Panesar gives England glimmer of hope

LONDON July 17 (Reuters) Left arm spinner Monty Panesar struck twice before tea today to give England a glimmer of hope of snatching a win in the first test against Pakistan at Lord's.

Panesar, flighting the ball skilfully and turning the occasional delivery sharply, accounted for Mohammad Yousuf and Faisal Iqbal for identical scores of 48 after the pair had added 83 for the third wicket.

At tea Pakistan, who had made no attempt to attack a victory target of 380 from 80 overs, were 151 for four with 32 overs remaining on the final day.

After Andrew Strauss had closed the England second innings closed on 296 for eight after 34 minutes' play, Matthew Hoggard made early inroads into the Pakistan batting by dismissing the left-handed opening pair of Salman Butt and Imran Fahrat.

Hoggard, whose stock delivery swings in late to left handers, dismissed Butt lbw with the first ball of the innings as the batsman moved across his stumps.

Fahrat was the next to go, caught at third slip by Paul Collingwood for 18 and at lunch Pakistan were 43 for two with 64 overs still to negotiate.

After Steve Harmison had bowled the first over of the afternoon from the Pavilion End, Strauss introduced his potential match-winner Panesar into the attack for the first time in the innings.

Bowling initially to a slip, silly mid-off and short leg, Panesar spun his first ball past the outside off Iqbal's bat. The second ran off the edge to slip.

Harmison, whose opening four-over spell in the morning, had rarely threatened, responded with a hostile spell, hurrying even Yousuf who had scored his second consecutive double century against England in the first innings.

After several shouts for lbw were rejected by Simon Taufel Yousuf was fortunate to get away with an inadvertent single when he ducked a bouncer with his bat pointing to the sky. The ball struck the tip and ran away harmlessly.

Iqbal continued to have his problems against Panesar, although he did relieve the pressure by lofting a six, but it was Yousuf who provided the spinner with his first wicket of the match.

Panesar, who had now added a second slip to his close fielders, pushed through the fifth delivery of his eighth over and Yousuf was lbw padding up.

Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq created more excitement when he cut Panesar past Marcus Trescothick at slip before Iqbal, the nephew of Pakistan's most prolific run scorer Javed Miandad, was caught by Alastair Cook at second slip propping forward.

REUTERS DH PC2105