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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, second Test, Abu Dhabi

Posted on by

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

Stay up to date with all the action on
day two 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.

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.

Umpires: Bruce Oxenford and Steve Davis

Click here for the latest scorecard

5.37: The biggest surprise of the day came before play had even started. England's injury problems and uncertainty over which bowling configuration to select meant Monty Panesar didn't find out he was playing until 20 minutes before the start of play. But Andrew Strauss' decision to go 'two and two' has paid dividends. Certainly Nasser Hussain was impressed.

5.30: One of the most pleasing sights at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium yesterday was the presence of spectators. Hell, there was even a modicum of atmosphere in this desert-bound arena. More on that and other musings in Bumble's Test diary.

5.23: No doubt England should be proud of their efforts so far, but Martin Samuel has two words of caution: Saeed Ajmal.

All smiles: England enjoyed a productive day in the field, but will they be able to match it with the bat

All smiles: England enjoyed a productive day in the field, but will they be able to match it with the bat

5.15am: Morning one, morning all and welcome along to Sportsmail's coverage of England v Pakistan, day two of the second Test.

Day one was hugely positive for England who took seven wickets and restricted the hosts to 256 runs.

Not bad considering this featherbed track was meant to produce a run-festival and certain draw. Now we look dead set for a result – one way or another.

Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad took three wickets a-piece, with the spinner's third coming in the extra overs squeezed in at the end if the day due to England's lightning quick over rate.

So, to wrap up the tail and set about proving this team – the World's No 1, no less – can bat confidently on the subcontinent, right

Firstly, Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq was in obdurate fashion while scoring a leisurely 83 on day one and there's the Saeed Ajmal factor to consider, too.

This game remains at a crossroads, England must grasp the nettle early if they are to reap the rewards of all their hard work on day one.

I'll fetch you all the action as it happens from 6am and you can share your thoughts via EMAIL or TWITTER. Many thanks.

Late gains: England bagged a late wicket to swing the game their way on day one in Abu Dhabi

Late gains: England bagged a late wicket to swing the game their way on day one in Abu Dhabi

England v Pakistan, day three, first Test, Dubai

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

Stay up to date with all the action on
day three 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

Sportsmail's Paul Newman in Dubai writes: Morning from the desert. Huge day today, one that could decide this whole series, not just the first Test. England ended on such a high last night that they think they can pull off a great escape here but the big question is how they will play Saeed Ajmal second time. First they have to get rid of Pakistan's last three wickets quickly.

105th over: Pakistan 288-7 (Akmal 24, Umar Gul 0)

So, wrap up these three wickets nice and early and then set about the business of reducing the deficit and building a lead. Piece of cake, no James Anderson has three deliveries to finish off the over which was interrupted by the late wicket of Abdur Rehman. Nowt much going on.

5.50: Right, 10 minutes to go before play restarts, time enough to have a read of Martin Samuel's thoughts on yesterday's events. Nothing much to report… unless you love cricket.

5.45: The other essentials you need ahead of the resumption of play are: Nasser's observations (He thinks England have done well, but Saeed Ajmal remains key) and – of course – Bumble's musings on events so far.

5.38: Playing catch u-up on the action in Dubai Have a read of Paul Newman's report of the action on day two to bring you right up to speed.

5.30am: It's such things as two wickets in the final two overs on which Test matches can turn.

England's travails in the field on day two paid dividends. But they were made to wait for it.

After England posted 192 in the first-innings Pakistan looked primed to bat Andrew Strauss's side out of the game.

But some very disciplined work with the ball maintained England's competitiveness and the two late strikes mean a game which looked lost now remains firmly in the balance.

James Anderson and Graeme Swann took the key wickets late on and with Pakistan having just three wickets remaining England will hope to keep the deficit around the 100 mark.

And then it's up to the World's No 1 Test side to bat with the kind of confidence and dominance we have been accustomed to over the past 18 months or so. Simple, right

I'll bring you the action from 6am and you can direct your thoughts thusly: EMAIL or TWITTER. Many thanks.

Late gains: England struck twice in the closing stages to give them fresh hope heading into day three

Late gains: England struck twice in the closing stages to give them fresh hope heading into day three

England v Pakistan, day two, first Test, Dubai

Posted on by

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