England recover to pile on the agony for Pakistan

World Twenty20 champions England ensured no release for the crisis-hit Pakistan team by posting a five-wicket success at Cardiff's SWALEC Stadium.

The first of two Twenty20 games in three days between the sides predictably failed to rise above the controversy that has crippled international cricket.

Pakistan's visit to the Welsh capital was inevitably overshadowed by 'spot-fixing' allegations made against their Test team captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Asif's fellow bowler Mohammad Aamer.

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The trio are currently suspended following claims in last weekend's News of the World when it was alleged Asif and Aamer bowled no balls to order during last month's fourth Test against England at Lord's.

All three players are the subject of police and International Cricket Council investigations, although they have denied any wrong-doing.

Pakistan's Twenty20 team, under the enthusiastic leadership of Shahid Afridi, battled hard to defend a disappointing 126-4 after they were kept in check by England spinners Graeme Swann and Michael Yardy.

And Yardy then did his bit with the bat, rescuing England from an alarming position of 62-5 as he compiled an unbroken sixth-wicket stand worth 67 with Eoin Morgan.

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Yardy finished on 35 from 26 balls and Morgan unbeaten with 38 off 24 as England triumphed 17 balls inside the distance, owing much to both players' shot-making freedom on both sides of the wicket.

Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar at least lived up to his 'Rawalpindi Express' nickname during a hostile opening spell that accounted for Craig Kieswetter and Ravi Bopara.

Kieswetter was caught behind for six after slashing wildly outside off-stump, then Bopara (11) fell to a stunning Mohammad Yousuf catch.

And when Afridi bowled England skipper Paul Collingwood (4) and Luke Wright for a second-ball duck either side of wicketkeeper Steven Davies's dismissal for 33, a real contest beckoned.

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But Pakistan could not turn the screw, and Morgan, who enjoyed a let-off when Shoaib dropped a simple catch early in his innings, smashed the winning boundary through extra-cover. It put England one up in the series – they meet again in Cardiff tomorrow evening – and continued their run of quality Twenty20 form under Collingwood.

Spin-king Swann earlier led the way, claiming 2-14 as Pakistan were restricted to little more than six an over after they were put in by Collingwood following a 30-minute delayed start because of rain when Cardiff's leaden sky metaphorically wept for cricket's recent sordid events.

England's bowlers, backed up by sharp ground fielding, took charge as Pakistan tried in vain to let their cricket take centre stage.

Yardy provided admirable support for Swann by taking 1-21, with England's spinners applying the brakes in conceding just 35 runs between them from eight overs.

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Despite a late flourish from Umar Akmal (35 not out) and Afridi (16no) – Afridi was dropped by Stuart Broad and Wright in rapid succession – England were left chasing what appeared a comfortable target in their first Twenty20 game since becoming world champions.

Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal, promoted to open, was first to go when he skied a delivery during Yorkshireman Tim Bresnan's first over towards a grateful Yardy at mid-off, and although Yousuf (26) led a boundary-laced recovery, the ever-reliable Swann soon pegged Pakistan back and made life difficult for them.

Swann struck with his fifth delivery, seeing Yousuf caught on the mid-wicket boundary by Morgan, before a delivery that turned sharply accounted for Shahzaib Hasan, who was stumped by Davies.

Swann had taken 2-5 in seven balls, and with Yardy finding an immediate rhythm from the other end, Pakistan reached a pedestrian 61-3 after the first 10 overs.

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Fawad Alam then lobbed a straightforward catch back to bowler Yardy at 88-4, and although Akmal and Afridi compiled an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 38, England knew they had probably done enough.

Shoaib and Afridi did their utmost to wrestle the match from England's control, yet Shoaib was also guilty of two glaring blunders, dropping Morgan after he had conceded a boundary when he misfielded miserably at long-off.

England v Pakistan

The SWALEC Stadium: England beat Pakistan by 5 wkts

Pakistan Innings

Kamran Akmal c Yardy b Bresnan 6

Hasan st S M Davies b Swann 21

Mohammad Yousuf c Morgan b Swann 26

Fawad Alam c & b Yardy 20

Akmal not out 35

Shahid Afridi not out 16

Extras lb1 w1 2

Total 4 wkts (20 overs) 126

Fall: 1-13 2-50 3-56 4-88

Did Not Bat: Abdul Razzaq, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar.

Bowling: Sidebottom 4 0 32 0; Bresnan 3 0 18 1; Broad 4 0 32 0; Swann 4 0 14 2; Yardy 4 0 21 1; Collingwood 1 0 8 0.

England Innings

C Kieswetter c Kamran Akmal b Sh'b Akhtar 6

S M Davies c Wahab Riaz b Umar Gul 33

R S Bopara c Mo'd Yousuf b Shoaib Akhtar 11

P D Collingwood b Shahid Afridi 4

E J G Morgan not out 38

L J Wright b Shahid Afridi 0

M H Yardy not out 35

Extras lb1 w1 2

Total 5 wkts (17.1 overs) 129

Fall: 1-9 2-42 3-55 4-57 5-62

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Did Not Bat: T T Bresnan, G P Swann, S C J Broad, R J Sidebottom.

Bowling: Abdul Razzaq 2 0 20 0; Shoaib Akhtar 4 1 23 2; Wahab Riaz 2 0 11 0; Shahid Afridi 4 0 27 2; Umar Gul 2.1 0 17 1; Ajmal 3 0 30 0.

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