Pakistan vs. England, 3rd Test, Day 2: James Taylor Calls the Tune for Tourists
It was slow going, but England battled hard with the bat to take control of the third Test against Pakistan.
The tourists closed Day 2 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, on 222 for four, meaning they trail by just 12 runs.
James Taylor, recalled to the side for a match England must win to level the series, finished up unbeaten on 74.
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He shared an unbroken stand worth 83 with Jonny Bairstow, who was 37 not out at stumps.
England captain Alastair Cook contributed 49 and Ian Bell weighed in with 40, putting the tourists within touching distance of Pakistan's first-innings total of 234.
Here, Bleacher Report picks out some of the major talking points from the action, starting with an England icon who might well be a fading force.
Bell Silenced
Bell’s series has been one of steady starts but without a big score.
The right-hander has managed 158 runs at an average of 39.50 during the trip, including making a half-century in the final innings of the second Test.
Those numbers are steady enough. Bell’s career mark is just below 43, and it should be remembered only captain Alastair Cook (who made 263) has made a three-figure score for the tourists so far in the series.
However, the one statistic that does make for intriguing reading is Bell’s strike rate. The Warwickshire batsman has scored at 31.91 runs per 100 balls.
The problem for him hasn’t been occupation but accumulation. Bell has always been a busy player at the crease, capable of ticking over with dabs and deft flicks in between the beautiful boundary shots.
Now, though, that fluency has gone missing. It might be temporary, but it could also be a sign of a gradual decline towards retirement.
In England’s first innings of the third Test, Bell dug in and did all he could to help his team’s cause.
He battled away to reach 40, then perished after building a platform. Looking to come down the wicket to leg-spinner Yasir Shah, Bell ended up shimmying too far towards leg. He missed the delivery, resulting in him being stumped by wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed.
According to OptaJim on Twitter, it was a case of history repeating itself at the venue:
Bell has now gone 22 innings since his last Test ton. During that time, he’s scored 40 or more on six occasions but never gone on beyond 65.
He is just doing enough to keep his head above water, making scores just big enough to see him retain his place in a young side that needs his experience and expertise.
But, with Taylor scoring runs and England unlikely to continue with all-rounder Moeen Ali as an opener beyond the current series, there is now real competition for spots in England’s middle order.
Patience Pays Off
Taylor had to be patient for a second crack at Test cricket.
He previously played two matches back in 2012, during a summer series against South Africa that was overshadowed by Kevin Pietersen’s text messages to the opposition, resulting in the batsman being dropped for the final Test.
Taylor made 34 when batting alongside KP in the second Test at Headingley. He helped put on a stand worth 147—well, helped in that he hung around while Pietersen pummeled the Proteas to all parts of the ground.
Much has changed since then. Pietersen is now a thing of the past for England, but Taylor looks like he could very much be part of their future.
The diminutive right-hander finally got a chance to play another Test following the decision to drop wicketkeeper Jos Buttler. With Bairstow taking over the gloves, a space became free in the batting order.
The 25-year-old looked right at home on Day 2 in Sharjah. In fact, he looked so impressive at the crease that the selectors will be asked just why they've waited so long to give Taylor another go.
On a slow, spinning pitch, Taylor recorded his maiden Test half-century.
He combated Pakistan’s slow bowlers with decisive footwork, whether forward or back. He worked the ball in the gaps, swept to leg whenever he had the opportunity and ran hard between the wickets.
By the close, Taylor had pushed England to the brink of a lead.
He also made sure his name would be in the XI for the foreseeable future, which is no small feat for a player who had never previously played a Test overseas.
Negative Spin
Yasir Shah was always going to be the main threat for Pakistan with the ball.
The leg-spinner picked up eight wickets in his side’s victory in the second Test, and the surface in Sharjah looked like it had been prepared just for him.
Yasir did pick up two big wickets on Day 2, dismissing Cook and Bell when both had looked settled out in the middle.
All-rounder Shoaib Malik also picked up a wicket with his off-spin, but fellow slow bowler Zulfiqar Babar failed to make a breakthrough during Monday’s play.
The left-armer sent down 25 wicketless overs. He did only go for 60 runs, but this wasn’t a pitch where containment was the spinner’s main job.
Pakistan needed more from him. They needed wickets to prevent England getting up towards parity after both sides had batted once, let alone potentially build a first-innings lead.
Zulfiqar has now claimed just six scalps through the entire series. His strike rate sits at a whopping 159.
The 36-year-old needs to deliver for his team in the remainder of the match, or else they may look elsewhere for a supporting act to work alongside Yasir.
What Next in this Test?
England have, slowly but surely, batted themselves into a promising position.
Obviously, they will want to build a big first-innings advantage—even if Ben Stokes' shoulder injury may mean they are effectively five wickets down.
Taylor and Bairstow may need to do the bulk of the work, but the tail contains some dangerous hitters who could cause Pakistan problems.
Pakistan showed in the first Test—when they collapsed so dramatically in their second innings on Day 5— that they can be susceptible to crumbling under pressure.
There is one thing certain about Day 3: By the end of it, the outcome of the Test will be much clearer.
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