Dubai: The Pakistan cricket team inscribed a golden chapter in the annals of their nation's cricket history at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium yesterday, recording the first clean sweep in a series between the two sides when they beat England by 71 runs in the third Test.
Strauss & Co now join India to become the second ICC No. 1 Test team to lose all Tests in a series. India achieved this dubious distinction in August last year, ironically against England.
Not only did England bat poorly against Pakistan's spinners, but they also failed to counter the pace of Umar Gul, who picked four wickets for 61 runs. Spinner Saeed Ajmal once again destroyed England's top order to return with figures of 4 for 67 backed by Abdul Rahman with two for 97.
Ajmal picked 24 wickets in this series to emerge as England's biggest tormentor.
It was indeed another poor show from England who had not experienced a clean sweep since the 2006-07 Ashes series in Australia when they lost 5-0. For Pakistan, it is their fifth clean sweep since recording 3-0 victories over Australia in 1982-83, New Zealand 1990-91, West Indies 1997-98 and Bangladesh in 2003. This victory also happened to be their first clean sweep victory outside Pakistan.
Record comeback win
What must have made it more depressing for England is the fact that Pakistan won the match despite being bowled out for 99 runs in the first innings. No team since 1907 has won a Test match after being dismissed for less than a hundred in the first innings. England was the last team to do it when they were bowled out for 76 in the first innings at Leeds against South Africa.
Despite Pakistan dropping catches, their bowlers remained on top. England skipper Andrew Strauss was the first to be dropped by wicket keeper Adnan Akmal for 26 off Umar Gul. However, that did not prove costly as Strauss was trapped leg before by Abdul Rahman without adding a run.
Alastair Cook, who was dropped on four by Taufeeq Umar on the third day, was dropped again on 28 when Umar Gul missed an easy catch at deep backward square leg off Rehman.
Though Jonathan Trott played 64 balls, he fell on 18, top edging a doosra from Ajmal to give Abdul Rahman at deep backward square an easy catch. England's hopes rested on Kevin Pietersen but after adding 31 for the third wicket with Cook, he too departed, bowled through the gates by Ajmal for 18 runs.
Cook, who lived dangerous finally ran out of luck just one short of his half century, Younus Khan at slip pulling off a fine diving catch off an Ajmal edge.
Ian Bell and Eoin Morgan then added 37 runs for the fifth wicket before Bell offered an easy catch off Gul to Asad Shafiq at cover point. The delivery was such a lose one that even Gul was shocked by Bell's stroke.
With half the side back in the pavilion and 168 still to get, it was as good as over for England. Gul also picked up Morgan, inducing an edge to the wicketkeeper, to effectively shut England out. Only Prior's unbeaten 49 delayed Pakistan's victory.
