Pressure on Cook builds as Strauss falls cheaply in Oval reply

Swann was left off the long list for the prestigious award yesterday but subsequently added after the selection panel confessed a "genuine oversight" had been made.

He proved himself worthy of the nod by picking up four wickets as a disciplined England kept the tourists to 308 in reply to their modest 233 at the Brit Insurance Oval.

Captain Andrew Strauss was out for four before the close, with his side 6-1, 69 behind.

Swann removed the dangerous Mohammad Yousuf to bring up the milestone in his 23rd Test, the same number of matches as fellow spinners Shane Warne, Saqlain Mushtaq and Danish Kaneria.

Steven Finn drew first blood for England with the second ball of the day, finding Yasir Hameed's outside edge and presenting Matt Prior with a simple catch.

With nine overs gone Strauss turned to spin and Swann duly removed captain Salman Butt (17) with a short second ball that caught the edge and was collected by Prior at the third attempt.

Nightwatchman Wahab Riaz frustrated England for 75 balls before going for 27, Swann picking up a leg-before verdict.

The signs were ominous that the 35-year-old Yousuf was setting himself for a 25th Test hundred when Swann tossed one up and safely pouched a return catch.

It was a fitting 100th victim for the irrepressible Swann, who tossed the ball high in the air as Yousuf trudged off for 56.

Umar Akmal was run out for 38 by Morgan after losing his footing, while the elder Akmal, wicketkeeper Kamran, made just 10 before spraying Stuart Broad straight to Morgan, who this time held the chance.

Azhar Ali crept to a second Test fifty, and past his previous best of 51, but needed desperately for someone to hang around with him. Mohammad Aamer (six) and Saeed Ajmal (nought) could not, quickly removed by Broad and Anderson respectively.

Last man Mohammad Asif should have followed for four but Strauss dropped him at first slip off Finn.

The final pair added 36 before Swann picked up a fourth wicket, leaving Azhar 92 not out.

England were left with a nervy spell before stumps and though all eyes were on the out-of-sorts Alastair Cook, it was Strauss who was undone as he fended Aamer to Hameed in the slips.