England beat Pakistan, take 2-1 lead

The match not only explained the Pakistan batsmen’s technical struggles but also the horrendous shot-making decisions and the shambolic running between the wickets that helped England take lead 2-1 lead in the series.

By adding 31 in four overs this morning as Moeen finished unbeaten on 86, England had left themselves a minimum of 84 overs in which to bowl Pakistan out, an equation which had been reduced to nine wickets in 62 overs by lunch.

Having conceded a first innings defecit of over 100, England completed a magnificent turnaround to win the game, bowling Pakistan out for 201 late into the evening to seal victory.

Alastair Cook hailed the fighting spirit of his England team after they pulled off one of the finest wins of his Test captaincy against Pakistan in Birmingham.

But, on 36, Sohail drove a flighted delivery from Moeen Ali straight back at the bowler, who safely clung on to a catch that sparked wild celebrations among Alastair Cook’s side.

Steven Finn and Chris Woakes destroyed Pakistan’s middle order on Sunday at Edgbaston with four wickets between them for just one run.

The wicket of Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq was his first in 71.3 overs, a sequence dating back to the third Sri Lanka Test at Lord’s in June.

Woakes then pinned Asad Shafiq lbw for his second duck of the match before finding the edge of Safraz Ahmed’s bat to leave Pakistan 125-6. It was the sixth time this series that paceman Woakes had taken a wicket in the first over of a spell.

James Vince has been cleared to join the England squad for The Oval Test despite sustaining a dislocated finger on the final day at Edgbaston.

Aslam, the opener playing his first Test of the series, had again batted superbly for 70 following his first-innings 82.

Having gone wicketless at Lord’s, been dropped at Old Trafford and bowled nearly 28 overs without success and seen a catch put down in the first innings at Edgbaston, Finn’s roar of celebration reflected his obvious relief.

It was the end of a more than three-and-a-half-hour innings of 167 balls, including 11 fours.

They had been comfortably placed at 69 for one come lunch but lost six wickets in the second session as England made the most of the slight reverse swing on offer.

At tea, Pakistan were 148 for seven, with Yasir Shah seven not out and Mohammad Amir 15 not out.

With all their specialist batsmen dismissed, the question for Pakistan was could their tailenders somehow survive the remaining 28 overs to hold out for a draw.

However, Moeen then accounted for Azhar on 38, inducing an edge to Cook at second slip, and with Younis Khan managing just a 17-ball 4, Pakistan were reduced to 124 for 3.

This 141-run win gave England an unassailable 2-1 lead in the series.

Bairstow (83) was the sole wicket to fall for England on day five, given out lbw on review in sight of his fourth Test century, while Moeen finished on 85 not out. Ali had faced just 96 balls, including 10 fours and two sixes, when Cook declared just four overs into Sunday’s play.