Sports - Pakistan in control

Pakistan in control

LONDON, Aug 19, 2006 (AFP) -

Mohammad Yousuf drives one against England on the second day of the fourth and final Test cricket match at the Oval in London. -AFP

Stephen Harmison and Marcus Trescothick, two of England's senior players, gave their side fresh cause for concern heading into the Ashes defence in Australia later this year as Pakistan remained on top in the fourth and final Test at The Oval here Saturday.

At stumps on the third day England in their second innings were 78 for one, a deficit of 253.

Struggling opening batsman Trescothick had fallen for four after strike bowler Harmison had taken an unimpressive four for 125, which featured only one top order victim in Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq. England captain Andrew Strauss was 37 not out and Alastair Cook 33 not out at stumps.

Harmison's largely lacklustre efforts this match have been thrown into sharp relief by the performance of Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif.

In common with fellow pacemen Shoaib Akhtar (ankle) and Rana Naved (knee), the 23-year-old Asif had missed the first three Tests of this series with an elbow problem as England built an unbeatable 2-0 lead.

But having taken four for 56 in England's meagre first innings 173, Asif continued to make up for lost time Saturday.

Scoreboard

England 1st Innings, 173 all out
Pakistan- 1st Innings (Resuming on 336-3)
Mohammed Hafeez c Strauss b Hoggard 95
Imran Farhat c Trescothick b Hoggard 91
Younis Khan c Read b Mahmood 9
Mohammed Yousuf c Read b Hoggard 128
Inzamam-ul-Haq c Strauss b Harmison 31
Faisal Iqbal not out 58
Kamran Akmal c Collingwood b Harmison 15
Shahid Nazir c Hoggard b Mahmood 17
Umar Gul lbw b Panesar 13
Danish Kaneria c Trescothick b Harmison 15
Mohammed Asif c Bell b Harmison 0
Extras: (4b, 9lb, 11w, 8nb) 32
Total: (all out) 504
Overs: 129.5.
Minutes: 557 minutes.
Fall of wickets: 1-70, 2-148, 3-325, 4-379, 5-381, 6-398, 7-444, 8-475, 9-504, 10-504.
Bowling: Matthew Hoggard 34-2-134-3 (6nb), Steve Harmison 30.5-6-125-4 (3w, 1nb), Sajid Mahmood 27-3-101-2 (1nb), Monty Panesar 30-6-103-1, Paul Collingwood 6-0-29-0, Kevin Pietersen 2-0-9-0.
England 2nd Innings
Marcus Trescothick c Akmal b Asif 4
Andrew Strauss not out 37
Alastair Cook not out 33
Extras (2lb, 2nb) 4
Total: (one wicket) 78
Overs 18
Minutes: 84
Fall of wickets: 1-8
.Bowling: Mohammed Asif 9-1-40-1 (2nb), Umar Gul 5-0-25-0, Mohammed Hafeez 1-1-0-0, Danish Kaneria 3-0-11-0.

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