PCB XI v England XI, Tour match, Dubai

Cook stars as England declare

January 11, 2012

PCB XI 23 for 0 trail England 269 for 9 (Cook 133, Shah 5 for 76) by 246 runs
Scorecard

Alastair Cook carried his form of last year into 2012 with the first century of England's UAE tour. Cook's 133 was a vital knock as five wickets for Yasir Shah restricted England on day one in Dubai.

Shah's leg spin removed England's middle order as Ian Bell and Eoin Morgan recorded further low scores. England were reduced to 121 for 5 before Matt Prior made 46 from 57 balls. Graeme Swann's 24 also helped England to a competitive total.

But England were indebted to Cook's 36th first-class hundred. His record against Sri Lanka and India in six Tests in 2011 was 738 runs at 73.80 and, after 76 in the first-innings against ICC Combined XI, he continued in that vein, marshalling England after Mohammad Talha had reduced them to 14 for 2. Captain Andrew Strauss was caught behind for three before Jonathan Trott fell leg before for a third ball duck. Ian Bell was also dismissed for a duck - part of Shah's haul of 5 for 76.

The legspin of Shah removed England's middle order. Kevin Pietersen, who took 10 balls to get off the mark, had got England moving with five fours in his 78-ball 38 but he was bowled in the first over after lunch having shared 83 with Cook. Bell was then trapped leg before second ball and Shah also removed Morgan, whose 11 was his third failure of the tour after 1 and 3 against ICC XI.

With England in trouble, Matt Prior got a partnership going with Cook and the pair added 90. Cook went past 50 from 92 balls while Prior was his breezy-self, striking seven fours in 46 from 57 balls before Tahla returned to have him caught behind.

Swann, who had a scan on his quadriceps after the first warm-up match, played a useful part in making 24 as he and Cook put on 46. But when Swann fell caught behind off Shah, England's innings came swiftly to an end. Shah completed his five-for by having Graham Onions caught for one before Cook was caught behind off Tahla and England declared.

There was time for eight overs of the PCB XI innings and Onions, playing the first time for England since January 2010 against South Africa, took the new ball. He conceded 13 in his three overs. Chris Tremlett also opened the bowling, having recovered from his eye infection, and there was also time for unsuccessful overs for Swann and Monty Panesar.