RAWALPINDI: England are sniffing opportunity. Even on a flat track, on which three Pakistan batters — including skipper Babar Azam — brought up their hundreds on Saturday, the visitors are not ruling out a win for themselves.

England managed to take seven wickets on the third day of the first Test here at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, and after having amassed 657 in the first innings, they had a 158-run advantage at the close of play.

Pakistan were 499-7 at stumps, with Salman Ali Agha and tailender Zahid Mahmood at the crease — a situation from which they are unlikely to get far ahead of England.

“Seven wickets in a day is something very good,” England’s Will Jack, who bagged three wickets with his so-called part-time off-spin, said in the post-play press conference.

“We’ll be looking to push through [the remaining Pakistan batters] as quickly as possible in the morning and then give them a score to chase.”

Jacks said the pitch may have remained a belter in the first three days, but added that it was showing slight signs of deterioration as the Test goes on, indicating there might be an interesting end to the game.

“Later in the day it did feel like there was a little bit more [spin], definitely more than yesterday, so we’re hoping as the game goes on, by day five it will be good to bowl on.”

The surface, nonetheless, was good enough for Pakistan openers Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique to complete their centuries early in the day before Babar stole the show, entertaining the Rawalpindi crowd with an aesthetically pleasing hundred, his first against England.

The Pakistan captain put on show an array of shots, including a signature cover drive off England pacer Ollie Robinson, and demonstrated nifty footwork to attack off spinners Jacks, Jack Leach and Joe Root. Babar’s innings was studded with 19 fours and a six.

The 27-year-old was ably assisted by debutant batter Saud Shakil as the duo put on 123 for the fourth wicket before the latter was caught behind off Robinson for 37.

Babar’s innings came to an end when he miscued a cut shot off Jacks to Leach at point before England got Mohammad Rizwan — who hit five fours in his 44-ball 29 — giving veteran pacer James Anderson his first Test wicket in Pakistan 19 years after his debut.

Tailender Naseem Shah was the last Pakistan batter to fall, becoming Jacks’ third wicket with the part-timer having bowled more than 30 overs.

Earlier, Abdullah and Imam ended their 225-run partnership after adding 114 and 121. First drop Azhar Ali scored 27.

Abdullah became Jacks’ first Test victim after attempting a cut shot and instead deflecting the ball into Ollie Pope’s waiting gloves.

Abdullah’s third Test hundred included 13 fours and three sixes. Leach removed Imam by luring the left-hander into stepping out only to find Robinson at long on. Imam smashed 15 fours and two sixes in his third Test hundred — all three of which have come at Rawalpindi.

Azhar Ali (27) got an extra life on 20 when Zak Crawley spilled him at leg slip but could not capitalise and fell lbw to Leach a short while later.

Imam said unlike England, Pakistan weren’t thinking too much about a result and that the focus was to cut down the deficit.

“We are thinking only of tomorrow for now and will look to stay on the crease for as long as possible,” Imam told reporters. “We’ll see later what situation arises and play accordingly.”

Imam echoed Jacks remarks about the pitch but said Pakistan were confident about dealing with whatever is presented to them in the remaining two days.

“There is wear and tear in the pitch, it’s keeping slightly low and will definitely change on the last two days,” he said. “But we have encountered such situations before so a lot will depend on the first session tomorrow.”

Scoreboard

ENGLAND (1st Innings): 657 (H. Brook 153, Z. Crawley 122, O. Pope 108, B. Duckett 107; Zahid 4-235, Naseem 3-140)

PAKISTAN: (1st Innings, overnight 181-3)

Abdullah Shafique c Pope b Jacks 114

Imam-ul-Haq c Robinson b Leach 121

Azhar Ali lbw b Leach 27

Babar Azam c Leach b Jacks 136

Saud Shakeel c Pope b Robinson 37

Mohammad Rizwan c Stokes b Anderson 29

Agha Salman not out 10

Naseem Shah c Leach b Jacks 15

Zahid Mahmood not out 1

EXTRAS (B-7, NB-2) 9

TOTAL (for seven wickets, 136 overs) 499

STILL TO BAT: Haris Rauf, Mohammad Ali

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-225 (Abdullah), 2-245 (Imam), 3-290 (Azhar), 4-413 (Saud), 5-473 (Babar), 6-475 (Rizwan), 7-497 (Naseem)

BOWLING: Anderson 20-4-47-1, Robinson 18-2-64-1 (2nb), Leach 42-5-160-2, Jacks 33-5-132-3, Root 16-3-54-0, Stokes 7-0-35-0.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2022