England dismantled Pakistan for 198 on the third afternoon at Old Trafford but even with an advantage of 391 runs chose not to enforce the follow-on. There is talk of fickle Manchester weather for the second half of the match, but even that did not persuade England’s captain Alastair Cook to go for an early kill.
Few Test captains put the opposition in again these days without misgivings, but having dismissed Pakistan in 63.4 overs, Cook’s reluctance was debatable even allowing for modern trends and non-stop schedules.
Perhaps the need to soft pedal with Ben Stokes after his return from a knee operation, or the flaky form of his only spin bowler, Moeen Ali, were contributory factors. Perhaps England have no wish to face the legspin of Yasir Shah in the fourth innings, after his success against them in the first Test at Lord’s gave Pakistan victory and took Yasir to the top of the Test bowling rankings.
Perhaps, more likely, is that Cook recognised the need to give some batting to his malfunctioning middle order with James Vince and Gary Ballance both struggling to assert themselves. But that would depend on them getting to the crease. By the time another rain shower had brought about an early tea, Cook himself had added 11 with Alex Hales in 2.4 uneventful overs.
Whatever the considerations, the old fox, Misbah-ul-Haq, would nevertheless have allowed himself a moment of satisfaction at the decision. At lunch, with Pakistan 119 for 8, the potential for a three-day defeat could not be ignored, but that calamity was averted and Misbah’s half-century of baleful countenance and stubborn stroke was a contributory factor.
Misbah added 60 in 15 overs with Wahab Riaz for the ninth wicket to hold up England after lunch before a top-edged sweep against Moeen was held by Cook at short fine leg. Wahab continued to eye Moeen’s spin, slog-sweeping him for six and then reverse-sweeping him just short of the ropes. Moeen had him caught at deep midwicket by Hales, whose adoption of a pencil moustache gives him the look of a shifty character in a Miss Marple murder mystery.
Pakistan’s first innings went from bad to worse as they lost four wickets in the morning session. All four England quicks took a wicket in a session that was interrupted for an hour by rain.
Pakistan’s starting position was a dispiriting one: four wickets already lost for 57, still 532 runs in arrears. On a cloudier day, there was bounce and zip in the pitch and they proved unequal to the task.
It took six balls for England to sense that it might be an excellent bowling morning – Shan Masood edging James Anderson on the bounce to James Vince at third slip. Masood managed a more controlled boundary off Anderson, clipping off his pads, but a jab at a rising delivery later in the over gave Joe Root an inviting catch at second slip.
But even Misbah could not disguise his surprise when a back-of-a-length delivery from Broad exploded from the pitch, flew over his horizontal bat, and landed directly in the hands of Alastair Cook at first slip.
The rain break interrupted England’s progress, but when they resumed at 12.30pm it was not long before Asad Shafiq fell to a slower offcutter by Stuart Broad, a front-foot drive flying to Hales at backward point.
The most idiosyncratic innings, though, was played by Sarfraz Ahmed, whose slash at two of his first three balls, from Broad, indicated his state of mind. His counterattack lasted 18 balls, 26 riskily assembled, before he edged Ben Stokes to second slip.
Even Misbah was discomfited by a well-directed bouncer from Chris Woakes in the last over of the morning, flicking his glove as he jerked his head away in self-preservation and lost a piece from his helmet in the process.
All it required was for Woakes to take a wicket for England’s pace bowlers to complete the set. It duly arrived with Root’s third slip catch of the morning – and fourth of the innings – enabling England to go to lunch a ball early. Woakes had his fourth wicket, a self-effacing allrounder making a name for himself.
Chief selector needs a kick in his behind.
Mishbah alone can save match for Pakistan. England is clearly winning this match and will level the series. Good performance by England batsmen. Pakistan will need to ball well and don't let England score runs freely. First innings lead is heaps, don't think Pak batsmen can stay alive for that many overs.
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