Cricket–England chip away but Pakistan’s lead swells in second test

MULTAN, Pakistan :Pakistan lost two wickets in the post-lunch session but stretched their overall lead to 209 on day three of the spin-dominated second test against England on Thursday.
Saud Shakeel, batting on 30, led Pakistan’s push for a series-levelling victory on a track where most batters from both sides have struggled against the sharply turning ball.
Salman Agha was lucky to be batting on 12 at the other end having been dropped twice in the same Brydon Carse over.
Earlier, Sajid Khan claimed seven wickets as Pakistan bowled England out for 291 to grab a handy lead of 75 at the Multan Cricket Stadium.
England, resuming on 239-6, lost their remaining four wickets in the first hour.
Off-spinner Sajid dismissed Carse, Matthew Potts and Shoaib Bashir to finish with impressive figures of 7-111.
Left-arm spinner Noman Ali claimed the remaining three as England lost all 10 wickets to Pakistan’s spin-heavy attack, which has Aamer Jamal as the lone seamer.
Recognising the nature of the track, England captain Ben Stokes began with spin from both ends, putting in off-spinner Bashir with left-arm spinner Jack Leach.
Stokes stayed with spin even when Leach had to be rested, pressing part-time off-spinner Joe Root into service.
Bashir drew first blood when he had Pakistan opener Abdullah Shafique caught behind for four. England successfully reviewed the original not-out decision and replays confirmed the faintest of edges.
Bashir then dismissed Shan Masood for 11 after the Pakistan captain tried to flick a ball only to offer an edge to Ollie Pope at second slip.
Opener Saim Ayub (22) looked comfortable before falling to the same Pope-Bashir combination in the final delivery before the lunch break.
Kamran Ghulam, who smashed a hundred in the first innings of his debut test, made a fluent 26 before Leach trapped him lbw.
Carse dismissed Mohammad Rizwan for 23 but was denied another success because of England’s sloppy catching.
The seamer produced two edges in three deliveries from Salman but wicketkeeper Jamie Smith and slip fielder Root floored them.