Pakistan v England, 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi

England strike to put pressure on Pakistan

25 overs Pakistan 108 for 3 (Azhar 16, Misbah 2*) need 142 more runs to beat England 250 for 4

	The crowd built up to watch Pakistan's run chase © Getty Images  Enlarge

Pakistan's top order gave a better display in their second attempt to chase under lights in Abu Dhabi but stuttered after a good opening partnership to reach 108 for 3 after 25 overs. Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Farhat added a steady 61 for the first wicket but the run out of Farhat and key dismissal of Younis Khan titled the balance England's way.

Pakistan have a lengthy tail in this match so removing Younis for 5 was a significant moment and reward for some probing bowling by Samit Patel who is emerging as a very useful player for England. Having kept the batsmen quiet he then gained an lbw decision when Younis tried to paddle him through fine leg.

After Steven Finn's exploits on Monday expectations were high as he took the new ball and Pakistan showed him due respect during a probing opening spell. They were content to play out his five-over burst, which cost just six runs, and backed themselves to make up ground elsewhere during the chase.

Pakistan's approach continued the rather sedate nature of the scoring throughout the match although there were moments when they upped the rate including Stuart Broad's opening over which cost eight runs through two boundaries by Hafeez.

With the left-handed Farhat unbeaten after 10 overs Graeme Swann was introduced between the Powerplays and almost made an immediate impression as his first delivery spun past Farhat's edge. It was close to taking off stump and Craig Kieswetter also appealed for a stumping but the batsman's foot had dragged back into the crease. Farhat responded lofting the final ball of the over for four in an enjoyable contest on a pitch helping the spinners.

It was the return to the fielding restrictions which provided England the breakthrough when James Anderson's second ball back was clipped lazily to midwicket by Hafeez. Farhat continued to guide the innings, allowing Azhar Ali time to settle in just his second ODI. But he should have been dismissed on 40 when Craig Kieswetter couldn't hold a gloved chance off Stuart Broad. It wasn't a simple chance for Kieswetter but he appeared to be undecided on how to dive for the chance leaving Broad fuming.

The missed chance didn't prove too costly for England thanks to some quick work from Broad who aborted an lbw appeal to run out Farhat from his follow through as the batsman became absent-minded to where the ball had gone. When Younis departed it was left to the captain and youngster, Misbah-ul-Haq and Azhar, to lead Pakistan's recovery.

England 250 for 4 (Cook 102, Bopara 58) v Pakistan
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details

	Kevin Pietersen again failed to make a convincing case as an opener before falling to Saeed Ajmal © AFP  Enlarge

Alastair Cook's transformation as a one-day cricketer continued when he became the first England captain to hit back-to-back ODI hundreds. There were plenty of similarities to two days ago with Cook leading the way, Kevin Pietersen being out-scored in a solid opening partnership and Ravi Bopara playing a useful supporting hand to set Pakistan a testing chase in Abu Dhabi.

Not only is Cook's batting form proving crucial, but his form with coin is having an impact as he won another important toss. Cook's fourth ODI hundred came from 118 balls, eight deliveries slower than his effort two days ago, and it was another well-paced display that has given England's pace bowlers a chance of exploiting conditions under the floodlights.

Cook's timing and placement stood out. Early on he punched Aizaz Cheema off the back foot between mid-off and cover then, when spin was introduced having surprisingly being overlooked for five overs, collected consecutive boundaries off Mohammad Hafeez with a flick through midwicket and another drive. He survived one chance, on 30, when Umar Akmal dropped an edge off Shahid Afridi to highlight the risk of not playing a specialist wicketkeeper. It became very costly.

A strong slog-sweep took him to 49 and his fifty came from 66 balls. For lengthy periods he was content to keep the scoreboard ticking with nudges and flicks, but would occasionally kick-start the scoring with a small flurry of boundaries as was the case during the batting Powerplay when he dispatched Umar Gul. He couldn't quite take his innings as deep this time when a leading edge looped back to Afridi and it was Pakistan's spinners who, in a familiar pattern, exerted most control.

Pietersen again struggled to dominate in the opening stand as he continued to battle for form although there were glimmers of something more productive. Back-to-back boundaries off Gul eased the pressure and when faced with the recalled left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman he skipped down the pitch to flick him through the leg side.

However, moments of unease were not far away. On 23 he faced a close lbw shout against Afridi, which Pakistan reviewed but the ball was only clipping leg stump so the decision stayed on-field. The boundaries dried up as Afridi and Rehman started creating pressure but it was another of the spin options, Saeed Ajmal, who broke the partnership with his third delivery.

Coming round the wicket he made one straighten which took Pietersen's pad leaving a simple decision for the umpire and not even Pietersen considered the review. Jonathan Trott, who fell first ball to Afridi in the opening match, didn't look entirely convincing against the legspinner but settled in alongside Cook in a partnership that always has the potential to spark plenty of debate. The stand produced 49 runs in 11 overs until Trott edged a short, wide delivery from Cheema to Akmal

It was then over to Team Essex. Bopara took time to play himself in and his innings never became an onslaught even in the closing overs, but the pitch was not conducive to free-flowing scoring. The way England batted throughout suggested they had a clear total in mind that they were confident of defending.

Bopara reached fifty from 58 balls but should been dismissed off the first ball of the final over when Rehman misjudged a chance at long-off as he charged in. Eoin Morgan scratched around for much of his stay and when he did middle a shot it often found a fielder. One blow, though, reminded everyone of what he can produce when he launched Ajmal over long for six in his final over. Ajmal finished with the most expensive figures of Pakistan's four spinners - the first time during the tour that he hadn't dominated England's batsmen