ENG v PAK, 3rd Test Day 4 Review: England piles on the runs

In spite of Mickey Arthur motivating his men prior to the end of day 4, England refused to cave into the intimidating Pakistan bowling attack as they went on to pile on the runs on Day four of the match at Edgbaston. Except for Garry Ballance and James Vince, the rest of the England batsmen completed half-centuries as they went about setting a lofty target for the visitors with one more day of cricket left to play in this simply amazing and entertaining Test match.

The fourth’s day’s play began with Alastair Cook and Alex Hales resuming on their simply phenomenal 125-run opening stand. Despite a few hiccups on the way, it seemed as though the duo were destined to continue their partnership. However, skipper Alastair Cook fell after scoring just the single run when Yasir Shah pulled off a terrific catch off the bowling of Sohail Khan for 66. The Pakistanis landed a double blow a few minutes later in the very next over when Alex Hales was snapped up by Younis Khan in the slips.

Joe Root and James Vince took on the Pakistani pace attack head-on as they made life supremely difficult for the Pakistani bowling attack whilst making it seem as though Misbah had to milk every last ounce of the Pakistan bowling attack. Root and Vince smashed half-centuries as they went on to amass a mammoth 96-run partnership with Root scoring 62 and Vince scoring an impressive 42. The duo once again fell in quick succession. However, this time, around, the lead had crept up to a mammoth 200 runs, something that is supremely difficult to score especially in the fourth innings of a Test match.

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Yasir Shah added to his wicket tally finally after snapping up Joe Root and Gary Ballance as he began to show shades of his performance at Lord’s in the first Test. The final partnership of the day was perhaps the most valuable as well as the most entertaining as possible. Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow have been somewhat subdued with the bat of late and this series has seen them pick the brunt of the litter as far as performances with the bat is concerned.

However, the duo stitched an important 100 odd-run partnership as they went on to smash half-centuries. Bairstow and Moeen Ali remained unbeaten on 82 and 60 respectively as the Brits concluded their day on 414/5, 311 runs ahead of Pakistan as the final day beckons on both sides.

Brief Scores

England, 1st innings: 297 all out

Pakistan, 1st innings: 400 all out

England, 2nd innings: 414/5 (J Bairstow 82*; Amir 2/73) England lead by 311 runs