Earlier, Pakistan ended the second day having collapsed to 57 for four in reply to England´s first innings 589 for eight declared, a huge deficit of 532 runs.
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We must remember that Pakistan’s is a very unusual attack – how often do you see three left-arm seamers and a leg-spinner in a side? – and Root adopted the unusual tactic of taking an off-stump guard to combat them.
England moved relentlessly towards a series-levelling victory over Pakistan on a rain-disrupted third day of the second test in Manchester on Sunday.
In contrast to old customs, England didn’t enforce follow-on against Pakistan and chose to bat in their second innings.
Shah leaked 111 runs off his wicketless 31 overs on Day 1 as England cruised to 314 for 4, with Alastair Cook and Joe Root notching up respective centuries. Yet Cook chose the cautious route – much to the frustration of former England skipper Michael Vaughan.
Yet Cook, on a day where four rain interruptions caused caused 27 overs to be lost, made a decision to bat again.
England went to tea at 210 for two heading into the final session of the first day of the second Test. Cook was out for 105 off what became the last ball before tea when he was bowled off an under-edge by an Amir delivery that kept low.
Captain Alastair Cook gave his regular new-ball pair first crack at making further inroads, and James Anderson and Stuart Broad each struck once in an extended morning session which was interrupted for an hour by forecast rain.
Opener Alex Hales was the sole wicket to fall, dismissed for 24, during England’s second innings.
Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, top-scored for his side with 52 and shared a ninth-wicket stand of 60 with Wahab Riaz, who made a Test-best 39.
Poor fielding has been a feature of Pakistan’s play this series and Bairstow was reprieved on nine when he edged Shah only for wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed to fumble the catch, after several juggled attempts.
Arthur added: “It probably gives us a bit better chance but. irrespective of when Alastair made a decision to declare, we’re still going to have to bat damned well”.
Woakes had claimed 11 Pakistan wickets during England’s 75-run defeat at Lord’s last week and he again underlined his status as England’s most improved bowler during his first spell of this match that saw him take three for 18 in six overs.
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Typical of their plight was that when Sarfraz played defensively at Ben Stokes, he succeeded only in giving Root another routine slip catch. Misbah completed a 108-ball fifty before, sweeping once too often at off-spinner Ali, he was caught at short fine leg by Cook. Ali soon followed it up with the wicket of Riaz, who played a handy knock laced with five fours and a six.
