Spinners help Pakistan to win second Dubai Test, England bundled out for 72

UAE News.Net
Saturday 28th January, 2012

Pakistan spinners Abdur Rehman and Saeed Ajmal spun a web around England's batters on Saturday to dismiss them for a paltry 72 in the second innings of the second Test being played here.

Requiring 145 to win the match, England was all at sea, losing wickets at regular intervals to the two spinners. Rehman claimed six wickets for 25, while Ajmal claimed three for 22. Mohammad Hafeez claimed the tenth wicket.

Earlier, England spinner Monty Panesar made the most of his comeback Test after more than two years, claiming six wickets for 62 to bundle out Pakistan for 214 in their second innings. While Pakistan had scored 257 in their first innings, England had scored 327.

Skipper Andrew Strauss top scored for England with 32 and the next highest was wicketkeeper batsman Matt Prior's 18. All of the others came up with single figure scores.

England's plight could have been worse if Strauss had been given out caught off bat and pad at short leg by Azhar Ali, off left-arm spinner Rehman. Strauss, on 16, was blessed as the umpires turned to the third umpire, Billy Bowden, to check if the ball had carried and Bowden defied commonsense, responded that he could not be certain. It was impossible to see where his doubt had arisen. (ANI)

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