Younis Khan produced a stunning double century to put Pakistan in complete control on day three of the final Test, as England’s second innings got off to a dismal start.
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After Younis’s superbly paced 218 turned out to be the cornerstone of Pakistan’s first innings total of 542, Yasir Shah, the legspinner, snared 3 for 15 as England slumped to 88 for 4 in their second essay – still 126 runs adrift, with two days left in the game.
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Hales (12) was then trapped lbw by Yasir Shah and the leg-spinner had Vince caught by Misbahul Haq at cover for a three-ball duck to leave the host reeling on 55 for three. But the introduction of the fiery Wahab Riaz got Pakistan the breakthrough they were looking for. Hales wasted a review as he went for one without even consulting with Joe Root at the non-striker’s end.
Younus needed 13 deliveries to add to his overnight tally – with a single off Stuart Broad – and 25 to register his first boundary of the day, as England beat the edge several times against both batsmen.
Pakistan’s top Test runscorer was jumping all over the crease before this match and looked all at sea against England’s pace attack.
Ballance survived a close Pakistan referral for lbw in Shah’s next over. But with Sarfraz bristling at the other end of the pitch, outscoring his senior partner by four runs to one in the first hour – particularly behind square on the leg side – Pakistan’s lead continued to climb steadily.
“I knew it would come, but I desperately wanted it to come in this Test”.
They earned the praise and admiration of their captain Alastair Cook by overturning a 103-run first-innings deficit to win at Edgbaston last week.
England managed only the wicket of Sarfraz Ahmed before lunch, caught-behind by a diving Jonny Bairstow as Chris Woakes (three for 82) took his series aggregate to 26 wickets. Finn finally ended the innings by taking the last wicket of Sohail Khan.
Amir took 24 balls to get off the mark but did so in dashing fashion when he hoisted Ali for six over deep midwicket.
The latter struck in his first over, Bairstow fumbling a stumping chance but the ball bouncing out of his gloves straight on to Wahab’s stumps.
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England thought they had claimed Younis before lunch when onfield umpire Bruce Oxenford adjudged him lbw on 133 off a rising delivery from Steven Finn (3-110) but the batsman successfully appealed the decision.
