Root, Cox hit fifties as England cruise to 3-0

Joe Root and Jordan Cox took a pin to Pakistan's bubble, their twin unbeaten half-centuries sealing an eight-wicket victory at Edgbaston and a 3-0 series sweep for England by lunch on the fourth day of the final Test.

The tourists had started the day on a rare high after the exploits of ninth-wicket duo Razaullah and Mohammad Abbas the previous evening, their 121-run partnership taking Pakistan from what had looked like being another innings defeat to a 129-run advantage.

And while the target appeared ever-achievable for this England line-up, Abbas maintained the spirit of his batting innings by bookending the first over of the day with the wickets of both England openers.

Abbas continued his excellent series and Ben Duckett's sparse one in which he has failed to pass 17 in five innings with a length ball outside off stump which drew an edge to the keeper.

Emilio Gay tried in vain to overturn his lbw dismissal with an ill-considered review when Abbas beat his forward defence and rapped the front pad directly in line with the stumps.

Razaullah, the 21-year-old quick on debut, conceded 21 runs off his first three-over spell as England settled under Root and Cox.

Mohammad Ali thought he had bowled Root for 23, chopping onto his stumps as he tried to dispatch a length ball outside off into the cover region, but Pakistan's elation turned to despair and no one was more devastated than Ali when he was found to have overstepped.

Root sent the next ball for four with a gorgeously timed square drive and, in Ali's next over, he reproduced the shot, the bowler's woe deepened when he was called for another front-foot no-ball, his 18th for the series.

Abbas was furious and he let his cordon know it when, on 34, Root edged one between first and second slip, neither of whom budged as the ball raced to the boundary.

And while Root conducting running repairs to his helmet using superglue mid-innings offered a cute metaphor about him being the adhesive holding England's run chase together, he was very well supported by Cox.

When Razaullah returned to the attack in the 16th over having undergone repairs of his own to a split finger, Cox greeted his fourth ball with a beautiful straight drive for four.

With England in full control, things started to fall apart for Pakistan, wild overthrows gifting Root four runs and Cox working another to the boundary as Razaullah strayed down the leg side in his next over.

On the next ball, Root brought up his fifty off 57 deliveries, cutting Mohammad Imran Randahawa to the rope at deep backward point and Cox followed him to the mark a short time later, clubbing a Saim Ayub ball through deep midwicket for four.

Root beamed after pressing a wide one from Randhawa wide of mid-off and seeking two runs before thinking better of it. Cox was smiling too as he lined up the next ball, driving to cover and running the winning single as a misfield gave him and Root all the time they needed.

It was a crude illustration of Pakistan's fortunes in this series which had opened with an innings defeat at Headingley, featured a staggering overhaul of their squad and coaching staff following the 194-run loss at Lord's and ended with a few glimmers of hope emerging from arguably their worst performance of the tournament when they were bowled out for 133 inside 34 overs in the first innings of this match.

Abbas was Pakistan's Player of the Series with 13 wickets at an economy rate of 3.36, and his 42 in support of Razaullah's explosive second innings was his highest score in a 33-Test career.

Shan Masood scored 95, Babar Azam 76 and Azan Awais 59 in Pakistan's second innings but Razaullah stole the show with nine sixes and four fours on his way to a 63-ball 81. Razaullah had also taken four wickets in England's first innings bowling with raw pace and infectious enthusiasm, even if he leaked runs.

It was all too little too late from the visitors, however, with England dominating the series for all but the third evening and very early stages of the fourth morning of this Test. Ollie Robinson starred with 21 wickets at an average of 8.76 and economy rate of 2.04 to be named Test Player of the Summer.

Dan Lawrence was Player of the Match for his 65 which helped England to a 320-run lead on first innings and taking 2 for 17 with his offspin in Pakistan's second innings, where he also took a brilliant catch to remove Masood. His performance, along with Cox's offered plenty of food for thought with regards to England selection going forward.