Skipper Alastair Cook led England's solid reply, with his fourth 50-plus score in the series on Friday (August 5). Cook's unbeaten 64 was well-complemented by fellow opener Alex Hales's first half-century of the series, which helped the home team erase off Pakistan's 103-run lead in under 31 overs of their second innings. The duo batted with a positive mindset and offered no chances whatsoever as Pakistan struggled for a breakthrough. In the process, they posted their maiden century opening stand and pushed England into a lead shorty after.
Despite a cracker of a delivery that turned in sharply, Yasir Shah was unfortunate to not have a wicket against his name as third umpire Kumar Dharmasena upheld the on-field umpire Joel Wilson's not-out call for a LBW against Hales, then on 39. The batsman survived the close call as the ball was tracked to have pitched just about outside leg. Hales followed it up with a boundary, in the next over off Sohail Khan, to erase England's deficit and push them into a lead. The home team led by 17 runs when the stumps were called on the third day.
Barring an hour or so of the morning session, the day belong to the hosts by far. Despite having given away 79 runs in the first session, England had managed two crucial wickets that of an experienced batsman like Younis Khan, and Asad Shafiq who went back for an 18-ball duck. Back after the break, England fought back with quick strikes as Pakistan slipped from their overnight score of 257 for 3 to 400 all out in two sessions combined. Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad picked up three wickets apiece to keep Pakistan's lead to a manageable 103 runs.
James Anderson triggered a batting collapse soon after Lunch with the wicket of Pakistan's batting mainstay Misbah-ul-Haq (56). While Sarfraz Ahmed held one end together, wickets kept tumbling at the other end and he was left stranded on 46 as Pakistan folded after adding 143 runs to their overnight score.
Anderson struck in his third over after Lunch to end Pakistan skipper's stay, picking up his first wicket of the day in the process. Misbah walked back disappointed, shortly after raising his 34th half-century, as he dragged an inside edge onto his stumps that ricocheted off his thigh pad.
Yasir survived after reviewing a leg before decision in Anderson's next over. Umpire Dharmasena overturned the on-field umpire's call after concluding that the impact was outside the off-stump. The leg spinner, however, failed to make the most of his reprieve as Woakes sent in a sharp throw to the keeper, Jonny Bairstow, who took the bails off in a flash to catch Yasir short of his crease while attempting to complete a tough second run.
A smart use of DRS review, on Woakes's demand, got England their next wicket in quick succession - that of Mohammad Amir for 1. Bruce Oxenford was asked to reverse his original call of not-out after Dharmasena found Amir to have been trapped plumb in front.
Meanwhile, Anderson, twice warned yesterday for his follow through, was taken off the attack after another repeat offence, shortly before drinks in the second session. Steven Finn was called in to complete the over but it was his partner at the other end Broad who caught Sohail Khan in front for just 7 as Pakistan lost their ninth man. Rahat Ali, along with Sarfraz, kept England waiting with a brief stand for the final wicket, before the former edged one straight to Joe Root at second slip that brought an end to Pakistan's first innings on 400.
In the morning session, Woakes got the hosts their first breakthrough after half an hour of cautions batting by the Misbah and Younis. Younis's wicket evoked a sense of deja vu. Similar to his dismissal at Old Trafford, the veteran Pakistan batsman went for a flick down the leg side, only to get a faint edge to Bairstow behind the stumps.
While Misbah picked up pace after his partner's departure, new man in the middle Shafiq struggled to get going. Broad, who had been hit for 14 runs by the Pakistan skipper in a space of two overs, finally registered a wicket against his name as he got rid of Shafiq with an inswinger. The right-handed batsman was a tad late in his attempt to block and left a gap wide enough between the bat and the pad for the ball to sneak past and knock off his off-stump.
Finn was extremely unlucky to not get Misbah in the same spell, shortly after Pakistan squeezed the lead. The skipper, then on 25, got a thick edge towards the slip cordon but the ball flew past Root, stationed at a shortish third slip, for a lucky boundary. Sarfraz went on the offensive with a couple of consecutive sweeps off Moeen Ali in the final over before Lunch and was lucky to pick up a boundary on both occasions.
Brief scores: England 297 and 120/0 (Alastair Cook 64*, Alex Hales 50*) lead Pakistan 400 (Azhar Ali 139, Sami Aslam 82, Misbah-ul-Haq 56; Chris Woakes 3-79, Stuart Broad 3-83) by 17 runs.
No comments:
Post a Comment