England set 343-run target in first Test | Pakistan finish penultimate day on 80-2, still 263 behind their target
\n Rawalpindi
\nEngland made a bold declaration and used short-ball bowling tactics to great effect to stay on course for a comprehensive victory in the opening Test against Pakistan on Sunday.
\nHaving taken a 78-run lead in the runfest, England declared their second innings on 264-7 to set Pakistan an improbable victory target of 343 with four sessions to go.
\nOn a docile pitch where seven batsmen smashed hundreds, England\u2019s pace attack bent their backs and diligently pursued a short-ball strategy to dent Pakistan\u2019s top order.
\nThe home side finished the penultimate day on 80-2, still 263 behind their target, with number three batsman Azhar Ali unlikely to bat again after retiring hurt with a damaged finger.
\nOpener Imam-ul-Haq (43) and debutant Saud Shakeel (24) were resisting England\u2019s victory march when bad light stopped play.
\nEngland\u2019s Joe Root surprised all by batting left-handed against leg spinner Zahid Mahmood for a couple of deliveries before returning to his usual stance.
\n\u201cIn the dressing-room we\u2019ve got strong aggressive leaders who are willing to risk things, dangle a carrot and in the bigger picture of things make things really exciting,\u201d England assistant coach Paul Collingwood told Sky Sports.
\n\u201cChasing down targets on the last day isn\u2019t easy and the scoreboard pressure is always looking over your shoulder.\u201d
\n\u201cWe\u2019re not scared of losing test matches. We\u2019ve had a great day and we\u2019ll keep pushing.\u201d
\nEarlier, Pakistan were bowled out for 579 in reply to England\u2019s first-innings 657. Agha Salman\u2019s breezy 53 frustrated England who had to toil for about 75 minutes to claim the last three Pakistan wickets.
\nOff-spinner Will Jacks claimed 6-161 in his debut test on a flat track where the spinners also had to toil for success.
\nEngland were rattled early in their second innings with Naseem Shah in the thick of things.
\nNaseem dismissed Ben Duckett, one of four century-makers in England\u2019s first innings, for a first-ball duck with the second delivery of the innings.
\nThe fast bowler spilled a return catch from Zak Crawley, then on 18, but took a neat catch at deep backward square when Mohammad Ali bounced out Ollie Pope for 15.
\nCrawley followed his first-innings hundred with 50.
\nRoot made 73 before Zahid struck twice in the same over, also accounting for England skipper Ben Stokes who fell for a three-ball duck.
\nHarry Brook, who top-scored for England with 153 in the first innings, hammered 87 off 65 balls before Naseem bowled him through the gate and Stokes declared immediately.
\nStokes, an enforcer with the ball, combined with Ollie Robinson to dent Pakistan\u2019s top order.
\nRobinson removed Abdullah Shafique for six and, two balls later, forced Azhar to retire hurt.
\nStokes sent groans across the stadium in the next over with a bouncer, which Pakistan captain Babar Azam, who made four, could only tickle through to wicketkeeper Pope.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
England set 343-run target in first Test | Pakistan finish penultimate day on 80-2, still 263 behind their target Rawalpindi England made a bold declaration and used short-ball bowling tactics to great effect to stay on course for a comprehensive victory in the opening Test against Pakistan on Sunday. Having taken a 78-run lead in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":299341,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-299325","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n