Thorpe, Vaughan lead England recovery

Tony Lawrence

Graham Thorpe was left stranded on 98 not out when rain interrupted his unbroken stand of 189 with Michael Vaughan as England battled back into the second test against Pakistan on Friday.

The home side, tottering on 15 for two at one stage, reached 204 for two in reply to Pakistan's first innings of 403 before rain ended play on the second day with 65 minutes left at Old Trafford.

The left-handed in-form Thorpe, targeted by the touring side as the key to the England batting after making 80 in the first test at Lord's, hit one six and 12 fours during his 224-minute innings.

Vaughan was 84 not out, having hit 11 boundaries and batted eight minutes longer than his partner.

The bad weather will upset the touring side more than their opponents. Pakistan need to win to square the two-match series after being routed by an innings and nine runs at Lord's, and they set out their stall on the opening day, scoring at more than four an over as Inzamam-ul-Haq led the line with 114.

Thorpe and Vaughan, however, almost proved his equal as the pair rattled along at one-day pace, only slowing when conditions deteriorated after tea.

Earlier, England's openers Marcus Trescothick and Michael Atherton had fallen with the score on 15 and within the space of eight balls, Trescothick bowled by Wasim Akram as he played defensively across the line for 10 and Atherton snicking a catch behind off a Waqar Younis off-cutter after making five.

Thorpe and Vaughan, newly installed as England's number three, provided a nice contrast in styles, the Surrey batsman launching himself into a series of square cuts while the Yorkshireman relied more on sweetly-timed drives.

Thorpe began his innings forcefully if unconventionally, opening his account with a top-edged six over the slips off Waqar.

The pair put on 50 off 49 balls, Thorpe reaching a 71-ball half-century which included 38 in boundaries by cover driving off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq to the fence while Vaughan reached his 50 from 79 deliveries.

Vaughan played only a couple of false shots against Saqlain, finding a leading edge as he tried to turn to leg and then dragging an inside edge just past his stumps.

But his performance, bettering his previous best test score of 76 against West Indies at Headingley last year, suggested England's injured captain Nasser Hussain will not be returning to the number three position after agreeing to promote Vaughan above him.

The batsmen's dominance of the opening two days has been amply reflected in the number of boundaries rattling the boards.

Pakistan scored more than half their runs in boundaries -- 230, made up of 53 fours and three sixes -- while England have hit 24 fours and one six.

Pakistan had resumed the day on 370 for eight, adding 10 before Rashid Latif was dismissed for a Test-best 71, including 10 fours. He was run out by a direct throw from Trescothick at gully.

Darren Gough ended the innings by trapping Waqar lbw for five. Caddick, Gough and fellow pace bowler Matthew Hoggard all took three wickets.

Mail Cricket Editor