THE Somerset duo of Lewis Gregory and Craig Overton helped England's supporting cast turn in another A-list performance against Pakistan, sealing the Royal London Series in front of English cricket's biggest crowd in almost two years.

With no attendance limits in place for the first time since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, just under 23,000 fans roared the home side to a 52-run victory at Lord's and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

With the first-choice squad still in quarantine after a Covid outbreak, the second string stepped up for the second time in three days.

Phil Salt top-scored with 60, Saqib Mahmood was excellent again with the new ball, and all-rounder Gregory paired 40 vital runs with three wickets.

The result was in the balance when England were bowled out for 247, but Pakistan finished well short on 195 all out, with Overton helping himself to 2-39.

England were asked to bat first and soon found themselves in a spot of bother as Dawid Malan and Zak Crawley followed unbeaten half-centuries last time out with matching ducks.

It fell to rookie opener Salt to reset the tone, and while his 60 was more rambunctious than refined, his fearless style did much to paper over the initial setbacks.

James Vince had fun too, with a selection of pulls and cuts in a career-best 56.

It took the introduction of spin to end a partnership of 97, before Hassan Ali (5-51) proceeded to dismiss Ben Stokes, John Simpson and Overton in the space of 10 deliveries.

England were vulnerable at 160-7, but were bolstered by a 69-run stand between Gregory and Brydon Carse (31).

Both men were batting for the first time in ODIs but ran furiously, put away bad balls and held their nerve as they powered their side towards a competitive score.

Pakistan would still have been happy with their work but were quickly undermined by the loss of three wickets for 36 as they began their chase.

Gregory struck with his first delivery, pushed across Imam-ul-Haq who obliged with an edge, and would later return to see off Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf to complete a fine all-round show.

Mahmood also impressed, getting the better of Babar Azam for the second successive game, jagging one in hard at the world's number one batter, beating the drive and winning a back-leg lbw.

Fakhar Zaman survived the examination from Mahmood but retreated almost entirely, scraping together 10 from 45 balls before being put out of his misery by Overton.

The Somerset seamer was punched back by Sohaib Maqsood (19), who swiped a pair of long sixes, but won the duel when a top edge sailed into Simpson's gloves.

Hassan launched a do-or-die assault, smashing 31 off seven deliveries, before being caught by Overton, off the bowling of Carse.

Overton picked up a second catch, taking Pakistan anchorman Saud Shakeel (56) in the deep off Matt Parkinson, before Gregory (3-44) and the diving Simpson finished things off when Rauf gloved a bumper.