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Debutant Riaz strikes three times as England struggle

Pakistan left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz celebrated his test debut with three cheap wickets on the opening morning of the third test against England at the Oval on Wednesday.

Riaz, bounding in from the Pavilion end with a high strong action, accounted for captain Andrew Strauss (15) and Jonathan Trott (12) in the space of 11 balls without conceding a run.

He returned for a second spell from the Vauxhall end and was immediately successful, this time accounting for an unconvincing Kevin Pietersen caught behind for six from his fifth ball.

At lunch England, who had opted to bat after winning the toss, were struggling at 70 for five. They lead 2-0 in the four-match series.

Strauss’s opening partner Alastair Cook, who had totalled only 100 runs from seven test innings this season, failed again after making little of Mohammad Asif’s late movement in the second over of the morning.

Cook got off the mark with a fortuitous boundary off the edge through third man, squirted two through the legside with an unconvincing shot and was then caught behind for six off the final delivery which held its line instead of moving into the left-hander.

Asif, the pick of the Pakistan bowlers this series, continued to exploit the conditions under heavy cloud cover and looked unlucky to have an lbw appeal rejected when Strauss had scored only two.

Paul Collingwood drove Mohammad Amir for four but added only one further run before he dragged a delivery on to his off-stump, playing from the crease with a crooked bat.

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