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Rediff.com  » Sports » Pakistan captain Butt salutes England bowling

Pakistan captain Butt salutes England bowling

August 07, 2010 11:08 IST
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Pakistan captain Salman Butt saluted England's pace attack after being swept aside for just 72 on the opening day of the second Test at Edgbaston on Friday.

It was their lowest ever Test total against England who were 112 for two when bad light ended play early.

Butt told reporters: "We've been doing this (batting) all our lives and we have to clean up our own mess.

"But we must give credit to the English bowling. For the first 20 overs they didn't give us literally anything to hit.

"They used the conditions brilliantly. (James) Anderson again bowled brilliantly and kept the pressure on."

Anderson had destroyed Pakistan in the first Test and on Friday he wound up with four for 20. Fellow paceman Stuart Broad weighed in with four for 38.

Pakistan won the toss and batted in overcast conditions and then later dropped chances to hit back at England.

Broad said: "We are bowling fantastically well and we've had slightly cloudy conditions which have suited us. We have not given them a sniff.

"For batsmen to get 24 and 32-ball noughts, it proves as a bowler you are giving them nothing. That is the most pleasing thing for us."

Butt rued the dropped catches when England batted.

"They are hard to contend with but it happens and is part of the game," he said.

"The idea was to put runs on the board and apply pressure on England. I still think if we had taken our chances the match could have been pretty even."

Broad admitted: "As a bowling group when there's that amount of cloud around you're always hoping you're going to lose the toss. We were pretty excited about getting out there, the wicket was pretty slow."

Umar Amin top-scored for Pakistan with just 23, while their highest partnership was 27. They lost their last four wickets for nine runs.

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Source: REUTERS
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