LONDON (AP):

Pakistan overcame a late batting collapse to beat England by four wickets in the third Test yesterday and cut the hosts' lead to 2-1 in the four-match series.

Set 148 to win after Mohammad Amir claimed career-best figures of 5-52 to help dismiss England for 222, Pakistan reached 148-6 at The Oval. Amir finished 4 not out in 25 balls and Umar Akmal was 16 in 36, after nervously surviving a late England assault.

The winning runs came when Akmal glanced offpsinner Graeme Swann to fine leg. It followed the loss of four wickets for 29 runs. Captain Salman Butt had earlier led from the front with 48 from 64 balls. Swann claimed 3-50.

"This win shows the character of this young team after we were 2-0 down and with everybody writing us off," Butt said. "Chasing low totals in the fourth innings, there is always a lot of pressure, but I thought we only made one mistake with the run out - there was no need for that.

"(The win is) terrific because this is a young, inexperienced team, but they have the potential. They showed it against Australia and now they are showing it against England.

"The presence of Mohammed Yousuf has made a big difference. He is a class act, though it has been a total team effort with everyone chipping in somewhere."

Winning streak ends

Victory for Pakistan ended England's six-Test winning streak and keeps the series alive ahead of the Lord's Test from Thursday. The hosts won at Trent Bridge and Edgbaston, both of which also ended on the fourth day.

"None of us like losing, certainly I don't," England captain Andrew Strauss said. "It's a bit of a kick in the teeth anytime you lose a Test match, but we were outplayed in this game.

"We lost six wickets in a session last night and we need to make sure that doesn't happen again. We fought well after lunch today, but it was too late by then."