MOEEN Ali struck a magnificent hundred to lead an England recovery on day one of the fourth Investec Test with Pakistan at the Kia Oval.
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Earlier, Cook had opted to bat despite overcast conditions and a green-tinged pitch, but England progressed relatively smoothly to 69 for 1.
However, Jonny Bairstow and Moeen stabilised the innings with a 93-run stand that at times led a charmed life. It was blinder of a catch to dismiss a hardcore Asad.
However, the 29-year-old’s innings on Thursday was the third of his Test centuries and the second of his season after his 155 not out against Sri Lanka at Chester-le-Street in May.
Chris Woakes was denied his customary wicket in the first over of a spell when Yasir, on 21, edged him to gully only for Alex Hales to drop the two-handed catch.
Thursday’s second session also saw Amir bowl his first no-ball in worldwide cricket since his return earlier this year – although it was nothing like the deliberate overstep against England in the Lord’s Test of 2010 that led to his five-year ban and jail sentence for spot-fixing.
Fast bowler Sohail Khan returned the figures of 5-68 to register his second five-for in the series.
Players and officials all 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.
There was swing available with the new ball, on a surface of decent pace, but Hales’ dismissal was a curiosity which owed nothing to either of those factors and left the vexed batsman far from convinced.
He walked off the field only after third umpire Joel Wilson confirmed standing umpire Bruce Oxenford’s initial decision.
Hales, it seemed, hit the ball so well he had defeated the cameramen – and for his trouble, aghast and muttering in apparent disbelief, he had to go.
That’s exactly what they did on the final day of the third Test at Edgbaston.
Flags above The Oval pavilion flew at half-mast in honour of Hanif Mohammad, the legendary Pakistan batsman who died aged 81 on Thursday.
Ballance, who made eight, was also undone by Wahab, as Azhar Ali claimed a juggling catch at third slip.
The visitors have added 49 runs till now to their overnight score of 3/1 with Yasir Shah and Azhar Ali at the crease.
The same bowler ended the innings of Bairstow (55) after tea by virtue of a loose drive that was taken by Sarfraz, and Chris Woakes’ fine summer continued as he made 45 before edging Sohail behind.
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In ideal batting conditions on a bright sunny day, the touring side lost only the wicket of nightwatchman Yasir Shah as they bid for a victory that would level the series at 2-2. Having now taken 462 worldwide test wickets to date, the Lancashire man has moved 12 points ahead of closest rival Ravichandran Ashwin, with the Indian spinner now just ahead of fellow England bowler Stuart Broad.
