Friday, July 30, 2010

Pakistan still eight runs to avoid follow-on with one wicket left

Updated at: 2330 PST, Friday, July 30, 2010
Pakistan still eight runs to avoid follow-on with one wicket left NOTTINGHAM: James Anderson marked his 28th birthday with five wickets as Pakistan slumped to 147 for nine on the second day of the first Test against England at Trent Bridge here on Friday.

Anderson, in overcast conditions ideally suited to his swing bowling, took five wickets for 49 runs in 20 overs as Pakistan were left 207 runs behind England's first innings 354 when bad light forced an early close.

It was the ninth time in his 49 Tests that Anderson had taken five or more wickets in an innings and he was well supported by Middlesex quick Steven Finn, who took three for 20 in 11 overs.

Pakistan were in dire straits at 47 for six but at close of play they were just eight runs shy of avoiding the follow-on thanks to tail-ender Umar Gul's defiant unbeaten 30, which included a six off Anderson, and a seventh-wicket stand of 58 between Shoaib Malik (38) and Mohammad Aamer (25).

Anderson refused to be drawn on whether England would enforce the follow-on on Saturday should the opportunity arise.

England had lost their last six wickets for just 17 runs earlier on Friday in an Mohammed Asif-inspired slump.

England resumed on 331 for four but Asif then took four wickets for eight runs in 13 balls -- all lbw -- on his way to five for 77 in 27 overs.

His haul included maiden Test century maker Eoin Morgan (130) and Collingwood (82), whose stand of 219 was a new fifth-wicket record for England against Pakistan, as well as an out-of-sorts Kevin Pietersen for nine.

England's total, however, always looked like being too much for a novice Pakistan top order missing former captains Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan, omitted following disciplinary proceedings after the team's 3-0 series loss in Australia earlier this year.

Before lunch, Pakistan lost captain and in-form opener Salman Butt, caught behind off Anderson.

And the Lancashire seamer, from around the wicket, produced a superb delivery to Imran Farhat that saw the left-hander, aiming to mid-on, bowled off-stump as the ball moved away late.

Finn, playing his first England match since the early season Tests against Bangladesh after undergoing a strength programme, then had Umar Amin (two) caught at second slip by Graeme Swann to make it 35 for three.

Azhar Ali fell to Anderson, edging through to wicketkeeper Matt Prior, although replays suggested the ball had actually brushed Ali's back leg.

The Decision Review System (DRS) is being used in a Test in England for the first time but Ali -- in only his third match at this level -- decided against a referral after consulting with Umar Akmal, the non-striker.

Malik, in for over an hour and a half, was caught by Strauss although the England captain needed two grabs at the first slip chance before holding on one-handed.

Swann then held his third catch to end the 18-year-old Aamer's admirable 87 minutes of resistance.

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