BIRMINGHAM, England, (Reuters) – Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott steered England to a nine-wicket victory against Pakistan after lunch on the fourth day of the second test yesterday to go 2-0 up in the four-match series.
England, set 118 to win at Edgbaston, cruised to their target as Strauss, dropped three times, and Trott both finished on 53 not out after the early dismissal of the out-of-form Alastair Cook.
“There were a few butterflies this morning because we knew we had to work hard for a test match win but that is the way it should be. It was hard work and we had to dig deep,” Strauss told reporters.
Pakistan must now win the final two tests at The Oval (starting Aug. 18) and Lord’s to draw the series.
Strauss added 111 for the second wicket with Trott as they weathered Pakistan’s early onslaught that claimed Cook’s wicket.
Trott was untroubled and grew in confidence the longer he remained but Strauss was dropped twice (on 10 and 38) by debutant wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider from off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, and then again on 43 by mid-off Mohammad Asif off Shoaib Malik.
The pitch showed signs of low bounce from the faster bowlers Mohammed Amir and Asif, while there was slow turn for off-spinner Ajmal, but generally the sunshine that later disappeared allowed for reasonable batting conditions.
Pakistan achieved the early breakthrough they desired when Amir bowled Cook with the fourth ball of his second over and his first delivery to the left-hander.
Cook went neither forward nor back and his stumps were flattened by a ball that skidded through his non-existent defence to give Pakistan early optimism. Cook has not reached 30 in his last seven test innings.
His form is giving England a problem as he is the captain in-waiting after leading the side in Bangladesh this year when Strauss was rested. His place may be vulnerable prior to the Ashes that starts in November, especially with Ian Bell to return from injury.
“I know he is a quality player and these two pitches (so far) have not been easy to bat on,” Strauss said of Cook. “The next two matches should be easier pitches to bat on.”
Pakistan, 291 for nine overnight, added five runs to their total and faced 11 balls after the start of play. Stuart Broad had last man Asif caught by Kevin Pietersen at gully.
SCOREBOARD
Pakistan first innings 72
England first innings 251 (J.Trott 55, K.Pietersen 80; Saeed Ajmal 5-82)
Pakistan second innings (291-9 overnight)
Imran Farhat b Swann 29
Salman Butt c Strauss b Anderson 0
Azhar Ali b Swann 19
Shoaib Malik c Prior b Finn 3
Umar Akmal lbw b Swann 20
Umar Amin st Prior b Swann 14
Zulqarnain Haider c Strauss b Swann 88
Mohammad Amir c Strauss b Broad 16
Saeed Ajmal c Collingwood b Swann 50
Umar Gul not out 13
Mohammad Asif c Pietersen b Broad 14
Extras: (b-16, lb-14) 30
Total: (all out; 117.5 overs) 296
Fall of wickets: 1-1 2-53 3-54 4-76 5-82 6-101 7-153 8-268 9-269 10-296
Bowling: Anderson 28-13-62-1, Broad 28.5-8-66-2, Finn 16-5-57-1, Swann 37-20-65-6, Collingwood 7-2-14-0, Pietersen 1-0-2-0.
England second innings
A. Strauss not out 53
A. Cook b Mohammad Amir 4
J. Trott not out 53
Extras: (4-b) 8
Total: (one wicket; 36.3 overs) 118
Fall of wicket: 1-7
Did not bat: K.Pietersen, P.Collingwood, E.Morgan, M.Prior, G.Swann, S.Broad, J.Anderson, S.Finn.
Bowling: Amir 11-1-31-1, Asif 6-0-20-0, Ajmal 14.3-1-42-0, Malik 5-0-20-0.
