Edgbaston Test: Cook, Hales put England on top
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BIRMINGHAM: England were 120 without loss, with a lead of 17 runs, in their second innings at stumps on the third day of the third Test against Pakistan at Edgbaston on Friday.
Alastair Cook, the England captain, was 64 not out and Alex Hales 50 not out, with the duo having compiled their first century stand in 18 innings together as a Test match opening pair.
Pakistan were bowled out for 400 as England's right-arm fast-bowler Stuart Broad dismissed Rahat Ali to pick up his third wicket of the innings on the last ball of the 135th over.
Facing early blows in the shape of Younis Khan's and Asad Shafiq's dismissals earlier in the day. Pakistan Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq and wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed withered the storm as they added 62 runs for sixth wicket.
The partnership ended when Misbah edged James Anderson on to the stumps after a profound 56.
The English bowler, however, was taken off by the on-field umpire Joel Wilson after he transgressed into the red zone of the wicket for the third time in the innings.
Read: Edgbaston Test: Umpires stop Anderson from bowling
Remaining wicket-less on day two, Broad picked up his first scalp when he rattled Shafiq's off-stump on duck.
Chris Woakes, who returned the innings figures of three for 79, picked up his second wicket when veteran batsman Younis (31 off 90) was caught-behind attempting to clip a wide delivery down the leg-side.
Yesterday, Pakistan's One-Day International skipper, Azhar Ali, was caught in the slips off Chris Woakes on the last ball of day two. Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq joined veteran batsman Younis Khan to begin proceedings.
Azhar, along with 20-year-old Sami Aslam, put Pakistan on track after the visitors faced an early blow when Mohammad Hafeez, playing his 50th Test, handed a catch to Gary Ballance at backward-point on the fourth ball of the day.
The right and left-hand combo of Azhar and Aslam put a 181-runs stand for the second wicket.
The partnership, however, broke when a mix up between the two batsmen provided James Vince with an opportunity to run Aslam out on 82.
Azhar registered his 10th century and first one overseas as he scored 139.
