Pakistan recovered from a terrible start to its day to complete a spirited victory in the fourth One-Day International against England at Lord's Monday. Its 38-run win with 3.5 overs to spare under the floodlights in the day-night match squared the series at 2-2 with the final match scheduled for Southampton Wednesday. When play began Pakistan's troubled tour had taken another turn for the worse after the England and Wales Cricket Board threatened legal action against Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ejaz Butt. Butt had suggested in a television interview that England had been paid to lose Friday's match at the Oval. England captain Andrew Strauss said his team had “strong misgivings” about completing the series and match referee Jeff Crowe had to step in after an altercation at the nets between Jonathan Trott and Wahab Riaz. Against this background of acrimony and distrust, Pakistan reached 265 for seven due primarily to Abdul Razzaq, who hit 44 not out from 20 balls including 40 off the last 10. The Pakistanis scored 83 from the final 10 overs. Strauss put his concerns to one side with 68 from 72 deliveries, cutting and carving the ball through the off-side with familiar assurance on his home ground in an opening partnership of 113 with Steve Davis (49). He struck Shoaib Akhtar's first delivery of the innings to the boundary and reached his half-century off as many balls before Akhtar got his revenge when the left-hander cut a wide delivery tamely to Fawad Alam at backward point. Pakistan fought back with the wickets of Trott (4), Paul Collingwood (4) and Ian Bell (27). Bell, who missed the Test series with an ankle injury, replaced Ravi Bopara. Akhtar, now 35, responded to the situation and the increasingly vocal support of the Pakistan fans with a mixture of express deliveries and clever changes of pace to finish with three for 59 from his 10 overs. Umar Gul, Pakistan's hero at the Oval, bowled with equal fervor at the Pavilion end for figures off four for 32 from 8.1 overs. England's last five wickets fell for 30 runs off as many deliveries. Sidebottom retires England pace bowler Ryan Sidebottom retired from international cricket with immediate effect Monday after a nine-year international career that included 22 Test appearances. The 32-year-old Sidebottom last played for his country in the Twenty20 victory over Pakistan earlier this month. During his career, he also played 25 One-Day Internationals and 18 Twenty20 matches. “I have had a truly fantastic period of my life with England but now it is time to hand over the ball to those a little younger,” Sidebottom said. “It has been a fantastic time but I have no doubts that now is the right time to announce my retirement.” The Nottinghamshire paceman was a member of England's victorious World Twenty20-winning squad earlier this year in the West Indies. “Winning the ICC World Twenty20 in the West Indies, my Test debut at Lord's, a Test hat trick against New Zealand, plus a man-of-the-series award are just a few of the highlights which spring to mind,” Sidebottom said. “I have been fortunate enough to live the dream.” – AgenciesScoreboard Pakistan K. Akmal c Strauss b Broad 28 Hafeez c Trott b Swann 64 Shafiq b Swann 11 Yousuf c Davies b Swann 03 Alam b Swann 29 U. Akmal c Davies b Broad 21 Afridi c Strauss b Bresnan 37 Razzaq not out 44 Gul not out 05 Extras (b2, lb17, w4) 23 Total (7 wkts, 50 overs) 265 Did not bat: Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar Falls: 1-62 (K Akmal), 2-86 (Shafiq), 3-94 (Yousuf), 4-137 (Hafeez), 5-155 (Alam), 6-209 (Afridi), 7-210 (U Akmal). Bowling: Bresnan 10-0-62-1 (1w); Anderson 10-1-54-0; Broad 10-0-44-2 (2w); Yardy 7-0-39-0; Swann 10-0-37-4 (1w); Collingwood 3-0-10-0England Strauss c Alam b Akhtar 68 Davies b Ajmal 49 Trott b Afridi 04 Bell c sub (Azhar Ali) b Ajmal 27 Collingwood b Gul 04 Morgan c Yousuf b Akhtar 28 Yardy b Akhtar 09 Bresnan b Gul 01 Swann b Gul 12 Broad b Gul 02 Anderson not out 02 Extras (b4, lb1, w14, nb2) 21 Total (all out, 46.1 overs) 227 Falls: 1-113 (Davies), 2-125 (Trott), 3-127 (Strauss), 4-149 (Collingwood), 5-171 (Bell), 6-197 (Yardy), 7-205 (Bresnan), 8-211 (Morgan), 9-224 (Swann), 10-227 (Broad). Bowling: Akhtar 10-0-59-3 (10w); Razzaq 7-0-42-0 (1w); Gul 8.1-0-32-4 (2nb, 1w); Hafeez 7-0-27-0; Ajmal 7-0-31-2; Afridi 7-0-31
