Finn backs hosts to fight way out of trouble

STEVEN Finn is backing England’s “backs-to-the-wall” mentality to rescue them in the final Test against Pakistan.

The hosts are 2-1 up in the four-match series but face a battle to claim a second win in succession after Younus Khan’s double-century put Pakistan in control at the Oval.

Yasir Shah then took three for 15 to reduce England to 88 for four in their second innings, still 126 runs behind with two days remaining.

Finn told Sky Sports 2: “Those four wickets in the evening session hurt us as a team but we’ve been in these tricky situations before and we’ll fight as hard as we can tomorrow to save the Test match.

“You have to give credit to Younus Khan, and Asad Shafiq yesterday. There are areas we’ve got them out earlier in the series and they’ve made adjustments for this Test.

“There are certain things we could have done better, for example held our catches, but that’s all in the past now.

“It’s not yet lost at all, we enjoy these backs-to-the-wall scenarios.”

Younus cited night watchman Yasir as an unlikely influence on his own batting, after surpassing his total runs in his previous six innings in the series.

Pakistan’s regular No 8 came in at first drop on Thursday evening and went on to a dogged 26 on day two before Shafiq (109) and Younus (218) took control.

“I learnt from Yasir how to take things on the chest,” said Younus. “I followed him.

“There is a lot expected from me, you know if I get through the first 20 or 25, I can make a big hundred but in the first games I had some 30s [and no more]. This game I was calm and cool.

“I must mention the way Mickey Arthur and the supporting staff pushed me and supported me.

“They were there for me and suddenly things were going my way.”

The 38-year-old warned his team can take nothing for granted.

“We know England are capable of fighting back, and we have still two days to play,” he said.

“But the way we bowled this afternoon, if we carry on that momentum we have a good chance to do well in this match.”

He added: “In this series we have a young bowling attack, they are not regularly playing with each other. Yasir and Wahab [Riaz], especially Wahab’s bowling yesterday, was fantastic for us.”