Paul Collingwood made a timely impact with a matchwinning allround display and Stuart Broad continued his impressive World Cup build-up as England produced a convincing display to beat Pakistan by 67 runs in their final warm-up game. The batting, led by Kevin Pietersen's 66, posted a strong 273 on a slow surface before Broad blew away Pakistan's top order, then returned to mop up the tail. Collingwood, whose offcutters could prove invaluable as the tournament wears on, chipped in with 3 for 48.
After the embarrassment of their near-defeat against Canada on Wednesday, England's efforts were much more confident second-time around, as they resumed their rivalry with the Pakistan side whom they edged out 3-2 in an emotional home series last September, which came in the wake of the spot-fixing scandal at Lord's. Pakistan, though, have never been a side to excel in matches without much meaning and opted not to utilise Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq.
Importantly, Pietersen showed he could adapt to his new role after the loss of two early wickets, then Collingwood steadied the innings after momentum had been lost against the spinners. He added 72 with Ravi Bopara and finished with a confidence boosting 65 from 73 balls, a significant bonus for England given the valuable role his bowling plays in their plans.
That was later emphasised as his nagging medium-pace scalped three important wickets including captain Misbah-ul-Haq to break a threatening stand with Younis Khan, who was England's main obstacle with 80. However, it was always going to be difficult for Pakistan once Broad had made early inroads during another hostile burst.
He struck with his second ball when Mohammad Hafeez edged to slip then trapped Kamran Akmal lbw and bowled Umar Akmal to leave Pakistan 34 for 3. Their hopes rested with Younis, but he was tied down for a long period by accurate bowling and the required rate was climbing. That doubtless played a part in Asad Shafiq's horrid swipe at Collingwood.
James Anderson, who was expensive early on, returned to end a promising innings from Ahmed Shehzad as Andrew Strauss mixed up his bowling options. Any faint hopes Pakistan had were well and truly snuffed out when Younis became Broad's fourth wicket and he completed his second five-wicket haul in consecutive matches by removing Wahab Riaz to end the game.
England had endured a stuttering start after being asked to bat first when Strauss was bowled for 5 by Shoaib Akhtar, before Jonathan Trott - England's anchor in the Canada match - went the same way to Junaid Khan, having used up 18 deliveries for his 9.
Pietersen, however, found confidence and some fluency in partnership with Ian Bell, who made 39 from 58 balls in an 80-run stand for the second wicket. His running between the wickets was typically haphazard, with at least two close shaves off quick singles, but he brought up his half-century with a six over long-on off Saeed Ajmal, before Abdur Rehman lured him out of crease to be stumped.
That brought Collingwood to the crease, under pressure for runs after a fallow winter in which his only scores of note came in two pre-Ashes warm-up games at Adelaide and Hobart. He survived an inside-edge off Shoaib that streaked away for four, but on the slow surface his confidence returned, and having batted well in partnership with both Bopara and Matt Prior, he was dismissed with 13 balls of the innings remaining, when Wahab pinned him lbw.
The innings unravelled rather quickly thereafter, however. Prior was extracted by a full toss four balls later, with Tim Bresnan - back in the side after his calf injury - becoming Junaid's third victim in the same over. Wahab then cleaned up the tail to leave England two balls short of batting out their 50 overs, but overall this was a performance that has set the team up nicely for the real thing.
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