Collingwood and Bell put England on top |
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Saturday July 15, 01:15 AM
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By John Mehaffey
LONDON (Reuters) - Paul Collingwood compiled the highest score ever by an England batsman against Pakistan at Lord's on Friday before he was stumped for 186 on the second day of the first test.
Collingwood overhauled Tom Graveney's previous mark of 153 set in 1962 to anchor the home side's 528 for nine declared, their highest total against the tourists at Lord's.
At the close Pakistan were struggling at 66 for three, a scoreline that completed another fine day for the home side after erratic performances against Sri Lanka.
Collingwood took a spectacular catch at third slip, leaping high to dismiss Faisal Iqbal for a duck off Steve Harmison two balls after acting captain Andrew Strauss had caught Salman Butt off the same bowler for 10.
Ian Bell joined Collingwood and Alastair Cook by scoring his first test century at Lord's, reaching his landmark with last man Monty Panesar at the crease. Cook was out in the morning session after adding only four to his overnight 101.
Collingwood, who came to the crease with England precariously placed at 88 for three on the opening morning on Thursday, struck 23 fours in a seven-hour stay before he was stumped off Danish Kaneria.
Collingwood, who scored his only other test century against India in Nagpur this year, had again been correct and composed after resuming on 107 in an overnight total of 309 for three.
FULL TOLL
He scored freely through the leg side and took full toll of any short deliveries outside the off stump.
Collingwood brought up his 150 from 236 balls before passing Graveney's 153 record.
Bell, recalled to the side at number six in the absence through injury of captain Andy Flintoff, was off the mark immediately with an edge off Mohammad Sami to the boundary.
He then produced the shot of the morning with a wristy drive through mid-wicket for four and played another sweetly timed drive through the leg off Kaneria to bring up the 100 partnership.
He reached his 50 after Collingwood's dismissal with six boundaries from 105 balls.
Geraint Jones, under pressure to deliver with the bat after averaging only 13 against Sri Lanka earlier in the season, lofted Kaneria for four then slashed Sami for six. But he had nothing further to celebrate on his 30th birthday when he was dismissed lbw for 18 by Kaneria.
Liam Plunkett lasted only six balls before he was caught at slip by Imran Farhat for a duck. It was Farhat first catch of the innings after he dropped two chances on Thursday and failed to get to a third.
Matthew Hoggard, who had six stitches inserted in his right hand when he was spiked by a team mate last Saturday, lasted long enough to drive Shahid Afridi through the covers for four before he was lbw for 13, bringing Panesar to the crease for the final act in the England innings.
Pakistan started brightly against Hoggard and Harmison with the former finding little movement in the air and the latter struggling to keep the ball on the stumps from the Nursery End.
But in his fifth over, Harmison finally found his direction and ended the day with figures of two for 15 off eight overs.
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