PCB XI struggle against England in Lahore

In their last match before the second Test next week, England ended the first day's play at the picturesque Bagh-e-Jinnah ground in Lahore on 76 for two, with Marcus Trescothick 28 not out and Alec Stewart on 12. Test cricket was played on this tree-surrounded ground with parkland all around until 1959, before the present stadium was built.

Bad light brought an early end to play - quite normal at this time of the year in these parts - with 17 overs still remaining.

The England innings did not get off to a solid start with Nasser Hussain, who opened with Trescothick, losing his wicket for 23 to the second ball after tea, with 38 on the board.

Nine runs later the second wicket went with Graeme Hick having made only five. Both fell to catches behind the stumps. But Trescothick and Stewart played some fine strokes. Trescothick opened his account with a flick to leg for four. He has hit three boundaries, one to long-off being particularly pleasing.

The two boundaries that Stewart struck were a pull to mid-wicket off Stephen John, who opened the bowling with Fazle Akbar, and then a drive to extra cover in the first over from the leg spinner Shafiq Ahmed.

Earlier, England's bowlers, led by Matthew Hoggard, who claimed four for 13, made short work of the Pakistan Cricket Board XI's innings after they were put in to bat in this three-day game.

It took England just over an hour after lunch to dismiss the Board XI for a modest 117 in just 42.3 overs.

Hoggard had begun the slide, having Mohammad Ramzan caught behind without scoring and when Andy Flintoff, at slip, held Salman Butt off Alex Tudor, the opposition had lost both openers for just sixteen.

Trescothick's first ball brought the next wicket with Paul Nixon, behind the stumps, taking the catch. The Board XI were 44 for three and on the same score, the fourth England bowler to be used, Ashley Giles accounted for Bazid Khan. The batsman had flicked to leg only to see the ball rebound off forward short leg to the wicket-keeper for a catch.

Trescothick struck again in his fourth over with Hick at second slip taking the catch to dismiss Faisal Naved for one.

By lunch the Pakistan Cricket Board XI were 60 for five with England's bowlers totally dictating the terms. They fared no better after the break, with Tudor having Faisal Iqbal play-on from an attempted off-drive with the total on 80.

The seventh wicket stand had taken the score to 103 when Hoggard was brought on for his second spell. He struck with his first ball, having the top scorer Shoaib Malik, 27, caught by Hick at second slip.

With Giles claiming his second wicket next and Hoggard accounting for the last two, the Pakistan Board XI had lost their last four wickets for just 14.