Amir marks return to England in style

TAUNTON: Pakistan paceman Mohammad Amir marked his return to first-class cricket in England with three wickets as Somerset collapsed at Taunton on Monday.

Left-armer Amir took 3-36 in 11 overs, all top-order wickets including former England opener Marcus Trescothick.

Somerset slumped to 128 all out in reply to Pakistan’s first innings 359 for eight declared — a deficit of 231 runs.

Amir’s exciting career came to a shuddering halt at Lord’s in 2010 when, during a Test against England, he and new-ball partner Mohammad Asif were caught bowling no-balls to order on the instructions of captain Salman Butt as part of a tabloid newspaper sting operation.

But the 24-year-old is now back in England and could make his Test return in the first of a four-match series at Lord’s on July 14.

After Pakistan had declared on the second morning of three in their tour opener against Somerset, Amir took the new ball.

Despite suggestions from England captain Alastair Cook that spectators might jeer Amir, there was nothing but polite applause as he came on to bowl.

Trescothick blocked his first ball and took two fours off Amir’s opening over, a push through cover-point and another down to third man.

But Amir struck with his 14th ball back in first-class cricket on English soil.

Left-hander Trescothick, on eight, could only edge a superb outswinger that moved late and wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed held an excellent diving catch.

Amir struck again when a full-length inswinger bowled first-class debutant Adam Hose (10).

Somerset were 23-2, with Amir having taken two wickets for six runs in 11 balls.

And eight minutes after lunch, Amir bowled Peter Trego (23) with another fine inswinger that knocked over the batsman’s middle stump and left the other two standing.

Fellow quicks Sohail Khan (3-26) and Rahat Ali (2-38) also bowled well, with leg-spinner Yasir Shah taking two wickets late on.

Not a single no-ball was bowled in the Somerset innings.

Only Somerset’s James Hildreth (47 not out), long overlooked by England, offered much resistance after being dropped on 13 by Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq in the slips off Rahat.

Pakistan resumed on their overnight score of 324-5, with Younis Khan 99 not out. It took the 38-year-old Younis 12 balls Monday to complete his 53rd first-class hundred but he got there with a two to fine leg off Dutch paceman Paul van Meekeren.

Younis’s century came off 173 balls, including 14 fours.

He was out soon afterwards, well caught by a diving Tim Rouse in the slips off Scotland seamer Josh Davey.

There was an ironic moment when the first delivery Amir faced was a Davey no-ball.

Next ball, Amir was caught behind off Davey for a duck.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN (1st Innings, overnight 324-5):

Mohammad Hafeez b van Meekeren 20

Shan Masood lbw b Groenewald 62

Azhar Ali c Barrow b van Meekeren 26

Younis Khan c Rouse b Davey 104

Misbah-ul-Haq c Rouse b Groenewald 0

Asad Shafiq c Bess b Leach 80

Sarfraz Ahmed not out 17

Mohammad Amir c Barrow b Davey 0

Sohail Khan c Barrow b van Meekeren 5

Yasir Shah not out 11

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-19, W-2, NB-8) 34

TOTAL (for eight wkts decl, 100 overs) 359

FALL OF WKTS: 1-44, 2-100, 3-132, 4-132, 5-311, 6-335, 7-336, 8-341

DID NOT BAT: Rahat Ali.

BOWLING: Davey 22-7-71-2 (2nb); van Meekeren 26-8-78-3 (3nb, 1w); Groenewald 12-5-24-2; Trego 6-0-37-0 (2nb); Bess 17-3-72-0 (1w); Leach 17-1-53-1 (1nb).

SOMERSET (1st Innings):

M.E. Trescothick c Sarfraz b Amir 8

A.J. Hose b Amir 10

T.D. Rouse c Sarfraz b Sohail 1

J.C. Hildreth not out 47

P.D. Trego b Amir 23

A.W.R. Barrow b Rahat 6

J.H. Davey c Younis b Rahat 10

D.M. Bess b Yasir 4

M.J. Leach c Younis b Sohail 1

T.D. Groenewald lbw b Sohail 0

P.A. van Meekeren lbw b Yasir 0