Lord's Test: Pakistan pack a punch to beat England by 9 wickets

Pakistan pacer Mohammad Abbas celebrates the wicket of England's Jos Buttler at Lord's in London yesterday. Pic/AFP

England began their Test summer with a sorry nine-wicket defeat early on Day Four against Pakistan after failing to sustain the previous evening's brief fightback at Lord's yesterday. Jos Buttler (67) and Dom Bess (57) could add only a combined three runs to the spirit demonstrated in their stand of 126 and on the resumption, fanciful hopes of an improbable victory faded fast as England lost their last four wickets for seven in 25 balls to be bowled out for 242.

As Mohammad Amir (4 for 36) and Mohammad Abbas (4 for 41) shared the spoils, and Pakistan were set only 64 for victory, Joe Root's team extended their winter woes on to home territory - losing their sixth Test in eight attempts since the end of last summer. But for the oasis of Buttler and debutant number eight Bess' seventh-wicket partnership which more than doubled the total after they joined forces on a sorry second-innings 110 for six, with 69 runs needed to avoid an innings defeat, England were outplayed in all departments here.

Hosts fail to rise
From the moment Root chose to bat first in awkward conditions, his team was unable to rise to the challenge with bat, ball or in the field. The final act contained an early wicket, James Anderson seeing off Azhar Ali, but otherwise Pakistan completed their straightforward task without alarm and well in time for lunch. England resumed with apparent reason for a minor spring in their step thanks to Buttler and Bess. But the former was gone in only the second over - before Pakistan could even get their hands on the second new ball.

Buttler fell lbw on the front foot, shaping to push-drive Abbas, and Mark Wood then mustered one boundary past cover off the same bowler before he was caught behind off Amir at the other end. Abbas had his fourth wicket when Stuart Broad also edged to Sarfraz Ahmed for a duck - and a pair - and then Bess was last out, clean-bowled trying to attack Amir.

Clinical Pakistan show
Pakistan had done all the hard work and produced a clinical performance. As they entered the home straight, Anderson managed to bring one up the slope to knock back Azhar's off-stump and make it 12 for one. If there were any jitters, though, they did not last long. Imam ul-Haq and Haris Sohail did the necessary in an unbroken half-century stand and the mirage of England resistance which flickered for a session on Saturday evening had disappeared in the blink of an eye.

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