Honours even as Moeen and Gary find form
THE sight of both home and away supporters in a disappointing crowd of 15, 591 at Edgbaston rising to acclaim the local boy of Pakistani heritage in Moeen Ali was the most pleasingly predictable sight of a day of third Test surprises.
Only Moeen and Gary Ballance could be anywhere near satisfied with their batting on a first day when England again trod the wrong side of the fine line between positivity and recklessness in throwing their wickets away.
It meant Pakistan and their unlikely spearhead in 32-year-old journeyman Sohail Khan fully justified Misbah-ul-Haq’s controversial decision to bowl first as England spluttered to 297 all out just before the close.
Birmingham-born Moeen had said he expected his fellow local British Pakistanis to support the visiting team while still wanting him to do well and so it proved when he reached his half-century.
Yet they were all disappointed when Moeen fell for 63 to the second new ball and England’s last chance of a commanding total on a ground which has become a Test fortress for them disappeared with him.
How England needed Moeen to display the silky batting that has all too often been missing since he dropped down the order. They flattered to deceive with a frustratingly flaky display to follow their mastery at Old Trafford.
Alastair Cook was happy to admit he would have batted after Misbah had seemingly replicated Ricky Ponting’s infamous decision of 2005 to bowl first when logic, and the presence of Yasir Shah, suggested this was a day to bat.
To be fair to Misbah, no side batting second here has lost a Test since Ponting’s fabled indiscretion, but his decision looked more to do with a lack of faith in his own batsmen against the moving ball rather than England’s.
Yet Pakistan have a great chance now to push for the victory that would take them to within touching distance of top spot in the world rankings as long as they can bat better than England’s inconsistent top order.
The hosts were unable to cope with a surprise inclusion in the Pakistan ranks who had taken just one expensive wicket in two previous Test appearances.
Sohail did little other than put the ball in the right place at nothing more than medium-fast pace and watched four principal performers, with the possible exception of Alex Hales, pretty much gift their wickets.
Then Sohail returned to complete his five-wicket haul and stop England reaching the respectability of 300, kissing the turf when he trapped Jimmy Anderson and adding some joyful press-ups.
He had every right to enjoy his big day after replacing Wahab Riaz to give Pakistan a righthand seamer and then seeing Hales, Joe Root, James Vince and Jonny Bairstow all perish outside off-stump with varying degrees of culpability.
With Cook falling to Rahat Ali, England were in trouble at 158 for five.
Much depended on the lefthanded combination of Moeen and Ballance, both under pressure for differing reasons but both now batting better than they have done so far in what is becoming a compelling Investec series.
There were glimpses of real class from Ballance, not least in an on-drive for four before he nudged Yasir Shah down the leg side and was well caught by Sarfraz Ahmed for 70.
‘None of the batsmen felt in all day,’ said Ballance afterwards. ‘There was sideways movement that kept you honest and we felt at tea we should try to scrape to 300. If conditions are the same tomorrow our bowlers will be happy.’
Moeen enjoyed one slice of good fortune on 44 when he was given out by Bruce Oxenford caught off Yasir only for a review to prove he had not touched it.
That left Stuart Broad, Moeen and Anderson all to fall to the second new ball — two of them to Mohammad Amir, who had endured a quiet day punctuated by the occasional tedious shout of ‘no ball’ when he ran in to bowl.
Advantage Pakistan — just — but things could change very quickly if England’s bowlers get their batsmen out of yet another pickle today.