Pakistan in trouble at 54-3 in 2nd innings
Updated: January 27, 2012, 06:10
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates(AP) Pakistan wobbled to 54-3 at tea after Stuart Broad's half century earned England a meaningful first-innings lead of 70 runs on the third day of the second test on Friday.
Recalled left-armer Monty Panesar and his spin partner Graeme Swann removed the Pakistan openers Mohammad Hafeez (22) and Taufeeq Umar (7) at the same total of 29 in the space of eight deliveries.
Panesar also uprooted Younis Khan's off stump off an arm ball that went past the outside edge, and captain Andrew Strauss built pressure with a cordon of five fielders around the bat.
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Azhar Ali were constantly challenged by Swann and Panesar, and were to resume with 12 runs each respectively.
Earlier, Broad's unbeaten 58 off 62 balls propelled England to 327 in reply to Pakistan's 257. He hit six fours and a six before he ran out of partners.
England resumed from 207-5 overnight by adding a brisk 120 runs in a frustrating morning for Pakistan. Hafeez wrapped up the innings by claiming the last two wickets in the first over after lunch.
Pakistan did not pay too much for dropping catches offered by Matt Prior and Ian Bell as they fell soon after, but Broad took charge with some crisp boundaries to move England on rapidly.
Junaid Khan dropped a skier of Prior's top-edged sweep to deep backward square leg in Saeed Ajmal's second over of the morning and from the other end Abdur Rehman could not hold onto Bell's powerful uppish drive that went for four.
Two overs later, Pakistan's top wicket-taker Ajmal (4-108) didn't need his fielders' assistance when he trapped Prior (3) on the back foot and was adjudged lbw.
Broad restored England's ascendancy as he lofted Ajmal over long off for four and imperiously drove the offspinner to cover boundary off the next delivery.
Pakistan took the second new ball with England at 250-6, but Broad hit two successive boundaries against fast bowler Umar Gul to get England past Pakistan's total.
Bell (29) fell lbw to a Gul delivery that jagged back into him, with the decision confirmed by the replay referral, then Rehman hit Swann's (15) pads right in front of the wicket.
Broad continued to frustrate Pakistan in the last half hour of the session and put on a valuable 36 runs with No. 10 James Anderson (13) before Hafeez struck twice immediately after the break.
Pakistan leads the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first test by 10 wickets at Dubai last week.
