England v Pakistan, 2016
Wisden's review of the third ODI, England v Pakistan, 2016
Julian Guyer
15-Apr-2017
At Nottingham, August 30 (day/night). England won by 169 runs. England 2pts. Toss: England.
During the 2015 World Cup, the only one-day records it was possible to imagine England setting were of the runs-conceded variety. Not even 18 months on, they managed a world-record 444 for three, with Hales - putting a run of low scores behind him - making an England-best 171 on his home ground. Almost incidentally, they claimed the series. It was carnage from start to finish, aided by shoddy Pakistan fielding and badly timed no-balls from Wahab Riaz, who would otherwise have removed Hales on 72 and Buttler on 75; he ended up conceding 110. Hales also gave a chance, on 114, when he flayed Yasir Shah to short extra cover, but Azhar Ali was unable to hold on. Next ball, he hoisted Yasir for six, and eight overs later broke Robin Smith's 23-year-old England record of 167 not out when he pummelled a short delivery from Hasan for four. With the innings not yet 37 overs old, a possible double-century was on the cards. Instead, Hales was plumb lbw next ball.
During the 2015 World Cup, the only one-day records it was possible to imagine England setting were of the runs-conceded variety. Not even 18 months on, they managed a world-record 444 for three, with Hales - putting a run of low scores behind him - making an England-best 171 on his home ground. Almost incidentally, they claimed the series. It was carnage from start to finish, aided by shoddy Pakistan fielding and badly timed no-balls from Wahab Riaz, who would otherwise have removed Hales on 72 and Buttler on 75; he ended up conceding 110. Hales also gave a chance, on 114, when he flayed Yasir Shah to short extra cover, but Azhar Ali was unable to hold on. Next ball, he hoisted Yasir for six, and eight overs later broke Robin Smith's 23-year-old England record of 167 not out when he pummelled a short delivery from Hasan for four. With the innings not yet 37 overs old, a possible double-century was on the cards. Instead, Hales was plumb lbw next ball.
In all, he had faced 122 deliveries, and hit 22 fours and four sixes. Root fell in the next over, having made a virtually unnoticed 86-ball 85. But the fun was not over, as Buttler (90 off 51) and Morgan (57 off 27) smote a dozen sixes in an unbroken stand of 161 off 12 overs. The world record came from the very last ball, after Buttler had played and missed at the fourth and fifth deliveries of Hasan's final over. To the delight of a capacity crowd, the sixth disappeared over extra cover for four. Pakistan steadily lost wickets in reply, only for Mohammad Amir to delay the inevitable with a 22-ball half-century from No. 11, before becoming a fourth victim for Woakes.
Man of the Match: A. D. Hales.
Man of the Match: A. D. Hales.