When England were 102 for seven just after lunch on Friday, the Pakistan team were in ecstasy as they contemplated completing their fightback to draw the series with England.
But ecstasy turned to agony as first Jonathan Trott's and Stuart Broad's partnership and then a spineless batting display condemned Pakistan to their biggest ever test defeat. Then came the ignominy of the spot-fixing scandal, which could end the careers of a number of their side if the allegations are proven.
So, it may seem churlish and unimportant now to cast our marks out of ten for the Pakistan XI who played at Lord's, but we will do so because Trott's and Broad's achievements deserve to be remembered.
Imran Farhat - 2: If Farhat is a test match opener than I am the King of England. Sorry Imran, but an ability to cope with the new ball is kind of important if you want to open the batting. Two shocking dismissals especially the wild heave-ho in the second innings.
Yasir Hameed - 2: Actually made Farhat look half-decent. His charge down the wicket to Broad after the follow-on was irresponsibility personified. Now, we wonder if there was something more sinister involved?
Salman Butt - 5: At least the captain showed some fight with the bat even if he couldn't contend with Swann's extravagant spin. If the allegations about Butt's involvement in the spot-fixing scandal are true it will be dreadfully sad as his dignity and ability as captain seemed just what Pakistan cricket needed.
Mohammad Yousuf - 3: Will probably be wishing now that he had stayed retired. Undone by a wonderful yorker by Broad in the first innings and fell to a sucker punch in the second. Here, unlike at the Oval, Yousuf looked like a man who hadn't picked up a bat in seven months.
Azhar Ali - 5: Didn't kick on from his wonderful knock at the Oval, but with all the on and off-field turmoil going on around him, is it any wonder the inexperienced Azhar looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights?
Umar Akmal - 6: Undone by the Lord's sightscreen and Finn's height in the first innings, but enjoyed himself second time around when the pressure was off. Showed that butter fingers run in the family with a truly awful drop to reprieve Cook.
Kamran Akmal - 5: Although he kept wicket well enough for the second successive match (surely a record for the older Akmal?), his batting has truly fallen apart. Should be replaced by Zulqarnain for the tests against South Africa even if the allegations against him prove unfounded.
Mohammad Aamer - 9: Wonderful bowling confirmed that Aamer is perhaps the most talented bowler of his age in the history of cricket. He's certainly the best 18 year old we've seen and his control and mastery of conventional and reverse swing is truly remarkable. One desperately hopes that the allegations against him are not true - otherwise his story will have a sad and tragic end.
Wahab Riaz - 3: Was impotent, expensive and ineffectual with the ball and disappointing with the bat. May well prove to be a one test wonder.
Saeed Ajmal - 4: With Trott and Broad playing him so well, Ajmal was ineffective for the first time in the series. The extravagant spin and bounce found by Swann makes Ajmal's performance all the more disappointing.
Mohammad Asif - 6: Found a beautiful nip-backer to snare Strauss but it was all downhill from there as he was nullified by Trott's clever tactics. It is now alleged that Asif's chequered career has taken yet another wrong turn.
I can't belive how lightly some people are accepting the fixing scandal. I'm sure the guys had their own reasons and I don't want to judge them, but match fixing ruins sports and that I can't accept!
Posted by: british gp tickets | Saturday, September 11, 2010 at 13:35