News APP

NewsApp (Free)

Read news as it happens
Download NewsApp
Rediff.com  » Sports » Strauss scores century on debut as Test captain

Strauss scores century on debut as Test captain

July 16, 2006 23:33 IST
Get Rediff News in your Inbox:
Andrew Strauss scored a century in his first match as England captain on Sunday to help his team to 258 for seven in their second innings on the fourth day of the first Test against Pakistan at Lord's.

England, who dismissed Pakistan for 445 in their first innings, hold an overall lead of 341 with one day left to play.

Strauss, struck 128, his ninth Test century, to become the third England skipper after Archie MacLaren and Allan Lamb to record a hundred in their debut match as captain.

Earlier Pakistan struck twice in 10 balls shortly before the tea interval to reduce the home side to 146 for four in their second innings.

At the break, England were 154 for four, an overall lead of 237, after dismissing Pakistan for 445 in the first hour in reply to their 528 for nine declared.

Acting captain Strauss, combining measured aggression with careful defence, was not out 74 with four sessions still to play on a pitch starting to give some sharp turn to the Pakistan leg spinners Danish Kaneria and Shahid Afridi.

Strauss and Kevin Pietersen had taken England to 141 for two with a partnership of 77 from 128 balls before the latter was stumped for 41 off Afridi moving well out of his crease to a delivery which both turned and lifted.

After taking 14 balls to get off the mark, Pietersen hit six boundaries from 70 balls, mixing booming drives with some miscues.

Paul Collingwood, one of the three England first innings century makers, followed shortly after scoring three when he lofted Kaneria to Salman Butt at mid-off trying to whip the ball through mid-wicket.

Earlier Marcus Trescothick, who was dropped by wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal after scoring eight off Umar Gul for eight, was out for 18 bowled by the same bowler with the score on 38.

Alastair Cook followed for four with the total on 64, chipping a simple catch off Gul to Mohammad Yousuf at mid-on.

Strauss scored freely off his legs and rocked back to crash the ball through the covers. He has hit 10 fours from 120 balls in three hours at the crease but by the interval his thoughts must have been more on survival than on setting Pakistan a challenging victory target.

YOUSUF DOUBLE

Opening bowlers Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard wrapped up the Pakistan first innings for 445 within the first hour after the tourists had resumed at 409 for three.

On another hot morning Yousuf completed his fourth Test double hundred and his second against England before he was the last batsman out for 202.

It was the highest score by a Pakistan batsman at Lord's and his team's total was their biggest at the headquarters of world cricket.

Afridi was caught by Ian Bell at mid-off for 17 trying to crash Hoggard to the boundary then three balls later Hoggard dismissed Gul caught behind for a duck pushing flat-footed at a full delivery on the off stump.

Yousuf, 185 not out overnight, edged Hoggard past Jones to reach his 200 before edging a simple catch to the wicketkeeper off Harmison.

Jones, whose batting form has slumped with an average of just under 15 in his last 10 innings, completed a sound performance with the gloves with five victims for the fourth time in Test cricket.

Get Rediff News in your Inbox:
Source: REUTERS
© Copyright 2024 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE 2024

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE 2024