ENGLAND v PAKISTAN

This proved to be one of the most depressing Tests of recent times for all concerned - apart from the handful of players who enjoyed some success between interruptions for rain and bad light. The match had a faltering start, for there was play only in the evenings of the first two days, then none on the Saturday. Monday brought the best output of cricket - four hours forty minutes - but the damp, chill weather reappeared on Tuesday when rain, to almost everyone's relief, ended the match in the afternoon - after a total of only ten and a half hours' play.

In a parallel to the Birmingham Test, the TCCB had some observations to make on the game. These were issued a week later. The Board insisted that grounds staging Tests and one-day internationals must provide adequate covering, and reminded the umpires and players of the need to play cricket whenever feasible. During the delays at Leeds there was criticism of the Yorkshire county's covering arrangements, and sometimes the umpires seemed reluctant to start after a break or too eager to offer batsmen the opportunity to go off for bad light. The covering certainly provided nowhere near enough protection to the incessant drizzle, only the barest area round the pitch being kept dry. The umpires, though, were perhaps condemned too harshly, for they would be the first to be blamed if an injury occurred through the wrong choice in their constantly recurring dilemma about whether to allow play.

England were unchanged from the team which won at Lord's, but were faced with a fit Sarfraz Nawaz, recovered from his rib injury and now replacing Liaqat Ali. The toss was made before the scheduled start but, perversely, rain immediately began and there was no action until 5.00. There were then two breaks for bad light, the second ending the day shortly after 7.00, and these cut the ration to one hour fifty minutes, during which Pakistan made 65 enterprising runs. Sadiq, who walked out to bat a total of eight times in the match, was dropped when two off Willis, Roope spilling a comfortable chance at second slip.

The second-day spectators saw three hours, ten minutes of cricket. Sadiq's theme, while three of his partners went, was survival. Old removed Mudassar when Botham pouched a catch between his ankles at slip, but then Mohsin played with cool assurance and England were in the unusual position of wondering where the next wicket was coming from when Willis struck twice at 147. He cut one into Mohsin for an lbw and the next ball stood up at Talat, who could only parry it to gully where Gooch fell forward to take the catch. Haroon nervously saw the day through to 7.30 at 153 for three.

Monday provided the spectators with fair value for money, twelve wickets falling and play going the full extra hour, though activity all day was spasmodic. Sadiq made half Pakistan's last 48, but was still just short of the century he had toiled for over a span of four days. Botham and Old gave reminders of their great deeds in the earlier Tests by sweeping unanswerably through the middle and tail. Sadiq continued to combat the bowling soundly until edging low to slip. His noble effort had lasted six hours ten minutes and contained eight 4s. The last two wickets gave Old deserved reward for remarkable economy. Mudassar snicked him for 4 early on, but thereafter, at a sharp medium-pace, he permitted under one run per over. On the fourth day Javed Miandad simply surrendered, so restrictive had Old's testing movement become.

As soon as England batted Brearley was out. Having survived an lbw appeal first ball, he edged the second downwards for Wasim Bari to take a fine diving catch. This wicket continued the captain's run of low scores and affected the England batsmen, Gower excepted. Gooch, Radley, and Roope all looked like succumbing before they did.

In the thirty-five minutes play before lunch and the ten balls afterwards on the final day, England deteriorated from their 106 for five, Sarfraz taking two more wickets and amply demonstrating how much Pakistan had missed his hostility in the opening Tests.

Sadiq received the sponsor's award as Man of the Match, Botham being named Man of the Series. Attendance 26,250; Receipts £62,670.