Pakistan were dismissed for just 198 in reply to England’s huge 589 for eight declared – a deficit of 391 runs.
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But with Cook opting against using experienced paceman James Anderson and Stuart Broad after lunch, Pakistan added 79 runs in the second session.
“It was a pretty simple decision to bat again”, England assistant coach Paul Farbrace told Sky Sports.
Only two captains, since the end of the timeless Test era, have declined the follow-on option with bigger leads at their disposal – and each time Australia did not have cause for regret on their way to crushing wins in the whitewash Ashes series of 2006-07 and 2013-14.
“Fortune favours the brave” goes the axiom and since England were not being exactly fearless out there at the Old Trafford on Sunday, the rains came pouring down to further spoil their chances of winning the Test and level the series with Pakistan, who went one up in the four-match contest with their magnificent victory at Lord’s.
“We’re happy that he didn’t (enforce the follow-on), but England are so far ahead he could take time out and rest his quick bowlers”.
Between the late-afternoon and evening showers, Cook and Alex Hales then had limited opportunity for worthwhile progress.
Those words suggest clearly that England had made a decision to enforce but were spooked by a ninth-wicket stand of 60 between captain Misbah-ul-Haq and tail-ender Wahab Riaz. Cook passed 10,000 Test runs during the recent Test win over Sri Lanka at Durham, while Anderson is England’s most prolific Test bowler in history, with 455 wickets.
Shortly after play resumed, Asad Shafiq (4) drove loosely at a Broad slower ball and lobbed a catch to Hales at point.
Misbah took 47 balls to hit his first four – a square-drive off Anderson – and contrasting tactics helped the total into three figures.
Woakes, who took 11 wickets in defeat at Lord’s, saw his first over Sunday cost 11 runs as Sarfraz hit two well-struck boundaries. Misbah completed a 108-ball fifty before, sweeping once too often at off-spinner Moeen, he was caught at short fine leg by Cook.
Wahab hoisted Ali for six.
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Skipper Alastair Cook starts at the crease unbeaten on 49 with Joe Root on 23.
