Assured 20-year-old opener Aslam, playing only his third Test, missed out on a first global hundred when he was run out, but Azhar took his tally of Test centuries to 10 before he was caught off the last ball of the day from Chris Woakes as Pakistan closed on 257-3 in reply to 297.
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That brought Azhar Ali to the middle, however, and he and Sami Aslam would soon turn English smiles into frowns as they dug in at the crease and put together a fantastic 181-run partnership for the second wicket – the second highest ever for Pakistan in England.
“But I’m really pleased that I got a hundred today”. Vince was watchful but became Sohail’s third victim on 39, being given out by the third umpire after his edge just carried to Younis Khan at slip.
That left Pakistan 143 runs behind England’s first innings 297.
Australia’s Oxenford twice officially warned Anderson in one over for running on the pitch, with the Lancashire star risking being barred from bowling again in the remainder of the Pakistan innings if he receives another such caution.
Azhar poked Woakes into the offside and set off for a non-existent single, with the luckless Aslam dismissed by James Vince’s direct hit from cover.
The recalled Aslam scored a Test-best 82.
And when Azhar was dropped off a caught and bowled chance by Moeen Ali just before tea, it meant England had been on the receiving end of a first full session of the series when no wickets had fallen.
That, however, was of little concern to a delighted Azhar, whose innings left the match intriguingly poised, with the four-Test series all square at 1-1.
“I know I was out of order with the way I behaved back then and have apologised to both umpires”. “I let things get to me and my behaviour wasn’t acceptable, a bit petulant”.
Pakistan had received a jolt only four balls into their innings when Hafeez fell for a duck after lazily guiding a short James Anderson delivery to Gary Ballance at point.
Azhar played well enough in fact to be able to celebrate his first century outside Asia in Pakistan’s self-styled manner this summer, with a dressing-room salute and press-ups.
For good measure, England dropped Azhar twice too – on 38 and 69 – a contrast to Pakistan’s flawless effort in the field the previous day.
“But that doesn’t always happen, and I think we’ve put ourselves in a decent position”.
Sohail made it tough for the home batsmen, in only his third Test and first for nearly five years at the age of 32.
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Both batsmen were circumspect, Azhar taking 129 balls to reach his fifty and Aslam getting there in 135, but with caution the need of the hour, they played their parts brilliantly. He did have the consolation of notching up his highest Test score so far, easily surpassing the 20 he made against Bangladesh in Khulna a year ago.
