England Skittled For 72 As Pakistan Prevail

England Skittled For 72 As Pakistan Prevail

Pakistan fielders celebrate after Ian Bell was bowled by Saeed Ajmal for three

©REUTERS / Action Images

Pakistan 257 & 214 (Azhar Ali 68) beat
England 327 & 72 (Abdur Rehman 6-23) by 72 runs
Second Test, Abu Dhabi
Scorecard | Day One | Day Two | Day Three

Saeed Ajmal picked up his 100th Test wicket as Pakistan found England wanting against spin bowling on their way to a 72-run win on day four of the second Test in Abu Dhabi.

Ajmal returned three for 22 but was overshadowed by left-armer Abdur Rehman, whose six for 25 bundled England out for 72 - their lowest Test score against Pakistan - having been set 145 to win.

The day began well for England as they ripped through Pakistan's lower order to dismiss them for 214 as Monty Panesar took six for 62, but they were quickly in trouble when they batted again.

Andrew Strauss (32) and Matthew Prior (18) were the only players to reach double figures as Pakistan moved into an unassailable 2-0 series lead having won the opening Test in Dubai by ten wickets.

England struck quickly in the morning as Panesar dismissed Asad Shafiq for 43 and James Anderson had Azhar Ali (68) caught behind.

Stuart Broad removed Adnan Akmal (13), Graeme Swann had Rehman trapped in front for 10 and then Panesar applied the finishing touches by dismissing Ajmal (17) and Junaid Khan (0).

With spin clearly playing an important role for England, Pakistan opened the bowling with Mohammad Hafeez, who had Alastair Cook caught and bowled for seven.

After Umar Gul delivered three overs, Misbah-ul-Haq turned to Ajmal and then Rehman to torture England.

Ajmal bowled Ian Bell for three before Rehman removed Kevin Pietersen (1), Eoin Morgan (0) and then Strauss, who faced 100 balls in his innings, trying desperately and vainly to hold things together.

Jonathan Trott scored one before he was trapped in front by Rehman and England lost five wickets in ten balls as they careered to defeat.

Rehman bowled Broad for nought and had Anderson caught by Gul for one to complete his five-wicket haul, Ajmal trapped Swann in front and then Prior top-edged Rehman to Gul to hand the series to Pakistan.

© Cricket World 2012