- England vs Pakistan, 4th Test at The Oval, 2nd day
Asad Shafiq bounced back from the indignity of last week’s pair at Edgbaston to anchor a strong Pakistan reply to England’s first-innings 328. By tea on the second day at the Kia Oval, he had moved along to 79 not out, with the veteran Younis Khan bedding in on 26, to carry his team to 196 for 3, a deficit of 132.
Under cloudless skies on a perfect day for batting, Pakistan showed character and determination after resuming their innings on an ominous 3 for 1, following the dismissal of Sami Aslam by Stuart Broad late on the first day. The nightwatchman, Yasir Shah, set the tone, thriving during a hard-fought first hour to make 26 from 48 balls, while Azhar Ali made 49 before gloving a sweep to the keeper off Moeen Ali.
But it was Shafiq, whose twin scores of 73 and 49 had been vitally understated contributions to Pakistan’s first-Test victory at Lord’s, who was the mainstay of his team’s response. With 11 fours and a big smeared six over midwicket to lay down a marker when the spin of Moeen was reintroduced to the attack, he assessed the conditions with aplomb to move within sight of his ninth Test century.
Dropped catches, however, provided a significant part of the narrative, with each of the day’s first three batsmen being offered a lifeline in the course of their innings. As England themselves demonstrated in the first innings, when a spate of let-offs allowed Jonny Bairstow and Moeen to engineer their own recovery from 110 for 5, opportunities on this pitch can be hard to recreate when they are allowed to go begging.
The first to benefit – though not for long as it turned out – was Yasir, who had been the focus of heated attention from England’s fielders when play resumed, on account of his disputed catch at square leg to dismiss Alex Hales in England’s first innings.
Hales, who had joined Broad in a Twitter conversation at the close of play in which they cast doubt on the dismissal, was seen in animated conversation with Yasir during the opening overs of the day, alongside Anderson, who is rarely shy in dishing out a few choice words when he is on the field of play. Broad, in particular, made it his mission to send Yasir on his way, greeting him with a first-ball snorter that looped into no-man’s land at cover off a leading edge, before beating him three balls in a row in his fourth over of the morning.
But it was the introduction of Chris Woakes’ golden arm that should have made the breakthrough for England – only for Hales, of all people, to shell a dolly in the gully as Yasir fenced loosely outside off from the very first ball of Woakes’ spell. But, before Yasir could make the chance count, Steven Finn struck in his second over, finding sharp lift from a tight off-stump line for Joe Root to take a calmly juggled edge at second slip.
Azhar, who had been the silent partner during a bonus stand of 49 for the second wicket, was then joined by Shafiq, who had been slated to come in at No. 3 before Yasir’s promotion. And though he got off the mark comfortably enough this time, he should have been on his way for 7 when Woakes, once again, found some extra lift outside off stump, only for Anderson at third slip to let the chance fizz through his fingers for four.
And, with lunch approaching, Azhar completed the hat-trick of escapes when, on 35, he came forward to another sharp delivery from Finn and looped a tantalising chance straight back at the bowler, who got both hands to the offering but couldn’t cling on.
The pair had taken their stand along to 75 when Moeen made the breakthrough, albeit in mildly irregular circumstances. Despite being under pressure throughout the series, he has retained a happy knack of prising out vital wickets, and when Azhar dropped to his knees for a missed sweep on 49, England enthusiastically called for a review. Azhar was found to be out – though not by an lbw, as the ball looped straight up in the air off his gloves. Bairstow behind the stumps had pocketed the chance almost as an afterthought, but the deflection was clear on Hot Spot and England had the breakthrough.
Into the fray came Younis, a skittish presence all series long, though arguably more grounded on this occasion as he fought to control the ticks and twitches that had crept into his game in the first three Tests. With an eye for an opportunity whenever England strayed in line, he provided staunch support to Shafiq in an unbroken stand of 69. – Agencies
