Azhar prolongs England's agony

Azhar Ali

Published: 11:10am, 5th February 2012

Azhar Ali's painstaking tour de force extended through its fourth session and into its ninth hour to pile on the misery for England at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Azhar (147 not out) saw six team-mates depart today but was going nowhere fast himself, as his 424-ball vigil took Pakistan to 350 for eight and a lead of 308 on day three of the final Test. Monty Panesar (four for 115) took three of five quick wickets shortly before tea.

But after a stand of 216 between Azhar and Younus Khan (127), the tourists nonetheless face an improbable escape route to avoid defeat - and therefore a 3-0 series whitewash - on a pitch still belying the clatter of 22 wickets in the first four sessions yet offering increasing help for the spinners.

Azhar was in absolutely no hurry over his second Test hundred, having previously reached exactly three figures on this same ground against Sri Lanka last year. He eventually reached the milestone from the 319th ball he faced, with one of the most memorable shots of his long innings - a cut off Panesar for his fifth four.

Azhar might have gone before his third-wicket partner Younus, for 84, but survived when Graeme Swann was just unable to hang on to a tough chance at second slip, very low to his left off the bowling of James Anderson.

Instead England's only breakthrough this morning came when Stuart Broad had Younus lbw on the front foot - DRS indicated the ball would have clipped the very top of middle-stump - after a five-hour stay which had helped to shut England out for 82 overs.

Younus was replaced by captain Misbah-ul-Haq, another batsman content to make the most of the ample time available in this well-progressed match. He and Azhar duly added another 87, until Misbah fell lbw pushing forward to Panesar in late afternoon.

There was no DRS left for Asad Shafiq, sweeping at Panesar to become the 40th lbw victim of this head-scratching series, and Adnan Akmal was soon bowled for a duck by one that turned to beat his defence and hit off-stump.

Swann then scored his first successes, after 32 overs in vain.

Abdur Rehman and Saeed Ajmal were both caught at slip, at which point five wickets had suddenly fallen for the addition of only 19 runs. There was still no shifting Azhar, though.