By Sam Hathaway
July 30 2006

Monty Panesar and Steve Harmison were on fire as England totally domiated the third day and bowled out the visitors 120 short of there target. This will give the team some much needed confidence as we set our sights on the ashes but they know there's still a job to do in this series first. Man of the match Harmison was a shadow of what he was in the first innings and claimed 5-57. He was looking fierce yet again as his pace and bounce troubled the Pakistan batsmen. This was the first time Harmison had taken atleast 10 wickets in a test match. But the two hearoes were Monty and Harmison, no other England bowler took a wicket which showed that it was a two man show.

It was cloudy and overcast throughout the day at Old Trafford but there was suprisingly no swing for Hoggard. He and Harmison opened the bowling but Harmison made the break through after he bowled an aggresive bouncing ball to dismiss Akmal after a great catch from Jones who was suffering with a broken finger.

Panesar had been encouraging throughout the series but this test he proved to the selectors why he needs to be on the plane to Australia. His turn and bounce had the Pakistan batsmen in some discomfort.

At lunch Pakistan were struggling on 101-2 and Panesar hit with his first ball to dismiss Mohammad Yousuf.

Harmison was fierce again and troubled Inzamam-ul-Haq but then the captain fell to Panesar for 13.

Younis was begining to play some shots out of his text book but this led to him behing bowled LBW by Monty Panesar.

The dark clouds began to cover round the ground and the rain halted play for 1 hour after the players left the pitch half an hour before tea.

Shahid Afridi and his tail were starting to lash out after tea and the flamboyant batsmen fell after edging to second slip from Harmison's delivery and Sami followed.

Umar Gul cliped Harmison down the leg-side and Jones caught while Razzaq's badly attempted pull was skied into the air and Jones finished the game by simply catching it.

This was a great overall effort from England and hopefully they can take this performance into their next game.