Cautious Cook on course to have last word
extend England’s lead. Alex Hales might not thank him for it – becoming the only casualty last night, falling for 24 – but there are others whose positions in the side are even more precarious who will thank him for emerging with a win and the chance to retain a winning side.
Cook is stubborn enough not to look for vindication but if he were as the final session drew to its close Yasir Shah gained some turn and bounce against Joe Root which perhaps underlined the importance of not even risking reversing the innings order established at the toss.
The England skipper said on Friday he thought the pitch would hold together well for three days then deteriorate so he was being who is now the prize for this England bowling attack.
The suspicion now is if Cook and company can get Misbah they will overpower Pakistan. Even with their captain at his bloody-minded best in Manchester, they were rolled over in their first innings.
Cracking a nut as tough as Misbah will not be easy – his record suggests that, as did the way he shrugged off being hit in the helmet by a Chris Woakes short ball yesterday.
But a run of low scores now may also undermine consistent. In the albeit unlikely event (given a 391 lead) that his side might need to bat again there was no denying it was better to do it on last night’s pitch rather than tomorrow’s.
The three rain breaks which hit after the decision was made – for an hour from just before 4pm, another 40 minutes from 5pm and just short of half an hour to quarter to seven – in all taking 27 overs from the day’s play were inconvenient, marginally increasing the chances of a draw.
But let’s not get away from the fact that this was still England’s day, and it is still their match to lose. The tourists had resumed on 57-4 but lost four wickets in the rain-interrupted morning session with the wickets his confidence when captaining.
It has happened with Cook in the past, when his poor form with the bat has seen his judgment clouded in the field. And as with any leader, if you can get to him then the whole team is compromised.
Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur underlined the importance of his captain yesterday, while bemoaning the lack of fight from the rest of the side’s top order.
“He’s been an example for the players for a long period of time,” Arthur shared around the seamers. Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad, who bowled just seven overs each yesterday (they were clearly being held back for a follow-on that did not come), chipped out Shan Masood and Asad Shafiq inside 11 overs.
Ben Stokes and then Chris Woakes sent edges from Sarfraz Ahmed and Yasir into the mitts of Root at second slip, two of four catches in the innings for England’s No 3.
Misbah and Riaz, who was struck on the elbow on his bowling arm by Woakes and did not return to bowl late in the day, had frustrated England, both exacting punishment on Moeen Ali before the off-spinner bagged the pair of them to close the innings. With the bowlers safely tucked up in their said of his captain. “I was disappointed our top order didn’t show the same amount of application.
“But that’s gone, we trust every one of those players, we believe in every one of those players and we have just got to go out there tomorrow and bat well.
“You’re always looking for a big score from one of your top order.
We didn’t get that in the first innings on a wicket that was very friendly to bat on, to be honest. Let’s hope we can do that in the second innings.” ice baths, the middle order with their feet up, and ex-captains everywhere opining on Cook’s decision, the England skipper returned to the field alongside Hales.
The latter has looked a little leadenfooted in this series to date, particularly against the late swing from Amir and here he was undone again with a cracker which nipped back and brushed the inside edge of his open defences.
He spent the remainder of the day looking on from the balcony, presumably unsure whether to curse or thank Cook’s decision to bat again. Victory will make everything seem sweeter sometime today or tomorrow.