England vs Pakistan: Joe Root and Co decimate visitors to notch up innings win inside three days at Headingley, level series

Leeds: England thrashed Pakistan by an innings and 55 runs to win the second Test at Headingley on Sunday. Victory, completed inside three days, saw England level the two-match series at 1-1 after Pakistan won the first Test at Lord’s by nine wickets. [caption id=“attachment_4494061” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Stuart Broad played a central role in restricting Pakistan to low scores with match figures of 6/66. Reuters[/caption] It was also England’s first victory in a Test match since they beat the West Indies at Lord’s in September, with the side having endured a winless run of six defeats in eight Tests coming into this fixture. By sharing the spoils in this short campaign, England avoided a third successive series defeat after reverses in Australia and New Zealand. Jos Buttler’s blistering 80 not out on Sunday saw England to a total of 363 and a commanding first-innings lead of 189. Pakistan then collapsed to 134, losing their last seven wickets for just 50 runs. Stuart Broad took three for 28 and off-spinner Dominic Bess grabbed his first wickets at Test level in a return of three for 33. The match ended when England captain Joe Root, on his Yorkshire home ground, held a sharp slip catch to dismiss last man Mohammad Abbas off the bowling of Broad.