England on top as Pakistan slump again
James Anderson and Stuart Broad took four wickets apiece as Pakistan collapsed to 72 all out - their lowest total.
BIRMINGHAM:
James Anderson and Stuart Broad took four wickets apiece as Pakistan collapsed to 72 all out - their lowest total against England - on the first day of the second Test. England were 112 for two in reply when bad light forced an early close - a lead of 40.
Jonathan Trott, dropped once, was 31 not out and Kevin Pietersen was 36 not out after being dropped twice. The South African-born duo had so far put on 68 for the third wicket.
England compounded Pakistan’s series of slumps by reaching 43 without loss at tea. But Alastair Cook, on 17, gloved a hook off Mohammad Asif to Umar Akmal at second slip. England captain Andrew Strauss fell for 25 when he got an inside edge off Mohammad Aamir to Zulaqarnain Haider for the debutant wicketkeeper’s first Test dismissal.
Strauss was originally given not out by Australian umpire Steve Davis but Pakistan challenged successfully using the Decision Review System.
England would have been 54 for three only for Pakistan’s latest example of woeful fielding. Trott had made just eight when he edged Asif straight to Imran Farhat. But first slip Farhat dropped a routine catch.
Pietersen, on nine, was reprieved when, after driving recalled off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, he saw Umar Gul at mid-on drop a difficult chance. Trott’s textbook cover-driven four off Ajmal then saw England into the lead. Haider then dropped a one-handed chance offered by Pietersen against Gul when he was on 20 and England 84 for two.
It was a more difficult chance, also off the inside edge, that Kamran Akmal held to dismisss Pietersen for 22 in the first Test at Nottingham. Pakistan were again found wanting against swing bowling in overcast conditions after Test captain Salman Butt won the toss. Umar Amin (23), Akmal (17) and Aamir (12) were the only batsmen to make double-figure scores in an innings featuring five noughts.
Anderson had been Pakistan’s chief tormentor at Trent Bridge with a career-best 11 for 71. But it was Broad who began the collapse despite the best efforts of Pakistan to fight their way through the early overs. Farhat completed a 24-ball nought when he edged a good length Broad delivery, angled across him, through to wicketkeeper Matt Prior.
Butt edged Steven Finn to Graeme Swann at second slip, having spent nearly an hour at the crease for seven runs. Akmal clipped Anderson off his pads and whipped Broad legside for an audacious six. But Pakistan saw Azhar Ali leg-before to a Broad inswinger for a 32-ball nought.
Akmal was also lbw to Broad, who then had Haider out for a first ball nought. It was the third successive duck by a Pakistan wicketkeeper after Kamran Akmal’s pair at Trent Bridge.
Pakistan were 37 for six at lunch and Anderson ended the innings by taking three wickets for one run in 10 balls.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 7th, 2010.
James Anderson and Stuart Broad took four wickets apiece as Pakistan collapsed to 72 all out - their lowest total against England - on the first day of the second Test. England were 112 for two in reply when bad light forced an early close - a lead of 40.
Jonathan Trott, dropped once, was 31 not out and Kevin Pietersen was 36 not out after being dropped twice. The South African-born duo had so far put on 68 for the third wicket.
England compounded Pakistan’s series of slumps by reaching 43 without loss at tea. But Alastair Cook, on 17, gloved a hook off Mohammad Asif to Umar Akmal at second slip. England captain Andrew Strauss fell for 25 when he got an inside edge off Mohammad Aamir to Zulaqarnain Haider for the debutant wicketkeeper’s first Test dismissal.
Strauss was originally given not out by Australian umpire Steve Davis but Pakistan challenged successfully using the Decision Review System.
England would have been 54 for three only for Pakistan’s latest example of woeful fielding. Trott had made just eight when he edged Asif straight to Imran Farhat. But first slip Farhat dropped a routine catch.
Pietersen, on nine, was reprieved when, after driving recalled off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, he saw Umar Gul at mid-on drop a difficult chance. Trott’s textbook cover-driven four off Ajmal then saw England into the lead. Haider then dropped a one-handed chance offered by Pietersen against Gul when he was on 20 and England 84 for two.
It was a more difficult chance, also off the inside edge, that Kamran Akmal held to dismisss Pietersen for 22 in the first Test at Nottingham. Pakistan were again found wanting against swing bowling in overcast conditions after Test captain Salman Butt won the toss. Umar Amin (23), Akmal (17) and Aamir (12) were the only batsmen to make double-figure scores in an innings featuring five noughts.
Anderson had been Pakistan’s chief tormentor at Trent Bridge with a career-best 11 for 71. But it was Broad who began the collapse despite the best efforts of Pakistan to fight their way through the early overs. Farhat completed a 24-ball nought when he edged a good length Broad delivery, angled across him, through to wicketkeeper Matt Prior.
Butt edged Steven Finn to Graeme Swann at second slip, having spent nearly an hour at the crease for seven runs. Akmal clipped Anderson off his pads and whipped Broad legside for an audacious six. But Pakistan saw Azhar Ali leg-before to a Broad inswinger for a 32-ball nought.
Akmal was also lbw to Broad, who then had Haider out for a first ball nought. It was the third successive duck by a Pakistan wicketkeeper after Kamran Akmal’s pair at Trent Bridge.
Pakistan were 37 for six at lunch and Anderson ended the innings by taking three wickets for one run in 10 balls.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 7th, 2010.