Pakistan set challenging total

England put in their best one-day bowling performance of the summer in their bid to avoid NatWest Series defeat at Trent Bridge.

Having dropped Marcus Trescothick on the verge of his 200th Test and one-day international appearance, England were given a perfect start by Gloucestershire seamer Jon Lewis while the Pakistan powerhouses in the middle order were prised out by a new-look spin attack.

Only a devastating late assault from all-rounder Abdul Razzaq, who masterminded an astonishing spell of 69 runs from the final four overs, hauled the tourists to a challenging 235 for eight. Five huge sixes off Sajid Mahmood and Jon Lewis in the final two overs saw Razzaq finish unbeaten on 75, at better than a run a ball.

Lewis struck twice early on as England made an impressive start. Sajid Mahmood also removed Shahid Afridi to ensure substitute Rikki Clarke did not live to regret his dropped catch in the deep.

England were given a fillip in only the second over when Lewis found the outside edge of Mohammad Hafeez's bat. Having twice blazed through the off-side for four off Stuart Broad, Hafeez chased another wide delivery only to slice to Andrew Strauss at first slip.

Big-hitting Afridi was promoted to open and began undeterred by the loss of the early wicket, lofting straight down the ground for six off Broad to get off the mark. But ball prospered once again in the fourth over as Younis Khan nibbled at one and was held by Paul Collingwood.

England might have rued their luck when, after a couple of powerfully-struck Afridi boundaries, a spiralling top-edge off Lewis was floored by Clarke at third man. However, Mahmood nipped one back in the next over, the 11th of the innings, to trap Afridi leg before.

In typical fashion Inzamam continued at his own pace undeterred alongside Mohammad Yousuf, thrice hitting Mahmood for four in one over to alter the tempo temporarily. Although the fourth-wicket pair stabilised things, Yousuf jabbed the ball into his stumps to give Yardy a maiden success.

Two balls later Shoaib Malik squeezed back a simple return chance and the same mode of dismissal accounted for Inzamam, three runs short of his half-century, off Jamie Dalrymple in the next over. Pakistan were firmly on the back foot and they were kept in check until Razzaq's late pyrotechnics.

Strauss did hold on at slip to hand left-armer Yardy impressive figures of three for 24. And even though Shoaib Akhtar did provide Pakistani cheer by hauling Dalrymple into the stands at deep midwicket, he perished via a top edge to third man off Broad.