England vs. Pakistan: Day 1 goes against the visitors
Pakistan had an ordinary first day in the first test against England at Nottingham. After the high of beating http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 in a test after 15 years, the Pakistan team looked to have resumed normal operations once again on a day where Salman Butt’s team looked flat and short on ideas.
It was believed to be a test dominated by bowlers, but at the start of the day it was surprising to see that the pitch looked quite flat and good to bat on. England Captain Andrew Strauss won the toss and had no hesitation in electing to bat first. When Salman Butt was asked what he would have done had he won the toss, the captain said that he would have chosen to bat.
The pitch was not expected to have too many demons in it and the home side knew that playing out the new ball would be the most important thing. Mohammad Aamer was once again the key to Pakistan’s attack and the teenager was threatening as usual with the new ball. The left arm bowler made the ball move both ways and did cause some problems to the two left handed English openers.
After getting a few balls to move away, Aamer did look to be getting a bit frustrated but he got his reward when Alistair Cook edged one to the slips. Imran Farhat made no mistake and Pakistan had the first breakthrough in the 9th over with the score at 42. Cook scored 8 runs from 26 balls.
The next man in was Jonathan Trott who had scored a hundred on debut against Australia. The right hander was in good touch as he had scored a century against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747.
The pair added 51 runs for the second wicket at a healthy run rate but not before Kamran Akmal once again proved that he was either flawless or hopeless. After two good test matches against Australia, he was at it again by dropping a dolly off the bowling of Muhammad Aamer.
Akmal did get a chance for redemption as Aamer got another nick from Strauss and this time, the keeper managed to stick to it. Strauss scored 45 from 75 balls with 6 fours.
Kevin Pietersen was in next who wasn’t in the best of forms in recent times and it was reflective in his hesitant approach. Pakistan wasted both their referrals on Pietersen - once over an lbw and later on a caught behind call. However, he was later dismissed by Muhammad Asif who got one to jag back and bowled him over for just 9 runs from 29 balls.
Muhammad Aamer at the other end followed it up with the wicket of Jonathan Trott. He let one go and it came back and struck his pads. Trott scored 38 runs from 67 balls with 5 fours.
At 118 for 4, England did look in a spot of bother but that was when Eoin Morgan and Paul Collingwood came together. The left right combination took their time but once they got settled in, the duo took the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Danish-Kaneria-c1314 was totally off his game and the leg spinner continued to dish long hops and full tosses. The pair made full use of it and piled on a massive unbeaten partnership of 213 runs for the 5th wicket stand.
Morgan completed his maiden Test hundred with a massive six off Kaneria while Collingwood remained not out on 81 not out. Kamran Akmal was once again at it and missed an easy stumping chance of Collingwood.
All in all, it was a tough day for Pakistan and even the second new ball did not make any impression as the visitors would have to make some early inroads on Day 2 or else they would be looking at a score in excess of 500 plus in the first innings.
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