MANCHESTER: Chris Woakes hit an unbeaten 84 as England came from behind to beat Pakistan by three wickets in the first Test at Old Trafford on Saturday.
England were struggling in pursuit of a victory target of 277 after collapsing to 117-5 on the fourth day.
But Woakes, who had helped drag England back into the match with 2-11 in just five overs late Friday, and fellow World Cup-winner Jos Buttler turned the tide with a stand of 139.
Nevertheless, with just 21 more runs needed, Buttler was lbw for 75 after trying to reverse-sweep leg-spinner Yasir Shah.
By the time Pakistan left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Afridi took the new ball, England needed just 13 more runs to win at a sun-drenched Old Trafford.
But there was still time for England to lose their seventh wicket when, with four more needed, Stuart Broad was plumb lbw on the sweep to Yasir.
Woakes, however, finished the match with an edged boundary off Afridi down to the third man rope as England went 1-0 up in a three-match campaign.
Victory meant England had won an opening Test for the first time in six series.
Defeat was tough on Yasir, who took eight wickets in the match.
Wicketkeeper Buttler had a poor game in the field, twice missing Shan Masood on 45 during the Pakistan opener’s 156 that was instrumental in leaving England with a first-innings deficit of over a hundred runs.
“If I take those chances, we’re not chasing 270-odd,” Buttler told BBC Radio’s Test Match Special.
“I know it’s not good enough as an international wicketkeeper... If I am going to continue to be a wicketkeeper in this team, I’m going to have to be better,” he admitted.
But whether it was cover-driving leg-spinner Shadab Khan or pulling teenage paceman Naseem Shah for another boundary, Buttler put the pressure back on Pakistan with the bat.
Buttler, whose father was admitted to hospital Friday but has since been released, told Sky Sports: “We (England) turned up today still with a lot of belief.”
Pakistan captain Azhar Ali praised Buttler and Woakes by saying: “They changed the momentum of the game and unfortunately we couldn’t reply to whatever they threw at us.”
Buttler’s fifty came off just 55 balls, with seven fours, with Woakes no slouch in a 59-ball fifty he completed by cover-driving Naseem for the eighth boundary of his innings.
It was Woakes's highest Test score since his hundred against India two years ago.
Although Woakes is known to be vulnerable to the short ball, Pakistan did not pitch short to the all-rounder until he was well set.
Only twice has a team chased more than 200 to win in the fourth innings of a Test at Old Trafford, with England making 294-4 against New Zealand in 2008 and 231-3 against the West Indies in 2004.
England will now try to complete their first series win over Pakistan in 10 years with victory in the second Test at Southampton starting on Thursday. – AFP
