England beat Pakistan in exciting Cardiff T20 with Jofra Archer and Eoin Morgan starring
England (175/3) beat Pakistan (173/6) by seven wickets
It was England’s least significant fixture of this summer – their only Twenty20 amid all the one-day internationals and Tests – except in one respect. As England defeated Pakistan by six wickets with four balls to spare, Jofra Archer served notice that England suddenly have a serious strike bowler on tap.
On Friday in Dublin, Archer had been constrained by the nerves of an ODI debutant and a slow pitch. On his T20 international debut, Archer pepped up England’s attack on a pacier pitch and proclaimed that he can be a game-changing force throughout this summer, not only in the white-ball World Cup but also in the red-ball and red-blooded battle for the Ashes.
England have been beating Australia on grassier pitches at home in recent Ashes, but not on the flatter pitches of London when swing has been minimal for James Anderson and seam non-existent for Stuart Broad. Sam Curran will have his uses come August if conditions are overcast – so, too, Mark Wood if he can reproduce his speed in St Lucia – but Archer has already become the most complete backup bowler for Anderson and Broad.
Against right-handed batsmen such as Babar Azam, whose 65 off 42 balls secured a total near to par, and left-handed batsmen, whether over or round the wicket, Archer had surprises up his sleeve: like variations in pace from 65 to 91mph, from off-cutters to ripsnorting bouncers, and with so little apparent exertion that, since he turned 24 only last month, his fastest may be yet to come.
“I thought Jofra came on from the game in Ireland,” Eoin Morgan, England’s white-ball captain, said. “He showed a lot more of what he’s about. It can take time. Today was another debut for him and, like I said the other day, they don’t always go that well – actually, the majority of the time they don’t – but I thought today he came on a lot more. Hopefully he’ll have an opportunity throughout the series [the five ODIs against Pakistan] to do the same.”
More than that: if David Warner is motoring along in the Lord’s or Oval Tests, then Joe Root, the England captain, will want Archer to replicate the bouncer which he produced for the left-handed Imam ul-Haq in his first over, the fifth of Pakistan’s innings. Archer’s previous ball, an off-cutter, gave no clue that its sequel would be a bouncer too quick for Imam to hit, only to glove helplessly.
If Steve Smith is powering along in one of the London Tests, as he usually does, Root will have the ammunition to change the game if Archer bowls as he did in his third over. Azam and Haris Sohail had added a threatening 103 for Pakistan’s third wicket and the visitors’ total after 15 overs was 133 for two: another 50 off the last five overs and the target would probably have been beyond an England team containing three T20 debutants and lacking Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler, not to mention Alex Hales.
Whereupon Archer dismissed Azam and Sohail in the same over. Instead of launching from their 15-over pad, Pakistan in their next three overs lost three wickets for only 15 runs. Sohail pulled a slower ball to deep midwicket – if there was an element of luck, Archer had almost had Sohail caught behind in his second over – while Azam could only fend Archer’s bouncer off the inside edge towards midwicket.
This was the cue for Archer to skip across the pitch, pick up and throw down the bowler’s stumps as Azam sought a single. Ben Foakes had earlier missed a throw from far closer and a much straighter angle, while Chris Jordan’s run-out was also far simpler than Archer’s.
Pakistan, who are nominally No 1 in the T20 rankings although their batting lacks hitters, bowled more yorkers and much straighter than England, but fielded far worse. Morgan also led from the front, taking a leaping right-handed catch at extra cover and hitting an unbeaten 57 off only 29 balls and winning the man-of-the-match award, while Sarfaraz Ahmed, his counterpart, declined to bat at all.
Morgan, who admitted to having had a poor season to date, swatted downwind for four the first bouncer that came his way, to erase the memory of his dismissal in Ireland, and proceeded to target the short straight boundary at the River Taff end.
England have now won all six of their T20 internationals in Cardiff, so canny has been Morgan’s reading of conditions. “It was a solid performance,” he said. “We found when Haris and Babar Azam were going together it was very difficult to defend both sides.”
Of the two other T20 debutants, Ben Duckett drove to mid-off in the powerplay while Foakes, having somehow missed his throw, had little to do.
Of the other players inexperienced in international terms, James Vince batted authoritatively until given caught down the leg side, while Joe Denly made up for being hit for six off his first two long hops by calmly accompanying Morgan over the line.
England win by seven wickets
with four balls remaining.
Big celebration from Morgan, which is noteworthy. England are bang up for this summer. And we will have a match report as soon as we can.
OVER 19.2: ENG 175/3 (Morgan 49* Denly 20*) need 174
This is great to see from England fans: Morgan in the runs and coming into form at the right time. He drives the ball out for two and brings up his fifty and then launches a massive six down the ground to win! 44 from 24 between Morgan and Denly just when they needed to keep their heads and that is a really good win for England, who are absent a couple of first choice players like Buttler, Bairstow and Stokes.
OVER 19: ENG 167/3 (Morgan 49* Denly 20*) need 174
Massive moment in this match as Denly slams a six! Ooh Shaheen Shah Afridi.
England need seven off the last over.
OVER 18: ENG 157/3 (Morgan 47* Denly 12*) need 174
12 runs off the over take England closer.
OVER 17: ENG 145/3 (Morgan 41* Denly 6*) need 174
joe No pants Denly has cracked a juicy one for four. Pakistan fielding is not the equal of their bowling.
OVER 16: ENG 137/3 (Morgan 39* Denly 1*) need 174
Morgan pulls the ball behind square, Hasan Ali makes a right hash of the fielding on the ropes and that's four. 15 runs off the over with a wicket and this is going to be a close one.
37 runs required from 24 balls
WICKET! Root c Sarfaraz Ahmed b Hasan Ali 47
The over had started very well for England when Morgan launched the ball over the midwicket fence for six, and then discovered it was a front foot no ball to boot.
But then Root tried to get creative, attempted a scoop over the keeper but just feathered it behind. Slightly odd way to go, and a big wicket for England. FOW 131/3
OVER 15: ENG 122/2 (Root 46* Morgan 27*) need 174
Classy delicate shot to fine leg from Root for four. Nine off the over but that's still not quite enough is it?
52 runs required from 30, run rate required 10.40
OVER 14: ENG 113/2 (Root 39* Morgan 25*) need 174
Hasan Ali to Root. Root gestures for a new bat, gets a bit eggy when one does not arrive for four balls. Wake up, Twelthers! Once it does arrive, he creams the first ball for a sweet boundary.
OVER 13: ENG 105/2 (Root 33* Morgan 23*) need 174
Excellent duel between the 19-year-old Mohammad Hasnain and England's Test captain Joe Root. Searing, scorching yorker that Joe only just digs out. Next ball, Root sweeps it off his toes and that's four. Good battle!
OVER 12: ENG 99/2 (Root 28* Morgan 23*) need 174
That is the over England needed! Faheem Ashraf to Morgan, and he has gone six four four four, some good Irish beef in those shots, both sides of the wicket and England surge back into favouritism
OVER 11: ENG 82/2 (Root 28* Morgan 7*) need 174
Imad Wasim to Root, nice little scoopy shot. England want to get a wriggle on here do they not? They have let that run rate claim steadily over ten and while they obviously have plenty of resources in hand they don't want to let this drift too badly.
OVER 10: ENG 75/2 (Root 23* Morgan 5*) need 174
Mohammad Hasnain digs the ball in and Morgan hooks it away off his nose for a boundary.
OVER 9: ENG 66/2 (Root 19*) need 174
Root also looked puzzled by that one. Anyway, he is there at the end of the over.
Death, taxes and... pic.twitter.com/Lvk0xA1YZA
— Charlie Reynolds (@cwjreynolds) May 5, 2019
WICKET! Vince c Sarfraz b Imad Wasim 36
It's a bit of a nothing ball down leg, Vince tries to fiddle it around the corner and Sarfraz catches it. Given out. Vince looks bemused, and reviews.
I think the umpires might have got this one wrong with the review? I reckon he has hit the pitch here, not the ball?
Well, regardless, he is given out and that's that. Bad luck, I would suggest.
OVER 8: ENG 61/1 (Vince 33* Root 17*) need 174
Attractive shot from Vince off Mohammad Hasnain for four. He really is a pleasing fellow to watch, albeit one who has never really done it at international level.
OVER 7: ENG 53/1 (Vince 27* Root 15*) need 174
Five off the Imad Wasim over.
OVER 6: ENG 48/1 (Vince 24* Root 13*) need 174
Powerplay comes to an end, this attractive pair of batters going along pleasingly. Legside from S Afridi, four runs.
OVER 5: ENG 38/1 (Vince 23* Root 4*) need 174
I'm enjoying Rob Key's speculation that the villain on Line of Duty, known hitherto only as 'H' may be (Nasser) Hussain.
Seven from this one as well, the highlight being an attractive cut from Vince for four.
OVER 4: ENG 31/1 (Vince 18* Root 2*) need 174
Mohammad Hasnain comes on. Meanwhile, Jofra Archer (who got his 50 over cap from Paul Collingwood and his 20 over one from Rob Key) says, under goading from Nasser Hussain, that Colly gave the better pep speech. "Oi, I was like Al Pacino in 'Any Give Sunday' thank you," says Key.
Tidy over from Hasnain spoiled by ball six, a full toss. Vince helps himself.
Vince has been characteristically aggressive outside his offstump, looking to free his arms and hit through the off-side. To balls on his stumps, he's been more circumspect and worked the ball around. #EngvPakpic.twitter.com/w8sQTGYiAh
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) May 5, 2019
OVER 3: ENG 24/1 (Vince 13* Root 1*) need 174
Rooty comes to the crease.
And Jofra Archer now in the commentary box. Is there anything this lad can't do?!
"Amazing few days for me and my family, great dressing room to come into and a great captain as well."
Think we can add 'shrewd diplomat' to the list...
WICKET! Duckett c Imad Wasim b Shaheen Afridi 9
First ball of the over Duckett gets his hands through the ball lovely, really fast wrists and it sends the ball scorching through wide mid off four. Tries to do the same a coupla balls later but has drilled this at the fielder. It's travelling, but it is caught. FOW 21/1
OVER 2: ENG 17/0 (Vince 5* Duckett 2*) need 174
Faheem to bowl. James Vince slams it over long on. Nails that for six.
Big left-armer Shaheen Afridi is coming on for a bowl. He's six foot plenty and he is quick.
OVER 1: ENG 7/0 (Vince 5* Duckett 2*) need 174
Imad Wasim opens the bowling. Nice shot from Vince, just a nudge off the pads, three runs.
The players are out
England know what they have to do.
Pakistan score 173/6 off their 20 ov
England kept it tight at the start, 38/2 after the first six. Then a stand of 103 from Haris Sohail and Babar Azam and it looked like Pakistan would get 200, before they had a wobble and some silly run outs. Both sides I guess will be reasonably happy at 173/6.
For England the eye-catcher was Jofra Archer. Bowled rapid, took two wickets and effected a run out.
OVER 20: PAK 173/6 (Imad Wasim 18* Hasan 0*)
Chris Jordan has done some splendid work at the death for England in the past but it is not his day today. 16 runs come off it and, while there is a wicket off the fourth ball as Faheem lashes it to Denly on the ropes, Pakistan would have taken it. I reckon this is a competitive score but not a monster one.
WICKET! Faheem Ashraf c Denly b Jordan 16
OVER 19: PAK 157/5 (Imad Wasim 9* Faheem Ashraf 10*)
Nine off the Rashid over, Imad leathering him back over his head.
OVER 18: PAK 148/5 (Imad Wasim 3* Faheem Ashraf 7*)
Jofra Archer completes his set, just seven off this over - and another near run out blunder as well I might add.
OVER 17: PAK 141/5 (Imad Wasim 2* Faheem Ashraf 1*)
Three wickets in two overs, for just eight runs, have badly curtailed the Pakistan efforts.
WICKET! Asif Ali run out (Jordan) 3
Another run out, and this one a bizarre one. Chris Jordan runs in, Iamd Wasim baseball bats the ball back at Jordan. He sticks a hand up, parries it, nearly catches it at the second attempt: but non-striker Faheem has for some reason gone walkabout down the pitch. He is miles out of his ground and he has totally given his wicket away as Jordan does the necessary. Pakistan losing their heads. FOW 139/5
OVER 16: PAK 137/4 (Asif Ali 2* Imam Wasim 0*)
It's all about jofra Archer here today!
WICKET! Babar run out (Archer) 65
Two in an over, and Archer is the man again! Babar sets off, Archer shows super athleticism to cut the ball off and gather in his follow through. He throws down the stumps and Babar is on his bike! FOW 135/4
WICKET! Haris Sohail c Willey b Archer 50
And Jof has delivered! He's got the stuff this lad, nothing particularly special about the ball, wide on the crease and banged in. Perhaps onto Sohail a bit quickly, and he has managed to toe end an ugly shot to Willey on the midwicket fence. FOW 134/3
OVER 15: PAK 133/2 (Babar 64* Haris Sohail 50*)
Lovely from Babar, whose slight frame belies wonderful timing and all the strength he needs. Sends this one racing to the cover fence. 11 off the Curran over, which also sees Haris reach his fifty.
England need a wicket or the visitors are going to reach 200.
OVER 14: PAK 122/2 (Babar 54* Haris Sohail 49*)
Somerset fans are in for a treat, they've signed Babar haven't they, for the T20 Blast. England need to get him out soon or he's going to take Pakistan to a major total.
Judicious use of the short ball from Willey keeps things quiet for a while, but two wides in there as well prolong the over and eventually Haris carves him through point for four.
OVER 13: PAK 111/2 (Babar 51* Haris Sohail 43*)
Joe Denly comes on for a bowl... and it's absolute pie! Sweet trolley stuff. Come on, No Pants, what are you playing at? Two non turning half trackers to start the over, and ole Babar has butchered them both for sixes!
About the best you can say is that the remaining for balls only go for three.
OVER 12: PAK 96/2 (Babar 37* Haris Sohail 42*)
England need to get a handle on this, and a Tom Curran over allows them to do just that.
OVER 11: PAK 90/2 (Babar 36* Haris Sohail 37*)
Frustrating over for Rashid. Babar is a mile down the track and hit low on the leg. Given not out - it's just too far down - even though it would have hit. And then a carbon copy a couple of balls later. Babar takes advantage with a pull for four.
OVER 10: PAK 81/2 (Babar 35* Haris Sohail 30*)
Not such a good over from Jofra, bit too much width I would say. Thick edge for four, and then a nudge down leg that is alarmingly close to England keeper Foakes.
OVER 9: PAK 68/2 (Babar 30* Haris Sohail 22*)
That's another handy over as Adil Rashid goes through his variations. Nice commentary on Sky from Nasser and Ward: "out of the front of the hand... and out the back of the ground!" Babar has banged that!
OVER 8: PAK 57/2 (Babar 22* Haris Sohail 19*)
That's the over the game needed! Sohail mis-hit, smeared just over that small boundary. Cheap six really but hey. Jordan offers width to both batsmen now and each hits him to four. 15 off the over and Pakistan are at the races.
OVER 7: PAK 42/2 (Babar 18* Haris Sohail 8*)
Adil Rashid comes on. Haris Sohail goes big but does not connect, toes it towards long on but it lands safe.
England will be pleased with this so far, Pakistan not got away. Pakistan fans in the crowd want to see some licks.
OVER 6: PAK 38/2 (Babar 16* Haris Sohail 6*)
Jofra was getting encouragement and perhaps advice from Chris Jordan in that over, and Eoin now turns to Chris for the last over of the PP. Sohail toes the ball to leg and Jofra, now fielding on the ropes, gives his all as he tries to stop it. Dive (one of those slightly alarming ones where you hope that the fast-bowling fielder is okay and wonder if maybe it is worth the risk on the knees for just a run) but cannot stop it.
OVER 5: PAK 31/2 (Babar 16* Haris Sohail 0*)
Jofra is a beautiful athlete and he is also a canny thinker, structured that nicely, and had the skills to deliver his weapons without telegraphing them. Class.
WICKET! Imam c Foakes b Archer 7
Oh yes. This is a very, very exciting young cricketer England have here. Jofra's first three balls are rapid, 91mph region and with a lovely strong, easy action. He barely looks like he is breaking a sweat but it is RAPID. Ball four is a slower ball, out of the side of the hand but with no discernible action. And then ball five, a spiteful bouncer, again delivered with no particular change in the action and it is on Imam quickly, too quickly, and certainly too quickly for this feeble flappy hook. Gloved to the keeper and that is just a really encouraging and exciting start for England. FOW 31/2
OVER 4: PAK 25/1 (Babar 15* Imam-ul-Haq 2*)
Handy over from Tom C, frustrating one for Pakistan as Imam-ul-Haq (nephew of course of the great Inzi) plays out five dot balls. Some nice cricket shots but keeps finding the field.
OVER 3: PAK 24/1 (Babar 15* Imam-ul-Haq 1*)
Willey does not seem to be unduly put-off, and bowls a solid over. Goes for eight. The highlight is a handsome drive through the covers for four from Babar.
Bizarre incident
Willey has gone through the turf. There's like a removable lid just before the wicket, like a cubby hole I guess where the groundsmen can store some stuff or plug a hose in or...
Anyway Willey, in his run up, lands full on it and crushes it. Ooh, David. That could have been a horrible injury - a real ankle breaker. He is okay.
and he pulls up
they manage to get another cover (lid?) (panel?) and hammer it over the top.
Anyhow, Willey seems to take this all his stride as it were, and we resume.
OVER 2: PAK 16/1 (Babar 8*)
That wicket was off the last ball of the over.
Tom Curran from the River Taff End. Slammed through the covers by Fakhar Zaman: the ball is coming on nice, no swing and true bounce. Lovely clever dab from Babar Azam later in the over as he guides the ball through the slip region for four.
WICKET! Fakhar Zaman c Morgan b T Curran 7
Screamer! Slight mis-hit from Zaman and Morgan at wide mid off has leaped like a russet-coloured salmon and plucked it from the sky. It would have hit a Steve Finn sized cricketer in the puss, but wee Morgs had to LEAP to grab it. Wonderful catch. FOW 16/1
OVER 1: PAK 6/0 (Babar 3* Fakhar 2*)
Touch of green on the surface, breezy there, FakharZaman with a solid push at a length ball. Single. Babar Azam leaves a wide one, indeed it is called a wide. Willey bowling for swing that doesn't come.
Short boundary on the leg side for the right-handed bat from this end, and the breeze in the favour as well so woe betide the bowler who drifts legside here.
Bizarre moment fifth ball of the over when there's a horrid mix up with the batters and Babar finds himself miles out of his ground as he turns and tries to scramble back. Ben Foakes has a chance to throw the ball at the stumps from no more than two yards, but somehow contrives to miss!
Peter Willey's lad
is measuring out his run-up. Good to see a fast bowler in an Alice band.
Players are out on the pitch
The England players first, some hoopla and those hot air flame jets, and now here are Pakistan openers.
England team
James Vince, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Joe Denly, Ben Foakes , David Willey, Tom Curran, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer.
England (Playing XI): James Vince, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan(c), Joe Denly, Ben Foakes(w), David Willey, Tom Curran, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer#ENGvPAK#T20Ipic.twitter.com/Izh6kKoxAM
— Hamadullah Sohu (حمادالله سوھو) (@hsohu) May 5, 2019
Pakistan team
Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Haris Sohail, Asif Ali, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain.
And new boys for Pakistan too
Imam-ul-Haq and 19-year-old pacer Mohammad Hasnain. Mo Amir is not in the XI.
A trio of debutants
for England: Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes and Jofra Archer.
Pakistan win the toss and will bat
then. Sarfraz Ahmed presumably not too bothered about the clouds overhead in Cardiff and favouring getting a score up.
Good afternoon
Happy Sunday, hope you're having a good one, and I am also hopeful that we might have a fun cricket match in store today. England take on Pakistan in a sole T20 at Cardiff, a curious little island of a fixture on this curious little island, before the same two teams settle in for a five-match ODI series starting Wednesday at The Oval. That will form a big part of course of England's prep for the forthcoming World Cup. Not too sure what this T20 tells us about the price of rice, but it will provide opportunities for England players to keep themselves in management's thinking ahead of the final selection.
One player with more to think about than most on that front is Jofra Archer, whose debut has raised some questions. Nick Hoult has the story on that.
Jofra Archer revealed his England bowling colleagues have approached him to clarify comments that suggested his selection could destabilise the squad.
Archer has spent his first week as an England player getting to know team and management, culminating in his debut against Ireland in Malahide on Friday.
We will have the full team news as soon as possible, as well of course as information about the toss and so on. Looks like England might be resting some big names, Pakistan are traditionally regarded as a delightfully unknown quantity but are the number one ranked side in this format.If you can make a prediction as to how this match might go then you're a braver person than I, but hopefully cricket will be the winner.
See you in a minute.
