Cook does it again

England captain Alastair Cook conjured a second successive hundred as they defeated Pakistan by 20 runs in the second one-day international of the Bank Alfalah presents Mobilink Jazz Cup at the Shaikh Zayed International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday night. England captain Alastair Cook conjured a second successive hundred as they defeated Pakistan by 20 runs in the second one-day international of the Bank Alfalah presents Mobilink Jazz Cup at the Shaikh Zayed International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday night. The win gave them a 2-0 lead in the four-match series. The series now shifts to Dubai for the remaining two ODIs. Southpaw Cook made 102 from 121 balls to follow up his 137 in the first ODI. He became the first England captain to score back-to-back centuries and also the ninth English batsman to achieve that feat. Pakistan, undone by Steven Finn in the first game, showed more application and grit in their chase of 251 but again came up short against the quick. Finn, who took four for 34 in the first game, his best bowling figures in ODIs, matched it with another identical four for 34 in this game. Pakistan went along to 61 before opener Mohammed Hafeez mistimed an on-drive to Trott at mid-wicket off James Anderson. Opener Imran Farhat and Azhar Ali kept their composure and took Pakistan to 92 before Farhat fell three runs short of his half-century. Stuart Broad had appealed for a leg before and umpireKumara Dharmasena said no but Farhat was already down the pitch for a quick single. He tried to get back but Broad had underarm throw hit the stumps. Farhat’s 47 came from 71 balls with five boundaries. Farhat and Azhar had put on 31 for the second wicket. Wicketkeeper-batsman Umar Akmal picked three boundaries for his 21 from 23 balls before Samit Patel took a brilliant catch, off Finn, on a ball which was dying on him. Pakistan were 179 for five with the duo having strung together 37 for the fifth wicket. Dangerman Afridi came in and lofted Patel for a six over long on and then followed it up with a boundary through extra cover. Afridi tried to acclerate but was castled in the next over by Anderson. Afridi made a run-a-ball 18 and Pakistan were 207 for six. Earlier, England captain Alastair Cook has been on song not just with his bat, but when it comes to the toss as well. The southpaw won his second toss of the series and didn’t even blink for a moment on what he wanted to do. And England almost mirrored the start that they had in the first ODI. Cook and Pietersen went about the same way they did and Pietersen, who has been a pale shadow of his old self, showed glimpses of getting his touch back. He flicked Gul for a boundary in the third over before Cook opened his account with a back-foot drive for a boundary.