Asif quick to remind England of his class

Umar Gul had an even better analysis in the end in the swift demolition of England for 173 but Asif was the chief enforcer, rising to the occasion in a manner that reminded everyone what a different series this might have been had he, Shoaib Akhtar and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan all been fit.

Even Pakistan’s second-string attack completely outbowled an England combination whose inconsistency yesterday rapidly compounded the home team’s problems. Dropped catches off successive balls shortly before the close of a thoroughly chastening opening day left Pakistan in deserved control.

It was Pakistan who played like the home team. Andrew Strauss would have batted first despite the moist atmosphere but Asif, Gul and Shahid Nazir, briefly but expertly supported by Danish Kaneria, took their chance admirably, bowling a tight line and the right length.

Mohammad Hafeez had to retire hurt with a sprained left knee, but Imran Farhat feasted with wristy relish on some short, wide balls on the way to a 63-ball fifty and Pakistan were only 102 behind by the time that Sajid Mahmood took the first wicket with the help of a leg-side catch by Chris Read. By the time that Matthew Hoggard found something closer to his normal consistency, the die seemed to be cast.

Where Asif, Gul and Nazir were accurate and parsimonious, Hoggard, Stephen Harmison and, initially, Mahmood sprayed the ball about without rhythm or control in the 31-over session that theoretically remained after England had been bowled out in the twelfth over of an evening session extended until 7.30 because of two morning showers.

In the final overs, Farhat escaped a hard chance to Paul Collingwood from a fierce drive to cover and Mohammad Yousuf was missed twice, at first slip by Marcus Trescothick and low in the gully by Alastair Cook, all off Hoggard.

Harmison and Hoggard will have to be altogether more disciplined today if England are to haul themselves back. They were trying hard enough, perhaps too hard, but they should have known that “line and length”, never a bad policy in any conditions, becomes the invariable rule when the need is to make the most of the sort of movement available yesterday. Weather much more typical of what used to be called “typical” English conditions produced cricket of an altogether different character from the games played for most of this summer on dry pitches and in burning sunshine.

In many ways the events of the day were more instructive than they would have been had England won the toss on a sunny day and eased towards some more typical Oval first-day total. Among other things, it was learnt that Andrew Strauss is batting excellently but Trescothick with a worryingly small degree of form or confidence; that Kevin Pietersen remains a more vulnerable starter than most leading players; that Alastair Cook would be a much sounder choice to bat for your life and that Chris Read is back where he belongs.

The situation when he came to the wicket was just the sort that Alan Knott, whom in many ways he resembles, used to relish. England were 91 for five when he came out but his 33, an innings that faded only when he lost the strike and got an inside edge to a wide ball, confirmed his skill and stomach for the fight. He was one of only three men to get past 30 until Farhat began his muscular comeback in the difficult combination of bright sunshine and shadow that made Pakistan’s positive response all the worthier.

Strauss made 22 of the 27 managed by England’s opening pair before the first of two showers. His judgment was impeccable in testing conditions but Trescothick’s form is so uncertain that the selectors will need a specialist No 3 — Robert Key or Owais Shah — in Australia in case it continues. Cook could then open with Strauss in a fallback strategy.

Trescothick’s unequal struggle ended when he steered Gul low to gully, but England’s trouble really started when Asif, deceptively sharp with his loose, effortless-looking action, got a ball of ideal length to leave Strauss enough to take an outside edge, then had Pieteresen first ball, driving at a ball of full length. Collingwood was defeated by an inswinger and Ian Bell, after a confident start that soon faded as he appreciated the difficulties, was taken off bat and pad at silly point.

If there was a silver lining, it was Cook’s cool, simple batting but when Nazir defeated him with a yorker that swung late into his front foot, only Read and the tail remained.