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Strauss ton sets up England victory

• Sep 12, 2010 from mikisandi(Mikisandi Frosani) in *
  Andrew Strausss century led England to a 2-0 lead in the series but he had the umpire to thank for giving him a life
  
  10.10am: Yes: its still going on. Hello and welcome to live coverage of the second of five (yes: five) one day internationals between England and Pakistan, a dual limited overs series that has so far taken in a grand tour of crickets geographical fringe and today rejoins with at 10.15 start in Leeds. In September. Will we ever be set free? This is a summer of cricket that seems to have been going on for ever without actually at any point really starting in earnest. It is hard to know what to compare it to in terms of elongated emptiness: a seven-hour flight delay in some godforsaken departure lounge, 12 hours of yodeling phantom contractions, a 12-course Chinese takeaway. Got to be honest Im still feeling a bit empty.
  
  10.11am: Having said that another match is another match and Pakistan have won the toss and will bat first. I actually still quite fancy them to win some of these games: I think England have become a little overconfident in their abilities in short form cricket and Pakistan are still a very talented bunch. There are apparently runs in this pitch. Both teams are unchanged.
  
  10.14am: Sunny and fresh in Yorkshire and local chap Tim Bresnan is going to open the bowling in gorgeous sunshine.
  
  1st over: Pakistan 6-0 (K Akmal 3, Hafeez 0) Bresnan opens with a jaffa that nips away past the groping prod of Kamran Akmal, then follows it up with a shoved-down-legside wide. Would be nice to see Akmal rescue his tour with some runs here. He isnt a lovely batsman but he is certainly a powerful one. Should say Pakistan have some very vociferous early morning support here. Akmal pushes a two through cover to get off the mark and is greeted by a loud roar. Am I being too negative? A rollicking first innings from Pakistan here and the series will come alive.
  
  2nd over: Pakistan 10-0 (K Akmal 7, Hafeez 0) Anderson opens up from the other end with the breeze behind him and he is instantly whipped off his hip for four by akmal. Lovely shot . On Sky Ramiz Raja remarks that he avoided the pork vindaloo at Ian Bothams recent barbecue. I love Ramiz Raja he has been far Pakistans man of the summer so far. A loud appeal as Anderson thuds the next delivery into Akmals front pad and but it was missing leg stump. Not a great deal of swing here, but then its Headingly under clear skies and they always say it changes in a jiffy when the cloud comes in.
  
  3rd over: Pakistan 19-0 (K Akmal 15, Hafeez 1) Bresnan continues to bowl straight with no great movement and at a mid-80s hopefully-bustling kind of pace. He drifts on to Akmals pads again her whips it away, a kind of hip-high half-pull for another four. Akmal looks very well balanced and clam out there. The next ball is fuller and he drives through mid-on for another four. These are some nice batting conditions and Akmal looks in the nick to make the most of it. Geoff Roberts is in discursive mood: Thought Id start you off with a few suggestions to liven up your day. Why is England so poor at all the sports that require speed, skill, reflexes and, yes, a quick brain. For instance, Basketball, Tennis, Downhill skiing, ice hockey, Lacrosse. Anybody see that basketball game between Turkey and Serbia yesterday? Now theres nailbiting tension and great playacting too. With cheerleaders. makes cricket seem rather staid and pedestrian, dont you think? The British are very good at sports where you sit down. Rowing. Cycling. Driving.
  
  4th over: Pakistan 19-0 (K Akmal 15, Hafeez 1) Hafeez looks a little more rusty facing Anderson, rather nervous as he looks to defend, no sense of nicking a single or turning over the strike somehow. Anderson completes a gun-barrel straight maiden, ever ball on or outside off stump. And David Horn writes: Hi Barney just to let OBO readers know that yesterday I ran the half marathon in aid of Afghan Connection, following up from Andy [Bull]s excellent article earlier this year on Afghan cricket. Thanks in no small part to OBO readers, I raised over 600 so I wanted to take the first opportunity to thank them all. And of course, the Just Giving page is still live, should anyone else feel like contributing.
  
  5th over: Pakistan 31-0 (K Akmal 27, Hafeez 1) Its a different game down the other end as Akmal drives Bresnans first ball, which is a little overpitched, dreamily square past cover for four, and then inside edges a hoick round the corner for another boundary. That was a horrible ball short and legside and Bresnan has been a bit all over the shop on his home ground. And there we go again as Akmal drives him through mid-off for his third four of the over, moving on to 27 off 23 balls and Bresnan has gone for 25 off his three overs. Funny, Bresnan, hes very convincing in Twenty 20 but not so much in any other form. I have a feeling that might be his pigeon-hole.
  
  6th over: Pakistan 33-0 (K Akmal 27, Hafeez 3) Oh, I say...