Eoin Morgan fires England with maiden Test hundred against Pakistan

Eoin Morgan's maiden Test hundred in only his third Test led England into a position of authority at the start of the npower series against Pakistan. Morgan even had the audacity to bring up his hundred with a straight six off the Pakistan off-spinner, Shoaib Malik, as he made a perfect start to a series in which he aims to confirm his batting credentials for the Ashes this winter. Three wickets for Pakistan's exciting, young, fast bowler Mohammad Ameer left England nervily placed at 118 for 4 soon after lunch, but Morgan (125 not out) and the ultra-reliable Paul Collingwood (81 not out) added an unbroken 213 in four hours. Most Pakistan disappointment will centre on a clumsy wicketkeeping display from Kamran Akmal and the inconsistent – if, at times, unfortunate – leg-spin of Danish Kaneria on a dry, responsive surface. England also made much better use of the umpire decision review system, which was making its debut in a Test in this country, using the full collection of technical aids: multiple camera angles, slow-motion replays, Hawk-Eye and hotspot. Twice an appeal by Kaneria, was upheld by the Sri Lankan umpire Asoka De Silva and twice the decision review system overruled it. England won appeals on behalf of Morgan, on 78, and Jonathan Trott, and go into the second day with one review remaining, whereas Pakistan wasted both theirs in feverish fashion in successive post-lunch overs from Mohammad Asif in their desperation to dismiss Kevin Pietersen, who on this form is quite capable of dismissing himself. Pietersen survived an lbw appeal on one, then a caught-behind on five. The appeal for a catch at the wicket looking particularly hare-brained as the ball clearly missed the outside edge, Pakistan perhaps fooled by the noise of Pietersen's bat hitting his leg. Pietersen still failed to reach double figures as Asif benefited from a big gap between bat and pad to bowl him off an inside edge. Trott's campaign to establish himself as England's No3 for the Ashes – a measured affair which brought him 38 from 67 balls – was dominated by review system. The TV umpire, Marais Erasmus from South Africa, ruled out a wicket for Kaneria because of an inside edge. Trott's second recourse to the review failed to reprieve him as he shouldered arms to a big inswinger from Aamer. England had lost both left-handed openers by lunch. Alastair Cook, on eight, edged an outswinger from Aamer to first slip. Andrew Strauss, who made a not entirely straightforward decision to bat first, was badly dropped on 15, Kamran spilling a simple wicketkeeping chance. Strauss was through the worst when, on 45, an insipid shot just before lunch gave Aamer a second wicket in the first over of his second spell. Morgan began sketchily, surviving Kamran's appeal for a catch at the wicket on five – a TV replay showed the ball had fallen short of the keeper, and brought boos from the Trent Bridge crowd. He burst into life when the spinners Kaneria and Malik began bowling in tandem, hitting six fours in 12 balls. Kaneria, in particular, wasted encouraging conditions with a succession of stray deliveries but he should have had Collingwood stumped on 48, only for Kamran to complete a bad day by dropping the ball. Kaneria's frustration was complete when umpire De Silva had a second "out" verdict overturned, this time with Morgan on 78, replays suggesting the ball turned too much and would have missed leg stump. Pakistan wore black armbands and the Pakistan flag flew at half mast in memory of more than 150 deaths in the Islamabad air crash.