Publications
Partners
London - Wahab Riaz enjoyed fresh success
at The Oval with a double strike on his Pakistan return as England collapsed on
the first morning of the fourth Test on Thursday.
England, 2-1 up in the four-match series,
were 92 for four at lunch.
All their top four had been dismissed
including captain Alastair Cook, who won the toss and batted despite overcast
conditions and a green-tinged pitch offering the promise of assistance for
Pakistan's seamers.
Riaz, who took five wickets on his Test
debut during Pakistan's four-wicket win at The Oval in 2010, had lunch figures
of two for 26 in seven overs.
The Yorkshire duo of Gary Ballance and
Jonny Bairstow were three not out and 13 not out respectively.
Pakistan had an early breakthrough when
Alex Hales (six) clipped Mohammad Amir off his pads and was caught by Yasir
Shah, diving forward at square leg.
Hales stood his ground and the umpires, who
had given a 'soft signal' of out, called in third umpire Joel Wilson.
But with replays inconclusive, Wilson had
no evidence on which to overturn his on-field colleagues' initial call and
Hales, shaking his head, left the field with England 23 for one.
Pakistan, well-beaten by 141 runs in the
third Test at Edgbaston last week, had brought in debutant batsman Iftikhar
Ahmed for the struggling Mohammad Hafeez and recalled Riaz in place of fellow
left-arm quick Rahat Ali.
Hafeez had also had a terrible time of it
at first slip and so did Iftikhar on Thursday when he dropped a low but
catchable chance offered by Cook, then on 34, off Riaz.
Fortunately for Iftikhar, his error only
cost a single, with Cook (35) playing as he under-edged a pull off Sohail Khan.
That was the start of an England slump that
saw three wickets lost for five runs in 15 balls as 69 for one soon became 74
for four.
Wahab had star batsman Joe Root out for 26
as he chased a lifting but wide delivery he could have left and nicked to
wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed.
James Vince was then left waiting for his
first fifty in Test cricket when, on one, he edged a straighter and lifting
delivery from Riaz he could do little about after opting to play straight to
Ahmed.
Riaz had taken two for none in four balls before Bairstow hit back with three fours.
