revenge (well kind of)

no you did not dream what you have witnessed over the last week or so: england did just win a one day series away from home, convincingly too! after a 3-0 whitewash in the three match test series, nobody gave england a chance. it is well known that pakistan are a great all round ODI side: their strong bowling attack seemingly making up for their batting weaknesses and england have struggled in the fifty over format game of late.

first one day international, abu dhabi, 13th feb

england win by 130 runs:


and essex win the game for england...
okay, so maybe this wasn't a real quotation, just my essex eagles pride shining through. match-winning partnership which saw cook score an impressive century (137 from 142 balls) and a valueable contribution of 50 from ravi bopara.




career best figures for middlesex fast bowler steven finn: 4-34




second one day international, abu dhabi, 15th feb
england win by 20 runs:



another day, another century...
captain cook steers england to victory and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.


third one day international, dubai, 18th feb
england win by 9 wickets:


an impressive bowling display from the tourists: pakistan bowled out for a modest 222. broad and finn taking three wickets each.


but the real star of this match was a certain mr kevin pietersen: allegedly drinking in the 'last chance saloon' after a poor tour of the UAE and regularly under performing in ODIs for england. a partnership of 170 put england in a fantastic position before cook fell to ajmal on 80. there was no stopping a red hot kevin pietersen who put in a fantastic knock of 111 from 98 deliveries.
england had won the series without really breaking sweat and saw they had a realistic chance of securing a 4-0 whitewash, revenging the humiliation they were subjected only a few weeks earlier.


fourth one day international, dubai, 21st feb.
england win by 4 wickets




jade dernbach takes 4-45 and hampshire left arm spinner, danny briggs takes two wickets on debut. not for the first time in the series, the pakistani batsmen fail to post a threatening score - all out for 237.


turns out one day centuries really are like buses for pietersen. you wait years for one, to defy his critics, those who question his place in the side and two come along in four days. a relatively early loss of three wickets put england under the most amount of pressure they had been all series but super kev came to the rescue.

england have now moved above pakistan into fifth in the ODI rankings. now for three twenty20 matches before england;s mixed tour of the UAE ends. the players then have a short break before flying out to sri lanka for a two match test series: england need to put in much better performances, especially with the bat. and also hope and pray that none of the sri lankan spinners have mastered the saeed ajmal doosra yet!