Pakistan are mostly likely to bring Iftikhar Ahmed as replacement for opener Muhammad Hafeez who couldn’t do well with the bat in all three matches.
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Thursday’s first day at The Oval was yet another day for Pakistan where a sloppy fielding display proved costly for the visitors.
If England can wrap up this innings quickly they will again be firm favourites but they will be concerned that Moeen was again expensive, going at more than five runs an over in his 16 overs but claiming the wicket of Azhar with the help of a review to a catch by Jonny Bairstow, whose keeping was excellent throughout.
2-3 England’s win-loss record at The Oval in their last six Tests here, since 2010.
Azhar, on 35, was then given a reprieve when he pushed a drive back at Finn only for the 6ft 7in bowler to drop the low chance despite getting both hands to the ball, with Pakistan then 91 for two.
“We have have to get 100 more from here”.
“Our seam bowlers have played less cricket”.
6 Centuries by England’s No. 6 and No. 7 in Tests this year – the most by a team in a calendar year, including two from Ali, including today. And then to get that wicket was a massive one as well.
Pakistan were 52 for two at that stage and could have been put under serious pressure if Shafiq had been dismissed on seven. It was asking a lot for Shah to maintain that form on English pitches. “I don’t think it will affect anyone, it certainly hasn’t affected our changing room”.
“I feel I have made an impact with the bat and I hope I can do the same with the ball”, he added.
But Asad Shafiq (79no) and Younis Khan (26no) were largely unruffled making serene progress for the remainder of the session stretching their partnership to 69 runs as Pakistan reached tea at 196-3.
Younis has had a lean series with just 122 runs in six innings.
Unfortunately, Pakistan couldn’t keep their foot down for the rest of the day with Yasir Shah not taking a wicket and going at nearly four runs per over, once again a far cry from his wonderful first Test performance.
The hosts slumped to 110 for five after Alastair Cook won the toss under heavy cloud cover and on a green pitch.
England will therefore stick with their tried-and-tested seam attack, with Moeen Ali offering the spin option.
But a source inside the Pakistan camp has informed Sport360 that a number of players do believe that England tampered with the ball.
If England avoid defeat at The Oval, they will hold series titles against all the other nine Test-playing nations.
Pakistan can also go top of the rankings, but would not only need to win the Test, but also rely on Australia not winning the final Test in their current series in Sri Lanka, and India failing to beat the West Indies by a margin of more than two Tests.
Either way, it’s going to be another intriguing day of action.
“In an ideal world we would like to give him a go, but it’s a results driven business and we must be fully focused on that at the moment”.
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Cook has been to the brink and back as skipper, but heading into his last Test of the summer he has never been in a stronger position, and is still hungry to continue through to the Ashes in 2017.
