Sunday, August 1, 2010

Anderson inspires England rout of Pakistan



England thrashed Pakistan by 354 runs in the first Test on Sunday with James Anderson ending the match with career-best figures of 11-71.
Pakistan was all out for 80 in its second innings - its lowest ever total against England - with Anderson taking 6-17.
Stuart Broad added 2-23 and Steven Finn took 2-28 at Trent Bridge, while Imran Farhat was the top-scorer with 17 as the Test ended before lunch on the fourth day.
“We’re very satisfied with what we’ve achieved over the three days,” England captain Andrew Strauss said. “Our bowling was first class on a wicket that helped a lot and we’re very happy, but we’re conscious that this is the first match of a four-match series.”
Pakistan captain Salman Butt said his side was easily beaten.
“Obviously it’s not a good performance, but it’s the first test of four and it’s good that it happened early,” Butt said. “We need better fielding and for the third and fourth bowlers to support the seamers, but the same thing happened in the first Test (against Australia) and the second (Test) we won.”
Pakistan began the morning session on 15-3, needing an unlikely 435 to win. The batsmen offered minimal resistance, with seven wickets going for 65 runs.
Imran Farhat was its top-scorer with 17.
Farhat cut the first ball of the day for four but he was out in the seventh over of the session, caught at first slip by Strauss off Anderson.
Umar Akmal (4) followed two overs later, lbw to Anderson after an unsuccessful appeal against umpire Asoka de Silva’s decision, leaving Pakistan on 37-5.
Finn was brought on for the next over and his fourth ball dismissed Mohammad Aamer, caught at gully by Kevin Pietersen for 4, after an hour’s resistance from the night-watchman.
Kamran Akmal (0), having endured a torrid time keeping wicket, ended a poor match when he was out for his second consecutive duck in Finn’s next over. Replays suggested he was unfortunate to be lbw but Pakistan had already used its two referrals for the innings.
Gul, Pakistan’s leading scorer in the first innings, blasted a quick 9 from 10 balls before he flashed at a delivery from Anderson and was brilliantly caught in the 21st over by Paul Collingwood, leaping at second slip.
In Anderson’s next over, Danish Kaneria struck a four through midwicket to steer Pakistan past its lowest-ever Test match total - 53 against Australia in Sharjah in 2002 - but Collingwood then produced another wonderful catch to remove Shoaib Malik for 9 runs.
Malik tried to drive Anderson, but the ball flew to Collingwood who grabbed the ball near his ankles, giving Anderson his first-ever 10-wicket haul in a Test match.
England wrapped up an emphatic victory with the last ball of the 29th over, when Mohammad Asif (0) was caught in the slips by Graeme Swann off Anderson.
Six of Pakistan’s second innings batsmen were caught in either the slips or at gully and Anderson praised his fielders.
“It was one of those games when all the nicks carried,” Anderson said. “I think that was the best display of slip catching I’ve ever seen from an England team, it was fantastic.”
England leads the four-match series 1-0. The second Test starts on Friday at Edgbaston.

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