England fight back

Salman Butt (left) and Matt Prior
12 April 2012

England made promising progress on the second morning of the third npower Test, taking two Pakistan wickets in the first hour at The Oval.

The hosts were dismissed for 233 yesterday but turned Pakistan's overnight score of 48 for one into 86 for three with some disciplined bowling.

Steven Finn struck with the second ball of the day as the clouds began to emerge, and Graeme Swann accounted for Pakistan captain Salman Butt (17).

Finn got England started almost immediately, Yasir Hameed nicking just short of the cordon from the first ball of the day and falling to an accurate second.

Matt Prior, whose measured 84 not out kept England in the hunt yesterday, took the straightforward catch behind the stumps to send the opener back for 36.

That brought Butt to the crease and he almost followed for nought, instead edging between slip and gully for four.

Butt was fortunate again in the fourth over when he slashed James Anderson to backward point, only for Eoin Morgan to grass the chance.

Andrew Strauss turned to Swann after nine overs of seam and the off-spinner, whose knack of striking in his first over is becoming legendary, yet again showed his golden arm.

His second ball of the morning was short and loose, yet it still found the edge of Butt's bat and Prior collected a juggled catch at the third attempt.

Nightwatchman Wahab Riaz was still in place at the other end and was joined by veteran Mohammad Yousuf, back in the side after reversing his decision to retire.

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