Pakistan Pressed by Panesar

England going the full Monty

England have moved into a strong position to bring their three Test series against Pakistan back on level terms after a robust showing on the the third day at Abu Dhabi.

It was hard work, as this Pakistan side is more resilient than those collapsible outfits of the previous ten years. England's tail added valuable runs and again it was Stuart Broad who batted aggressively in the final four and made a half century as England secured a lead of 70. After Saeed Ajmal removed Prior by pinning him back in his crease and turning an off break past his inside edge, Broad had useful partnerships of 41 with Bell, 23 with Graeme Swann - in his usual hurry - and then a damaging 36 with Jimmy Anderson. Mohammad Hafeez and Abdur Rehman gradually removed the tail.

England started with Anderson and Broad but quickly handed over to Monty Panesar, so often ignored by the selectors in the last three years. He bowled an impeccable off stump line to the right handers and tied them down for long periods. In his twenty five overs he removed the three Pakistani danger men: Hafeez, Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-haq. Hafeez was lbw playing forward in a way that would have protected a batsman ten years ago and Misbah suffered the same fate, bat and pad together with the question mark over which it hit first. Technology had its say. Younis seemed to miss a straight one: done by the loop and drop of the delivery perhaps.

Swann removed Taufeeq in a carbon copy of the first innings, sending a ball on with the arm to hit off stump. At least this time Taufeeq played at the ball. Swann continues his mysterious habit of collecting wickets in the first over of a spell.

4-54 has crept out to 125 in a stand between Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq which has taken 33 overs but has put Pakistan back into the lead. Both men in their mid twenties, Pakistan has shown a lot of faith in retaining them despite only one century each in their combined total of 30 Test matches. There is little doubt in their ability but Pakistan will need hundreds from both tomorrow if England are to be troubled batting last. Adnan Akmal can be relied on for a few but the Pakistan tail is long and brittle leaving, in reality, only two wickets to play with in search of an extension of the current lead of 55 by at least another hundred.

The 5th wicket partnership was almost broken when Asad pushed to cover and took off, only to be sent back. Kevin Pietersen's underarm shy would have run him out had it hit.

If nothing else emerges this series, Pakistan have proved how competitive they can be.