LAHORE, Nov 29 - Captain Michael Vaughan returned
to form with a half century to lead England to a comfortable 93
for no loss at lunch on the first day of the third test against
Pakistan on Tuesday.
Vaughan (52), who returned to open with Marcus Trescothick
(40) after more than a year in the absence of Andrew Strauss,
was in flawless form, hitting nine fours as he faced just 70
balls for his 14th half century.
England enjoyed a good start to a match they have to win to
level the series and keep their record of being unbeaten in a
test series in the last two years intact.
Vaughan called correctly at the toss for the first time in
the series and than ensured the decision to bat first was not
squandered.
England are without experienced spinner Ashley Giles, who
was ruled out with a hip injury, awarding a first cap to pacer
Liam Plunkett.
Vaughan and Trescothick played with relative ease and
comfort on a pitch which appears to be a good batting track
although off-spinner Shoaib Malik and leggie Danish Kaneria got
some early turn from it.
Trescothick got a life on 18 when he edged a turner from
Malik but wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal spilled the catch. He hit
eight fours in his 92-ball innings.
In the next over by Mohammad Sami, Vaughan was caught on the
wrong foot by a rising delivery but the ball fell in no-man's
land.
The two openers were particularly severe on Sami who
conceded 38 in seven overs while Rana Naved was the best of the
bowlers causing early problems for Vaughan.
England also brought in Paul Collingwood for Strauss who has
returned home to attend the birth of his first child.
Pakistan made two forced changes, Asim Kamal and Hasan Raza
coming in for Younis Khan who has gone to attend the burial of
his brother and all-rounder Shahid Afridi serving a one test
ban.