Pakistan close in after Hafeez 151

Pakistan v England, 3rd Test, Sharjah, 4th day

Pakistan close in after Hafeez 151

England 306 and 46 for 2 (Cook 17*, Root 6*) need a further 238 to beat Pakistan 234 and 355 (Hafeez 151, Broad 3-44)

     England still have a chance of victory

Pakistan were circling a wounded opponent because the fourth day in Sharjah John Drew to a detailed with England 2 wickets down in pursuit of a apparently distant target of 284. A century from Muhammad Hafeez had underpinned Pakistan's fightback when concession a first-innings deficit and solely the presence of Alastair Cook and Joe Root, England's 2 best baseball player, at the crease gave the tourists slender reason to hope for Associate in Nursing historic finish.

Hafeez's outstanding 151 arranged the sturdiest of foundations and left England facing a battle to avoid a 2-0 defeat within the series. though the scores have gone up in every innings up to now during this match, the chase was a lot of vessel than something England had antecedently achieved in Asia and Pakistan's spinners looked much more adept than their English counterparts at taking advantage of as porting pitch.

The injury suffered by mountain Stokes on the primary day, effectively reducing England to ten match men and a bloody-minded No. eleven with a strapped-up shoulder, has else to the challenge. Even obtaining shut would represent one in all England's greatest achievements within the UAE, where ever they need nevertheless to win a take a look at in 5 tries and reckoning.

Pakistan square measure the masters of their domain, for all that England have run them onerous through out the series. Endeavour will solely get you up to now, however, and a skills deficit in bound areas - spin bowling, most notably - has allowed Pakistan to exert themselves at key moments. many lost possibilities within the field on the fourth day, most damagingly a campaigning before Hafeez hadelse to his long score, conjointly served to undermine what was Associate in Nursing praise worthily heart-whole effort.

England began their chase with a degree of elan. Moeen Ali overcame what looked a nasty blow to the rear of a the helmet once ducking into a Wahab Riaz guard to assist take twenty three off the gap four overs from Pakistan's quicks. however the battle was solely very joined once Misbah-ul-Haq turned to his spinners. This was wherever the take a look at would be won and lost.

Zulfiqar Babar's second ball snaked threateningly past Cook's off stump, the low bounce amplifying the sense of danger, and also the cries of the boys round the bat, junction rectifier by the ever-excitable Sarfraz Ahmed, began to echo louder and louder round the Sharjah Cricket structure as England's momentum dissipated. It took eighteen overs of spin for England to double their score.

For the second time within the match, Moeen fell to the off spin of Shoaib leader, a review failing to save lots of him when being caught on the crease by one that might have skidded on to hit leg stump. Malik, on his farewell take a look at look when saying his retirement at the shut of the third day, then brokenIan Bell's defences in his next over.

In between, Cook narrowly avoided being fired by Yasir crowned head for the fourth innings in succession, once hit on the pads attempting to sweep; Pakistan reviewed, with the on-field call upheld via umpire's decision. They resorted to the DRS once more, checking out another lbw call against Root off fictional character, with identical result. Given the quantity of possibilities created, the loss of each reviews didn't seem like being a significant hindrance.

For England, it had been daily of might-have-been. Hafeez was nearly fired double within the 1st over however he loose to record his ninth take a look at hundred and strengthen Pakistan's grip on thetake a look at. though England steady worked through the line-up, taking the last four wickets for forty three when Hafeez was sixth man out, the chase had already ballooned on the far side manageable proportions. A fifth-wicket stand of ninety three between Hafeez and Misbah was important.

Only 3 batsmen have managed to pass fifty in 3 completed innings however Hafeez rode many moments of fortune to post out and away the foremost important individual contribution of the match up to now, virtually double succeeding best score. This was his fourth hundred within the last twelvemonths and created him the fifth Pakistani to record a quantitative score within the series; England still solely have one, Cook's monument to concentration in Abu Dhabi.

England required a gentle trickle of wickets, if not Associate in Nursing outright torrent, how ever though the nightwatchman, Rahat Ali, was sent back within the second over, their hopes gaseous throughout the morning at the side of a succession of half-chances. in a very session that appeared crucial to the direction of the match, England's luck was of the desert selection.

It has purportedly been cooler in Sharjah however the breeze was processing Pakistan's manner. Hafeez had survived a review for lbw from the primary ball of the morning which gave the impression to trigger a rare bout of nerves, maybe recalling his dismissal for ninety eight on the primary day of the series in Abu Dhabi. Adil Rashid's gap delivery cornered Hafeez before however Hawk-Eye adjudged it to possess pitched outside leg stump; his third was a well-disguised bosie ball that beat the batsman's charge, turned past leg and left Jonny Bairstow grasping at nothingness with Hafeez yards from safety.

Finally, having visaged sixteen deliveries and lost his partner, Hafeez was ready to sweep the only needed to say his 1st take a look at hundred against England. He gave another clear probability onceon 109 however Stuart Broad was unable to know a reflex caught-and-bowled low to his left off a number one edge.

While Hafeez cast on, Misbah erected a wearyingly acquainted roadblock at the opposite finish and it had been a surprise once he fell to the second new ball for thirty eight, failing to post a period for the primary time in 5 innings. Broad set him up for the short ball with a cluster of leg-side fielders before housing him before of the stumps with a full, straight delivery.   

England would possibly - that word once more - have fired him while not marking, had they denote a brief leg throughout James Anderson's gap spell. once Misbah strode out, Anderson having speared another exactitude in swinger through Rahat's defences, Pakistan's lead was eighty and England may sense their chance. however Misbah was ready to fend away a vexatious guard and settle into his rhythm, clobbering Rashid over long-on for his twelfth six of the series.

England removed each batsmen at intervals four overs, Hafeez breakage Moeen somewhat lackadaisically to long-on, however there was additional within the tank, as Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz else a fast fifty five in brief order. That took the target on the far side England's highest undefeated pursuit in Asian conditions, 209 to beat Asian country in Dhaka 5 years agone.

Cook's spinners couldn't provide Associate in Nursingy management {and the|and therefore the|and conjointly the} dismissal of Sarfraz by Samit Patel with a sharply turning delivery throughout an over that also leaked 3 boundaries summed up their issues additionally because the challenge to come back.

Patel ought to even have removed Shafiq for twenty nine however Anderson, usually one in all England's most reliable catchers, unsuccessfully juggled a simple probability at position. The dismissal of Yasir finally gave Rashid a wicket on the stroke of tea Associate in Nursingd Broad then battle mented Shafiq shortly when the commencement before a run-out within the following over brought England's toil to an finish.