England in command at Lord’s

PAKISTAN paid a high price for a series of dropped catches as unbeaten hundreds from Alastair Cook and Paul Collingwood put England in a strong position on the first day of the first Test at Lord’s yesterday.

At stumps England were 309 for three after Cook, dropped three times, and Collingwood, missed once, both scored their second Test centuries and first at home after they had each reached three figures against India in Nagpur in March.

Left-hander Cook finished on 101 not out and Collingwood 109 not out, their stand worth 221 in 71 overs after England had been 88 for three.

At tea, Cook had been 68 not out and Collingwood 77 not out.

Pakistan, who had already missed two chances to catch Cook, then gave Collingwood a reprieve after he added just two runs to his score when wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal dropped a straightforward catch off Umar Gul.

Collingwood went to 99 when he lofted leg-spinner Danish Kaneria high over long-off, a shot that also saw England to a new record fourth-wicket partnership against Pakistan.

And next ball a single off Kaneria took Collingwood to 100 in 157 balls with 12 fours.

England stand-in captain Andrew Strauss chose to bat but England slumped to 60 for two as Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss fell. Kevin Pietersen looked in good touch before on 21 he was lbw to Razzaq on the backfoot, not playing a shot, to leave England wobbling at 88 for three.

Pakistan, who beat England 2-0 at home in a three-match Test series late last year, have not lost a Test series in England since 1982.