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England v Pakistan, third Test, day three, Dubai

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LIVE: England v Pakistan – day three of the third Test in Dubai as it happens

Stay up to date with all the action on
day three of the third Test between England and Pakistan with Sportsmail's
unrivalled team. We'll deliver over-by-over coverage as the action
unfolds at the Dubai International Stadium while our brilliant team of
writers will update with their insights from the ground.

England v Pakistan: Essentials

England: Andrew Strauss (c), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior (w), Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Monty Panesar.

1st innings: 141

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq (c), Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal (w), Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Aizaz Cheema.

1st innings: 99

Umpires: Simon Taufel and Steve Davis

Click here for a full scorecard

86th over: Pakistan 227-2 (Azhar 80, Younus 115)

That'll be three maidens in a row… neither seamer is looking particularly threatening and both batsmen seem comfortable getting their eyes in again.

85th over: Pakistan 227-2 (Azhar 80, Younus 115)

Anderson bottom-edges trying to shoulder arms to Anderson and picks up a single to third man. This pitch looks pretty docile, even with the new ball. Maiden.

84th over: Pakistan 226-2 (Azhar 79, Younus 115)

Broad manages to get Younus to flirt with a couple outside off but the centurion avoids the nick. Nice shape away from the right-hander from Broad who bowls a tidy maiden.

83rd over: Pakistan 226-2 (Azhar 79, Younus 115)

It's Jimmy Anderson to open the bowling for England… Azhar picks up where he left off yesterday with a watchful couple of leaves and blocks before flicking Jimmy in front of square for two. Azhar then knocks another two through midwicket off the last ball of the over. Not much movement for Anderson.

5.57am: Good morning all and welcome to Sportsmail's live coverage of the third day of the third test between England and Pakistan in Dubai. Can England break this fine partnership between Younus Khan and Azhar Ali and reignite their dwindling hopes of a face-saving win

Down and out Another Test match is slowly slipping from England's grasp

Down and out Another Test match is slowly slipping from England's grasp

England v Pakistan, day four, second Test, Abu Dhabi

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LIVE: England v Pakistan – the action on day four of the second Test in Abu Dhabi

Stay up to date with all the action on
day four of the second Test between England and Pakistan with
Sportsmail's unrivalled team. We'll deliver over-by-over coverage as the
action unfolds at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi while our brilliant team of writers
will update with their insights from the ground. Email your thoughts to joe.ridge@dailymail.co.uk or tweet @joeridge87

England v Pakistan – the essentials

England:
Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian
Bell, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Jimmy
Anderson, Monty Panesar.

1st innings: 327

Pakistan:
Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq,
Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid
Khan.

1st innings: 257

Umpires: Bruce Oxenford and Steve Davis

Click here for the latest scorecard

67th over: Pakistan 130-4 (Azhar 51, Shafiq 35)

Broad continues his spell…

66th over: Pakistan 130-4 (Azhar 51, Shafiq 35)

Panesar comes into the attack… he was outstanding yesterday. In other news, Jonathan Trott is off the field feeling ill and Steven Finn is on in place of him. Azhar works a single to midwicket. Close! Beautiful bowling from Panesar who beats Shafiq's outside edge, one from the over.

65th over: Pakistan 129-4 (Azhar 50, Shafiq 35)

Broad into his second over of the day. Shafiq dangerously mistimes a drive on the up but it falls short of Pietersen at short extra cover. Tight bowling from Broad who has conceded just 17 runs from his 13 overs. Maiden.

64th over: Pakistan 129-4 (Azhar 50, Shafiq 35)

Lots of turn for Swann but Azhar is able to work him to square leg for two to bring up his 50. Half a chance for Cook at short leg as Azhar hits it against his shin.

63rd over: Pakistan 127-4 (Azhar 48, Shafiq 35)

Stuart Broad is given the ball by Strauss. No wickets yet for him in this innings but he was very economical on day three… Shafiq is 26 by the way in case you were wondering, his partner in the middle is the same age and these two are seen as the future of Pakistani batting… they need to be the present here today though. It's very foggy out there, no movement for Broad though. One from the over.

62nd over: Pakistan 126-4 (Azhar 47, Shafiq 35)

England open up with the spin of Swann and Azhar works him to leg for a single off the day's first ball. Birthday boy Shafiq rather uncomfortably sees off the rest of the over.

Packed house: Day three was the busiest of the series so far

Packed house: Day three was the busiest of the series so far

5.58am: The players are out in the middle, it's very overcast out in Abu Dhabi… here we go.

5.54am: Excitement building now… All the talk is that there is a bit of moisture around and it's a fine morning to bowl. Let's hope that's true and Anderson and Broad can get some joy, there was nothing in this wicket for them yesterday with the spinners claiming all of the wickets so far.

5.45am: So, Pakistan lead by 55 runs as it stands with six second inning wickets left. What lead do you think England need to restrict the hosts to to ensure that they level the series Email or tweet your thoughts…

5.35am: Before play gets underway at 6.00am GMT why not read the insights from our team of writers out in the UAE… Chief cricket correspondent Paul Newman – who will be sending his views from the Sheikh Zayed stadium throughout today's proceedings – writes his report on day three here. Martin Samuel writes from what was a rare full house in the UAE yesterday here. Nasser Hussain states the case for Stuart Broad being England's main man here. And David Lloyd gives his alternative views on another day in the desert here.

5.30am: Good morning all and welcome to our live coverage of the fourth day of this fascinating Test between England and Pakistan in Abu Dhabi. The match has ebbed and flowed over the last three days but it is the tourists who currently find themselves in the driving seat. That being said, Pakistan youngsters Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq have put on an impressive 50 partnership to leave the outcome of the match far from a certainty. England will be hoping to break that partnership and clear up the Pakistani tail as quickly as possible today to leave themselves a gettable run chase on what has proved to be a brilliant Test match wicket.

Jumping for joy: Monty Panesar picked up three wickets on day three

Jumping for joy: Monty Panesar picked up three wickets on day three

England v Pakistan, day three, second Test, Abu Dhabi

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LIVE: England v Pakistan – the action on day three of the second Test in Abu Dhabi

Stay up to date with all the action on
day three of the second Test between England and Pakistan with
Sportsmail's unrivalled team. We'll deliver over-by-over coverage as the
action unfolds at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi while our brilliant team of writers
will update with their insights from the ground. Email your thoughts to joe.ridge@dailymail.co.uk or tweet @joeridge87

England v Pakistan – the essentials

England:
Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian
Bell, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Jimmy
Anderson, Monty Panesar.

Pakistan:
Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq,
Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid
Khan.

1st innings: 257

Umpires: Bruce Oxenford and Steve Davis

Click here for the latest scorecard

88th over: England 223-5 (Bell 17, Prior 3)

Half a chance for Rehman as Bell belts one back at him, but he did well to even get a finger on it. The ball races away for four. That's followed by another four as Bell cuts a short and wide one from Rehman.

87th over: England 215-5 (Bell 9, Prior 3)

Shot! Bell elegantly drives through the covers for three. What a terrible drop! Prior skies a sweep to Junaid Khan at fine leg who inexplicably fumbles an absolute dolly.

86th over: England 210-5 (Bell 5, Prior 2)

Abdur Rehman to Ian Bell… who paddles the left-arm spinner for one. Ooh! Plenty of turn for Rehman who beats Prior's outside edge. Prior responds with a sweep to square leg for two to get off the mark. Three from the over.

85th over: England 207-5 (Bell 4, Prior 0)

Here we go… Prior blocks the first ball of the day.

5.55am: Saeed Ajmal has one ball left to bowl in the 85th over to start the day. Prior is on strike facing his first ball – how England would love him to replicate his 70 not out score in the first innings of the first Test.

5.50am: Bit of a cliche this but the first hour really is crucial today. With the game so evenly poised either a cluster of wickets for Pakistan or a decent partnership for England could change the dynamic of the game.

5.35am: A late flurry of wickets for Pakistan in yesterday's evening session has left the match balanced on a knife-edge. England trail the hosts' first innings score by 50 runs with five wickets intact, but have two new batsmen at the crease in the form of Ian Bell and Matt Prior and face an attack buoyed by picking up the wicket of Eoin Morgan in the last over on day two.

5.30am: Good morning all and welcome to Sportsmail's live coverage of the third day of the second Test between England and Pakistan.

Nemesis: Ajmal took three wickets late on day two to swing the game Pakistan's way

Nemesis: Ajmal took three wickets late on day two to swing the game Pakistan's way

England v Pakistan, day two, first Test, Dubai

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LIVE: England v Pakistan – The action on day two of the first Test as it happens in Dubai

Stay up to date with all the action on
day two of the first Test between England and Pakistan with
Sportsmail's unrivalled team. We'll deliver over-by-over coverage as the
action unfolds at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium while our brilliant team of writers
will update with their insights from the ground.

England v Pakistan: Essentials

England: Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook,
Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior (wk),
Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Chris Tremlett.

Pakistan:
Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq
(capt), Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal (wk), Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Saeed
Ajmal, Aizaz Cheema.

Umpires: Billy Bowden (New Zealand) and Bruce Oxenford (Australia)

England won the toss and elected to bat

Click here for a full scorecard

17th over: Pakistan 46-0 (Hafeez 26, Umar 18)

Missed the first delivery of the over as my TV froze. What happened Who knows. Maybe there was an Albert Trott-esque heave high and out of the stadium. Probably not as the score hasn't moved on. I have a flighty imagination. There follows a big lbw shout but it pitched a touch outside leg and umpire Bruce Oxenford – quite rightly – shakes his head. Maiden.

16th over: Pakistan 46-0 (Hafeez 26, Umar 18)

Stuart Broad begins the day with an absolute jaffa of a deliver. On a length, just outside off, tempting the drive but the ball moves away and misses the outside edge by *this much*. Oooohs and aaaahs ring out from the slip cordon. Penultimate delivery of the over is a rank wide one which Hafeez dispatches via the vacant point area for four runs.

5.59: The small gaggle of hardy Barmy Army England fans belt out Jerusalem – bless them – cricket is imminent. Super.

5.57: Right, the players are making their way out at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. You won't be surprised to hear that there is – once again – only a small smattering of spectators in the ground this morning. If you fancy catching some of the action I'm pretty sure you can get a ticket.

5.49: Bumble (via Twitter): 'Just done pitch report. It looks a belter for batting . A bit of a chill in the air first up.'

5.45: Two things from the ICC's official Twitter feed this morning: 1) Excluding the forfeited game at The Oval in 2006, England has won only one Test in the last 20 years when making less than 200 in the 1st innings. 2) Pakistan’s openers averaged just 11.62 runs per partnership v England in the Test series in 2010.

5.42: Some thoughts on day one from Bumble. He thinks Saeed Ajmal is like watching Ashley Giles.

5.35: So, is it an illegal delivery or not Sportsmail found some expert analysis. And why not gen up on all the technical jargon behind what is a legal delivery and what isn't here. Go on, impress your mates down the pub. No, really do.

Man of the moment: Ajmal made headlines on and off the field yesterday

Man of the moment: Ajmal made headlines on and off the field yesterday

5.32: Plenty to get through this morning ahead of the start of play. Not least the row over Saeed Ajmal's doosra. Bob Willis has delivered this series' first controversy over the bowling action of the man who took seven wickets yesterday.

5.30am: Wakey, wakey, rise and shine and etc and all that. Morning all and welcome to Sportsmail's coverage on day two of the first Test between England Pakistan

If Andrew Strauss's charges were naive to how big the task remaining atop the world rankings wold be, yesterday's play made for the rudest of awakenings.

It started badly for England and became progressively worse from there. The total of 192 is woefully short of the required standard.

Only Matt Prior fashioned a score of any note, he ended the innings on 70 not out after the top order took leave of their senses in the face of Saeed Ajmal's onslaught. And the Pakistani openers' cameo at the end of the day showed there is plenty of runs to be had in this track.

Today's a new day however and England will look to make inroads lest their first day total is exposed further.

I'll bring you all the action from 6am and you can direct your thoughts on the action via EMAIL or TWITTER. S'up to you.

Wide open spaces: there were few in attendance to watch England struggle on day one

Wide open spaces: there were few in attendance to watch England struggle on day one