England make slow progress against young Patrons XI

A young Pakistan Cricket Board Patron's X1, which included just one batsman of Test status - the captain, Mohammad Wasim - reached 188 for 5 by close of play on the first day of their four-day match against England.

It provided a good work-out for England bowlers, eight of whom were used. Matthew Hoggard proved most successful, claiming a wicket in each of the three sessions of play, conceding 33 runs from 19 overs. Ashley Giles and Marcus Trescothick took a wicket each.

Having decided to make first use of a grassy wicket at the Rawalpindi Stadium, the PCB Patron's X1 lost two wickets in each of the first two sessions of play, reaching 76 at lunch and 150 at tea.

The scoring rate was almost identical in those two sessions but 19-year-old Qaiser Abbas provided entertaining batting during his three-and-a-quarter hours at the crease.

The left-hander played fluent strokes which brought him nine boundaries by stumps in his unbeaten score of 71 from 139 balls. None of the bowlers troubled him during his chanceless knock. His timing was excellent and he cut and drove showing much confidence for a young man.

In the last over before tea Abbas drove Ian Salisbury straight for four to bring up the 150 of the innings for the loss of four wickets. He was 43 not out from 69 balls and ten balls later, shortly after the break, reached his half century with a pull to mid-wicket off Salisbury.

England's fine fielding restricted the scoring and just one catch went down when Graeme Hick at slip dropped Salman Shah off Hoggard. But it was not an expensive miss, as the batsman fell to the same bowler four runs later in the last session of play.