MULTAN, Pakistan (AP) December,12 — Mark Wood destroyed Pakistan’s hopes with his fearsome pace and led aggressive England to a sensational 26-run victory inside four days in the second test on Monday.
Pakistan, in pursuit of a challenging victory target of 355, was bowled out for 328 within an hour after lunch on Day 4 to send England into the third match with an insurmountable 2-0 lead in its first test tour of Pakistan in 17 years.
England won the first test by 74 runs in dimming light on the last day through the aggressive approach that has now brought them eight victories in their past nine tests under new coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes.
Wood grabbed 4-65 including a contentious, game-changing, caught-behind decision which denied lefthander Saud Shakeel (94) his maiden test a hundred before lunch.
Shakeel’s patient, a third successive half-century in just over five hours nearly pulled off Pakistan’s highest-ever successful chase in a home test after the hosts resumed on Day 4 on 198-4, needing a further 157. Shaquille shared an 80-run winning streak with 45-year-old Mohammad Nawaz before Wood hit a second new ball in the first over. He first intercepted Nawaz with a short ball on the side of his leg, then ended Shaquille’s defiance with another short ball in the same area.
After Wood entangled Shaquille, wicketkeeper Olly Pope took a low catch on the side of his leg. The third umpire, Joel Wilson of the West Indies, ruled in favour of the bowlers after watching several replays after on-field umpire Aleem his dar referred to the decision in his signal soft his off was dropped.
Shakir and Nawaz almost stifled England over his 22 overs before Wood scored his two goals in quick succession to give England hopes of winning his three-match series. Pakistan lost Fahim Ashraf (10) in the day’s six overs when Joe Root caught a left-hander in a slip when captain Ben Stokes decided to use a spinner from one end.
But Shaquille and Nawaz, who continued to play at the age of 54, held off England’s seam-and-spin bowlers and gained confidence even after England won a second new ball while Pakistan still needed 109 runs.
Fast bowler Olly Robinson passed Nawaz’s bat three times, but the left-hander showed aggression against the root and left-spinner Jack Leach showed an attack on some sharp boundaries before Stokes took the lead. Late in the first session changed to Wood’s pace and took two important wickets.
