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| November 14, 2005 | Monday | Shawwal 11, 1426 |
Trescothick cracks century as England tighten screws
MULTAN, Nov 13: Marcus Trescothick led from the front with a stroke-filled unbeaten century on Sunday as England took firm control of the first Test against Pakistan at the Multan Cricket Stadium.
The dominant England reached 253 for three with Trescothick batting on 135 and night-watchman Matthew Hoggard yet to score after Pakistan had been dismissed for a below-par first-innings score of 274 inside the first 50 minutes of the second day’s play.
Trescothick’s stroke-play in ideal batting conditions provided great entertainment for a holiday crowd which had peaked just around 12,000 people in the 26,000-capacity stadium.
During the course of his second century against Pakistan and 13th overall in his 67th Test appearance, Trescothick and the resurrected Ian Bell sailed past a major milestone in the history of England-Pakistan Tests.
The 180-run partnership in 191 minutes was the best by an English second-wicket pair in Pakistan, outstripping the feat of Dennis Amiss and Keith Fletcher who had added 168 at Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad in the 1972-73 series.
The big partnership was heartbreaking for the Pakistanis after a lucky break early in the fourth over. Andrew Strauss, Trescothick’s trusted opening partner, went for nine when Mohammad Sami got one to nip in sharply into the left-hander.
Bell made the most of his unexpected call-up with a resolute exhibition of batting while taking advantage of ideal conditions.
The 23-year-old Warwickshire right-hander brought up his third fifty in his ninth Test after indifferent Ashes series and went on to score 71 – a 161-ball innings containing five boundaries – before falling to a catch close-in on the on-side off Shoaib Malik.
The man who was a late replacement for the injured England skipper Michael Vaughan was a relieved man at the end of the day.
“It’s a nice feeling to get the confidence going after the injury to Vaughny. The pitch was fantastic to bat on,” an elated Bell commented.
“I was disappointed to get out and would’ve liked to go and get a hundred and should still be there now like Marcus. But overall I enjoyed myself and spent some time in the middle.”
Bell complimented his partner for his support in the long partnership, during which they batted through the afternoon session unscathed as England prospered from 72 for one at lunch to 174 for one at the tea interval.
“Marcus was simply superb and I was fortunate to bat with a guy as experienced as him. We thoroughly enjoyed batting together,” he added.
Bell should have been back in the hut on 62 with England’s score on 185 but for a no-ball. That slow delivery by Shoaib Akhtar completely baffled Bell as it went between his legs to hit the base of the middle-order.
Paul Collingwood remained the sleeping partner as he and Trescothick narrowed the first-innings deficit further in a partnership of 53 with the Durham batsman making 10.
Shabbir Ahmed dashed Collingwood’s dream of emulating Bell with a late away swinging delivery that enticed him to edge a smart catch to Kamran Akmal behind the stumps.
But Trescothick found no such problem in bowling as he held centre-stage. He swept Danish Kaneria fine to raise his 100 with the 13th four off 164 balls in 253 minutes after hitting a magnificent six off the same bowler.
The tall Somerset left-hander’s other century against Pakistan was 117 at Old Trafford in 2001. Trescothick gave England the direction to drive home their advantage as Pakistan toiled in sharp contrast.
It is arguable whether England had worked collectively into a position of strength through a strong show of character, or Pakistan had allowed the tourists to dictate terms by pushing themselves to a point of no return at this stage of the game.
There was no excuse for Pakistan to make a modest total in familiar conditions on a batting featherbed.
Starting the day at 244 for six, the home side barely got going as the final four wickets crashed for 30 runs in 64 deliveries against the second new ball which was only 4.4 overs old.
Matthew Hoggard’s third ball of the morning accounted for Sami after Andrew Flintoff had completed his unfinished over.
Inzamamul Haq, the last ray of hope for a decent total, duly scored the nine runs to bring up his 40th half-century in 102nd Test. But Flintoff drew him into a false stroke, leaving Andrew Strauss to pocket an easy catch at second slip.
Inzamam’s 97-ball 53 in 147 minutes was embellished with four fours and the only six of the Pakistan innings. That was the scalp England had set their sights on, the moment Inzamam had gone into bat first ball after tea on Saturday.
Shabbir was undone by an unplayable york that ripped out his middle stump before Steve Harmison had Kaneria give Ashley Giles a catching lesson in the gulley.
Flintoff finished with the best figures among the three pacemen, taking four for 68.
Harmison took three for 37 while Hoggard chipped in with two for 55. Their performance should serve as a good lesson for their Pakistani pace rivals.
| SCOREBOARD | |
| PAKISTAN (1st innings) (Overnight: 244-6) | |
| S. Malik lbw b Flintoff | 39 |
| S. Butt c G. Jones b Udal | 74 |
| Y. Khan lbw b Harmison | 39 |
| M. Yousuf b Flintoff | 5 |
| Inzamamul Haq c Strauss b Flintoff | 53 |
| H. Raza b Harmison | 0 |
| K. Akmal c Trescothick b Hoggard | 28 |
| M. Sami c G. Jones b Hoggard | 1 |
| S. Akhtar not out | 10 |
| S. Ahmed b Flintoff | 0 |
| D. Kaneria c Giles b Harmison | 6 |
| EXTRAS (b-1 lb-7 nb-11) | 19 |
| TOTAL (all out, 98.2 overs) | 274 |
| FALL OF WKTS: 1-80, 2-161, 3-166, 4-181, 5-183, 6-238, 7-244, 8-260, 9-260, 10-274 | |
| BOWLING: M. Hoggard 22-4-55-2 (nb-3), S. Harmison 16.2- 5-37-3, A. Flintoff 23-6-68-4 (nb-8), P. Collingwood 4-1-15-0, A. Giles 16-3-44-0, S. Udal 17-3-47-1. | |
| ENGLAND (1st innings) | |
| M. Trescothick not out | 135 |
| A. Strauss lbw b Sami | 9 |
| I. Bell c Butt b Malik | 71 |
| P. Collingwood c Akmal b Ahmed | 10 |
| M. Hoggard not out | 0 |
| EXTRAS (b-8 lb-6 nb-14) | 28 |
| TOTAL (for 3 wickets, 68 overs) | 253 |
| FALL OF WKTS: 1-18 2-198 3-251 | |
| TO BAT: A. Flintoff, G. Jones, A. Giles, S. Udal, K. Pietersen, S. Harmison | |
| BOWLING: S. Akhtar 15-2-48-0 (nb-5), M. Sami 10-1-49-1 (nb-1), S. Ahmed 13-3-32-1 (nb-2) D. Kaneria 16-2-60-0 (nb-2), S. Malik 14-1-50-1 (nb-4). | |
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