Ali put on an exquisite 181-run partnership with Aslam, who suffered a run-out dismissal after scoring 82 runs.
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It was just looking like it might be James Vince’s day, but appearances again flattered to deceive as the Hampshire man got a start, making 39 – including one of the finest bits of timing through midwicket you could ever see – before perishing off Sohail into the hands of Younis Khan at slip.
“The last ball is always nervy – it was a loose shot”, Azhar told Sky Sports.
“That competitive edge has helped me throughout my career and at times I can get close to that line”, he said.
Anderson was removed from the attack by the umpire Aleem Dar for running on the pitch during the third Test with South Africa in Johannesburg over the winter and while he conceded it remains a minor problem in his game, he insists he does not want to lose his fiery nature on the field. It was unacceptable. I apologised to both umpires for my behaviour. “I know I was out of order for the way I behaved up to that point”.
He added: “We bowled pretty well”.
There could be a very tough little period for the English top order before stumps as well, and with that top order struggling their way through the summer, it could be carnage.
James Anderson gave the home side, who made 297 on day one, the ideal start by removing Mohammad Hafeez as the opener chased a wide delivery – Gary Ballance grabbing the chance at point.
The four-match series now stands level at 1-1.
20 years & 235 days Sami Aslam became the third youngest opener to score a fifty in England in the last 65 years after Ravi Shastri (20y 42d) and Hanif Mohammad (19y 192d).
That was nearly Azhar’s undoing, though, as he advanced down the track and smashed a return catch to Moeen Ali, the ball bursting through the off-spinner’s hands as he attempted to snare a hard chance above his head.
Yet the well-organised Aslam played with a composure belying his years.
Azhar nearly fell to Ali on 68, but the bowler was unable to hold a return chance above his head off a hard-hit drive.
Azhar had another life when Moeen (0-63) failed to take a sharp chance off his own bowling before lofting the spinner for a straight six and the impressive Aslam followed suit as the runs continued to come easily for the tourists. Batters like Gary Ballance, Alex Hales and James Vince are more conventional characters than Trott and Pietersen while Cook himself is a not a confrontational person.
This innings comfortably surpassed Aslam s previous Test-best of 20 against Bangladesh in Khulna a year ago.
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England, all out for 297 at stumps the previous evening, were collectively off target with the ball as both Aslam and Azhar were allowed to leave too often for home comfort.
