Saqlain Mushtaq has
England in a twirl
Pakistan's gamble with spin paid off late on the first day of the first Test against England in Lahore on Wednesday when Saqlain Mushtaq took four wickets to spoil a dream start for the visitors.
The off-spinner brought Pakistan back into the game after England's determined start, with openers Michael Atherton and Marcus Trescothick amassing 134 before the first wicket fell.
At the close of play at Gaddafi stadium England were 195-4, with Graham Thorpe on 22 and Graeme Hick on six.
England were looking comfortable at 148-1 at tea but lost four quick wickets in the last session thanks to some deft wrist work from Saqlain, who struck in his 24th and 25th overs to remove Atherton and Alec Stewart.
Atherton failed to keep down a sweep and was caught at backward square leg by Yousuf Youhanna for 73. The former England captain batted for 275 minutes and played 190 balls, with only three fours.
Stewart lasted only seven balls before he was trapped leg before for three.
Saqlain pounced again when captain Nasser Hussain lofted an irresponsible drive to Wasim Akram at extra cover for just seven.
As Pakistan looked like moving in for the kill Hick and Thorpe closed ranks in the fading light to staunch the loss of wickets.
It was a different story in the morning, when England's openers frustrated the home team's attack with watchful and positive batting. They reached 76-0 at lunch on a flat pitch which took the sting out of the Pakistani bowlers.
Trescothick, playing only his fourth Test, showed maturity to reach his third half century in 127 minutes and 113 balls.
Atherton, playing his 103rd Test, was more steady, hitting only one boundary in his 42nd half century off 131 balls in 171 minutes.
His innings saw him pass the 7000-run milestone in Test cricket, becoming the sixth Englishmen and the 18th batsmen overall to do so.
"I am happy that we put up a good opening stand. Reaching 7000 runs is an achievement but what mattered more was the team's position," he said.
"The key was to concentrate in the middle and it's been a good day for us."
Hussain won a crucial toss and elected to bat on a wicket that has potential to spin and is expected to keep low with time.
England included two spinners, Ashley Giles and Ian Salisbury, in their starting lineup, compared to Pakistan's four.
Pakistan's skipper Moin Khan called in Saqlain as early as the 11th over and leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed in the 16th, but they posed few problems in the opening session.
Trescothick was the first to go when he miscued a drive off Saqlain's first ball in his third spell and was caught at backward square leg for 71. The Somerset left hander hit six fours in his innings of 215 minutes.
Thorpe, promoted up the order to counter the spinners with a right-left combination, was given a life when 18-year-old debutant Qaiser Abbas dropped him off Saqlain when he was on two.
Ahmed, who was prefered over 19-year-old leggy Danish Kaneria, failed to take a wicket. His last 12 Tests have bagged him only 26 scalps.
Scoreboard
England (Ist innings):
M. Atherton c Youhanna b Saqlain Mushtaq 73
M. Trescothick c Elahi b Saqlain Mushtaq 71
G. Thorpe not out 22
A. Stewart lbw b Saqlain Mushtaq 3
N. Hussain c Akram b Saqlain Mushtaq 7
G. Hick not out 6
Extras: (b3, lb3, nb 7) 13
Total: (for four wickets, 84overs) 195
To bat: C. White, A. Giles, A. Caddick, I. Salisbury and D. Gough
Fall of wickets: 1-134, 2-169, 3-173, 4-183.
Bowling: Wasim Akram 9-4-12-0, Abdur Razzak 11-4-29-0, Saqlain Mushtaq 30-7-61-4, Mushtaq Ahmed 23-4-69-0, Shahid Afridi 9-3-17-0, Qaiser Abbas 2-1-1-0
Umpires: Darrell Hair (Aus) and Riazuddin (Pak)
ICC match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri)
Mail Cricket Editor
