ABU DHABI // In the end it did not go as badly as it could have done, though it could have been far better than it was. England took four wickets but missed three chances on a cagey opening day of the series at Zayed Cricket Stadium.
An unbeaten third Test hundred from Shoaib Malik, returning to Tests after a five-year absence, and 98 from Mohammad Hafeez saw Pakistan to 286 for four at the close.
But Hafeez was dropped on seven by Ian Bell and Malik was dismissed off a no ball when 40. Matters were compounded when Bell dropped Asad Shafiq just before the close.
“He is very disappointed in the changing room now,” Stuart Broad said of teammate Bell. “That first one was a tough catch, low to the left are always quite tricky, but the last one he’d expect to take 99 out of 100.
“It’s certainly not for lack of practice. The way we’ve been catching in practice is to take those half chances. You can’t afford to have to take 26-27 wickets out here.”
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Alastair Cook used his fast bowlers in short spells mostly, though that was as much to do with the heat – Broad called it the hottest day’s cricket he had played – as a way to unsettle the batsmen’s rhythms.
“If you can, quite often it’s hard for a batsman to settle but also Moeen Ali was getting through his overs so quickly the seamers were still gasping for air. It was nice for a plan to work with three catchers on the leg side. We felt in the game all day because we had the ball reversing just a hint.”
It leaves the game poised delicately, England with a new ball to play with and Pakistan with another batsman to come behind the pair at the crease.
“Today all depends on how we go tomorrow,” Broad said. “If we have a good morning, today will be a fantastic day but if we let them get away then it will be disappointing.”
Meanwhile, Younis Khan hailed the effort of Malik but wanted him to go on even as he reached the milestone of 8,852 runs which made him Pakistan’s top-scorer in Tests.
“I had wanted to contribute more runs, but we are still in a good position as Malik played really well,” Younis said.
“If he (Malik) plays the first two sessions on Wednesday then our position will be further strengthened, he has shown all of us how to make a comeback.”
James Anderson also made it to the record books as the 10th all-time wicket-taker in Tests when he had Misbah-ul-Haq caught for his 415th wicket.
osamiuddin@thenational.ae
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