sloppy Pakistan in ODI series opener

SOUTHAMPTON, England: Pakistan know they have to raise their game after England sailed to a comfortable win in the rain-hit first One-day International here at the Ageas Bowl on Wednesday night.

Looking to give a forceful showing in the five-match series in a bid to improve their dismal ODO ranking, Pakistan failed to take advantage of favourable conditions after opting to bat first under a scorching sun and on a pitch that held no demons.

But the Pakistanis consumed too many dot balls and in the end could barely manage 260-6, which captain Azhar Ali later conceded, was at least 30 runs short on the Ageas Bowl track, which has traditionally been a high-scoring one.

The conditions were quite different when England batted under light under overcast skies but Pakistan’s potent pace trio of Mohammad Amir, Umar Gul and Wahab Riaz failed to tame a formidable England batting line-up.

With a packed crowd chanting for England, Jason Roy fought off a spell of dizziness and Joe Root continued his golden form, both hitting fifties to guide the home team to victory by 44 runs on the Duckworth/Lewis scoring method in a rain-affected game.

The win ended England’s Southampton hoodoo as the hosts had lost their previous five ODI games at the picturesque venue.

Pakistan bowled too short and their fielding was below-par. In the end, the fact that they are languishing at number nine in the ODI Rankings was aptly underlined as England cruised to victory without much fuss.

Agencies add: Pakistan made 260 for six in their 50 overs and England moved on to 194 for three in 34.3 overs, Jason Roy making 65 and Joe Root 61, before rain brought a premature end to the match.

Pakistan captain Azhar Ali, who won the toss, hit 82 to lead his team to a below-par total in bright sunshine and ideal batting conditions.

Azhar started slowly but increased the tempo to strike nine fours before top-edging leg-spinner Adil Rashid to Moeen Ali at short fine leg.

Babar Azam scored 40 and Sarfraz Ahmed 55 but the touring side never really broke the shackles imposed by a disciplined England attack in which Rashid was the most successful bowler with figures of 2-51.

England lost Alex Hales for seven but Roy flayed six fours and a six and shared a second-wicket partnership of 89 with Root.

Roy was caught on the long-off boundary off Mohammad Nawaz and Root was run out after being called through for an impossible single by captain Eoin Morgan but England were always ahead of the required run rate.

Morgan finished on 33 not out with Ben Stokes on 15. The second game in the five-match series is at Lord’s on Saturday.

Score Board

Pakistan won toss

Pakistan

*Azhar Ali c Ali b Rashid       82

Sharjeel Khan c Buttler b Wood      16

M Hafeez c Hales b Root      11

Babar Azam lbw b Rashid     40

†Sarfraz Ahmed c Wood b Woakes 55

Shoaib Malik c Rashid b Plunkett     17

M Nawaz (3) not out 17

Imad Wasim not out  17

Extras (lb 1, w 4)     5

Total (6 wickets; 50 overs)  260

Did not bat: Wahab Riaz, M Amir, Umar Gul

Fall: 1-25, 2-52, 3-113, 4-178, 5-224, 6-226

Bowling: Woakes 10-2-43-1; Wood 10-0-57-1 (3w); Plunkett 10-0-52-1; Root 4-0-26-1 (1w); Ali 7-0-30-0; Rashid 9-0-51-2

England

J J Roy c Babar b Nawaz     65

A D Hales c Hafeez b U Gul  7

J E Root run out       61

*E J G Morgan not out         33

B A Stokes not out    15

Extras (lb 6, w 7)     13

Total (3 wickets; 34.3 overs)         194

Did not bat: †J C Buttler, M M Ali, C R Woakes, A U Rashid, L E Plunkett, M A Wood

Fall: 1-27, 2-116, 3-158

Bowling: Imad 5-0-23-0; Amir 6-0-33-0; U Gul 6-0-46-1 (2w); Wahab 6-0-30-0 (1w); Nawaz (3) 6.3-0-31-1; Shoaib 5-0-25-0

Result: England won by 44 runs (D/L method)

Series: England lead the 5-match series by 1-0

Man of the Match: J J Roy (England)

Umpires: R J Bailey and S D Fry (Australia). TV umpire: M Erasmus (South Africa). Match referee: J J Crowe (New Zealand)