Butt leads Pakistan's Test fightback

MULTAN, Pakistan, Monday (Reuters) Salman Butt scored his second half-century of the match to lead a Pakistan fightback against England in the first test on Monday.

England had earned a 144-run first-innings lead after a superb 193 from stand-in captain Marcus Trescothick.

The left-handed Butt, who made 74 in the first innings, finished the day 53 not out in Pakistan's second-innings 125 for two.

Butt and vice-captain Younis Khan put on 93 runs from 175 balls for the second wicket before Andrew Flintoff cut short the partnership, having Younis caught at slip by Marcus Trescothick in the penultimate over.

Nightwatchman Mohammad Sami had yet to score when umpires called off play nine overs short due to poor light. Pakistan were 19 runs behind.

England took the lead after resuming on 253 for three.

They stretched their total to 418 one hour after lunch despite the regular fall of wickets with quick bowler Shabbir Ahmed taking four for 54.

Ahmed took three wickets in 24 balls for eight runs after lunch. His spell included Trescothick's wicket, caught behind by Kamran Akmal after the opener had batted for 472 minutes and 305 balls just failing to score the second double hundred of his career.

Trescothick, replacing the injured Michael Vaughan as captain, added 58 runs to his overnight total and became the second highest scorer for England in Pakistan after Ted Dexter's 205 in 1961 at Karachi. Ahmed also bowled Geraint Jones for 22 with a beautiful indipper and than had Ashley Giles caught by Hasan Raza for 16 to end the innings.

Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar helped clean up the tail by trapping Shaun Udal leg before for a duck in his debut test.

He also had nightwatchman Matthew Hoggard caught behind and Andrew Flintoff caught by Shoaib Malik at mid-wicket for 45 before lunch to finish with three for 99.

Butt and Younis faced few problems on a pitch after the loss of Malik in the seventh over.

England spinners Ashley Giles and Shaun Udal got turn but it was too slow to bother the pair.