Trescothick hits century

By Ted Corbett

MANCHESTER, JUNE 4. Marcus Trescothick, abandoning the role of assertive stroke-maker of the previous evening, spent three hours yesterday going from 48 to his second Test century as England

concentrated on achieving a draw on the final day of the second Test.

Pakistan's only strategy was to attack Saqlain Mushtaq at the Warwick Road end and defend at the Stretford end; and even with that ploy it bowled only 29 overs before lunch. By tea the marathon man Saqlain had bowled 29 overs in succession without reward but with 11 maidens and conceding only 38 runs.

Both sides seemed to be motivated by fear. Hence the frequent interruptions, Waqar Younis's long follow through and the timid batting from Michael Atherton and Trescothick in the first 100 minutes before Waqar squeezed a well-pitched up ball through Atherton's guard soon after that doughty champion reached fifty.

You might think this made dull watching, but this country had been raised to such a pitch of excitement overnight that few of us had not made our calculations about how England might win. The bookmakers made it a 3-1 chance and seemed to think Pakistan might cruise to victory, Sky TV announced that England ``only'' had to maintain the match rate of 3.5 runs an over and it was sure to win and I wondered if 85 before lunch and 100 in each of the last two sessions might be the simple target for a batsman. Pakistanis in the crowd had brought their musical instruments to encourage their boys who responded with semi- defensive fields and long spells from Wasim Akram and Waqar to complement Saqlain, who to be fair, gave the ball a lot more air than he had yesterday evening.

Given their rearguard action the partnership of Atherton and Trescothick, not yet a year old, was yet another demonstration of England's rise and rise. They now average 53 for each stand which may not yet be as high as Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe (87.10), nor as aggressive as Gordon Greenidge and Des Haynes, nor as deliberate as Bob Simpson and Bill Lawry. But they are a solid rock around which England can build; if Atherton plays beyond this summer, a subject on which he is cagey.

When Vaughan went in, dangerously close to lunch, he showed how well suited he is to the No.3 spot. He took root and with Trescothick stuck in the nineties for almost an hour the required rate raced above five an over.

At lunch, on 149 for one, still 221 short of its target, England had a rethink and even the most romantic of us saw a win was not among its options.

When Trescothick reached his second Test hundred, with a nudge to fine leg, he had been at the wicket for 282 minutes, faced 218 balls and hit a six and 12 fours. He is a treasure: quiet, assured and determined. His long drawn out innings almost came to an end when

Youssuf Youhana at short leg missed a pad-glove chance off Saqlain and in Abdur Razzaq's first over of the day Vaughan was drawn into a vague shot around off stump and caught behind. Two down for 174, 40 minutes to tea, and now the way through was open.

Graham Thorpe dropped anchor, Razzaq continued to bowl short of a length to a defensive field while the batsmen withdrew their bats. For all the concerted appeals from Saqlain, a wicket looked far away but 15 minutes before tea England was only half way to the target of 370.

If you wanted a side show there were the exchanges between close fielders and Trescothick and umpire David Shepherd's attempts to keep the game going.

As in Karachi last December, one's sympathy with the Pakistan's go-slow was gone by tea at 196 for two. All to England's benefit but one cannot help wishing England had been in a position to punish this deceit.

* * *

England 235 for 8

MANCHESTER, JUNE 4. England was 235 for eight for against Pakistan on the last day of the second Test here on Monday. Darren Gough and Dominic Cork were at the crease.

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