England reeling as ton-up Saud and spinners put Pakistan in charge

Agencies Published October 26, 2024

PAKISTAN’S batter Saud Shakeel plays a stroke as England wicket-keeper Jamie Smith looks on during the third Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday.—AFP

RAWALPINDI: Saud Shakeel’s crafty 134 fetched Pakistan a handy first-innings lead before spinners Sajid Khan and Noman Ali blew away England’s top order to boost their hopes of a memorable series victory on day two of the series-deciding third Test on Friday.

Pakistan had slumped to 46-3 but Saud exhibited immense patience for well over five hours as he stitched four 50-plus partnerships, including with tailenders Noman and Sajid, to reach 344 all out — a lead of 77 — in a remarkable turnaround.

England came in looking to erase the deficit but had no answers for the Pakistan spinners on a turning pitch. Sajid dismissed Ben Duckett for 12 and Noman removed Zak Crawley (two) and Ollie Pope (one) in the space of five runs as Pakistan further consolidated their position by reducing England to 24-3 when bad light stopped play at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

England still need 53 runs to avoid an innings defeat with seven wickets in hand. Joe Root, batting on five, will be key to England’s survival hopes, while Harry Brook, on three, will also need to respond to the challenge when play resumes on Saturday.

The series is tied at 1-1 after England won the first Test by an innings and 47 runs while Pakistan took the second by 152 runs, both in Multan.

On another day dominated by spin, Saud’s brilliant century was the highlight, pulling Pakistan within touching distance of a first home Test series win since they defeated South Africa in February 2021.

Saud anchored Pakistan’s innings, rotating the strike with his deft pushes for singles on both sides of the wicket as he completed his century off 181 balls in the second session after being dropped on 26 by wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.

“We had an idea that this pitch will help spinners so with that in mind I prepared myself,” said Saud, admitting it was one of his best knocks. “When you play on such wickets, you have to back yourself and bat with clarity. Playing against spinners always gives me tension, but I avoided playing sweep shots and relied on keep rotating the strike with singles.”

The left-hander produced a study in concentration and technical proficiency as he held Pakistan’s innings together with a gritty knock spread over 322 minutes and 223 balls; his five boundaries, in his first Test hundred against England, all coming when he completed his half-century before lunch.

“A hundred is a hundred and it’s the best feeling and now we are in the best stage of the match.”

Recalled leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed ended England’s long frustration with figures of 4-66 in his first international game since February. Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir took 3-129 while Gus Atkinson grabbed 2-22 on a dry wicket specifically made to counter England’s aggressive batting.

“We did try different things with him, but he stood to his method and he batted very well,” Ahmed said of Saud’s resolute century. “We’re still quite positive with so much batting to come so we are still very positive in the changing room come tomorrow.

“There’s no sense of negativity or head down with anyone, everyone still knows he has a job to do. Our spinners bowled superbly, with Jack Leach being unlucky. I loved bowling on this surface as a spinner as things happen quickly, and we’ll give it our all to win.”

Ahmed claimed three of the four wickets to fall in the first session as Pakistan slipped to 177-7 — still behind by 90 runs — before Noman (45) and Sajid (48 not out) thwarted England’s plans by raising stands of 88 and 72 with Saud.

“They both [Noman and Sajid] really batted well and because of them we are in such a position,” Saud said. “We worked together, focusing on small targets, like getting 10-10 runs closer to the target.”

DEFINING MOMENT

England captain Ben Stokes began with spin from both ends and the defining moment of the day came in the fifth over of the morning, Bashir taking Saud’s outside edge only for the ball to ricochet off the tips of the keeper’s gloves.

Off-spinner Bashir would not be denied, however, and removed Pakistan captain Shan Masood for 26, caught in the second slip.

Ahmed was brought in somewhat late but did not take long to make his mark, trapping Mohammad Rizwan lbw for 25. Rizwan burned a review on his way back to the pavilion trying to get the decision reversed.

In his next over, Ahmed removed Salman Ali Agha (1) in the same fashion.

Aamer Jamal (14) then chopped Ahmed’s googly back onto his stumps as Stokes intelligently maneuvered his three specialist spinners and claimed four wickets for 114 runs in an extended 2-1/2 hour first session because of Friday prayers.

England were eyeing a lead after Ahmed’s burst left Pakistan on 187-7 at lunch but the Saud-Noman stand turned those expectations into frustration.

“Before lunch it was a great session for us,” Ahmed said. “But at the end of the day they batted well, so hats off to them.”

PAKISTAN spinner Sajid Khan (C) celebrates with team-mates after dismissing England opener Ben Duckett.—AFP

Saud took a single off Ahmed to bring up his hundred, raising his fist in a muted celebration before doing a fist-bump with Noman.

Noman — surviving a leg-before decision on review and a dropped catch off Root — assisted Saud admirably, hitting a six and two fours as the duo helped Pakistan add 80 in the second session.

Bashir dismissed Noman (45) lbw in in the final over ahead of the tea break but Pakistan’s tail continued to produce precious runs.

Number 10 batter Sajid counterpunched England spinners for four sixes and two boundaries. He was left with a bleeding chin after deflecting a ball into his face trying to play a scoop shot and had to change the bloodied shirt.

Gus Atkinson ended Saud’s vigil with a short pitch delivery which the batter fended to the mid-wicket fielder while Ahmed dismissed the last man Zahid Mahmood for nought.

That left England a brief window to bat but it was just enough time to dig themselves a serious hole.

Duckett was spared by the on-field umpire when Sajid had him plumb lbw, but the impassioned appeal suggested the bowler knew he had his man and DRS quickly agreed.

Crawley was static on the crease as Noman got him lbw to dismiss him for the fourth consecutive time in the series, exposing England’s inability to bat on slow surfaces.

And Ollie Pope’s under-par series concluded when he edged a catch to slip off Noman’s left-arm spin to put Pakistan in charge.

SCOREBOARD

ENGLAND (1st Innnings) 267 (J. Smith 89; Sajid Khan 6-128)

PAKISTAN (1st Innings, overnight 73-3):

Abdullah Shafique lbw b Bashir 14

Saim Ayub c Root b Leach 19

Shan Masood c Pope b Bashir 26

Kamran Ghulam b Atkinson 3

Saud Shakeel c (sub) b Atkinson 134

Mohammad Rizwan lbw b Ahmed 25

Salman Ali Agha lbw b Ahmed 1

Aamer Jamal b Ahmed 14