After first day’s impressive batting performance by Pakistan one would have expected them to extend their innings to get a respectable total. But the middle and late order crumbled once their captain was adjudged lbw in the day’s first over having made a very valuable century.

Losing six wickets prior to lunch for only 96 runs added to the overnight score was not to their liking but they surely were themselves responsible for the slide for not taking over the responsibility that Shan Masood, Misbah, Younis and later Asad Shafiq displayed.

Shafiq no doubt once again showed the maturity that he has acquired as a frontline batsman to stay and carve the field and keep the strike to himself. If only Sarfraz Ahmed and Wahab Riaz had not made those wild attempts to clout the bowlers, Shafiq surely would have notched up yet another century in this series.

It is the waiting game which gets you where you need to get in a game such as Test cricket. Unless one gets in that mode the end result is not to one’s liking. Misbah having done his job I am sure must have cribbed watching his men fall without a fight.

That England bowlers after Misbah’s dismissal immediately took control goes to their credit as they restricted Pakistan innings without allowing them much space or freedom to dictate the proceedings.

Not uncharacteristic of Pakistan to suddenly play in a different mode and get themselves into tangles.

The pitch remains as good as it could be for a five-day game, firm with a lot of opportunity for bowlers and batsmen.

Mark Wood showed that and so did Moeen Ali sharing six wickets between them.

As did Alastair Cook in partnership with his most dependable and prolific batsman Joe Root. This England side looks on a mission to prove themselves after their success in the Ashes Tests during last English summer.

It seems England have done their home work by watching miles of footage of both batsmen and bowlers of the Pakistan squad before they came here.

Needless to say, they must have focused very seriously to blunt the threat posed by Yasir Shah.

Their technique therefore is of a different kind to handle low and slow pitches of the UAE. A lot more different when I saw England perish against Saeed Ajmal and Zulfiqar Babar in the 3-0 whitewash they suffered here in 2012.

They seem more determined than ever to compete at equal level and that shows up when they bat or bowl.

Misbah and company therefore need to tighten up their overall make-up to be more assertive and authoritative to have their presence felt. So far I suppose Pakistan, barring minor hiccups, have done well to compete at equal level.

Root is an accomplished and proven batsman of quality. He is at the wicket and has the appetite to accumulate runs. Like his captain, the young right-hander has the capacity to stay at the wicket for long.

Much will depend on how well he carries others with him when England resume their innings in quest of taking lead today.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2015

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