Strauss century gives hosts upper hand
Strauss ton gives England upper hand at Lords
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Sunday, 16, Jul 2006 08:12
A century from stand-in skipper Andrew Strauss has given England the upper hand after the fourth day of the first Test against Pakistan at Lord's, with the home side closing on 258 for seven.
Strauss, who made 128, shared a fifty partnership with Ian Bell in the final session to give England a lead of 341 after the tourists had kept up the pressure with two late dismissals.
The last wicket to fall was Strauss off the bowling of dangerman Danish Kaneria.
Earlier in the day, vice-captain Mohammad Yousuf fell on 202 as Bob Woolmer's team were bowled out for 445.
But it was Strauss who took the game away from Pakistan crowning his first Test as skipper with his ninth career century off 168 balls.
Fast bowler Umar Gul had removed Marcus Trescothick and Alistair Cook cheaply as England got off to a bad start in their bid to set the tourists an ambitious target to win.
Kevin Pietersen hit a quick-fire 41, which included six fours, before he was dismissed by all-rounder Shahid Afridi.
Kaneria, who has spent two seasons with Essex, then managed to get some turn from the pitch removing Paul Collingwood and wicket-keeper Geraint Jones as well as the England skipper to finish the day on 3-69.
Steve Harmison returned to form with the ball finishing with 4-94 as wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal (58) was the only batsman to forge a partnership with Yousuf in Pakistan's first innings.
Duncan Fletcher's side will look to set Pakistan a target of about 400 to at least claim a draw due to the tourists' deadly duo of all-rounders Abdul Razzaq and Shahid Afridi.