Shoaib Bashir gives England hope with three quick wickets in Multan
The tourists are 118 runs behind.
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Shoaib Bashir grabbed three quick wickets as England threatened to mount a fightback against Pakistan on the third morning of the second Test in Multan.
Seven wickets fell before lunch as the ball spun lavishly on a recycled pitch that was becoming a minefield in an unprecedented eighth day of use, with not a single over of seam.
England lost their last four batters for 52 as they were bowled out for 291, off-spinner Sajid Khan finishing with seven for 111, before Bashir turned the tables.
Starting their second innings with a strong lead of 75, Pakistan slipped to 43 for three as Bashir dismissed Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood and Saim Ayub in a seven-over burst.
With the ball ragging around and batting at times looking more like a lottery than a test of technical prowess, England’s deficit of 118 was already problematic but their early efforts at least offered hope.
Resuming on 239 for six, they lost their first wicket in the fifth over, Brydon Carse pumping Sajid down the ground but failing to clear the man at long-on.
That sealed the off-spinner’s five-for but he was not done yet. Matthew Potts was his next victim, the tailender totally outmatched by conditions in his first overseas innings. He held back in his crease and was helpless to stop a big turner rip out of the rough and bowl him through his legs.
Jamie Smith was running out of partners and decided to take matters into his own hands, looking to release the pressure by planting Noman Ali for six down the ground. England’s number seven was always reaching and sent a skyscraper of a catch to long-off for 21.
Pakistan were still 104 ahead as the last-wicket pair came together and would have been slightly frustrated to see their lead whittled down to 75 as Jack Leach scored an unbeaten 25 at a run-a-ball.
It fell to Sajid to provide the final blow, Bashir looping into the on-side via a mis-hit sweep.
England had 15 overs to land some blows of their own and while Bashir was less controlled than Leach, who sent down five overs for eight runs, he found the wicket-taking deliveries.
Shafique was first, DRS suggesting a tiny feather as the ball turned down the leg side despite the batter’s apparent disbelief.
The left-handed Masood followed, Bashir attacking from around the wicket and seeing an outside edge ping to second slip as he spun it away from middle stump.
England’s spirits then received a huge lift as the youngest member of their side struck again with the final ball before lunch, turning another one sharply into the outside edge as Ollie Pope swallowed his second catch.