Story England's International Season [c2005] - Eng's tour of Pak

Who will win the Pepsi Test Series?

  • Pakistan

    Votes: 23 52.3%
  • England

    Votes: 17 38.6%
  • Draw

    Votes: 4 9.1%

  • Total voters
    44
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Can't wait for the match! I don't think it will be as easy as the previous test, but England should win it.
 
Gilchrist said:
WTF?! LOL, What was Michael Vaughan looking at when that picture was taken?! Great match, good to see Geraint Jones in the runs, Good luck with your next match.

One ugly photographer
 
Okay after a long break I'll be posting an update tomorrow. I'll give you some hints though. The team batting first have got off to a good start.
 
2nd test - Pakistan v England - Faisalabad

The Pepsi Test Series
Pakistan vs England
2nd Test @ Faisalbad

England leads 3 match series 1-0

A very warm welcome to all our viewers for this second Pepsi Test Match between Pakistan and England, here at Iqbal cricket ground in Faisalabad.

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The visitors are the inform team with a comprehensive win in the first test at Multan, but the home side can level the series with a win here.

Conditions: A perfect day for test cricket. Bright skies, nice sunshine and a very pleasant and gentle breeze blowing from the north. The players can really enjoy today, and so can the crowd.

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The pitch however doesnt look very good if you are a bowler. A dust bowl means not much bounce expected and the slowness of the surface could make life difficult for the fast bowlers. The wicket could turn as early as the third day, hence batting last as always will be difficult.

The Toss:
Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq won the toss and elected to field first.
Inzamam said:
I think there is some moisture in the pitch early on, and that is something our fast bowlers can exploit. When the mositure dries up it will be very difficult for the bowlers to pick wickets. Also I think I am confident that we can chase totals well in the last innings.

When asked about his team's chances of bouncing back
Inzamam said:
We lost the first game because we did not play well. It is important we put up a good performance in this game, and try and level the series. It will not be easy against a team like England, but we are capable of bouncing back in this game.

Michael Vaughan said:
Well I must admit that I am delighted to have lost the toss. Batting first on this wicket and setting up a good total in the first innings can really put us in a nothing to lose situation, considering we are already 1-0 up in the series. But we must ensure we bat well, which could be tricky considering Pakistan's bowling prowess. But the pitch is for the batsmen, thats for sure.

Pakistan have made one change in the team that lost the first test, with Salman Butt replacing Mohammad Sami. Sami I believe injured himself in one of yesterday's practice session and has not recovered in time to make it into the team. Surprisingly Pakistan have decided to replace him with a batsman, namely Salman Butt.

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England are unchanged, and a win here will win them the series.
 
Steady start for England

England off to a steady start

Openers Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss have got England off to a good start here at Faisalabad, in this 2nd test match against Pakistan. At Lunch, after facing 27 overs, England have scored 79 runs without losing a wicket.

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Trescothick has been very solid and at the same time very cautious. He did look a bit shaky early on against Akhtar and Rana, but seems to have settled in well now. Andrew Strauss on the other hand has been a lot more aggressive, and is just four runs short of another half century.

Shoaib Akhtar has looked dangerous though and he did beat the England batsmen several times in his first and only spell so far.

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But at Lunch its safe to say that England will be the happier team, having not lost a wicket. The Pakistani bowlers will need to break this opening partnership before its too late.

Match Summary @ Lunch, Day 1
England 79-0 (1st Innings)
Andrew Strauss 46*
Marcus Trescothick 29*
 
Good batting by Strauss, a little slow by Trescothick but im sure he will be fine. Come on England!
 
Strauss and Trescothick reach milestone

Half centuries!
Andrew Strauss and Marcus Trescothick have both got to their fifties, as England continue to build on a good start here in the first day of the second test against Pakistan.

Strauss actually got his fifty quite some time back, and is currently batting on 69.

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Wicket at last!!

Shoaib gets the breakthrough
Pakistan's pace ace Shoaib Akhtar has delivered once again, getting the prize wicket of Andrew Strauss.

Strauss failed to pick up a slower delivery from Shoaib and handed Naved-ul-Hasan at mid on the simplest of catches.

The England lefthander was looking in very good touch and had a very good chance of getting another test hundred, but Shoaib had other ideas.

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England FOW 130-1
Andrew Strauss c Rana Naved-ul-Hasan b Shoaib Akhtar 76
 
Second wicket falls!

Kaneria picks up Vaughan!
The England captain becomes the second man to be dismissed, after he outside edges one straight into the gloves of wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal, off the bowling of Danish Kaneria.

The ball dint spin away as much as Vaughan was expecting and in the end the ball was to close to him to cover drive.

Kaneria picks up his first as Vaughan makes it back to the pavillion after having scored 28 runs.

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England FOW 179-2
Michael Vaughan c Kamran Akmal b Danish Kaneria 28
 
Shoaib gets two more!!

Shoaib double rocks England
Two wickets in one over by Shoaib Akhtar has stunned England, and got the home side back into this game.

The first wicket was of Trescothick, who missed the line of a delivery that swung back into him and struck his off-stump.

Trescothick like Strauss, loses his wicket after a good start.

England FOW 183-3
Marcus Trescothick b Shoaib Akhtar 68

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And Flintoff was the next man to be dismissed, out for a duck and lasting just two deliveries, and trapped lbw in front of leg stump by Shoaib.

There was a huge roar when the umpire's finger went up, and clearly every Pakistani player and supported know how big a wicket this is.

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England FOW 183-4
Andrew Flintoff lbw b Shoaib Akhtar 0
 
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