Bell and Cook shine in the sun

Alastair Cook scored a century for England at Old Trafford

Ian Bell and Alastair Cook both scored sensational centuries on day two of the second npower Test against Pakistan as the tourists' bowlers toiled in the heat unable to prevent England declaring on 461 for nine.

It ensured the hosts held a daunting 342-run advantage and forced Pakistan to face several testing overs before the close.

This they did for the loss of no wickets, reaching 12 for nought, still 330 runs behind.

Resuming this morning (Friday) on 168 for two, England lost an early wicket when Umar Gul got rid of Kevin Pietersen (38) with his second legitimate ball of the day.

England's danger batsman opened his shoulders and went for an expansive drive, but only succeeded in slashing the ball to Imran Farhat at gully, who clung on well.

The downside for the visitors though, was that Farhat managed to dislocate his finger as he gripped the ball and had to go straight off the field.

Alastair Cook clips the ball to the boundary rope for four

Cook kept up the pressure at the other end with a selection of drives, including a well-timed straight four back past Mohammad Sami to the boundary.

However, he was lucky to survive an lbw chance to Gul when on 77. The ball looked as though it would have hit leg stump but the Pakistan fielders chose not to appeal.

Abdul Razzaq was also making life difficult for the England batsmen, as he got the ball to reverse swing, and hit Paul Collingwood in the ribs with a rising delivery.

Play moved on slowly in the morning session with 34 runs being scored in the first hour. There was also a period of play after the drinks break in which Razzaq and Danish Kaneria kept the bowling tight, preventing a run being scored for 26 balls.

Collingwood eventually broke the shackles with two lofted drives over mid on for six off the legspinner.

Paul Collingwood gave Alistair Cook great support in a partnership of 119 runs

Cook followed suit as he sailed through the nineties, taking 12 runs off an expensive Razzaq over, and reached three figures just before the lunch break, despite a run out scare on 98.

Collingwood (48) was the victim of the new ball when he tried to pull a quicker delivery from Gul and saw it pouched by the subsitute fielder low down at square leg.

The Durham all-rounder had survived an lbw shout in the previous over, but Simon Taufel indicated that the ball would have been going over the stumps.

Cook did not last much longer as the new ball did its business for Gul again when he trapped the centurion lbw in front of leg stump.

Geraint Jones and Ian Bell joined forces as they both came to the crease under pressure.

However, Jones was unable to make much of an impact after a testing over from Mohammad Sami in which he was struck twice on the fingers and somehow top-edged the paceman for six over fine leg.

Sami eventually got his man when Taufel adjudged the Kent wicket-keeper to be lbw, for eight.

Warwickshire star Ian Bell played positively from the off

Bell had fewer problems, however, as he reached 40 off 53 balls at tea, although England were hit by the loss of Sajid Mahmood who have Razzaq a simple caught and bowled.

Bell reached his half-century soon after the resumption of play, with two cuts through midwicket for four off Razzaq, as he attempted to up the tempo of the England innings.

The stoic Matthew Hoggard was removed by Shahid Afridi for six when he didn't play at a ball that looked to be hitting leg stump and was given out lbw by umpire Steve Bucknor.

Steve Harmison then came to the crease hoping to emulate his bowling heroics of day one with the bat.

He did just that with an entertaining 26 that also enabled Bell to reach three figures (106 not out).

The Durham paceman eventually departed attempting to reverse sweep Kaneria, caught by 'keeper Akmal, to bring Monty Panesar (three not out) out to the middle.

Alongside Bell he helped push the total up to 461 when the declaration was called, giving England a 342-run advantage.