LONDON: Pakistan made hay while the sun shined to wrest away the momentum from England as Asad Shafiq and Younis Khan hit tons on the second day of the fourth and final Test here at The Oval on Friday.
Playing under clear, blue skies, Pakistan surpassed England’s first innings total of 328 and were 340-6 for at stumps, a2 runs ahead of the hosts.
It was redemption for both Younis and Asad.
Younis was under immense fire after flopping miserably in his last six innings in this series. The former Pakistan captain had scores of 33, 25, 1, 28, 31, 4 on the tour before taking the field at The Oval.
A must-win game for them, Pakistan needed a big knock from Younis and the senior batsman obliged with an unbeaten 101 off 144 balls.
The twitches and turns that mostly caused Younis’s downfall previously in the series were more controlled as he showed grit and determination to shrug off his lean run of form and score the 32nd century of his illustrious Test career. It was also his fourth ton against England.
Asad also bounced back from the embarrassment of last week’s pair at Edgbaston. He became the first Pakistan batsman to score a century in the very next innings after a pair.
It was an authoritative innings by Asad, who scored 109 off 172 balls with the help of 12 fours and two sweetly-timed sixers of Moeen Ali. It was only his second Test ton outside of Asia.
The 150-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Asad, preceded by a 75-run stand between Asad and Azhar Ali (49 off 119 balls) enabled Pakistan to dominate England in the first two sessions.
The visitors could have ended the day in a stronger position but lost two quick wickets in succession in the 85th over bowled by Chris Woakes.
Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq seemed to in fine nick before thick-edging an outswinger by Woakes towards gully where Alex Hales took it safely. Debutant Iftikhar began with an exquisite, third-ball four but threw away his wicket when he shanked a pull with Moin Ali scampering back from mid-o to help Woakes take his 25th wicket of the series.
Pakistan’s cause was helped by the butter-fingered English fielders, who dropped three catches.
Earlier, Pakistan were faced with a daunting task when they began the day at 3-1 but were encouraged by excellent batting conditions. Night watchman Yasir Shah stayed on the wicket in the first hour helping Pakistan cross the fifty run mark. He was let off by Alex Hales in the slips but finally fell Finn for 26.
AFP adds: Shafiq, dropped on seven, had twice been out for nought during England’s 141-run win in the third Test at Edgbaston last week.
Pakistan resumed on 3 for 1 following the loss of Sami Aslam late on Thursday after England’s middle-order, led by Moeen Ali’s 108, had bailed the side out from their latest top-order collapse after Alastair Cook had won the toss.
Azhar Ali, promoted to open after his century at Edgbaston, and Yasir Shah, the night watchman, were both on zero when play resumed on Friday. Chris Woakes was denied his customary wicket in the first over of a spell when Yasir, on 21, edged him to gully only for Alex Hales to drop the two-handed catch.
But, having done his duty by getting through the first hour, Yasir fell for 26 when he nicked Steven Finn to second slip, where Joe Root held a juggling catch that ended a stand of 49 and left Pakistan 52 for 2.
Shafiq avoided a third straight duck by getting off the mark with a cover-driven four off Finn.
England had to re-arrange their slip cordon after James Vince, usually at third slip for the quicks, was unable to field close in after suffering a finger injury trying to take a catch at Edgbaston, and Anderson took his place when he wasn’t bowling.
Poor close catching had mainly been a Pakistan problem this series but Woakes was again denied a wicket when a diving Anderson at third slip dropped Shafiq on seven — the hardest of all the three chances England had missed come tea.
Azhar, on 35, was then given a reprieve when he pushed a drive back at Finn only for the tall bowler to drop the low chance despite getting both hands to the ball, with Pakistan then 91 for 2.
With blue and sunny skies, allied to a good pitch, offering some of the best batting conditions of the series, these were misses that could hurt England.
Pakistan were 97 for 2 at lunch, with Azhar on 36 and Shafiq on 24.
In the second session, Shafiq lofted Moeen for six over long-on but Azhar fell one shy of a half-century when he gloved an attempted sweep against Moeen and was caught behind by Jonny Bairstow, although it needed a review to confirm the dismissal.
Azhar faced 113 balls, hit nine fours, and added 75 for the third wicket with Shafiq.
But Shafiq did get to his milestone, in 75 balls, when he late cut Moeen for the seventh four of his innings.
Flags above The Oval pavilion flew at half-mast in honour of Hanif Mohammad, the legendary Pakistan batsman who died aged 81 on Thursday.
Score Board
England won toss
England 1st innings 328 all-out (M Ali 108; Sohail 5-68, Wahab 3-93)
Pakistan 1st innings
Sami Aslam lbw b Broad 3
Azhar Ali c Bairstow b Ali 49
Yasir Shah c Root b Finn 26
Asad Shafiq c Broad b Finn 109
Younis Khan not out 101
*Misbah-ul-Haq c Hales b Woakes 15
Iftikhar Ahmed c Ali b Woakes 4
†Sarfraz Ahmed not out 17
Extras (b 9, lb 3, w 2, nb 2) 16
Total (6 wickets; 91 overs) 340
To bat: M Amir, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Khan
Fall: 1-3, 2-52, 3-127, 4-277, 5-316, 6-320
Bowling: Anderson 19-6-58-0; Broad 19-5-59-1 (1nb, 1w); Finn 19-1-71-2 (1w); Woakes 17-4-52-2; Ali 16-0-83-1 (1nb); Root 1-0-5-0
Test debut: Iftikhar Ahmed (Pakistan)
Umpires: M Erasmus (South Africa) and B N J Oxenford (Australia). TV umpire: J S Wilson (West Indies). Match referee: R B Richardson (West Indies)