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09/12 07:58 CDT England overcomes early scare to win 3rd cricket test against Pakistan and sweep series England overcomes early scare to win 3rd cricket test against Pakistan and sweep series BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) --- After sensational six-hitting by No. 9 batter Razaullah Khan had helped to force a fourth day, Pakistan bowler Mohammad Abbas gave England another scare on Saturday in the third cricket test by reducing the hosts to 2-2 in the first over. But captain Joe Root (62 not out) and Jordan Cox (59 not out) came to the hosts' rescue at Edgbaston as England successfully chased down a winning target of 130 runs. England finished at 130-2 in 24.2 overs in a single session to win by eight wickets with a day to spare and sweep the series 3-0. The third-day whipping was followed by a fourth-day horror start for England, which immediately lost Ben Duckett --- caught behind to medium-pacer Abbas --- and Emilio Gay on the last ball of the same over. Gay was trapped leg before wicket. Root and Cox guided England to its first three-test whitewash since 2024 on the same ground against the West Indies. Abbas, who overall took 9-130 in the second test, finished with 2-27 in eight overs. Pakistan was dismissed in its second innings for 449 after its first innings scrounged 133 runs. England opened with 453, a lead of 320 runs.

Panic button Pakistan had been expected on Friday to follow the previous two tests in the series --- including an innings defeat in Leeds --- and be cleaned up during the third day by a usually rampant England pace attack against the lackluster visitors. The Pakistan Cricket Board pressed the panic button a week ago and yanked home seven players and fired the head coach. ___ See AP's full cricket coverage here

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