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Pakistan crash to new English low of 72; Sri Lanka fight back

Pakistan captain Salman Butt is caught by Graeme Swann at second slip off the bowling of Steven Finn.
Pakistan captain Salman Butt is caught by Graeme Swann at second slip off the bowling of Steven Finn.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Pakistan record lowest score against England, all out for 72 at Edgbaston
  • England reach 112-2 at stumps on day one of second Test against the tourists
  • Pakistan were all out for 80 in losing opening Test by 354 runs at Nottingham
  • India reach 53-3 in chase for 257 to win third Test in Sri Lanka and level series at 1-1
RELATED TOPICS
  • Cricket
  • James Anderson
  • Pakistan
  • Sri Lanka
  • India

(CNN) -- Pakistan's batsmen capitulated for the second successive match as England took control on the opening day of the second cricket Test in Birmingham.

The tourists slumped to 72 all out after winning the toss and deciding to bat first in overcast conditions at Edgbaston, then England reached 112-2 when bad light stopped play early Friday evening.

Pakistan were dismissed for 80 in a similarly bowler-friendly scenario in the second innings at Nottingham, resulting in a 354-run defeat, but captain Salman Butt had enough confidence to risk a repeat despite not including recalled senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf.

The 35-year-old did not arrive in England until Thursday, and has not played at the top level since receiving an indefinite ban in March -- which was surprisingly rescinded straight after the Trent Bridge debacle.

James Anderson took 11 wickets in that match, and claimed another four on Friday in conditions suited to his swing abilities.

His figures of 4-20 off 14.3 overs were ably backed up by Stuart Broad's 4-38 off 18, while Steven Finn snared 2-10 off eight as England once again needed only three bowlers to demolish Pakistan's line-up.

Five batsmen did not score a run as Pakistan lowered their record worst score against England, but still surpassed their lowest against any team of 53 versus Australia in 2002.

England's openers put on 44 before Mohammad Asif accounted for Alistair Cook (17) and then 18-year-old paceman Mohammad Aamer dismissed captain Andrew Strauss (25).

But the out-of-form Kevin Pietersen (36) added an unbroken 68 runs with Jonathan Trott (31) as both batsmen profited from some dropped chances by the Pakistan fieldsman, with Umar Gul twice guilty.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka kept alive their hopes of winning the series against India 2-0 after spinner Suraj Randiv took three late wickets on day four of the third Test in Colombo.

Set 257 to win and level the series, the top-ranked tourists reached 53-3 at stumps on Friday with veteran batsman Sachin Tendulkar unbeaten on 11 and nightwatchman Ishant Sharma on two.

Resuming their second innings on 45-2, Sri Lanka had crashed to 125-8 before Thilan Samaraweera and Ajantha Mendis put on a record 118 runs for the ninth wicket.

Samaraweera followed up his unbeaten first-innings of 137 with 83 before falling to medium-pacer Abhimanyu Mithun, while Mendis completed his first Test half-century.

He was the last man to fall on 78 as Amit Mishra claimed his third wicket, having taken two in two balls earlier on before Lasith Malinga denied him a hat-trick.

Malinga added a stubborn 15 off 37 balls, putting on 38 for the eighth wicket with Samaraweera as Sri Lanka finally recovered to 267.