Captain Cook rejects chance of quick England win

Alastair Cook’s unexpected decision to decline the follow-on option at Old Trafford yesterday, despite a lead of 391 runs, has put the onus on England to prove him right in the second Investec Test.

Cook had the chance to put Pakistan back in again once England bowled the tourists out for just 198. But their captain was dissuaded during a ninth-wicket stand of 60 between Misbah-ulHaq (52) and Wahab Riaz from taking the quick route to a probable innings victory.

Instead, after England extended their advantage by a further 98 for one at stumps on a rain-shortened third day, they will win at best by mere runs.

Their hope will be that the margin will still be very substantial as they seek to level the four-match series at 1-1.

England’s assistant coach Paul Farbrace explained the thinking, and insisted the decision was reached without extensive discussions.

“The key to it was wanting to bat, while the wicket is still good,” said Farbrace. “We didn’t want to put ourselves under any pressure of having to chase a score in the fourth innings.”

Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur admitted to pleasant surprise at being spared the follow-on and, in his estimation, it is a turn of events which gives his team a marginally better chance of achieving a still highly improbable stalemate after they faltered first time round to Chris Woakes (four for 67) and others.

Farbrace, nonetheless, added: “There wasn’t a lot of discussion – it was a simple conversation.

“Alastair and (coach) Trevor (Bayliss) are the two that would have a decent conversation. The longer it went, the feeling was ‘let’s get back in while the wicket is still good’.

“When you make those decisions, you get on and back it up. It’s up to us to prove we got it right.”

England, who are likely to bat on for just half-a-session or so today, did not use pace pair James Anderson and Stuart Broad after lunch – with only two more wickets needed.

Farbrace said: “We the pitch will deteriorate over the next couple of days, and the bounce will be variable.

“We were hoping to bowl them out a lot quicker and then they’d be fresh to take the new ball when we enforced. The longer it went, the decision was taken to bat again. We all have opinions, and they vary. You can understand why people wanted to enforce . . . but we’re happy with the decision. We’re in a great position.”

Arthur does not dispute that, but was relieved Pakistan did not have to bat again straightaway.

“Alastair Cook has his reasons,” he said. “We’re happy that he didn’t (enforce the follow-on), but England are so far ahead he could take time out and rest his quick bowlers.

“All I can say is we fully expected to be batting again.”

“There wasn’t a lot of discussion – it was a simple conversation”