Graeme Swann claimed three wickets to put England in sight of a thumping innings win as Pakistan slumped to 94 for five at lunch on the third day of the second Test at Edgbaston yesterday.
Pakistan, bowled out for just 72 on Friday before England replied with 251, trailed England’s first innings by 85 runs at the interval. Umar Amin was 12 not out and Zulqarnain Haider had 1.
Off-spinner Swann had figures of three for 12 in eight overs after he extracted huge amounts of spin in sunny conditions. Pakistan crashed from a promising 53 for one to 82 for five.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The tourists, who lost the first Test by 354 runs, may struggle to avoid another huge loss after Swann’s effort.
England started badly, uncharacteristically in this series, as normally dependable slip-fielder Paul Collingwood dropped opener Imran Farhat at third slip off James Anderson.
Farhat hit back by striking Stuart Broad for consecutive boundaries through mid-off and backward point. He was then struck on the grill of his helmet by a Broad bouncer when on 27. He appeared shook up, but was ultimately unharmed despite a five-minute delay as the team physio checked his condition.
Pakistan almost survived the first hour unscathed, but Swann dramatically made his entrance by taking a wicket with his third ball of the match.
Left-hander Farhat (29) was bowled by Swann, who came from around the wicket and pitched the ball outside his leg-stump, only for it to grip and spin sharply enough to take his off stump. It was almost unplayable.
Then right-hander Ali, after battling hard for 82 deliveries against the pace and swing, perished to another wicked off-break from Swann for 19. This time Swann came over the wicket and landed the ball outside Ali’s off-stump, the ball spinning enough to clip his leg-stump.
The amount of turn Swann was getting created panic.
Umar Akmal (20) advanced down the pitch and tried to hit Swann over long-on first ball, but missed it and escaped a tough stumping chance for Matt Prior.
Steven Finn dismissed Shoaib Malik (3) with a short delivery the batsman attempted to avoid only for the ball to move into him, brush his glove and carry to Prior.
Akmal looked uncomfortable trying to defend against the turning ball and made a peculiar decision to leave a Swann delivery that spun into him and struck him on the pads for leg before wicket.
On Saturday, Pakistan seamer Umar Gul was ruled out of the remainder of the Test with a torn hamstring, team manager Yawar Saeed said.
First-change Gul sustained the injury while running in to bowl on the second day at Edgbaston and the 26-year-old then went for a scan at a nearby hospital.
Pakistan captain Salman Butt, speaking to reporters after the close of play on Saturday, was unsure about the extent of Gul’s injury that left the team with just three front-line bowlers.
“I haven’t spoken to the doctor as yet. All that I know is that it is a hamstring problem,” Butt said. “Obviously he is a very important part of our bowling line-up and we wish he is OK quickly.”
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