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Pakistan
struggling in reply to England’s 528 |
July 14, 2006 (Link to
Scorecard)
Steve Harmison has caused jitters in the
Pakistan camp with his double blow after England
had declared their innings at 528 for 9.
Pakistan are tottering at 66 for 3 at stumps on
Day 2 of the 1st Test with Mohammad Yousuf and
Mohammad Sami, the night watchman being the not
out batsmen. The bowling from England looks good
to bowl out Pakistan soon and the visitors need
special knocks from Mohammad Yousuf and skipper
Inzamam-ul-Haq to pull them out of trouble.
The Tale of the Morning Session
Pakistan finally took the second new ball in the
93rd over and soon it provided the result with
Alastair Cook coming down late in his drive to a
quick delivery from Mohammad Sami. Cook was
bowled for 105 to give Sami his first wicket of
the match. Ian Bell who was fighting for his
place in the England Side then put on a brisk
partnership with Paul Collingwood and things
looked like going to a plan for the homeside.
Collingwood continued from where he had left
yesterday and he along with Bell was helped with
some wayward bowling from the Pakistani seamers.
Paul Collingwood was let off by Steve Bucknor
after the centurion was forced to nick a short
of length delivery from Mohammad Sami who was
looking a different bowler today. Sami was still
not getting past the 90mph mark with his short
run up but there was definitely a better
performance from him today. England went to
lunch at 426 for 4 with Collingwood on 179,
which had by some margin had become the highest
individual score for England against Pakistan at
Lord’s, Ian Bell who started off with lots of
shots settled down to remain on 43. The morning
session belonged to England with 117 runs coming
in the 30 overs bowled.
The Tale of the Afternoon Session
Pakistan did extremely well in stifling the
scoring after lunch and both Collingwood and
Bell looked satisfied in playing out safely. But
Collingwood fell to a beautiful leg break from
Danish Kaneria that deceived him in the air and
brought him forward and then it turned and
bounced to beat Collingwood’s forward lunge.
Kamran Akmal took the bails off in a flash with
Collingwood dragging his back leg way outside
the crease. Danish Kaneria finally got his
prayers answered by the almighty and Collingwood
fell 14 short of his maiden double century.
Collingwood had faced 323 balls and had hit 23
fours. After Collingwood’s departure, Geraint
Jones came in and blasted Kaneria over his head
for a four and after sometime played a cut over
covers off Sami to pick up a six. The aggressive
Jones was gone for 18 after missing a googly
from Kaneria in his sweep shot and was given out
lbw by Steve Bucknor. Plunkett came in and
disappeared back in the pavilion driving a top
spinner from Kaneria to the slips that wasn’t
there for the drive. It was interestingly the
first slip catch taken by Imran Farhat in this
match and those who had watched the first day’s
play would never forget the two simple slip
catches he had dropped. England closed the post
lunch session at 495 for 7 with Bell on 75 and
with him was Matthew Hoggard on 8.
The Tale of the Final Session
Pakistan got rid of Matthew Hoggard with Afridi
slipping in a quicker one that thudded onto
Hoggard’s pads and next was Harmison to go
trying to get Bell on strike. Ian Bell was
approaching his hundred and he had pushed Afridi
to the onside and ran for the 2nd run, Harmison
at the non striker’s end could not make it in
time at the non striker’s end. That left Ian
Bell on 98 and he just had Monty Panesar with
him in the middle. It was soon 1 run to get for
Ian Bell for his hundred and for that Panesar
had to survive four deliveries from Danish
Kaneria which he did. Ian Bell in the next over
got to his 3rd Test Match hundred and Strauss
wasted no time in declaring the innings.
Pakistan started their innings on a promising
note with Salman Butt pulling Steve Harmison’s
fiery short one over mid wicket and at the other
end, Imran Farhat was at his attacking best
taking care of Matthew Hoggard. Salman Butt lost
patience though as he drove carelessly to a
delivery pitched outside his offstump by Steve
Harmison. Andrew Strauss took a comfortable
catch at 2nd slip and two balls later, Harmison
sent Faisal Iqbal back to the hut with a nasty
lifter. Faisal Iqbal who fended that short one
was taken superbly by a leaping Collingwood who
took a stunning one handed catch at gully.
Mohammad Yousuf had then walked into join Imran
Farhat and the former played a couple of
beautiful shots to show his class. But at the
other end, Imran Farhat lost his mind as he went
back to Liam Plunkett only to leave his
inswinger in the end and saw his offstump
disturbed. Imran Farhat might have been done in
by a smart move from Andrew Strauss who had set
up the field for the hook shot and the left
hander might have been expecting the bouncer and
was looking to leave it! Sami was the night
watchman sent in to shield the Sleeping Giant
Inzamam who would only wake up tomorrow and Sami
survived four deliveries from Steve Harmison in
the final over of the day’s play to see Pakistan
through at 66 for 3 in the 19 overs bowled at
them. Mohammad Yousuf is looking good for his 20
which has four hits to the fence.
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