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Pakistan on the backfoot against England A
by AFP


Ground:St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury
Scorecard:England A v Pakistanis
Player:Salman Butt, Faisal Iqbal, JWM Dalrymple, AGR Loudon
Event:Pakistan in British Isles 2006

DateLine: 8th July 2006

 

Pakistan ended the third day of their four-day match against England A as they started it - in the field - after a first innings collapse here Saturday.

 

In the tourists' final first-class match before the first Test against England at Lord's begins on Thursday, they were bowled out for 242 in reply to England A's 595 for nine declared.

 

Despite a huge lead of 353, England A captain Robert Key decided against enforcing the follow-on - which meant the likes of Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf, who both made nought, were kept waiting for a second innings.

 

Number three Faisal Iqbal (82) and opener Salman Butt (62) were the only two Pakistan batsmen who passed fifty, but both men are likely to be dropped at Lord's in favour of Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik respectively.

 

Jamie Dalrymple, one of England's few successes in their 5-0 one-day series thrashing by Sri Lanka, led the attack with four for 61 and fellow off-spinner Alex Loudon took three for 28.

 

In their second innings England A were 35 for one at stumps, a lead of 388, with Alastair Cook 10 not out and Ian Bell seven not out.

 

Earlier England A, 530 for nine overight, saw former Test wicket-keeper Chris Read extended his century to 150 not out and Stuart Broad score an unbeaten 54 - the 20-year-old pace bowler's maiden first-class fifty.

 

At tea, Pakistan were 156 for four with Iqbal 54 not out and Abdul Razzaq eight not out.

 

Dalrymple, despite being struck for six over his head by Razzaq in typically aggressive style, had the all-rounder caught by Read off another intended big shot for 37.

 

And then 205 for five became 207 for six when wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal, who'd spent most of the match off the field after injuring his left index finger on Thursday, was bowled by Warwickshire's Loudon, back on his old Kent home ground, for one as he made room to cut.

 

Yousuf earlier fell for a five-ball nought, casually hooking novice pace bowler Broad to substitute fielder Neil Dexter at deep square leg.

 

And 123 for three was quickly 134 for four when Inzamam, who faced 12 balls, top-edged a pull against Dalrymple and was caught by Loudon, running round from first slip.

 

Earlier, Matthew Hoggard added to England's woes by sustaining a freak hand injury 24 hours before the hosts were due to name their first Test squad.

 

During the warm-up before play began here Saturday, 29-year-old swing bowler Hoggard - an ever-present in England's last 32 Tests - had his right hand trodden on by fellow Yorkshire seamer Tim Bresnan.

 

He had to have six stitches inserted into the palm of his bowling hand, did not bowl at all Saturday and is unlikely to do so Sunday.

 

Meanwhile Butt completed an 88-ball fifty with his 10th four, a cover-drive off Bresnan. But he fell tamely when he turned Dalrymple to the slow bowler's Middlesex team-mate Owais Shah at midwicket for 63.

 

After play resumed Saturday, Read and Broad extended their last-wicket stand to an unbroken 127 on what was an ideal batting pitch.

 

The hosts' score was boosted by 62 extras, 31 in byes alone. That was unsurprising given that Iqbal had to fill in as a keeper for the injured Akmal, the lone recognised gloveman currently in the squad.

 

England A started on 530 for nine with Read, who lost his Test place to Geraint Jones on account of his batting, 120 not out and Broad, the son of former England opening batsman Chris, unbeaten on 29.

 

Broad, 20, primarily a right-arm seamer, went to fifty in 96 balls with a superb back-foot cover-driven boundary off Mohammad Sami - his eighth four.

 

Read then reached 150 in 196 balls, featuring two sixes and 20 fours by hoisting leg-spinner Danish Kaneria - who took four for 158 in a marathon 48 overs - high over square leg at which point Key, who himself had made 136, declared.

(Article: Copyright © 2006 AFP)

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