Cook and Hales defy Pakistan

By our correspondents
August 06, 2016

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BIRMINGHAM: England captain Alastair Cook and Alex Hales’s first century stand as an opening pair left the third Test against Pakistan at Edgbaston intriguingly poised come the close of Friday’s third day.

At stumps, England were 120 without loss in their second innings, a lead of 17 runs.

Cook was 64 not out and Hales 50 not out, with two days left in the match.

It was the first time in 18 innings as a Test opening pair the duo had posted a century partnership.

England were 103 runs behind on first innings after more than 10 hours in the field.

Yet Hales was soon into his stride with a cover-driven four off left-arm quick Mohammad Amir.

Meanwhile Cook took advantage of width from Sohail Khan with two square-cut boundaries in three balls.

Cook completed a brisk fifty in 67 balls when Rahat Ali’s misfield at mid-on saw a drive by the left-hander go for his fifth four of the innings.

Hales took England into the lead with an elegant back-foot forcing shot through the covers off Sohail, who had marked his return to Test cricket by taking five for 96 in the hosts’ first innings.

And the last delivery of the day saw Hales complete a 116-ball fifty with a single off the tiring Sohail.

Pakistan were bowled out for 400 in reply to England’s first innings 297 on the stroke of tea.

After Azhar Ali, whose 139 was his first Test century outside of Asia, and recalled 20-year-old opener Sami Aslam (82) put on 181 for the second wicket Thursday, Pakistan saw skipper Misbah-ul-Haq (56) and wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed (46 not out) frustrate England on Friday.

Chris Woakes, in the all-rounder’s first Test match on his Warwickshire home ground, led England’s attack with three for 79, while fellow paceman Stuart Broad took three for 83.

Pakistan resumed on 257 for three after Azhar had been dismissed off the last ball of Thursday’s play.

Younis Khan (21 not out) was joined in the middle by fellow veteran Misbah.

Woakes, who had dismissed Azhar, struck again when he had Younis caught behind for 31 glancing down the legside.

It took the patient Misbah 40 balls to score his first boundary Friday.

But he broke the drought with two boundaries in three balls off Broad, courtesy of a pair of well-struck drives, one through the covers and the other down the ground.

Broad though found his range when a full-length delivery smashed into Asad Shafiq’s off stump for an 18-ball nought to leave Pakistan 296 for five, still one run behind.

Misbah’s single to third man off Broad saw Pakistan into the lead.

Pakistan’s batsmen have found Moeen Ali to their liking this series and Misbah reverse-swept him for four when the off-spinner came on before lunch.

Wicket-keeper Ahmed followed up with two swept fours in as many balls off Ali, whose 17 wicketless overs cost 79 runs. At lunch, Pakistan were 336 for five, a lead of 39 runs.

After lunch Misbah posted his third fifty this series when he drove James Anderson for a sixth four in 93 balls.

But on 56 he was bowled by Anderson to end a stand of 62 with Ahmed.

Score Board

Pakistan won toss

England 1st innings 297 all-out (G Ballance 70; Sohail 5-96)

Pakistan 1st innings

Mohammad Hafeez c Ballance b Anderson 0

Sami Aslam run out 82

Azhar Ali c Cook b Woakes 139

Younis Khan c Bairstow b Woakes 31

*Misbah-ul-Haq b Anderson 56

Asad Shafiq b Broad 0

†Sarfraz Ahmed not out 46

Yasir Shah run out 7

Mohammad Amir lbw b Woakes 1

Sohail Khan lbw b Broad 7

Rahat Ali c Root b Broad 4

Extras (b 5, lb 21, nb 1) 27

Total (all out; 136 overs) 400

Fall: 1-0, 2-181, 3-257, 4-274, 5-296, 6-358, 7-367, 8-368, 9-386, 10-400

Bowling: Anderson 29.1-7-54-2; Broad 30-4-83-3(1nb); Finn 27.5-7-76-0; Woakes 30-7-79-3; Ali 17-2-79-0; Vince 1-0-2-0; Root 1-0-1-0

England 2nd innings

*A N Cook not out 64

A D Hales not out 50

Extras (lb 4, nb 2) 6

Total (0 wickets; 35 overs) 120

To bat: J E Root, J M Vince, G S Ballance, †J M Bairstow, C R Woakes, M M Ali, S C J Broad, J M Anderson, S T Finn

Bowling: Mohammad Amir 11-2-28-0; Sohail Khan 8-0-40-0(2nb); Rahat Ali 5-0-20-0; Yasir Shah 11-1-28-0

Umpires: B N J Oxenford (Australia) and J S Wilson (West Indies). TV umpire: H D P K Dharmasena (Sri Lanka). Match referee: R B Richardson (West Indies)

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