Cricket: Pakistan squares series

Pakistan took the one-day series against England into a deciding fifth match after winning thr fourth match by 38 runs, on a day relations between the two teams threatened to boil over following fresh corruption claims.

Having set England 266 to win the fourth one-dayer and take an unassailable lead in the series, Pakistan bowled the home side out for 227 in 46.1 overs at Lord's to level it at 2-2.

Pakistan paceman Umar Gul had the best bowling figures of 4-32, while England captain Andrew Strauss top-scored with 68.

The match went ahead despite England's outrage at Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt's accusation that England players threw the third match at The Oval, which Pakistan won to keep the series alive. The last match is in Southampton tomorrow.

Butt's allegations came after an investigation was opened by the ICC following claims the scoring in Pakistan's innings on Friday was prearranged.

"I feel pretty deflated," Strauss said after the match. "It's been a long, arduous and difficult 24 hours and, at the back end of it to lose a game of cricket we were in a position to win, was very disappointing.

"We had a lot of meetings last night. We didn't have a lot of time to respond to the allegations that surfaced yesterday. Was it ideal preparation? No. But I wouldn't use it as an excuse."

The deterioration of relations between the two teams sank to new depths before the start of play when Butt's allegations were dismissed by the England and Wales Cricket Board as "wholly irresponsible and completely without foundation".

Strauss said his players was upset their integrity had been questioned, adding they and the ECB were considering legal action and that there were mixed feelings about playing the fourth match but the team felt it had a responsibility to do so.

Abdul Razzaq's entertaining end-of-innings flourish, during which he bludgeoned eight fours and a six to score 44 off 20 balls, gave Pakistan a challenging total of 265-7 to defend.

England got off to a flyer in its reply thanks to a 113-run opening partnership between Strauss and Steven Davies (49). The stand came off 123 balls, ending when Davies chopped a ball from Saeed Ajmal onto his own stumps.

Jonathan Trott followed him after playing on off Shahid Afridi for 4.

Wahab Riaz, who has also been questioned by police about fixing allegations but whom wasn't selected in Pakistan's team, and Trott had been involved in a confrontation in the nets before play started. They were both spoken to by match referee Jeff Crowe.

The jitters really set in when Strauss slashed a wide ball from Shoaib Akhtar straight to Fawad Alam at point in the next over.

With Afridi looking menacing and Akhtar steaming in under the floodlights, Pakistan was in the ascendancy. And when Gul bowled Collingwood for 4 and Bell drove straight at Azhar Ali for 27, England was on the ropes having lost four wickets for 36 runs and with the required run rate up to 7.75 an over.

England still had hope with limited-overs specialist Eoin Morgan at the crease but he was running out of partners, Michael Yardy becoming the third England batsman to play onto his own stumps, out for 9.

When Morgan departed for 28, the game was up for the hosts as the tail surrendered.

Earlier, Graeme Swann helped England stem the tide after a strong start from Pakistan but Razzaq's late blitz had given the tourists a slight edge.

Pakistan's first wicket fell on 62 when Kamran Akmal hooked Stuart Broad to Strauss on 28. Swann then entered the scene to slow the run rate and take the next four wickets.

Swann bowled Asad Shafiq for 11 and then had Mohammad Yousuf on 3 caught behind in his next over to leave the score at 94-3.

A rash heave by Hafeez, frustrated at England slowing Pakistan's run rate, was caught from a top-edge off Swann to end a 100-ball knock that included five fours and a six.

Swann bowled Alam for 29 in his last over but Pakistan prospered in the spinner's absence - Afridi hitting 37 off 22 balls and Razzaq coming to the fore in the final 12 overs.

Razzaq's cameo featured five successive fours off Bresnan to finish the innings.

"It's been more than three weeks that we've been facing this media," Pakistan coach Waqar Younis said. "Every morning you pick up the paper, it's been something or other. It's been a tough tour. We are a young side, we are developing. I am so pleased the boys kept their cool, stuck in and didn't let things bother them.

"You have to gather the players again and again. It gets to you. It doesn't matter how strong you are. You have to keep picking them up - in the morning, in the intervals. I am really proud of them."