The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Michael Vaughan hits century

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Monday, May 19, 2008
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Michael Vaughan hits century

Ted Corbett

LONDON: Michael Vaughan went to Lord’s to play an innings to save his reputation and found instead that he had to keep a long vigil to see England through a difficult fourth afternoon in the first Test. The result was his sixth century at Lord’s which equals Graham Gooch, another captain and Lord’s specialist.

To be fair to Vaughan, it was a scenario no-one had envisaged. England’s only struggles had been with the weather.

No-one thought the flightless Kiwis would put up a fight but an hour after lunch it was England which was seeking a rescuer, a role Vaughan was happy to give as a masterclass.

Tricky conditions

He reached all his targets with aplomb. He guided England to a first innings lead with seven wickets down, made runs in his own good time and reached his 18th Test century in five hours which showed that conditions were tricky.

He survived torture from the captain-spinner Daniel Vettori, a tight spell when the new ball came and refused to let the departure of his mates disturb his concentration.

Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss put on their first century partnership before Cook was caught behind for 61 and Strauss lbw for 63.

Kevin Pietersen, getting accustomed to a new batting method, lasted only nine balls before he went, pretending to play but, rightly given out lbw. After looking comfortably at home before lunch Ian Bell was caught behind for 16 at 180 for four.

Vaughan maintained his usual calm as these disasters befell his team which was facing a first innings total of just 277 on a pitch that was hardly more than testing.

He has made four fifties in 33 innings since he hit 124 at Trent Bridge against India last July; you would never have guessed that this afternoon, even when that stout heart Paul Collingwood was caught at slip off Vettori and Tim Ambrose went first ball lbw, a home debut he will want to forget.

Stuart Broad stopped the hat trick — diffidently but that is his way — while Vaughan went from prosaic to pragmatic to phlegmatic and fifty.

Vettori grabbed Vaughan’s wicket, his 250th among his 14th five wicket haul. It will not be his fault if his side loses, but that is still possible as the fifth day lasts 98 overs.

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