Cricket England v PakistanThe shadows had enveloped the outfield and the sun was descending into evening murk when England finally made the breakthrough that may just prove to be decisive in the outcome of the first Test. It came, almost inevitability these days, from Andrew Flintoff, but owed much to some canny captaincy from Marcus Trescothick.
For a couple of hours Younis Khan, a batsman with a flourish in every stroke, had been batting with freedom and was within two runs of a half-century. The close of play - or at least that point when the light is deemed unplayable - was imminent, and Flintoff, aware that the day is done for neither batsman nor bowler until time has been called, was flogging one last over out of what has become a begrudging pitch.
His final delivery was heaved into the ground and rose sluggishly at Khan who, seeing runs down to third man as the only way to reach his first landmark by stumps, dabbed insipidly.
Trescothick, though, the solitary close catcher, had moved himself into a position wide of second slip specifically for that shot and, as the ball flew low to his left, he clutched it in both hands and rolled over.
Flintoff's understated celebration owed more to relief than fatigue. Pakistan had been coming back strongly but the dismissal set them back.
Pakistan reached stumps an over later at 125 for two in their second innings, 19 runs adrift but with the left-handed Salman Butt undefeated on 53. Much would seem to rest on the continuing success of the young man and the fortune of his captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq.
Yesterday evening, however, they were mulling over the possible absence of Mohammad Yousuf - Yousuf Youhana as was - because of a shoulder injury which prevented him from fielding for much of the remainder of the England innings.
Pakistan's long tail, exposed by England in the first innings, can ill afford to be a decent batsman short if they are to post a total sufficient to place England under pressure on a deteriorating pitch in the fourth innings.
The tourists have an injury worry of their own, for in the fourth over of Pakistan's innings Kevin Pietersen chased a ball to the square boundary, dived to flick it back, and in saving the boundary fell heavily on his right arm before sliding into advertising hoardings. Although he stayed on the field for several more deliveries, he soon retired to the dressing-room where he received ice treatment to the elbow and upper arm, and then sat mournfully with the injury strapped up.
There was better news before play and during the lunch interval, when injured captain Michael Vaughan managed some light jogging and had two sessions in the nets, and where he played the sweep which tends to put pressure on his right knee, without apparent discomfort. With the second Test beginning in Faisalabad on Sunday, a return to the team is starting to look more than a possibility.
Yesterday England were getting the runaround as Khan and Butt put on 93 for the second wicket after beginning their chase 144 behind England. They had lost Shoaib Malik, neatly caught at slip off the second ball from Steve Harmison. The quick bowler found his length immediately, got Malik pushing away from his body and Trescothick, in his familiar position at first slip, took a routine catch.
It was largely thanks to the continuing application of Trescothick the batsman, and mainly in liaison with Flintoff, who pretty much blagged his way to 45, that England prospered at all. The pair added 93 before the Lancastrian, in attempting a big, straight hit, succeeded only in dragging Shoaib Akhtar's loosener with the old ball to deep square leg.
Although Geraint Jones sparkled briefly, England's innings, 251 for two at one time and with lofty pretensions, subsided to 418 all out thanks to the pace of Akhtar and the accuracy of Shabbir Ahmed.
Trescothick, 135 overnight, got to 193 and had in his sights Ted Dexter's 205 not out from the 1961-62 tour, England's highest Test score in Pakistan. But Shabbir, bowling round the wicket, cleverly shaped the second new ball away from the stand-in captain and Kamran Akmal took the catch. Trescothick had batted for almost eight hours.
The travails of Pietersen had begun earlier than his tiff with the boundary rope, however. Last summer he played Shane Warne as well as anyone, but without being given a sniff of a googly. He may not know what one looks like. Kaneria's took the inside edge of a stiff prod and ballooned from pad to short leg. Five runs mean that on this tour Pietersen has made 21 in five innings. At least his average went up.
Scoreboard
Overnight: Pakistan 274 (Salman Butt 74, Inzamam-ul-Haq 53; A Flintoff 4-68). England 253-3 (M Trescothick 135 no, I Bell 71).
England First Innings
M Trescothick c Akmal b Ahm 193
M Hoggard c Akmal b Akht 1
K Pietersen c Butt b Kaner 5
A Flintoff c Malik b Akht 45
G Jones b Ahmed 22
A Giles c Raza b Ahmed 16
S Udal lbw b Akhtar 0
S Harmison not out 4
Extras (b8 lb11 w1 nb22) 42
Total (110.4 overs) ... 418
Fall of wickets: 1-18 2-198 3-251 4-266 5-271 6-364 7-388 8-399 9-400
Bowling: Akhtar 27-2-99-3, Sami 16-1-76-1, Ahmed 22.4-7-54-4, Kaneria 27-4-106-1, Malik 18-1-64-1.
Pakistan Second Innings
S Malik c Trescothick b Harmison 18
S Butt not out 53
Y Khan c Trescothick b Flintoff 48
M Sami not out 0
Extras (lb2 nb4) 6
Total: 2 wkts (36 overs) ... 125
Fall of wickets: 1-31 2-124.
To Bat: Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, Hasan Raza, Kamran Akmal, Shabbir Ahmed, Shoaib Akhtar, Danish Kaneria.
Bowling: Hoggard 7-0-26-0, Flintoff 9-2-29-1, Harmison 8-1-35-1, Udal 5-1-17-0, Giles 7-1-16- 0.
