Pakistan vs. England, 3rd Test, Day 1: Anderson, Broad Shine in Sharjah
Despite losing the toss again, and despite seeing Ben Stokes suffer a nasty shoulder injury, England will be the happier side after Day 1 of the third Test against Pakistan.
James Anderson and Stuart Broad combined to take six wickets as Pakistan—who opted to bat first at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates—were bowled out for 234.
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq led the way with 71, but too many of his team-mates failed to kick on after making promising starts.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Mohammad Hafeez (27), Shoaib Malik (38), Younis Khan (31) and Sarfraz Ahmed (39) perished when well set, the quartet all falling in soft fashion to undermine their team's efforts.
Samit Patel picked up two wickets in his comeback to the Test XI after nearly three years out.
Fellow spinner Moeen Ali also took two, but England's delight at knocking over their opponents was tempered by the loss of Stokes.
The Durham all-rounder was hurt attempting to take an acrobatic catch at backward square leg in the final session.
He landed heavily on his right shoulder and left the field with it wrapped up in a makeshift sling. The England and Wales Cricket Board later confirmed on Twitter that Stokes will be sent for a scan on Monday.
At least the tourists—who need to win to level the series—did not suffer a batting casualty during the two overs they had to face before the close, reaching four without loss at stumps.
Here Bleacher Report picks out some of the major talking points from Day 1 in Sharjah.
The Method of Misbah
Misbah once again showed his value to Pakistan, managing a top score of 71 in his side's below-par innings.
The current Test could well be his last, with the 41-year-old telling Umar Farooq of ESPN Cricinfo prior to the series, "I have come to a certain stage of my career where I have started considering [retirement]."
However, having registered his fourth successive score of 50 or more in the series, Misbah may want to carry on for a little while longer.
His methods are obvious against England's attack. He has defended delivery after delivery from the seamers, then looked to be aggressive against the slow bowlers. Forget about moving through the gears, he either had the handbrake on or his foot to the floor.
Against Anderson, Broad and Stokes, Misbah registered nine runs from 68 balls. In contrast, he scored 62 from 92 when facing the spin trio of Moeen Ali, Patel and Adil Rashid.
Eventually, he perished to Anderson, caught sharply by Joe Root in the slips, although by then he had been left high and dry with only the tail for company.
Still, Misbah had held the innings together, showing why the Pakistan Cricket Board wants its current skipper to keep going beyond the Test.
Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman, said about Misbah, per ESPN Cricinfo: "We have told him to delay his retirement for a year if he is thinking on those lines. We feel his presence as captain and senior player will be invaluable to the team for the Test tours to England and Australia next year."
Spin Issues
England bolstered their spin options by selecting all-rounder Patel in place of pace bowler Mark Wood, who was ruled out because of an ankle problem.
The pitch in Sharjah spun from the very start, much to the delight of Moeen, Patel and Rashid.
However, as has become apparent over the course of the series, England's slow-bowling cupboard is pretty bare right now.
Moeen and Rashid did rip through Pakistan in the second innings of the first Test, but that seems to be the exception rather than the norm.
Both have been guilty of bowling too many loose deliveries during the tour, and once again their spells were punctuated by the odd full toss or long hop.
Perhaps because of his greater consistency, Patel ended up sending down the most overs of the lot.
Playing in his first Test since December 2012, the 30-year-old's comeback was nearly cut short after two balls. He dislocated the little finger on his left hand when fielding off his own bowling in his opening over.
However, the damage was quickly repaired, and he was able to play a full part on Day 1.
Patel picked up two for 85 from 23 overs, with the delivery to dismiss Asad Shafiq turning sharply to take the outside edge and present new wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, who had replaced the out-of-form Jos Buttler behind the stumps, with a simple catch.
The possible absence of Ben Stokes could see Patel take on an even bigger role in the match, starting with the bat on Day 2. This is an opportunity he must seize at this stage of his career.
All Seams Well
While England's spinners had a mixed Sunday (and that's putting it kindly) on a helpful pitch, the three seamers were excellent on a surface that hardly offered a lot of assistance to faster men.
Anderson and Broad were outstanding.
Not only did they combine to take six wickets, they also gave very little away. Their combined figures, as tweeted by journalist Lawrence Booth, showed just how well they had performed.
Following a miserly post-lunch spell, Broad picked up one for one from eight overs. That included a 40-delivery stint without conceding a run off the bat.
Anderson, meanwhile, returned in the final session to wrap up the tail and complete a very good day for not only himself but also his team. His economy rate for the series now stands at a paltry 1.83.
Stokes' efforts should also be highlighted. While the all-rounder did not pick up a wicket, his 11 overs gave up only 23 runs. Whether he can play any further part in the match is unknown.
However, Anderson and Broad can cope all by themselves, particularly if they have the added comfort of a decent first-innings lead.
What Next in This Test?
The events on Day 1 have hurried the match along.
Pakistan's spinners will not be as inconsistent as their English counterparts, and the tourists will know they need to at least get on level terms by the end of their first innings.
Ideally, though, they will want to build an advantage that puts Pakistan under serious pressure when they come out to bat again, whenever that may be.
Patel's selection has bolstered England's batting, but Stokes' injury setback could leave them a player light. Every run will count, and Misbah's knock may yet prove to be crucial in the final reckoning.
Either way, the third Test will have a positive result. Best of luck trying to work out which team will be the one celebrating at the end, though.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
