England vs Pakistan at Trent Bridge – day two stumps report
James Anderson has celebrated his 28th birthday with a five-wicket haul as England continue to stamp their authority on their Test against Pakistan at Trent Bridge.
Beginning the day at 331-4, and with Eoin Morgan and Paul Collingwood seeking to extend a 213-run partnership, the morning session couldn’t have gone much worse for Andrew Strauss’ side as they lost their remaining six wickets for just 23-runs.
For Pakistan, whose pace attack performed below expectations on day one, there was redemption in the form of Mohammad Asif, who finished with figures of 5-77 for the innings, having added four scalps to his total on the second day.
England may have found themselves in the field much sooner than they’d planned, but Anderson for one took to the task with relish, claiming Salman Butt’s wicket before lunch, and adding two more as he intimidated Pakistan’s batsmen with some vicious swing in the second session.
By tea, the birthday boy and youngster Steven Finn had claimed three wickets each as Pakistan collapsed to 47-6 before Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Aamer and provided a stabilising seventh-wicket partnership to take the visitors into the break at 90 without further loss.
When play recommenced, however, it didn’t take long for Anderson to complete his five-fer. His fourth wicket broke the 58-run stand between Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Aamer, as Malik (38) supplied the edge to the slip cordon, where Strauss made the catch look difficult but importantly, and in contrast to a couple of Pakistan’s attempts when they were in the field, it stuck.
In his next over, the Lancastrian secured his ninth five-wicket haul in Test cricket when Aamer edged another swinging ball to slips, where Graeme Swann took a routine catch to leave the visitors staring down the barrel of the follow-on at 108-8.
Pakistan may not be known for batting deep, but today the tail wagged and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Danish-Kaneria-c1314 and Umar Gul built another handy partnership, this one lasting for 39 runs, before Stuart Broad bowled the former for seven to snag his first wicket of the day to leave Pakistan with one wicket in hand and eight runs to get to avoid the follow-on.
But with the scene set for an intriguing end to day two, bad light brought an end to proceedings just one ball later, with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 trailing the home side by 207 runs.
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