England's high, Pakistan's low on a day of extremes
Plays of the Day from the third day of the fourth Test between England and Pakistan at Lord's
Andrew Miller at Lord's
28-Aug-2010
Salman Butt had battled hard but was removed by Graeme Swann's first ball after tea • AFP
Record-breakers of the day
In what turned out to be a misleadingly serene passage of play, Jonathan Trott and Stuart Broad spent most of the morning session receiving ovations for one landmark after another. First came Trott's 150, then England's 350, then the 250 stand, then Broad's 150, then England's 400, then the 300 stand. And so it went on until finally, with lunch looming, Broad was adjudged lbw on review to Saeed Ajmal for 169, having just overhauled his father Chris's highest Test score of 162. As he returned to the pavilion to a magnificent ovation, he took with him a share in an eighth-wicket world-record stand of 332, having overhauled the 313-run mark set by Wasim Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq at Sheikhupura in 1996-97. And his personal score finished just four runs short of Ian Smith's 173, the highest by a No. 9 in Test history.
In what turned out to be a misleadingly serene passage of play, Jonathan Trott and Stuart Broad spent most of the morning session receiving ovations for one landmark after another. First came Trott's 150, then England's 350, then the 250 stand, then Broad's 150, then England's 400, then the 300 stand. And so it went on until finally, with lunch looming, Broad was adjudged lbw on review to Saeed Ajmal for 169, having just overhauled his father Chris's highest Test score of 162. As he returned to the pavilion to a magnificent ovation, he took with him a share in an eighth-wicket world-record stand of 332, having overhauled the 313-run mark set by Wasim Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq at Sheikhupura in 1996-97. And his personal score finished just four runs short of Ian Smith's 173, the highest by a No. 9 in Test history.
Honorary Londoner of the day
It's hard to believe that Jonathan Trott had never played a Test at Lord's before this season. Following on from his scores of 226 and 36 not out against Bangladesh back in May, he finished today with a magnificent 184 - and had it not been for the comparative clatter of wickets that followed the dismissal of Broad, he would almost certainly have pushed on to become the only man to record two double-hundreds at the ground. But Trott is not merely at home at the home of cricket. His love of London Tests extends south of the river as well, given that his only other Test century was at The Oval against Australia last summer. His current London average now stands at 109 (654 runs in four Tests), which means he is unlikely to be too upset about the ECB's southern-heavy fixture list next season.
It's hard to believe that Jonathan Trott had never played a Test at Lord's before this season. Following on from his scores of 226 and 36 not out against Bangladesh back in May, he finished today with a magnificent 184 - and had it not been for the comparative clatter of wickets that followed the dismissal of Broad, he would almost certainly have pushed on to become the only man to record two double-hundreds at the ground. But Trott is not merely at home at the home of cricket. His love of London Tests extends south of the river as well, given that his only other Test century was at The Oval against Australia last summer. His current London average now stands at 109 (654 runs in four Tests), which means he is unlikely to be too upset about the ECB's southern-heavy fixture list next season.
Ignominious stat of the day
Before this series, England had not dismissed Pakistan for less than 100 for more than half a century. They've now managed that feat three times in four Tests, and while today's total of 74 was worse than the 80 they made in the second innings at Trent Bridge, it did at least improve on the 72 they made in the first innings at Edgbaston. Nevertheless, they cannot escape the fact that they have now recorded their three lowest totals of all time against England. Curiously, their other two double-figured scores, 87 and 90, were also made on the same tour - their maiden trip to England in 1954. And then as now, they put aside those lows by notching up a remarkable victory at The Oval.
Before this series, England had not dismissed Pakistan for less than 100 for more than half a century. They've now managed that feat three times in four Tests, and while today's total of 74 was worse than the 80 they made in the second innings at Trent Bridge, it did at least improve on the 72 they made in the first innings at Edgbaston. Nevertheless, they cannot escape the fact that they have now recorded their three lowest totals of all time against England. Curiously, their other two double-figured scores, 87 and 90, were also made on the same tour - their maiden trip to England in 1954. And then as now, they put aside those lows by notching up a remarkable victory at The Oval.
Trendsetter of the day
Mohammad Yousuf's calm assurance was acknowledged as a major factor in that Oval victory, as his veteran knowhow instilled a new confidence in his team-mates and allowed them to build what proved to be a matchwinning first-innings total. Today, however, he was all at sea in a grim four-ball stay, and the shock of his runless departure appeared to scupper any prospect of a fight. His best shot was his first, as he jabbed down effectively on a James Anderson yorker. After that, he looked liable to fall at any moment. He completely lost sight of his second delivery, from Broad, and almost ducked into a full-length delivery, Chris Read style. Two balls later, he was gone anyway, as Broad pegged back his off stump with a beauty. Though he attempted to cling on in the follow-on, Yousuf's lame dismissal to the final ball of the day, caught in the deep as he top-edged a pull off Steven Finn, was sadly apposite.
Mohammad Yousuf's calm assurance was acknowledged as a major factor in that Oval victory, as his veteran knowhow instilled a new confidence in his team-mates and allowed them to build what proved to be a matchwinning first-innings total. Today, however, he was all at sea in a grim four-ball stay, and the shock of his runless departure appeared to scupper any prospect of a fight. His best shot was his first, as he jabbed down effectively on a James Anderson yorker. After that, he looked liable to fall at any moment. He completely lost sight of his second delivery, from Broad, and almost ducked into a full-length delivery, Chris Read style. Two balls later, he was gone anyway, as Broad pegged back his off stump with a beauty. Though he attempted to cling on in the follow-on, Yousuf's lame dismissal to the final ball of the day, caught in the deep as he top-edged a pull off Steven Finn, was sadly apposite.
Collapse of the day
Having failed to dislodge England's eighth-wicket pairing for the best part of a day, Pakistan managed to ship 11 wickets for 69 in an inept final session of the day. The rot set in from the very first post-tea delivery, bowled inevitably by Graeme Swann, whose ability to strike at the start of a spell is becoming the stuff of legend. Salman Butt was the victim, as he misjudged a tweaker and had his off bail trimmed, even as he stood his ground in the vain hope that Matt Prior had disturbed the stumps with his gloves. It wasn't to be, however. And by the time Butt fell for the second time in the day, for 21, the combined total of 25 visits to the crease by batsmen not called Trott or Broad added up to a mere 159 - still ten runs shy of Broad's own total.
Having failed to dislodge England's eighth-wicket pairing for the best part of a day, Pakistan managed to ship 11 wickets for 69 in an inept final session of the day. The rot set in from the very first post-tea delivery, bowled inevitably by Graeme Swann, whose ability to strike at the start of a spell is becoming the stuff of legend. Salman Butt was the victim, as he misjudged a tweaker and had his off bail trimmed, even as he stood his ground in the vain hope that Matt Prior had disturbed the stumps with his gloves. It wasn't to be, however. And by the time Butt fell for the second time in the day, for 21, the combined total of 25 visits to the crease by batsmen not called Trott or Broad added up to a mere 159 - still ten runs shy of Broad's own total.
Record-chaser of the day
Broad is on a mission in this match. Not content with a career-best total, he is aiming to become the 11th England cricketer to complete the 1000 run and 100 wicket double, and the first since Ashley Giles and Andrew Flintoff achieved the feat in the same match at Cape Town in January 2005. By the close, with 1096 runs already to his name, he had taken his wickets tally to 97, having struck in his second over of the match to remove Yasir Hameed. He added Yousuf as well one over later, before nailing Imran Farhat in the follow-on. But the rout that Swann and Finn instigated after tea left him needing some rapid breakthroughs on Sunday morning. Only three men have previously managed the double in the same match - Kapil Dev, John Bracewell and Shaun Pollock.
Broad is on a mission in this match. Not content with a career-best total, he is aiming to become the 11th England cricketer to complete the 1000 run and 100 wicket double, and the first since Ashley Giles and Andrew Flintoff achieved the feat in the same match at Cape Town in January 2005. By the close, with 1096 runs already to his name, he had taken his wickets tally to 97, having struck in his second over of the match to remove Yasir Hameed. He added Yousuf as well one over later, before nailing Imran Farhat in the follow-on. But the rout that Swann and Finn instigated after tea left him needing some rapid breakthroughs on Sunday morning. Only three men have previously managed the double in the same match - Kapil Dev, John Bracewell and Shaun Pollock.
Andrew Miller is UK editor of Cricinfo.