Pakistan vs. England, 3rd Test, Day 3: Hafeez Masterclass Puts Pakistan in Front
Pakistan fought back valiantly on the third day of this finely poised Test match in Sharjah, ending the day 74 runs ahead of England with seven wickets still in the bank.
The early loss of James Taylor, who only managed to add two to his overnight score, initiated an English collapse that saw their last six wickets fall for only 84 runs.
Pakistan's openers Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali then compiled a century stand to firmly wrestle control of this contest back in their side's favour.
However, a trio of wickets in the last hour meant that Alastair Cook's men are still in the game, and Wednesday's first session is going to be crucial.
Let's have a look at the takeaways from Tuesday's play.
Was it a good or bad morning for England?
It's hard to say.
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After fighting so hard on Monday and beginning the day just 10 runs adrift and with six wickets in hand, England would have been aiming for a 100-plus advantage at the halfway point.
Instead, after Rahat Ali had Taylor caught behind and Jonny Bairstow was cleaned up by Zulfiqar Babar, Pakistan were right back in business.
A crucial 40-run partnership between Samit Patel and Adil Rashid see-sawed the game back in England's favour slightly, and by the time Ben Stokes' brave knock came to an end, the first-innings advantage was worth 72 runs.
Of course, if Cook had been offered this lead at the start of the match, he would have taken it, but considering the position at the start of play, he would have been hoping for a few more.
Postman Patel
After spending a few years in the international wilderness, Samit Patel, a surprise call-up for this tour, delivered a significant score with the bat to help England take a first-innings lead.
The Nottinghamshire man has long been adept at facing spin, and his innings of 42, which contained six boundaries, was an exhibition in how to play the turning ball.
However, Patel, who is primarily a batsman who chips in with some "useful" slow left-arm, has seemingly been picked to take wickets too, against a side that is extremely comfortable at facing spin.
Pakistan clearly know this and attacked him from the off, leaving the 30-year-old with wicketless figures of 40 runs from 11 overs at the end of the day.
Mo-vember
Having already scored 202 runs in the series prior to this match, Mohammad Hafeez will sleep well knowing he's just three runs away from scoring his ninth Test century.
The 35-year-old mixed technical excellence with power, as evidenced by his brutal shot that dispatched a regulation Jimmy Anderson delivery deep into the stands.
Hafeez has always had the talent and has been an easy-on-the-eye batsman to watch when in full flow.
However, a lack of consistency means he's only played 47 Tests since making his debut in August 2003, but judging by this knock, he's still got a few more innings left in him yet.
The economy of pace
It is worth taking a look at some of the incredible economy rates that the fast bowlers have returned so far in this contest. Anderson and Stuart Broad have bowled 54.1 overs between them, conceding just 85 runs in the process, at an economy rate of just over 1.57.
In fact, at one point, the pair had conceded just two boundaries from the combined total of 44 overs they had delivered!
Similarly, Pakistan's speed merchants, Wahab Riaz and Rihat Ali, have so far served up 42 overs at a cost of only 81 runs, an economy rate of 1.93.
Pace is clearly difficult to score off on this Sharjah track.
Goodbye Shoaib
And finally, at the end of a long day's cricket, news emerged from the Pakistan camp that Shoaib Malik has decided to retire from Test cricket at the end of this tussle.
Still a comparative youngster compared to the likes of Misbah-Ul-Haq (41) and Younis Khan (37), after 34 Tests, 1,860 runs and 25 wickets, the 33-year-old has decided to focus on white-ball cricket.
The all-rounder had a mixed day on the field, finishing with four for 33 with the ball—his best Test figures— but being dismissed for a duck by a superb Anderson in-swinger.
Still, memories of Malik's huge double century at Abu Dhabi, where he finished on 245, are still fresh. Not a bad note to be remember for.
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