JOIN USEngland captain Andrew Strauss, in a statement issued shortly before the toss on Monday, expressed his side’s “outrage and dismay” at comments from Pakistan cricket chief Ijaz Butt that England had received “enormous sums of money” to deliberately lose last week’s third ODI at The Oval.
The opening batsman’s mood would not have been improved by the way England, chasing 266, to win, lost a trio of wickets for 14 runs to slump from the commanding position of 113 without loss to 127 for three.
Fast bowler Umar Gul took four for 32 in 8.1 overs after Saeed Ajmal again tormented England, the off-spinner finishing with two for 31. Express quick Shoaib Akhtar weighed in with three for 59.
Strauss furious
Strauss, still furious with Butt’s allegations, told reporters after stumps that the team would “explore every avenue available to us” in a bid to counter the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman’s claims. “We don’t want to let this sully our reputations.”