A desperately disappointing first day for England was followed by one of immense entertainment and character yesterday.
Michael Vaughan and Graham Thorpe, with real panache, not only pulled the team back into the second Test but put them in a position where, given the frenetic pace of the match so far, they can even harbour thoughts of forcing a win.
Coming together at 15 for two, with both openers out and Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis in the middle of a compelling new-ball spell, Vaughan and Thorpe added an unbroken 189 before rain washed in for the second time.
Keeping pace with each other virtually throughout their alliance, Thorpe trotted to the sanctuary of the pavilion two short of his ninth Test hundred. Vaughan had already passed the highest Test score of his career (76 made against West Indies at Headingley last year) by tea and was within 16 runs of a maiden Test century having batted nine balls fewer than Thorpe's 174.
At 204 for two, and with the game progressing at such a furious lick on a tremendous batting pitch, England this morning will be looking to build a significant lead and to the possibility of a fourth successive win rather than the draw that would secure a fifth successive series win.
The partnership of Vaughan and Thorpe was a thrilling response to being put on the back foot by Pakistan's devastating first-day onslaught, which was carried on first thing yesterday. From 370 for eight overnight, the tourists added 33 in only two balls short of seven overs but, unlike on the first day, the ball swung for Darren Gough and Andy Caddick despite similarly chilly, breezy conditions.
Wasim and Waqar were straining to get at the England batsmen. Bowling into the wind, Wasim's first delivery looped spitefully into Mike Atherton, who offered no shot and must have been close to lbw. Thus encouraged, the bowlers tore in.
In the seventh over Wasim found enough movement away to beat the outside of Marcus Trescothick's bat and clip the top of off-stump - a superb delivery - and in the next over Atherton nibbled a Waqar away-swinger behind to Rashid Latif.
The England of old might have mustered a gritty response, taking stock and digging in. Instead Thorpe got things moving by going full bore at a short ball and top-edging it over third man for six, and the pair never looked back.
Thus far Vaughan has hit 11 fours in a stay of nearly four hours. Thorpe looked for width and, when it came, was merciless, punching his cuts away so well that Waqar was forced to post a runner on the point boundary. He has a dozen boundaries to go with the six.
