Ali’s 108 was the cornerstone of England’s 328 all out.
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Pakistan finished the day on 3-1, with Azhar Ali and nightwatchman Yasir Shah yet to score.
England’s quest to complete their set of series wins over all Test nations got off to a promising start ahead of the fourth Investec Test, when Alastair Cook won the toss and chose to bat first against Pakistan at the Kia Oval. They struggled through the early goings and were at one point reduced to 5 for 110.
With Jonny Bairstow, who scored 55, he added 93 for the sixth wicket, before combining with Chris Woakes (49) to pile on 79 from just 86 deliveries. Ali reached yet another hundred.
That left Moeen to marshal the tail on his way to a century, brought up by launching Yasir over deep midwicket for six.
Thursday’s innings was the third of Moeen’s Test centuries and the second of his season after his 155 not out against Sri Lanka at Chester-le-Street in May.
Shafiq claimed his ninth test century, hitting two sixes and 12 fours, before he pulled Finn to mid-wicket where Stuart Broad held an excellent diving catch.
Cook made a decision to bat first despite overcast conditions and a green-tinged pitch offering the promise of assistance for Pakistan’s seamers.
England were 23 for one and that became 69 for two when Cook, who added just two runs to his score following his earlier let-off, played Sohail Khan onto his own stumps.
Meanwhile, on the other hand, Pakistan handed a Test cap to Iftikar Ahmed, who replaced Mohammad Hafeez while Wahab Riaz came in for Rahat Ali.
Cook was dropped on 35 by Iftikhar Ahmed at first slip off Wahab Riaz and although that slip cost no more when he dragged on shortly after (the first victim of Sohail’s 5-68) Vince’s exit, which left England reeling at 74-4, should have been the key for Pakistan driving through defences. Ali’s innings had not only anchored the England innings but also ensured the scoreboard kept ticking over, his runs coming at a strike rate of 71.05 and included 13 fours and two sixes.
But he was soon into his stride with a boundary later in the same over although was dropped on nine at third slip by Azhar Ali off Mohammad Amir.
Moeen dropped on 15 – clipped firmly off his legs and Azhar, at short leg, can not hold on to one that barely qualifies as a chance.
Pakistan could also do with some runs from Younis Khan, the sole survivor from their controversial 2006 Test against England at The Oval where the tourists forfeited the match by refusing to play after being penalised five runs for ball-tampering by the umpires.
Players and officials wore black armbands in memory of the more than 70 people killed during an explosion at a hospital in Quetta, south-west Pakistan, on Monday.
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Perhaps we should have taken more notice of the shape of that Test, one in which the momentum was very much with Pakistan until England’s second innings turned a deficit of over 100 runs into a lead of 342.
