LONDON, 19 May — Reliable Graham Thorpe and returning to form captain Nasser Hussain both made half-centuries and put on 132 for the fourth wicket for England in the rain-hit first Test against Pakistan at Lord’s yesterday.

The home team, despite losing the toss, retained the initiative throughout after the first day was washed out by rain, and closed on 254 for four in front of a 30,000 capacity crowd.

Pakistan, who had surprisingly opted to play without off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, looked increasingly frustrated by the end of the second day after failing to take advantage of the seamer-friendly conditions in the morning.

All of England’s batsmen made starts but the left-handed Thorpe, who made 80 compared to Hussain’s 53 not out, always looked likely to capitalize as he continued his outstanding form of England’s winter tours of Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Apart from one leg glance just wide of the wicketkeeper, he scarcely played a false shot during his 190-minute innings until he got tucked up while hooking and was caught at fine leg off Waqar Younis just before the close. Appropriately, it was the left-handed Thorpe who both brought up his half-century and the 200 total with a classic square cut off all-rounder Azhar Mahmood, who was included at the last minute at the expense of Saqlain.

Another square cut off Mahmood, a sweep off part-time spinner Younis Khan and a textbook back-foot cover drive off Waqar in the final session completed his day.

For Pakistan, there was the consolation of seeing Shoaib Akhtar back in the attack after a 15-month Test exile.

Shoaib, however, who has had to remodel his action to counter a string of injuries as well as umpire concerns about the legality of his bowling, failed to take a wicket and also limped off the field for treatment at one stage.

Mahmood was the pick of Pakistan’s attack in a match launching the International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) long-awaited World Test Championship.

He took two for 29 off 18 overs, 10 of them maidens. Both wickets came in an 18-ball spell during which Mahmood, the only man to find appreciable swing all day, did not concede a run. England, 92 for one at lunch after Marcus Trescothick had been caught in the gully off Abdur Razzaq, suddenly looked vulnerable at 114 for three.

Michael Vaughan, batting at number three after Hussain agreed to move down a spot, glanced a swinging leg-side delivery to wicketkeeper Rashid Latif.

Vaughan, however, had looked the part in his 32, hitting five fours, and a six over mid-wicket off Younis Khan.

Michael Atherton, on 42 and hoping for his first Test century at the ground in his 200th Test innings, soon followed. After a series of fine boundaries off the pace bowlers in the morning, he was bowled by a Mahmood inswinger.

That was the time for Pakistan to press, and crowd Hussain in particular.

The England captain had been forced to demote himself in the batting order after an unconvincing run of scores last year and, after scoring a single, failed to score for the next hour.

But he dug in, survived, and rode his luck as he made his highest Test score on home soil for two years.

Hussain, who has batted almost four hours, saw out the day in the company of nightwatchman Ryan Sidebottom, who was making his debut along with Ian Ward in the first match of a two-test series.

Pak stars criticize

Saqlain omission

Leading former Pakistan players have criticized the decision of the Pakistan team management to exclude Saqlain Mushtaq from the playing eleven.

Asif Iqbal, Mushtaq Muhammad, Imran Khan, Abdul Qadir and even the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) advisory council member Rameez Raja felt that Saqlain should have been played instead of fielding an all pace attack.

“Considering his experience of English conditions and his past record, I would have played him. Perhaps Waqar and Pybus were influenced by the weather conditions and the pitch forecasts to play five pacers, then so far we have seen no great lateral movement or swing. And I have always believed in fielding a team of specialists instead of bits and pieces players,” said Imran Khan. 

Asif Iqbal was more critical in his comments, pointing out that Saqlain understood the English conditions and batsmen very well and they also feared him.

“His track record in the last two series we have played has been very good, yet he has been dropped. Considering England have several left handers in their side, I would definitely have gone for Saqlain.”

“Muhammad Sami’s absence is a big blow which was why it was all the more necessary to play one spinner to add more strength and bite to the bowling attack,” said Mushtaq.

“Saqlain has been outstanding in English conditions in the last two seasons for Surrey and he knows how to exploit the pitches in this country, I think Pakistan have taken a big gamble dropping him and going in with five pacers.”

Leg spinner Abdul Qadir, who is a very popular figure in England said he was not surprised with the dropping of Saqlain and Pakistan not playing any spinner. “What do you expect when you have non-cricketing persons like Yawar Saeed and Pybus incharge of cricket affairs.”

Indian cricket board plan player

contracts, graded payments

The Indian cricket board has begun discussions with national players to introduce a contract system with graded payments which could come into effect this October, a board official said yesterday.

Senior players are in favor of contracts with payments based on seniority and also want the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to guarantee payments to players even for matches missed due to injury, he said.

“The BCCI has initiated a process of discussion. The players are also for graded payments,” Ratnakar Shetty, joint secretary of the Bombay association who is talking to the players on behalf of the board, said by telephone.