Pakistan wrests initiative after Cook ton

The duo shared six post-tea English wickets that fell within a span of 27 runs, as the hosts slumped from 194-3 to 221-9 before bad light forced an early end to the day’s play, leaving England with a 146-run lead and just one wicket in hand.
Trailing the four-Test series 0-2, Pakistan have fought back hard to bring themselves within striking distance of a much-needed victory at a venue where they suffered the ignominy of becoming the first team in Test history to forfeit a match back in 2006. Interestingly, it was exactly the same day, four years ago, that Pakistan refused to return to the field after the tea break in protest of ball-tampering accusation levelled at them by umpire Darrell Hair.
It was Ajmal (4-71), who triggered the collapse when he bowled Kevin Pietersen (23) with a brilliant delivery that turned sharply in his very first over after tea. In the very next over, Amir removed Jonathan Trott with the batsman trying to slice him for a four only to hit straight to Azhar Ali at gully.
Amir (4-51) struck again, this time making Paul Collingwood to edge one to Akmal, who was having a good day behind the stumps. England were now 202-6 and had lost three key wickets for just eight runs in a span of 28 balls.
The collapse continued with Ajmal sending Eoin Morgan back with a straighter one. Four overs later, Amir scalped the dangerous Matt Prior before Ajmal ended Graeme Swann’s 28-ball resistance with a superb delivery. It was a pity that bad light prevented the visitors from wrapping up the English innings and a sizeable crowd of 21,500 didn’t appreciate it when onfiled umpires directed the teams toward the pavilion.
The post-tea figures of Amir and Ajmal were astonishing. Amir picked up 3-10 from 7.2 overs while Ajmal bagged 3-16 off eight overs.
Earlier, Cook ended the uncertainty surrounding his place in England’s Ashes squad with his 13th Test century. The opener was under pressure to perform after scoring just 106 in his last eight Test innings this summer and didn’t disappoint the England fans as he batted with an effortless ease to score 110 off 173 balls in 215 minutes.
Cook, who scored 105 at Lord’s and 127 at Old Trafford during Pakistan’s 2006 tour of England, rode his luck early on before regaining his lost form. He edged Mohammad Asif through the slip cordon in successive balls and then played a rash cut shot at a wide delivery from Wahab Riaz. The edge flew between slip fielders Imran Farhat and Yasir Hameed but neither man went for the catch.
But Cook made amends as his innings progressed and finally reached his third ton against Pakistan off 148 balls with 15 fours. His cause was helped by Mohammad Asif, who casually threw the ball over Cook’s head when the batsman was nervously batting at 97. The ball flew over the wicketkeeper’s head and fetched four runs for the opener.
England began the day at 6-1, 69 runs behind Pakistan. Cook added 34 more with night-watchman James Anderson, before Ajmal struck to remove the tail-ender.
Cook consolidated the England innings with Jonathan Trott as the two stepped on the gas to take England to 110-2 at lunch. The home team accumulated 104 in the session.
The post-lunch session, also belonged to the hosts as they added 84 more to the innings at the expense of Cook’s wicket. The opener fell to Wahab Riaz, with a faint tickle down the legside as Kamran Akmal comfortably picked up his 200th dismissal in Test cricket. Cook and Trott added 116 for the third wicket.