Sports

England, Pak draw first Test

England, Pak draw first Test

By Agence France Presse

London, July 17:

England and Pakistan drew the first Test at Lord’s here on Monday to leave the four-match series level at 0-0. Pakistan, set a record 380 to win on the fifth and final day, finished on 214 for four with captain Inzamam-ul-Haq 56 not out and Abdul Razzaq 25 not out when a draw was agreed with eight overs left.

Paceman Matthew Hoggard and left-arm spinner Monty Panesar took two wickets apiece but, on a hot day, England were unable to force a victory. Pakistan’s Test record total to win in the fourth innings was the 315 for nine they achieved against Australia at Karachi in 1994/95. And West Indies’ 344 for one in 1984 was the most scored in the fourth innings to win a Lord’s Test.

In all five individual hundreds were made in a match where both sides’ attacks were depleted by injuries.

England’s first innings 528 for nine declared featured a Test-best 186 from Paul Collingwood as well as Alastair Cook’s 105 and Ian Bell’s 100 not out. But all those displays were topped by man-of-the-match Mohammad Yousuf’s 202, the highest individual score by a Pakistani in a Lord’s Test.

Acting skipper Andrew Strauss, captaining England in the absence of injured all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, led from the front with 128 in his side’s second innings 296 for eight declared.

His century saw Strauss become only the third player to make a hundred in his debut Test as England captain.

The second Test starts at Old Trafford on July 27.

SCOREBOARD

ENGLAND — 1st Innings: 528-9 (dec)

PAKISTAN — 1st Innings: 445

ENGLAND — 2nd Innings 296-8 (dec)

PAKISTAN — 2nd Innings

S Butt lbw b Hoggard 0

I Farhat c Collingwood b Hoggard 18

F Iqbal c Cook b Panesar 48

M Yousuf lbw b Panesar 48

Inzamam not out 56

A Razzaq not out 25

Extras: 19 (b1, lb8, w5, nb5)

Total: 214/4

FoW: 1-0, 2-33, 3-116, 4-141

England bowling: Hoggard 12-3-31-2, Harmison 15-3-43-0, Plunkett 12-2-41-0, Panesar 27-7-60-2, Pietersen 5-1-19-0, Collingwood 2-0-11-0