Calm and controlled: Cook, Root chalk up centuries at Old Trafford

Hosts showed improvement in their batting display in second Test

KARACHI: Skipper Alastair Cook and middle-order batsman Joe Root scored impressive centuries and were involved in a dominating 185-run second-wicket stand on day one of the second Test at Old Trafford against Pakistan.

With bowling spearhead James Anderson and Ben Stokes back in the side, the hosts had won the toss and opted to bat, eager to come up with a solid reply after their first Test loss at Lord’s.

Former Pakistan Test cricketer Danish Kaneria, who is serving a life ban, said England were wounded by the loss at Lord’s and bounced back strongly after working on their grey areas.

“I was expecting England to come up with a strong response and they did so, with Cook and Root scoring centuries,” Kaneria told The Express Tribune.



“You could see they were allowing the ball to come onto their bats instead of going after it — a mistake they made regularly in the first Test. [Former Pakistan spinner] Saqlain Mushtaq must have helped them understand their flaws and work on them. He must have told the English batsmen to play Yasir Shah with a straight bat, as he was mostly bowling flippers.”

Pakistan managed to get an early breakthrough with Mohammad Amir dismissing opener Alex Hales (10), but not before he was dropped by Asad Shafiq at gully off Amir.

The dismissal of Hales united England’s two best batsmen — Cook and Root — who ensured that they did not provide Pakistan more easy pickings as they steadily built the innings.

The Pakistani bowling line-up helped the hosts’ cause with inconsistent bowling as they pounced on any opportunity which came their way.

Cook went on to score his 29th Test ton, while it was also his 11th century as captain. Soon after, Cook was sent back to the pavilion by Amir as he chopped it back on to his stumps after scoring a stylish 105 off 172 deliveries with the help of 15 boundaries.

Incoming James Vince had an early let off as he was dropped on Amir’s bowling by Younus Khan in the slip cordon, but before he could inflict any real damage, Vince (16) was dismissed by Rahat Ali.

Meanwhile, former captain Rashid Latif said England batsmen made fewer mistakes this time around.

“If you look at the first Test, our fast-bowlers didn’t bowl well and it was a case of the English batsmen getting out cheaply,” said Latif. “But at Old Trafford, they cut down their mistakes; which is why they did well.

“Additionally, the length of the bowlers was short on day one, whereas it was fuller in the first Test,” observed Latif.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 23^rd, 2016.

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