Read the article of Pakistan vs England 4th Match Sharjah Cup 1987 - Sharjah Cup four-nation one-day international tournament of the 4th ODI match played between England and Pakistan at Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah in 07th April 1987.
David Capel's three-wicket haul before Chris Broad's brilliant half-century, Tim Robinson's superb 83 and James Whitaker's unbeaten 44 helped to England convincing five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the fourth match of a Sharjah Cup.
Pakistan scored 217-9 in 50 overs with top scorer by Javed Miandad struck 60 off 101-balls including 4-fours.
Imran Khan hit 46 off 65-balls including 4-fours and Ramiz Raja scored 44 off 77-balls included 3-fours.
England best bowler by David Capel picked up 3-wickets for 38-runs in 10-overs, John Emburey, Phil DeFreitas and Neil Foster each took one-wickets.
England chased 220-5 in 47.2 overs with top scorer by Tim Robinson struck 83 off 104-balls including 10-fours.
Chris Broad cracked a 65 off 86-balls including 4-fours, James Whitaker hit a unbeaten 44 off 53-balls included 2-fours & a six.
Pakistan best bowler by Abdul Qadir picked up 3-wickets and one for Imran Khan - Mudassar Nazar.
This match reported by Tony Lewis (Third Party Reference from The Daily Telegraph)
CHEERED on by a dozen Britons and 9,000 Indians out of a crowd of 17,000, England beat Pakistan, the current darlings of the one-day game, by the disrespectful margin of five wickets with 16 balls to spare at Sharjah.
Pakistan scored 217 for nine and England reached 220 for five with 16 balls to spare.
Imran's army crouched like cats hoping to stop Whitaker and Emburey stealing singles as the overs ran out. Wasim Akram, a pin-up second only to Imran in the Gulf's glossy magazines, dug one in short to Whitaker who bludgeoned the ball straight out of the ground over square leg.
Game, set and match, and what a relief for England, who had been dubbed second-team no-hopers. Not that the victory was easy or without uneven heartbeat. Emburey won the toss, and there was enough swing in the air and movement off the pitch to encourage the seam bowlers, but only Small bowled accurately and well. Foster slipped in three no-balls and two wides, and DeFreitas could not keep the score below four an over.
Rameez Raja outscored Javed Miandad until Javed ran out his partner on the third run. Then Javed started to bat like the virtuoso he is and put on 92 with Imran.
A rusty trap
In the afternoon, the skies cleared and the desert sun emerged. The pitch was reliable and much depended on whether England's experienced trio at the top of the order could survive the blast of Imran Khan and Wasim Akram. Gooch did not. He hooked a short ball into the hands of one of the deep fielders on the leg side: rather a rusty trap for an old dog.
Broad and Robinson never hurried, played the ball on merit but with the necessary measure of ambition to recover from a slow start. Most importantly they gave wrist spinner Abdul Qadir a bad time, taking 11 off one over. They put on 140 handsome runs but they were out within 20 runs of each other and the middle order youngsters were on trial again.
Unfortunately, Fairbrother swept against Qadir's spin and Capel charged down the pitch and missed the leg-spinner. Whitaker began like a novice, prodding with the heavy bat and sending edges in all directions. He was nervous. What he had achieved by the end will make sure that he replaces an Asian cricketer in next week's magazine centre-fold. He suddenly got his timing right and he had the audacity to thump Imran and Wasim straight.
Tim Robinson was man of the match-no one thrust dollars into his hands as millionaires have been doing to Indians and Pakistanis all week. Instead, he was invited to a beer at the Chelsea pub in Dubai.
England play Australia on Thursday and India meet Pakistan on Friday. If England and Pakistan win then there will be a three-way tie at the top of the league to be decided on run-rate between India, Pakistan and England.
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