Umar Gul's career-best figures put Pakistan back in series

Umar Gul produced a match-winning spell with the old ball as Pakistan beat England by 23 runs yesterday to keep the NatWest Series alive.

Gul's career-best six for 42 featured four wickets for six runs in 18 balls from the pavilion end at the Brit Oval, to bowl England out for 218 under lights and haul the one-day international series score back to 2-1 with two to play.

Eoin Morgan (61) appeared set to justify his billing as England's expert finisher - only to chip an outfield catch off his legs to give Gul the first of two wickets in an over at the start of his third spell.

England had already faltered to 103 for five at one stage of an apparently routine chase - despite Andrew Strauss' 57 - before Morgan and Luke Wright put on 98.

But with Morgan gone and then Tim Bresnan bowled for a duck as Gul got the old ball to snake back into him, huge repsonsibility fell on Wright to eke out the last 40 runs.

To do so, he would also need some significant help from the tail - and with Gul in full flight, it was not forthcoming. He was ultimately left unbeaten two runs short of his 50 when James Anderson was last man out in the 46th over.

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said: "The way we played was amazing and I know my team is capable of winning against any good side.

"I thought that our total was not enough. I thought we were short by about 30 or 40 runs, but a good side can defend any total.

"Umar Gul was amazing, it was perfect but Abdul Razzaq and Saeed Ajmal also bowled really well.

"We can definitely win this series and I want to thank the crowd for their support."