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Anderson, Finn decimate Pakistan

Anderson - it's his birthday and he can celebrate how he wants to.

Pakistan ended day two in Nottingham still needing eight runs to avoid the follow-on after Mohammad Asif's morning magic was undone by James Anderson's five-for.

England began the day firmly in control of proceedings, having racked up 331 for four. But the hosts were not to have it their own way, with Mohammad Asif making light work of the England middle and lower-order. However, the fast bowler's efforts appeared for nought as Pakistan were unable to capitalise on their early success.

On his 28th birthday, Anderson began the day by having his stumps rearranged for a golden duck, but bounced back to ensure he had more than one milestone to celebrate.

Normally so resolute, Pakistani skipper Salman Butt fell early, playing at one from Anderson that moved away, ensuring that England headed into lunch feeling buoyed. Anderson continued the wicket-taking act shortly after the interval, bowling Imran Farhat with one that jagged away at the last moment.

With the openers removed it was Steven Finn's turn to get in on the action. Returning from a strength and conditioning program, the 21-year-old ripped the heart out of the Pakistani middle-order, accounting for Umar Amin, Azhar Ali and Kamran Akmal within the space of 10 runs.

Finn's modus operandi was simple; he hit a fullish length just outside off at good pace, allowing him to extract just enough bounce to tempt the Pakistani batsmen into having a feel for it as the natural angle of the ball took it away from them. All three of his wickets came courtesy of slip catches, as the Middlesex man made the most of both the conditions and the inexperience in the visitors' middle-order.

The Pakistani freefall was momentarily halted by Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Aamer who applied themselves well in tricky conditions to pull Pakistan over the 100-run mark with a partnership of 58 before Malik's vigil was ended by Anderson, who also picked up the scalp of Aamer to wrap up his five-wicket haul.

As England continued to chip away at the Pakistani tail and the visitors in turn edged towards the elusive follow-on mark, bad light began to take effect, with the umpires halting proceedings with 22 overs still left in the day.

Earlier, England endured an Asif-assisted capitulation, crumbling from their overnight total of 331 for four to 354 all out as the Pakistani pace man ran riot.

Asif was able to move the ball both ways at will but crucially he maintained a faultless line on off-stump, ensuring that the movement was not wasted. Indeed all four of the right-armer's dismissals were out lbw; first Collingwood (82) and then Morgan (130) were beaten by deliveries that swung back into them, Graeme Swann (2) fell to one that failed to move and Asif's final victim, James Anderson (0), was bamboozled by a return to the in-swinger.

At times overshadowed by the youthful brilliance of Aamer, the morning on day two belonged solely to Asif as the 27-year-old continues his impressive return to Test cricket.

Delivery of the Day
Only two of the nine wickets England took weren't caught behind the stumps, and the one from Jimmy Anderson's five was certainly a beauty. Coming from around the wicket to the left-handed Imran Farhat, Anderson angled the ball into the batsman before getting the ball to jag away; the result was a squared up batsman and a superbly disturbed set of stumps.

Shot of the Day
Stuart Broad bowled far too short in his first spell and was punished brilliantly by Farhat who stood tall and cracked the ball away to the square-leg fence. In a day with very view moments of batting brilliance it's always good to see some measured aggression rewarded.

Defining Moment of the Day
Salman Butt has always been solid for Pakistan, and with the added responsibility of captaincy his presence at the top of the order has become even more important. The skipper's removal early was a warning sign of things to come for the visitors, and one they were unable to heed.

Julia Harris