The 'Rawalpindi Express' kept England in check after new-ball partner Mohammad Asif had two for 10 in eight overs at the start of the innings.

England, in a match reduced to 40 overs per side, were indebted to a career-best 39 from all-rounder Rikki Clarke.

Together with wicketkeeper Chris Read (30) he put on 53 in 57 balls for the seventh wicket after England had slumped to 113 for six.

All-rounder Abdul Razzaq bowled Read middle stump to end a run-a-ball knock, which featured a hooked six off Akhtar before the 'Rawalpindi Express' himself cleaned up Clarke, who faced 47 balls with three fours.

Akhtar then bowled opposing paceman Darren Gough with a thunderbolt yorker.

England, as was the case in the series opening washout at Cardiff on Wednesday, were unable to bat out their overs.

Their innings ended with five balls to spare when recalled seamer Jon Lewis was run out by Younis Khan's direct hit.

It all left England needing to produce something special in the field if they were to win their first limited overs match this season after home Twenty20 defeats against both Sri Lanka and Pakistan and a 5-0 one-day series thrashing by the Lankans. But with grey skies overhead it looked as if the weather might again have the final say.

After captain Inzamamul Haq won the toss, Pakistan did not have long to wait for their first wicket.

England captain Andrew Strauss fell for nought off his first ball, the sixth of the innings when he edged a full-length delivery from Akhtar outside his off-stump through to wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal.

Ian Bell, who scored a career-best 88 at Cardiff, then got off the mark with a stylish off-driven four against Akhtar.

After rain halted play for an hour, England lost opener Marcus Trescothick for six when the left-hander edged Asif to second slip where Younis took a sharp catch.

And three balls later 18 for two became 18 for three when Bell, on nine, saw an edged cut off Akhtar safely held by first slip Inzamam as England experienced another top-order collapse in a one-day international.

Kevin Pietersen then top-edged a pull off Asif and Naved, running in from third man, took a well-judged, low catch.

Pakistan had dismissed the dangerman for just 17 as England slumped to 44 for four in the 16th over.

Once more in his brief international career Jamie Dalrymple came in to bat with England in dire straits.

He repaired some of the damage with a stand of 34 in 42 balls with Paul Collingwood before he was lbw for 13 to Razzaq.

Pakistan then saw off Collingwood for 35 off 57 balls with three fours when he failed to pick a delivery from leg-spinner Shahid Afridi that drifted back into him and was lbw.