England vs Pakistan report: Hosts' under-fire middle order finally stand up but tourists hold advantage

Half-centuries from Gary Ballance and Moeen Ali could yet prove decisive in this match after failures from Alastair Cook, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow.

England’s under-fire middle order finally stood up on the opening day of this third Test but Pakistan will feel they are on top after dismissing Alastair Cook’s side for 297.

Half-centuries from Gary Ballance and Moeen Ali could yet prove decisive in this match after failures from Alastair Cook, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow. That trio have held England’s fragile batting order together all summer, with Cook and Root’s runs in the second Test setting up their side’s series-levelling win at Old Trafford last week.

Root, in particular, was sensational, compiling a career-best 254 during England’s first innings in Manchester. He made just three here, edging the impressive Sohail Khan to first slip as England slipped to 48 for two. Cook’s 29th Test century was also valuable in helping set up that 330-run win in Manchester.

Yet by the time England’s captain was trapped lbw by Rahat Ali for 45, his side were 75 for three and lunch had not even arrived on this first day. Bairstow, man of the series against Sri Lanka in the early part of the summer, was another to fall to Sohail, whose maiden five-wicket haul in his first Test in five years proved crucial to Pakistan’s progress.

Bairstow had come to the crease after a gritty 69-run stand between James Vince and Ballance either side of lunch. That pair had been singled out by Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur as a potential weak spot his side could exploit in this match. However, despite Vince again failing to post a significant score, this was perhaps his most impressive Test innings since he made his debut against Sri Lanka at Headingley back in May. It won’t be enough to end criticism of his form – after all Vince still averages just 21.12.

Cook was trapped lbw by Rahat (Getty)

Yet it was a start and his partnership with Ballance at least got England’s total up to 144 for four by the time he edged Sohail to second slip. Bairstow made just 12, his attempted cut snaffled by wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed as England were reduced to 158 for five. Ballance, though, was looking back to his obdurate best in his third Test back since being recalled after a year-long absence from the England team. The Yorkshire batsman is rarely, if ever, a thing of beauty at the crease.

His method is awkward and his technique still questionable. However, he understands how to grind out runs at this level and his 70 from 150 balls in this innings were the most by any England batsman. Ballance was eventually caught behind off Yasir Shah, the leg-spinner’s only wicket.

His contribution, though, had helped England rebuild to 224 for six by the time he departed. Moeen was also back in some kind of form, making his first score above 50 since his 155 against Sri Lanka at Durham back in May. This time the Birmingham-born all-rounder made 63 before nicking Mohammad Amir behind. Yet his discipline and fight were welcomed by an England team who were having to cope without the runs so often provided by men higher up the order.

Moeen could have been dismissed on 44, given out caught off Yasir but reprieved on review even though the Hawkeye ball-tracking used in the Decision Review System showed he could have been out lbw. However, umpire Bruce Oxenford could not go back on his original decision of out caught so Moeen was allowed to stay at the crease and make another 19 runs.

Misbah won the toss and made the eyebrow-raising decision to bowl (Getty)

That’s more than the 17 made by Alex Hales. The opener consolidated his position with a couple of half-centuries during the Sri Lanka series. Yet he has a top-score of 24 from five innings against Pakistan in this series, falling cheaply again in this match as he became Sohail’s first wicket of the day when the Pakistan seamer induced an outside edge from an admittedly good ball. Sohail, a right-armer, was brought into Pakistan’s team to offer some variety from the battery of left-armers who had played the opening two Tests.

That meant Wahab Riaz – rather than Rahat Ali or Amir – made way. And the change was vindicated as Sohail – a man who in his formative years built his body up to be a fast bowler by hurling rocks down mountains in the remote North West Frontier province of Pakistan – picked up his first five-wicket haul in Tests.

James Anderson was his fifth and final scalp, trapped lbw to wrap up England’s innings and the day. Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad fell before that, Rahat and Amir the respective wicket-takers. Along with Anderson, that pair will hope to prove England’s first-innings score, while not imposing might still yet be a match-winning one.

Pakistan were bundled out for 72 in their last Test at Edgbaston in 2010. While their batting has been brittle at times in this series, captain Misbah-ul-Haq will hope to prove his call to bowl first after winning the toss was the right one. It certainly looks that way at the moment.