Day two photos Quotes: Bell pleased to chip in

Stand-in captain Marcus Trescothick scored a century as England took charge of the first Test against Pakistan.

He was 135 not out at stumps, alongside nightwatchman Matthew Hoggard, with England just 21 behind on 253-3 at the end of day two in Multan.

Ian Bell (71) helped Trescothick put on 180 and Paul Collingwood made 10.

England had taken four wickets in the first 50 minutes to bowl Pakistan out. Andrew Flintoff took 4-68, including captain Inzamam-ul-Haq for 53.

England's patient approach to batting was a stark contrast to the aggression that brought them success during the summer's Ashes series.

Trescothick continued his fine recent batting form, scoring heavily on the off side with some elegant drives.

Trescothick is leading from the front and making captaincy look easy From O Have your say on TMS

His fourth century of 2005 came up in the middle of the evening session, from a swept four off spinner Shoaib Malik.

He was perhaps lucky to survive an lbw appeal by Danish Kaneria from a delivery that turned, but not too sharply, with the batsman, on 48, back in his crease.

But he made the most of his second life, lofting the spinner for six later in the same over to reach his half-century.

Bell, only in the side because of skipper Michael Vaughan's knee injury, looked more comfortable against slow bowling than he did during the Ashes.

His luckiest moment came on 62, when Shoaib Akhtar celebrated bowling him with a slower delivery, only to turn and see umpire Billy Bowden signalling no ball.

But he may have been unlucky to have been given out caught off a prod to short leg, when TV replays appeared to show Malik overstepping.

Flintoff took two wickets in a single over

Mohammad Sami made the early breakthrough, hitting Andrew Strauss on the back leg with a delivery that swung in to the left-hander.

But he was generally inconsistent, erring both sides of the wicket, and England took good advantage as 10 overs before tea cost 49 and he was not used again.

Fellow seamer Shabbir Ahmed was unthreatening in both line and pace, with Collingwood to blame for a tame edge behind to a straight delivery.

A pitch that had offered little to the bowlers on the opening day had appeared faster on the second morning, when England's second new ball was just five overs old.

Early swing, on offer in misty early conditions, helped Matthew Hoggard move the fifth ball of the day away from Sami, who edged behind with an unwise prod.

Flintoff finished the Pakistan threat with the wicket of Inzamam, shortly after he had passed his sixth half-century in his 13th Test against England.

The Pakistan skipper got an edge to a delivery that left him, with Strauss clinging on at second slip.