Sharjah Test keenly poised

Sharjah - Hafeez spearheads Pakistan fightback after Malik cuts short England innings

The third Test between Pakistan and England at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium is interestingly poised. It would be foolhardy to say that the 'hosts' are better placed with just a 74-run lead at the end of the third day's play.
Resuming at their overnight score of 224 for 4, England folded up on 306 to take a 72-run first innings lead. But Mohammad Hafeez struck a brilliant unbeaten 97 to carry Pakistan to 146 for 3 with two days to spare.
If Pakistan can manage another 150-odd runs it is going to be very difficult for England. So far all three days have produced scores of below 250. England on the other hand cannot be ruled out. They showed superb fighting spirit on Tuesday. Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad bowled their hearts out to keep England in the game after Hafeez almost took the game away.
Hafeez and Azhar Ali ensured Pakistan had a decent start for the first time in the series. Not only decent, they went on to raise the highest opening partnership of the series for the 'hosts'. In the bargain the duo also managed to compile their fourth century stand.
Azhar missed out in his first innings and looked adamant on making amends. His 34 was bereft of a single boundary but it didn't matter as long as runs were coming and Pakistan were moving forward with their lead.
It looked smooth sailing until then when confusion got the better of the two. Azhar played at a delivery and ran for a cheeky single. Hafeez was slow to respond but did come halfway down the track and then retreated to leave Azhar stranded well short of his ground.
Shoaib Malik who had a good day with the ball somehow had no clue to an inswinger from Anderson and was rapped on the pad for a duck with his bat nowhere near.
Two wickets in quick succession gave England some hope and although Anderson beat Younis Khan time and again outside the off stump he just could not get that edge. But his bowler complemented him by trapping Younis.
With two overs to go for the close of play Rahat Ali joined Hafeez and survived some anxious moments, including an LBW which looked good but Cook didn't ask for a review.
Earlier, Shoaib Malik turned an unlikely hero for Pakistan. Just when one expected Yasir Shah or Zulfiqar Babar to plot England's downfall, it was the part-time off-spinner Malik who bamboozled the England tail with three of the six wickets to fall.
England were behind Pakistan's total of 234 by only 12 runs when match resumed on Tuesday but the visitors had six wickets in the bag. With their overnight batsmen - James Taylor and Jonny Bairstow at the crease England might have fancied their chances of a big first innings lead. The sparse crowd had barely settled in their seats when Rahat Ali accounted for dangerman Taylor and Babar clean bowled Bairstow, leaving England just 11 runs ahead at that stage.
The early setbacks failed to unnerve Samit Patel who continued to impress on his Test comeback. Coming in to bat at No. 7 in place of the injured Stokes and with little support from the tail, he managed an invaluable 42. Just before lunch Misbah turned to Malik and he delivered by removing Adil Rashid.
Yasir Shah then got rid of Patel and Malik took over from there to remove Anderson and Stokes, who came in to bat at No. 11. Chris Jordan took Stokes' place in the field later.
clareto@khaleejtimes.com