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

[m_vaughan]

Tea - Day ONE

Pakistan dominate second session
After a wicketless first session, Pakistan responded well in the second session picking up four England wickets. Shoaib Akhtar was the spearhead, bagging three of those wickets. Danish Kaneria got one wicket, that of Michael Vaughan.

England were looking good at 130-0 before Akhtar got the breakthrough, removing Andrew Strauss. Danish Kaneria then got rid off the England captain, before Akhtar rocked the visitors by picking up both Trescothick and Flintoff's wickets in one over.

At Tea, England are 186-4 with two new batsmen in the middle, Ian Bell batting on 5 and Kevin Pietersen yet to get off the mark.

Match Summary @ Tea, Day 1
England 186-4
Ian Bell 5*
Kevin Pietersen 0*
Andrew Strauss 76
Marcus Trescothick 68

Shoaib Akhtar 3-31

 

[m_vaughan]

Bells GONE!

Afridi spins Bell out
A beautifully executed leg spinner from Afridi beat Ian Bell, round his legs. Pakistan have the clear edge having picked up the fifth wicket of the innings.

Ian Bell will be disappointed with that dismissal, and he will now be under some pressure aftering having failed to score even a half century in this tour so far.

England FOW 227-5
Ian Bell b Shahid Afridi 20

 

[m_vaughan]

Another fifty!

50 for Pietersen
Kevin Pietersen, along with Geraint Jones, is leading a comeback for England in this test match. Man of the Match in the first test after that fantastic unbeaten 130 in the first innings, Pakistan will very well know that England are very much in the game when this man is batting.

 

[Johann]

Good comeback by Pakistan. If England can get 350 plus, they should have the match under control. I think they'll get Pakistan out for less than 300.

 

[Cricket_60]

Good to see Pakistan putting up a fight.

 

[m_vaughan]

SKY SPORTS FAN MAIL

Good comeback by Pakistan. If England can get 350 plus, they should have the match under control. I think they'll get Pakistan out for less than 300.

Very true Johann. Considering the fact that Pakistan dint even manage 200+ in either of the two innings in the first test, you would not expect them to score more than 300.

But I am using cgpv3 (I think) for this test match and I believe the CPU bats for longer periods with this patch. We will have wait and see.

Good to see Pakistan putting up a fight.

Yes indeed Cricket_60. That second session, I though Pakistan played really well. First to dismiss both the openers who were looking so dangerous, and then to get rid of Vaughan and Flintoff cheaply, was a great comeback from the home side. Shoaib Akhtar especially has been in prime form so far. Shahid Afridi then made it even better for Pakistan getting the wicket of Ian Bell.

All in all the match is in the balance at the moment. However we do know the real test will be when Pakistan bat. Their batting was extremely poor in the first test match.

 

[m_vaughan]

End of Day ONE

Pietersen and Geraint Jones lead England recovery
England are back in this game, after suffering a middle order collapse in the second session, thanks to Kevin Pietersen and Geraint Jones. However Pakistan will be happy with the scorecard at the end of the day's play, especially since at one stage England were 130 without loss a wicket.

Pakistan halted England's good start in the second session, when Akhtar picked up three wickets and Kaneria bagged one. In the last session of play Afridi dismissed Ian Bell, to shift the momentum towards Pakistan. But this current partnership between Pietersen (51 not out) and Jones(29 not out) has left the game very much even at stumps on day one.

All in all this set ups day two very well. Will these two carry on and get England past 400, or will the Pakistani bowlers bowl out the visitors quickly?

Match Summary - Stumps, Day ONE
England (1st Innings) 287-5
Kevin Pietersen 51*
Geraint Jones 29*
Andrew Strauss 76
Marcus Trescothick 68

Shoaib Akhtar 3-42

For all the answers stay tuned to this thread.

 

[Cricket_60]

This could be a dangerous partnership if it isn't broken soon.

 

[jazz]

yes this reminds me of the 4th test between england and australia. australia had england 241/5 but flintoff and jones took the game away from australia

 

[S_Harmison]

Same thing hapening here i think, come on England!

 

[m_vaughan]

Lots of updates coming up tomorrow. I have completed the entire second day's play.

 

[Pak_cricketer]

Why isn't Sami bowling?

 

[m_vaughan]

Because he is not in the team

 

[m_vaughan]

Shoaib Akhtar strikes for Pakistan!

A rush of blood to the head costs Pietersen his wicket
Kevin Pietersen's at times overaggressive batting style has cost him wicket. Pietersen went after a short pitched delivery from Shoaib Akhtar but only managed to find the safe hands of Abdul Razzaq at fine leg. Plan executed to perfection by Pakistan, and a big wicket to fall in this first session of the second day. And the dangerous partnership that was building up is also broken.

Pakistan FOW 314-6
Kevin Pietersen c Abdul Razzaq b Shoaib Akhtar 62

 

[S_Harmison]

Silly shot selection is always going to be a problem for England. Sometimes i really do feel that he is more interested than looking big and tough and hammering smeone like Warne out of the ground that doing whats best for the team. A person like Warne is going to get hit for six a few times but ultimately he will get you out in one of those deliveries, he too good, the sooner Peitersen learns this the better.