Winter Watch: Afridi Stars but England Claim Series Win

Boom Boom 50 not enough as Cook's side go 3-0 up

Hampshire all-rounder Shahid Afridi scored a stunning half century for Pakistan in the third One Day International against England on Saturday in Dubai. However, it wasn’t enough to prevent the tourists taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the four-match series.

Afridi was just short of a run-a-ball as he smashed 51 from 55, including three fours and one maximum. Having lost the previous two encounters by some margin, Pakistan would have thought that their score of 222, inspired mostly by the half century from Afridi, would have tested an England side batting under the lights. Unfortunately for Afridi and Pakistan, England lost only Alistair Cook as they stormed to a nine wicket victory.

The result may be particularly good news for Hampshire spinner Danny Briggs. Ahead of the final game on Tuesday, the suspicion is that England will have a shake-up of the team having won the series, meaning the 20 year old could make his debut to become the youngest cricketer from the Club to have ever played for England.

Elsewhere, Neil McKenzie hit 30 off just 25 balls as his Lions side beat the New Age Impis in their opening match of South Africa’s MiWAY T20 Challenge.

McKenzie was clinical with his striking of the ball as he helped his side reach a respectable 153-7 off their 20 overs.

The Impis - a kind of South African version of the Unicorns except with the allowance of overseas players – could only score 92 in response.

Dutch international Ryan ten Doeschate managed just one run while the Impis other overseas, former England ODI captain Paul Collingwood fared no better, scoring just four as the Lions completed a comfortable 61 run victory.

Words: Ryan Day
Images: LMI Photography

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