Umar Gul's three-wicket burst left England battling to save the opening test against Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

England, shot out for 192 in their first innings, collapsed to 75 for five at tea on the third day, still needing 71 runs to make Pakistan bat again.

Gul mowed down the top order, starting with skipper Andrew Strauss who departed for just six runs after a controversial dismissal.

Umpire Billy Bowden adjudged Strauss caught behind down the leg-side off Gul even though hotspot revealed no trace of the ball touching his bat or thighpad. The opener opted for a review but could not overturn the decision.

There was no such confusion about fellow opener Alastair Cook (five) who meekly gloved a Gul delivery, again down the leg side, to depart caught behind.

Gul struck another huge blow when he banged it in short at Kevin Pietersen who could not resist temptation and holed out to deep square leg as England slumped to 25 for three.

Spinners Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman then joined the party.

Ajmal trapped Ian Bell (four) leg before, a decision that was reviwed in vain, and Rehman dismissed Eoin Morgan (14).

Pakistan added 50 runs to their overnight total in the first session for the loss of their remaining three wickets. Adnan Akmal hit a gritty half-century before falling to Graeme Swann.