Monty Panesar stakes claim for Test return with five-wicket haul

Monty Panesar today staked an impressive claim for a place in England's team for the First Test.

After being out of the side for almost three years, the left-arm spinner grabbed five wickets in the final warm-up match before the series against Pakistan begins on Tuesday.

Panesar, once the darling of England cricket supporters, took advantage of a worn pitch - which is effectively being used for the fifth day - and the slow turn it had to offer.

He was in action early on the second day of the match against a Pakistan Board XI, brought on before the off-spin of Graeme Swann with the selectors shortly to finalise the balance of their attack.

Swann's place as the world's leading slow bowler is guaranteed but England must decide if they need a second spinner. Although it took Panesar a little while to find his range he was soon bouncing in as of old, going round the wicket and making the batsmen play.

He had two batsmen caught behind, at wicketkeeper and slip, one caught off bat and pad at short mid-wicket and another lbw.

Panesar and Swann were given the perfect platform after the fast bowlers, Chris Tremlett and Graham Onions, removed the openers in the first four overs of the morning. With the PCB XI reduced to 119 for eight shortly after lunch it looked as if England might have to decide whether to enforce the follow on.

But an eighth-wicket partnership of 54 between Raza Hasan and Mohammad Talha spared them the dilemma. Panesar eventually ended it by having Talha (31) caught behind for his fifth wicket.