If England are to win this third Test and take a 2-1 lead into next week’s series finale at The Oval then they are going to have to do it the hard way after enduring a frustrating second day here in Birmingham.
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England made an early breakthrough with the fourth ball of the day when Mohammad Hafeez cut James Anderson straight to Gary Ballance at point and was out for a duck.
But it was downhill from there for Alastair Cook’s men as the much-maligned Pakistan batting order took advantage of some wayward bowling and an increasingly benign wicket to end the day on 257/3.
The recalled Aslam scored a Test-best 82.
James Vince’s direct throw from short cover finally ended Aslam’s brilliant knock after tea, but England’s bowlers kept on struggling to get through the defences of Azhar. He was, however, given two reprieves en route to the landmark.
Their seamers improved after lunch but Anderson’s mood, already grumpy after an exchange with umpire Joel Wilson over running on the pitch, did not improve when Joe Root dropped a sharp chance away to his left at second slip – reprieving Azhar on 38.
Though Pakistan reduced their deficit to just 40 runs and have seven wickets in hand, Anderson believes that England can come back into the game with a few quick wickets in the first session of the third day.
Masood has been a walking wicket for Anderson, who has removed him in every innings they have faced each other. Mohammad Amir (2 for 53) had to wait until the second new ball for his two late wickets, while Rahat Ali also picked up 2 for 83. “I was probably a bit out of order”.
“The conditions have been a bit cloudy”, Misbah told BBC Radio’s Test Match Special.
“I’ve apologised for my behaviour to the umpire”, said Anderson.
Anderson said: “I had a bad half-hour where I let things get to me”.
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.
Left-handed batsman Aslam, 20, made two hundreds for Pakistan Under-19 against their English counterparts on a tour of England in 2013.
The last time Pakistan dropped Masood, in Sharjah during England’s visit to the UAE a year ago, his replacement was Azhar Ali who had missed the first two Tests of that series due to injury. He did have the consolation of notching up his highest Test score so far, easily surpassing the 20 he made against Bangladesh in Khulna past year.
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Azhar’s ungainly pulled four off paceman Stuart Broad saw him to his second Test century against England in 209 balls.
