Moeen Ali starred with both bat and ball as England beat Pakistan by 141 runs to win the third Test at Edgbaston on Sunday (Aug 7).
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The win leaves England 2-1 ahead in the four-match series.
India was his first port of call as full-time Test captain in 2012 and he scored three centuries in four Tests to lead his side to their first series win in the country for 27 years.
Finn’s dismissal of Misbah ended a sequence of 71.3 overs for England without taking a wicket, dating back to the Lord’s Test against Sri Lanka in June – having conceded 228 runs in that time. “Our seamers were fantastic, it showed how good they are today on a flat pitch”.
James Anderson returned after tea to have Yasir Shah taken at fourth slip and Mohammad Amir drove Stuart Broad low to point.
Finn then combined with Woakes in a sensational Pakistan collapse against some reverse swing when he had Misbah-ul-Haq caught behind and brought one back enough into the left-hander Aslam to clip the top of the stumps. Asad Shafiq got a pair at No. 6 after playing 49 consecutive innings without a duck before this Test and for Sarfraz Ahmed it was his first duck of his Test career in his 43rd innings.
Earlier, Pakistan were bowled out for 400 in reply to England’s first innings 297, a lead of 103 runs.
Number 10 and 11 Sohail and Rahat Ali did add some resistance with 36 and 15 respectively but England’s bowlers were the dominant force as they eventually dismissed their opponents out for 201.
That was a highly improbable situation after England had played moderately on the first two days.
“We knew that if we batted well in our second innings Pakistan would have to bat last on the fifth day so in that respect it was a fairly even game”.
As for Bairstow’s recent England form, Root said: “I think the way he has applied himself to Test cricket over the last 18 months has been great.”As for when England might declare, vice-captain Root said: “I’m sure Cookie will want a night to mull it over.But we’ve just got to rock up tomorrow with the right mentality to take 10 wickets”.
Pakistan’s chase got off to a stuttering start as Mohammad Hafeez (two) fell cheaply for the second time in the match before first-innings stars Aslam and Azhar Ali repaired the damage with a stand of 73.
Bairstow had added just one run to his overnight score when he was lbw to Sohail Khan on review.
Moeen Ali (86 not out) smashed two sixes and a four in the first over of the day, signalling England’s intent.
However, Moeen then accounted for Azhar on 38, inducing an edge to Cook at second slip, and with Younis Khan managing just a 17-ball 4, Pakistan was reduced to 124 for 3.
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Bairstow received excellent support from Ali, who played several fine shots of his own against a tiring Pakistan attack featuring just four frontline bowlers.
