Pakistan give new meaning to the words "Playing for Pride"

England were forced to bow before the might of Pakistan's bowling during play in UAE
Pakistan create history through clean sweep

Pakistan team inscribed a golden chapter in the annals of its cricket history at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium yesterday. Beating England by 71 runs in the third Test they became the first nation to record a clean sweep in a series between the two nations.

Arriving in UAE with their heads held high as the world's No.1 team, England were thus forced to bow before the might of Pakistan's bowling. Chasing a target of 324 to win, they were bowled out for 252 runs.

Not only did England bat poorly against Pakistan spinners they also failed to counter the pace of Umar Gul, who picked four wickets for 61 runs. Spinner Saeed Ajmal once again destroyed England's top order to return with figures of 4 for 67 backed by Abdur Rehman with two wickets for 97. Ajmal picked 24 wickets from this series to emerge as England's biggest tormentor. It was indeed another poor show from England who had not experienced a clean sweep since the 2006-07 Ashes series in Australia when they lost 5-0. For Pakistan, it is their fifth clean sweep since recording 3-0 victories over Australia in 1982-83, New Zealand 1990-91, West Indies (1997-98) and Bangladesh 2003. This victory also happened to be their first clean sweep victory outside Pakistan.

What must have made it more depressing for England is the fact that Pakistan won the match despite being bowled out for 99 runs in the first innings. No team since 1907 has won a Test match after being dismissed for less than hundred in the first innings. England was the last team to do it when they were bowled out for 76 in the first innings at Leeds against South Africa.

Despite Pakistan dropping catches, their bowlers remained on top. England skipper Andrew Strauss was the first to be dropped by wicket keeper Adnan Akmal for 26 off Umar Gul. However that drop did not prove costly as Strauss at the same score was trapped leg before by Abdur Rehman.

Alastair Cook, who was dropped for four runs by Taufeeq Umar on third day, was dropped again at his score on 28 when Umar Gul missed an easy catch at deep backward square leg off Rehman.

Though Jonathan Trott played 64 balls, he fell at his score on 18 top edging a doosra from Ajmal to give Rehman at deep backward square leg an easy catch. England's hopes rested on Kevin Pietersen but after adding 31 runs for the third wicket with Cook, he too departed bowled through the gates by Ajmal for 18.

Cook who lived dangerous finally ran out of luck when he was just one short of his half century. Younus Khan at slip pulled off a fine diving catch off an edge from Cook off Ajmal.

Two fresh batsmen Ian Bell and Eoin Morgan took over the battle. They added 37 runs for the fifth wicket before Bell offered an easy catch off Gul to Asad Shafiq at cover point. The delivery was such a lose one that even Gul was shocked by Bell's stroke.

Half the side back in the pavilion with 168 runs still to get, England's hope too began to fade.

Gul also picked the wicket of Morgan forcing him to edge to wicketkeeper in his next over to take the match away from England's reach. Prior scored an unbeaten 49 to delay Pakistan's victory celebrations.