Pakistan square series against England by 2-2

LONDON: Pakistan beat England by 38 runs to level their one-day international series at 2-2 at Lord's here on Monday.

Pakistan set England a competitive ask 266 runs, sending English batsmen home 38 runs short on 227 in their chase.

Fast bowler Umar Gul, one of the world's best under floodlights, took four for 32 in 8.1 overs after Saeed Ajmal again tormented England, the off-spinner finishing with two for 31.

Express quick Shoaib Akhtar weighed in with three for 59. That Pakistan, who have fought back to level the series from 2-0 down, made 265 for seven was thanks mainly to Abdul Razzaq's rapid unbeaten 44.

Pakistan had been 155 for five, with off-spinner Graeme Swann taking four for 37.

But Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi made 37 and the big-hitting Razzaq's runs came in just 20 balls.

Mohammad Hafeez top-scored with 64.

Openers Strauss and Steven Davies stroked boundaries all round Lord's before wicketkeeper Davies was bowled off an inside edged drive off Ajmal for 49.

Jonathan Trott, involved in a pre-match altercation with Pakistan's Wahab Riaz, played on to Ajmal for four as he pushed forward defensively.

Left-hander Strauss, who made 126 in England's four-wicket second ODI win at Headingley, was in fine touch as he made 68 off 72 balls with eight boundaries.

But he fell when he cut Akhtar and Fawad Alam at backward point held a sharp catch.

Gul knocked back Paul Collingwood's off-stump and when he bowled Tim Bresnan with a superb swinging delivery, England were 205 for seven.

England were all but out of the game when Eoin Morgan, the last of England's recognised batsman, skied a straight drive off Akhtar and Mohammad Yousuf, not the most agile of fielders, held a steepling catch to leave the hosts 211 for eight in the 44th over.

Gul finished the match with 23 balls to spare when he bowled Stuart Broad.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Butt, in an inflammatory interview with the Indian news channel, said on Sunday: "There is loud and clear talk in bookie circles that some English players were paid enormous amounts of money to lose the (Oval) match."

In Monday's match Swann, on the day he was shortlisted for the ICC player of the year award, bowled Asad Shafiq and had Mohammad Yousuf caught behind before opener Hafeez edged an attempted big hit and was caught at short third man by Trott, to end a 100-ball innings featuring a six and five fours.

Pakistan have been confronting spot-fixing allegations since Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif were named in a newspaper report and subsequently suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) over claims they planned to bowl no-balls deliberately during last month's Test against England at Lord's.

They have all, along with Riaz -- also questioned by detectives -- denied any wrongdoing.