Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali survived close calls to hit half-centuries and lead England to 200-5 at tea on the first day of the fourth test against Pakistan after Wahab Riaz had rattled the top order with three wickets on Thursday.
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After another enthralling day’s play at the Oval, Pakistan went past England’s first innings total by 12 runs with four wickets standing in their first innings.
England and Pakistan head to Lord’s this week in the fourth and final test match of the Investec test series.
“Yes, it’s great to score a hundred outside Asia”.
Sarfraz gave Younis a helping hand to complete his 32nd Test century, a much-needed one, both from Younis’ and Pakistan’s perspective. After losing the first Test at Lord’s by 75 runs, England have bounced back with victories by 330 runs and 141 runs at Old Trafford and Edgbaston respectively.
The first to benefit – though not for long as it turned out – was Yasir, who had been the focus of heated attention from England’s fielders when play resumed, on account of his disputed catch at square leg to dismiss Alex Hales in England’s first innings.
“I like to think that what we do (in practice) is good – but when it comes to lack of concentration and missing chances, there’s not a lot we can do other than keep practising”. Except that Wahab, when Bairstow on 13 pushed a catch to point, was no-balled; and Moeen, on nine, was dropped at third slip by Azhar Ali off Amir.
At the time, Daily Mirror cricket correspondent Dean Wilson tweeted: “THAT IS OUT – Hales (6) clips Amir to Yasir at mid-wkt who takes a low catch diving forward”.
After lunch, it was confirmed that Pakistan’s Hanif Mohammad, one of cricket’s greatest batsmen and the original “Little Master”, had died aged 81 after a prolonged illness.
“It’s one that we’ve thought about and one I lay in bed thinking about it last night”.
While he remains, Pakistan can still contemplate a substantial lead – possibly even of the three-figure magnitude they squandered in Birmingham.
The blue and sunny skies above The Oval, allied to a good pitch, offered some of the best batting conditions this series.
Shafiq, who made a pair at Edgbaston batting at number six, responded to being promoted up the order with an innings which could prove pivotal to the outcome of this Test.
Finn put down a caught and bowled chance from Azhar, then on 35, before the batsman was caught behind on 49 gloving a sweep off Ali.
He responded to his elevation with a composed innings of 109 and together with the experienced Younis Khan (101 not-out) put on exactly 150 for the fourth wicket.
Off-spinning all-rounder Ali’s second Test hundred of the season, following his 155 not out against Sri Lanka at Chester-le-Street in May, took 140 balls, with 12 fours and two sixes. Unlike previous Pakistan hundreds this season, Shafiq opted against celebrating with a flamboyant press-up routine – a tribute to the military staff who had helped the squad get fit during a pre-tour boot camp.
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Moeen, though, batted sublimely, a languid presence at the crease, and although he lost Stuart Broad without scoring, and Steve Finn, he reached his third Test century with the last man Jimmy Anderson for company by launching Yasir Shah over midwicket for six. Misbah-ul-Haq, on 15, was caught by Hales in the gully and Iftikhar Ahmed was held by Moeen running back from mid-on.
