Marcus Trescothick has scored an unbeaten 108 and hit a six to win the match as England scraped home against Pakistan after an absorbing battle at Lord's, stealing the one-day series 2-1.
Trescothick, who also engineered England's triumph in the second match at The Oval with a spectacular 55-ball 86, this time clung on before cautiously shepherding his team mates to a four-wicket victory after a torrid opening followed by a middle-order collapse.
The inexperienced home team rode their luck -- and they had plenty of it -- to win with nine balls remaining, Trescothick putting on a run-a-ball unbeaten stand of 77 with wicketkeeper Chris Read (25 not out).
England, having put Pakistan in and restricted them to 229 for seven despite an explosive display of late hitting by Abdul Razzaq, looked well placed after surviving an opening barrage of extreme pace from Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami.
But having reached 89 for one, they then caved in to the off spin of Mohammad Hafeez, who took three for three in 17 balls.
England, at one stage on 154 for six, needed 62 from the last 10 overs with little batting to come.
But Trescothick, facing rapidly deteriorating light and having kept his nerve after being almost run out on two occasions and dropped off a simple chance on 35 and then again on 93, received staunch support from Read.
HUGELY IMPRESSIVE
England, who could have lost six wickets in the opening 10 overs against the hugely impressive Shoaib and Sami, knew it was their day when Trescothick completed his century off an edge through the slips off the exasperated, wicketless Shoaib.
Moments later, Read was totally beaten for pace but the ball just missed the leg stump to hurtle away for four byes.
Trescothick reached three figures for the fifth time in one-dayers off 142
balls, hitting nine fours. "We had quite a bit of luck in the first 20 overs," conceded the left-hander, who had made a one-day century in a losing cause against the same opponents two years previously at the same venue.
"They missed the stumps a few times and a couple of catches went down. For me, to still be there at the end was the most pleasing thing."
Pakistan skipper Rashid Latif, the culprit in dropping the England batsman just before he reached three figures, could not hide his disappointment.
"England played well but they were lucky today," he said. "I always thought we were going to win. There were a few umpiring decisions which also went their way."
PACE BOMBARDMENT
Despite the tense finish, the game was most memorable for Pakistan's withering opening burst of pace bowling.
That passage of play would have dignified any test arena as the English batsmen struggled to survive.
Vikram Solanki, beaten time after time, was the only wicket to fall, caught behind off Sami for 12, as England contrived to get to 49 for one from 10 overs.
Skipper Michael Vaughan, who went on to make 29, was as lucky as anyone, dropped at second slip off a Shoaib howitzer before being bowled by a Sami no-ball.
The young James Troughton looked fortunate not to go lbw to Mahmood first ball before making 20.
Pakistan coach Javed Miandad, shaking his head at the close, said: "Our fielding was excellent, the bowling was very good and they kept to line and length. They were so unlucky."
Earlier all rounder Andrew Flintoff took four for 32 in 10 overs for England.
