Lewis used the new ball better than many of his predecessors
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Although England lost against Pakistan at Lord's, three players who have something to prove took their opportunity to impress the selectors before they name the squad for the Champions Trophy next week.
Jon Lewis has had desperately bad luck in being overlooked so often, but in helpful bowling conditions he again showed why he is county cricket's most successful bowler.
There will be concerns that he does not have enough pace to succeed when the ball is not swinging.
But since white balls usually give some help when they are new, he could still have a part to play on the subcontinent or, more pertinently, in the West Indies during the World Cup.
With England lacking a wicket-taker, Lewis nipped out the Pakistan openers within eight overs to give England an outside chance of getting back into the game.
Lewis should have had a third wicket when Younis Khan was caught behind for 15, only for umpire Billy Doctrove to mistakenly call a no-ball.
Read gave the innings some desperately needed ingenuity
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Younis proceeded to play some magnificent shots in the gloom, and his partnership of 78 with Mohammad Yousuf sealed England's fate.
I think Chris Read was being seriously considered by the selectors for the World Cup before he replaced Geraint Jones in the third Test of the series against Pakistan.
He has shown before that he is a clean hitter in one-day cricket, and like many wicket-keepers, he hits the ball in unusual places.
He scored 30 from only 30 deliveries - including a tremendous pulled six off Shoaib Akhtar - and showed the flexibility and ability to improvise that England's batsmen have been lacking.
Read added 53 crucial runs with Rikki Clarke, whose 39 from 47 balls was also a timely prod.
He hits the ball hard and fields energetically, but unfortunately he served up a couple of long-hops at an important stage.
Clarke's bowling is his weakest suit, and he is not yet sufficiently trustworthy to be a front line, 10-over man.