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The No.1 test team in the world, England, took the bull by the horns on the third day of the second test in Abu Dhabi and ended the day in control of the match as they took 4 top order Pakistani wickets after having an established a handy 70 run lead in the first innings earlier in the day. England made 327 in their 1st Innings before taking 4 early Pakistani wickets within the deficit and got right on top in the match.

Two young Pakistan batsmen, Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq then pulled things back for their team by putting on a dogged and determined 71 unbeaten run at stumps, to make things interesting for the remaining 2 days.

Resuming on 207/5, England lost Matt Prior(3) early with the score at just 227, as he was trapped leg before once again to the wrecker-in-chief, Saeed Ajmal. Prior was caught on the crease, not for the first time this series. Ian bell and Stuart Broad then added 41 useful runs for the 7th wicket before the former too fell LBW, this time to a ball that nipped back from Umar Gul.

Stuart Broad(58*) was the thorn in Pakistan's flesh in the first session as he took the attack to all their bowlers, cashing in on anything slightly pitched up or off line. He played plenty of lofted shorts over the in-field early in his innings and thereby forced Misbah to spread the field.

Greame Swann(15) and Jimmy Anderson(13) then a added a 23 and 31 precious runs respectively with the audacious Broad for the 9tth and 10th wickets respectively. Swann fell first, plumb in front to Abdur Rehman's straighter one before Jimmy Anderson lost his off-stump to a quicker one from Mohammed Hafeez.

Monty Panesar, coming in at 11, did not trouble the scorers as he too fell to an LBW two balls later to Hafeez, despite inside edging one onto his pad owing to no remaining referrals.

Pakistan started their second innings after bowling out England just after lunch, and did not have a particularly auspicious beginning. Mohammed Hafeez failed to read the straighter one from Monty Panesar and was caught plumb in front for 22, not converting what looked like a promising start. With his quick and accurate left-armers that spun viciously at times Panesar caused more problems to the rest of the batsmen who came in.

It was Greame Swann who struck the next blow though, immediately after the fall of Hafeez, getting an arm ball through Taufeeq's defense and taking his off stump after the left hander had made an edgy 7. Younus Khan and Azhar Ali added just 7 runs for the 3rd wicket before Panesar struck a body blow, clean bowling Younus Khan(1) with a vicious turner that pitched on middle and off and went past the outside edge to knock back the off stump. Misbah and Azhar took Pakistan through to tea at 54/3, still 16 runs short of the deficit.

England started the post tea session with a bang as Panesar took another big wicket, trapping Misbah leg-before with a fairly straight delivery. Misbah was edgy after tea, and played with his bat behind the pad, eventually paying a costly price. With Pakistan tottering at 54/4, still 16 runs behind England, Azhar Ali(46*) and Asad Shafiq(35*) played with great responsibility to bail them out of a predicament.

They were very selective in their stroke play and chose the right balls to attack as they carefully and diligently got Pakistan in front. Though they scored at only 2 runs per over for the entire session, they ensured no further hiccups by taking Pakistan to 125/4 at the end of the day and keeping their team in hunt going into the 4th day on a wearing track.

England will be hoping that their spinners do the job on the fourth day and will not want to chase any more than 175 on a difficult wicket. As the game nears its climax, pressure will be immense on both sides and the side that holds its nerve the best could end up winning the match.

Teams:

England: A Cook, A Strauss, J Trott, K Pietersen, I Bell, E Morgan, M Prior, S Broad, G Swann, M Panesar, J Anderson

Pakistan: T Umar, M Hafeez, A Ali, Y Khan, Misbah Ul Haq, A Shafiq, A Akmal, A Rehman, U Gul, J Khan, S Ajmal

Mini Scorecard:

Pak 1st Innings 257 all out (94 overs, 2.73rpo)
Misbah 84 (173) S Broad 3/47
A Shafiq 58 (126) G Swann 3/52

England 1st Innings 327 all out (112 overs, 2.91rpo)
A Cook 94(220) S Ajmal 3/67
J Trott 74(158) A Rehman 1/39

Pakistan 2nd Innings 125/4 (61 overs, 2.04rpo)
A Ali 46*(140) M Panesar 3/44
A Shafiq 35*(105) G Swann 1/32