Vince and Azam make centuries as England complete series win

James Vince scored his maiden international century as England’s second-string squad completed a 3-0 series whitewash against Pakistan.

The 30-year-old’s stunning knock saw his side complete the highest chase in an Edgbaston ODI after Babar Azam stole the show with a remarkable century himself.

Pakistan were looking to avoid further embarrassment, with the tourists having been outplayed at both Cardiff and Lord’s.

Saqib Mahmood once again got his side off to a flyer with the ball. Fakhar Zaman fell to the Lancashire quick after attempting to punch a delivery through the covers but instead, he edged into the hands of Zak Crawley at second slip.

Although, England failed to build on that early wicket due to Azam’s brilliance.

In need of runs following scores of just 0 and 19, the Pakistan captain took 15 deliveries to get off the mark. But he was well supported by Imam-ul-Haq, who himself needed a score.

ul-Haq was strong off the legs and passed 2000 ODI runs in the course of his innings. He brought up his half-century off 66 balls before being dismissed by Matt Parkinson with the biggest spinning delivery in his short ODI career.

That brought the ever-attacking Mohammad Rizwan to the crease, with the wicketkeeper’s intent rubbing off on his skipper once he passed 50.

Azam ramped up the pace with a majestic pull shot over deep-midwicket for six and would continue to accelerate as he approached his 14th ODI ton.

Whilst Azam’s first 50 runs took 72 balls to reach, the second took just 32 deliveries. He reached the milestone with a cut shot off the bowling of Mahmood.

Rizwan would bring up 50 too as the duo’s partnership passed 100. And they were not stopping there.

Brydon Carse failed to hold onto what would have been a wonderful catch at midwicket with Azam on 126, but that would not deter the world’s number one ODI batsman who continued to score quickly alongside Rizwan.

Their 179-run stand eventually came to an end when Rizwan edged Carse’s delivery into the hands of John Simpson when attempting a pull shot on 74.

Despite Azam passing 150, wickets would continue to fall around him. Carse would dismiss both Shoaib Maqsood and Hasan Ali, whilst Mahmood would see off Faheem Ashraf and Shadab Khan.

Azam eventually lost his wicket on 158 after top-edging into the hands of Dawid Malan at cover to provide Carse with his fourth wicket.

The South African-born bowler would register his maiden international five-for with the wicket of Shaheen Shah Afridi in the final over.

However, for the first time in the series, Pakistan could be delighted with the score they accumulated. After two totals under 200, this was a welcome confidence-boost not to only Azam, but the whole team who showed they can compete with this England side ahead of the T20I series on Friday.

But the hosts once again outlined their stunning depth in white-ball cricket to pull off a record chase.

Phil Salt demonstrated the hard-hitting abilities that have made Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy such prominent figures in the 50-over side, with the Sussex man finding the rope on four occasions throughout Afridi’s opening over.

In spite of Salt’s early runs, Dawid Malan would fall for a second-ball duck the very next over.

After bowling three consecutive wides, Ali produced a wonderful delivery that angled away from Malan and appeared to find the edge of the Yorkshire batsman. Though despite walking straight off, replays suggested that there was no bat involved whatsoever and a review would have seen Malan keep his wicket intact.

Salt’s cameo came to an end for 37 with Zaman taking a sharp catch at midwicket off the bowling of Haris Rauf.

Vince would then arrive at the crease alongside Crawley with the pair putting on a partnership worth 52, with the latter scoring the majority of boundaries before being bowled by Rauf for 39.

If anyone could chase this score down it would be Ben Stokes, and the captain joined Vince with the score at 104-3. He was handed a lifeline on seven when Ali dropped a simple opportunity at deep-fine-leg, whilst Maqsood could only parry a chance onto the boundary.

Stokes would play one shot too many as he attempted to slog-sweep Khan and edged faintly through to Rizwan for a quickfire 32. Whilst he has captained this group impressively and led them to a series whitewash, Stokes’ batting was perhaps irrational with England needing a partnership to have a solid chance in the game.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing though, and the Durham all-rounder would have no need to worry, but he would not have fancied his side’s chances when birthday boy Simpson was trapped LBW by Khan for three.

Meanwhile, Vince had cruised his way to a second consecutive half-century from just 45 deliveries but was in need of a partner to meaningfully challenge the Pakistan total.

Enter Lewis Gregory. Off the back of an impressive showing with both bat and ball at Lord’s, the Somerset star earmarked his intentions after smashing Khan’s long-hop for four off just his sixth delivery.

Although Gregory was fortunate not to be out himself after picking out ul-Haq at mid-off who attempted to catch the ball far too casually with one hand when it may have been possible to do so with two.

They did not look back from there, Vince was elegant as ever off the front foot and dismissive against the short ball. Gregory was consistent in his search for boundaries and kept the required run rate firmly in England’s grasp.

Gregory simultaneously brought up his half-century and the hundred partnership between him and Vince with the hosts in a strong position of only needing 66 runs from 62 balls.

Vince would once again send a pull shot to the rope and bring up his first international century in style. There was a clear sense with the Hampshire batsman releasing a great roar during his celebration, but there was still work to do.

Two sixes into the typically atmospheric Eric Hollies Stand from Gregory saw the required runs drop into the 30s, but Vince would not be there to see the job through after mistiming a drive into the hands of his fellow centurion Azam at mid-off.

Gregory would hit one more four before top-edging into the hands of Khan who took an impressive catch to provide Rauf with his fourth.

That left Overton and Carse to chase down the remaining 29 runs from 35 balls, and they did it expertly. Those runs came off just 23 deliveries with Carse hitting a drive through extra-cover all the way to the rope to seal another extraordinary triumph.

There was never any doubt as to where the man of the match award would be heading once England’s victory was confirmed. For a player of such skill and elegance, Vince has failed to deliver on the international stage so his maiden hundred and the award should prove to be a massive confidence-booster.

Pakistan will inevitably be gutted with a 3-0 defeat to England’s second or even third-choice side, and nothing can change that. Although, they should also recognise that without basic fielding errors, they would have come out on top. As they showed last summer, there are some top players among their ranks including Azam, Rizwan, Khan and Afridi and they will be looking to show even more throughout the upcoming T20I series.

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