The left-handed opener scored an unbeaten 135 for his 13th Test hundred to help England post 253-3 in their first innings at stumps on the second day in reply to Pakistan's 274.

Nightwatchman Matthew Hoggard was yet to open his account when bad light stopped play with nine overs remaining.

Trescothick put on 180 for the second wicket with Ian Bell (71), who was under pressure to retain his place after making just 171 in 10 Test innings in the Ashes series against Australia.

Bell, included in the team following the withdrawal of skipper Michael Vaughan due to a knee injury, returned to form just when England needed a big partnership to consolidate their position.

Trescothick and Bell pressed home the advantage gained by Ashes hero Andrew Flintoff, who finished with four wickets to restrict Pakistan.

Flintoff was brilliantly supported by fellow pacemen Steve Harmisonand Matthew Hoggard (2-55) as Pakistan lost their remaining four wickets for 30 runs after resuming on 244-6.

In contrast, the England batting flourished.

Trescothick, 29, was in control right from the beginning, punishing the Pakistani pacemen and spinners with a wide range of strokes on an easy-paced track.

He completed his half-century with an aggressive shot, hoisting leg-spinner Danish Kaneria over long-off for a six, and reached his hundred in style by flicking off-spinner Shoaib Malik for his 13th four.

Trescothick has so far hit one six and 16 fours in his 209-ball knock.

The Pakistani bowling left much to be desired. Neither key paceman Shoaib Akhtar nor Kaneria could keep the pressure on Trescothick and Bell, who applied themselves well to deny the hosts a breakthrough for nearly 50 overs.

Akhtar celebrated once when he bowled Bell with a slower delivery, but his joy was short-lived when he found it was signalled a no-ball by New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden. The batsman was then on 62.

Part-time spinner Malik broke the stand in the last session when he had Bell caught by Salman Butt at short-leg, but not before the batsman had helped his team survive an early blow.

England opener Andrew Strauss was trapped leg-before for nine by paceman Mohammad Sami, but Trescothick and Bell propped up the innings with responsible knocks.

It was a frustrating day for Pakistan, who failed to cross the 300-mark and then struggled for wickets. Their bowlers could take just one wicket in the morning session and two in the last.

Paul Collingwood (10) was the second England batsman to be dismissed in the closing session, caught behind off seamer Shabbir Ahmed after adding 53 for the third wicket with Trescothick.

Earlier England took less than 11 overs to wrap up the Pakistani innings, with Flintoff taking two wickets and Harmison and Hoggard one apiece.

Hoggard was the first to strike when he had Sami caught behind in his first over. Flintoff then dashed Pakistan's hopes of swelling their overnight total with the prize scalp of skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq.

Inzamam fell immediately after completing his 40th Test half-century, edging an outswinger to Strauss at second slip. He added just 12 to his overnight score of 41.

(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)