England set about Pakistan with intensity in the first session, sharing four wickets around the four seam bowlers.
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Alastair Cook after deciding against enforcing follow-on to Pakistan went on to remain not-out on 49, alongside Joe Root who was not-out on 18 with their score on 98 for 1.
Alex Hales was dismissed for 24 with England on 68-1 when Mohammad Amir had him caught behind from an inside edge. The 198 carded by Pakistan left them 391 runs behind and looking likely to bat again into the evening. The final two wickets added 79 runs, with captain Misbah reaching a half-century and Wahab Riaz thrashing an entertaining 39.
Earlier, Root went serenely past 150 as England moved on to 427 for five at lunch on the second day of the second test against Pakistan in Manchester on Saturday.
“It was a pretty simple decision to bat again”, England assistant coach Paul Farbrace told Sky Sports.
Despite the huge lead, England chose to bat again before three rain delays interrupted their response. There’s no point risking putting ourselves under pressure later on.
“It could have gone either way, but I think it’s the right decision and hopefully we’ll be proven right”.
The hosts had declared their first innings at 589-9 with Pakistan already in trouble at the start of play on day three as they resumed on 57-4.
Root is the third batsmen in this England team to have scored more than 250, after Alastair Cook and Stokes – a first for the national side – and admitted the satisfaction from going so big is what drives him to succeed. Four overs into the day’s play, James Anderson (1-27) had Shan Masood (39) caught in the slip cordon.
That gave Shah then-innings figures of one for 139 in 38.4 overs – a marked contrast to his man-of-the-match return of 10 for 141 during Pakistan’s 75-run win in the first Test at Lord’s last week.
At 71-5 England sensed blood, only to be halted by an influx of typical Manchester rain.
Sarfraz Ahmed may have come in at 76 for six but the wicket-keeper stuck to his attacking game and got off the mark when he cut Broad over Hales’s head for four.
Ben Stokes, back following a knee injury, then had the experienced Younis caught down the legside by wicket-keeper Bairstow for just one. Nightwatchman Rahat was caught at short leg via a Woakes bouncer, as Pakistan stumbled to the close.
There was no compelling reason for Cook’s conservatism – although Misbah-ul-Haq’s hard-working 108-ball 50, and some belated support from Wahab Riaz, did hold England up after the tourists had descended to 119-8 at lunch.
He added another four in his 88-ball half-century, his second in five innings.
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But left-arm quick Wahab was hit on the forearm by Woakes when batting and did not bowl later Sunday.
