England fought back to reduce Pakistan to 73-3 on the first day of the series-deciding third Test in Rawalpindi Thursday, after off-spinner Sajid Khan took six wickets. Sajid finished with 6-128 and left-arm spinner Noman Ali took 3-88 after a rearguard 89 by wicketkeeper Jamie Smith enabled England to recover to 267 from a precarious 110-5 at lunch. At the close, Pakistan captain Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel were both unbeaten on 16, with the home team trailing by 194 and the match in the balance.
On a dry and spin-friendly Rawalpindi pitch, 13 wickets fell on day one with all but one going to spin bowlers.
In the final session, England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir dismissed Abdullah Shafique for 14 and left-armer Jack Leach accounted for Saim Ayub who had made 19.
Gus Atkinson was the only fast bowler to take a wicket, dismissing Kamran Ghulam for three.
“The pitch helped us for the first 25 overs, but when the ball got softer it was difficult to spin the ball,” said Sajid, who took nine wickets in the second Test victory in Multan.
“Smith played a brilliant knock otherwise we could have got them out for under 200. We need a good first-innings lead to win this Test,” admitted Sajid.
England were in huge trouble at 118-6 after they lost captain Ben Stokes in the third over of the second session, caught by Sajid for 12.
But Smith, who reached his fifty off 94 balls, and Atkinson (39) added 105 for the seventh wicket to rescue their side.
Smith fell 11 runs short of his second Test century after enabling England to add 149 for their last four wickets.
– Six towering sixes –
Smith smashed six towering sixes and five fours in his 119-ball knock before he was caught off a miscued slog against spinner Zahid Mahmood in the last over before tea.
“I want to be someone who does well in all conditions, not just at home,” said Smith, who is playing his first Test series overseas.
“To come out here and to put in that performance is quite pleasing.”
After tea, Sajid removed Rehan Ahmed for nine to complete his third five-wicket haul before also dismissing Leach for 16.
The morning session was dominated by second Test heroes Sajid and Noman who bowled unchanged for 42 overs at the start of England’s innings.
After England won the toss and opted to bat, Pakistan opened with the spin duo, who benefited from the parched pitch offering turn and low bounce from the first ball.
It was only the fourth time in Test cricket history the new ball on the first morning had been taken by two spinners and the first time in Pakistan.
Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett raced to 56 in a confident start but England lost Crawley (29), Ollie Pope (three) and Joe Root (five) for just 24 runs to be 80-3.
Noman had Crawley caught off a miscued drive while Sajid removed Pope and Root leg before.
Duckett, who completed a half-century off 76 balls, was trapped lbw by Noman for 52 after hitting four fours and a six to leave England 98-4.
That became 98-5 five balls later when first Test triple centurion Harry Brook was bowled behind his legs by Sajid for five attempting a sweep.
Both teams included three spinners on a grassless pitch which the hosts dried with fans and heaters in the build-up.
Sajid and Noman shared all 20 wickets in Pakistan’s second Test win to level the series at 1-1 after England won the first by an innings, with both matches taking place in Multan.
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