Cook scores unbeaten century as England tighten grip

MANCHESTER, England, July 28 (Reuters) Alastair Cook scored an unbeaten century as England tightened their stranglehold over Pakistan on the second morning of the second test at Old Trafford today.

The home side, replying to Pakistan's dismal first innings of 119, shrugged off the loss of Kevin Pietersen from the second legitimate ball of the day to reach 272 for three, 153 runs ahead, at the break.

Cook was 114 not out, his second successive hundred and his best score in tests, with Paul Collingwood on 40 at the other end. The pair had put on 103.

The left-handed Cook, 65 overnight, quietly accumulated while at the same time highlighting the Pakistani batsmen's lack of composure on the first day. The 21-year-old's no-nonsense batting made the second morning as incident-free as the first day had been dramatic.

He reached his hundred with a nudge past slip off spinner Shahid Afridi, celebrating next ball with a fine square drive for four. He took 208 balls to get to three figures, hitting 14 fours. It was his third test century in seven matches.

Pietersen, flamboyant rather than prosaic, was the one casualty of the session. He did not add to his overnight 38 before driving at a wide delivery from left-arm quick Umar Gul and slicing to gully where Imran Farhat took a sharp catch close to his left shoulder, dislocating a finger in the process.

Cook and Pietersen had put on 74 for the third wicket.

Collingwood adopted Cook's cautious approach until bringing the game to life in the final half hour before lunch.

Dancing down to Danish Kaneria, he chipped the leg spinner for six over mid-on to bring up both the 50-run stand as well as England's 100-run lead. Moments later, to the biggest cheer of the afternoon, he produced a carbon-copy which also ended up in the Brian Statham stand.

But he had a huge escape just before the break when, on 39, he was put down at short leg by Younis Khan off Afridi.

REUTERS DH PC1821