Gul heroics keep England in check
Umar Gul starred with both bat and ball but England still built a lead of nearly 300 runs against Pakistan at tea on the third day of the third Test at Trent Bridge here on Saturday.
Gul, who ensured Pakistan avoided the follow-on with a Test-best 65 not out, took 3/7 in 21 balls on his way to impressive tea figures of 3/20 in 10 overs. However, England in their second innings were 120/6, a lead of 292.
Matt Prior was batting on 13 not out and Graeme Swann was unbeaten on 14 . Given how Pakistan had been dismissed for 182 in their first innings on Saturday, it appeared England already had enough runs on the board.
But a longer-term concern for England ahead of their Ashes defence in Australia later this year was Kevin Pietersen’s dismissal for 22 — the 21st Test innings in a row where the star batsman had failed to score a century.
England, 49/2 at lunch, were 66/4 soon afterwards. Pietersen, who looked ready to tough it out in difficult, overcast conditions, got an inside edge off seamer Gul and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal, who had a poor first innings behind the stumps, held a superb one-handed catch after diving to his left.
However, next ball Paul Collingwood cut flat-footedly and Kamran Akmal dropped a catch that would not have carried to first slip despite getting both gloves on the ball. Jonathan Trott, like Pietersen born in South Africa, fell next when he was bowled for 26 by a Gul delivery that kept low.
In the first innings, Kamran Akmal had missed a chance to stump Collingwood on 48. Collingwood went on to make 82 and share an England fifth-wicket record stand against Pakistan of 219 with Eoin Morgan.
Earlier, Pakistan resumed on 147/9, 207 behind but only eight short of avoiding the follow-on, with Gul 30 not out and Asif unbeaten on nought.
Gul clipped Saturday’s first ball, from James Anderson, for four.And next over No. 9 Gul’s backfoot cover-driven four off Finn meant Pakistan had avoided the follow-on. — AFP
Scores (at Tea): England 354 & 120/6 (Trott 26; Gul 3/20) vs Pakistan 182 (Gul 65 n.o., Malik 38; Anderson 5/54, Finn 3/50)
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