Harmison does the real harm

Cricket Second TestSteve Harmison scythed through Pakistan's batting to complete a six-wicket haul and put England in control of the first day of the second Test yesterday.

After Pakistan were dismissed for 119 halfway through the afternoon, England reached 168 for two by the close of a sun-baked day, with Alastair Cook 65 not out and Kevin Pietersen on 38.

Harmison's hostile performance - six for 19 off 13 overs after the touring side had opted to bat on a pitch expected to favour the batsmen - dominated the day.

His figures were the second-best of his career, while Pakistan's paltry total was the lowest first-innings total in a Test at Old Trafford since the first game against Australia in 1884.

Relishing the fast, rock-hard surface, the lanky strike bowler removed both openers with just nine runs on the board.

But the touring side played almost as big a role in their own demise, continuing to go for extravagant shots on a pitch offering some sideways movement. They had also tried to prepare for Harmison's lifters by using a slab of marble in the nets to try and replicate his unusual bounce. On Thursday, though, the fast bowler pitched the ball up with devastating effect.

The last eight Pakistan wickets folded in 14 overs, and for 29 runs, in a performance that bore no resemblance to the team's defiant batting in the drawn first test at Lord's. The innings lasted just 38.4 overs.

The key phase came in four overs either side of lunch, during which four wickets - including those of vice-captain Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf and captain Inzamam-ul-Haq - fell for three runs. One minute it was 90 for two; suddenly it was 93 for six.

England lost Marcus Trescothick cheaply but Cook and Strauss (42) put on 65 for the second wicket before the captain edged Abdul Razzaq behind.

The two best shots of the day came from Cook, replica cover drives off leg spinner Danish Kaneria. Pietersen, meanwhile, was providing.some attacking strokes of his own that will never be included in a cricket textbook.

One, again off Kaneria, appeared to begin as a sweep heading for mid-wicket but then, halfway through, somehow metamorphosed into a flat-bat drive through the covers for four.