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Day 4 of the 2^nd test match between England and Pakistan at the Sheikh Zayed stadium in Abh Dhabi turned out to be cracker of a day with some gripping test match cricket from both sides culminating eventually in a Pakistani win that helped them gain an unassailable 2-0 lead in the 3 match series.

The day started off with England on top with Pakistan just 55 runs ahead and having lost some key top order wickets on day 3. England drove home the advantage and dismissed Pakistan for 214 in their second innings thanks to a 6 wicket haul from left arm spinner Monty Panesar. Having to chase just 145 for victory, the English batsmen were yet again found wanting against spin on a wearing wicket and capitulated to a lowly 72 all out on the back of a career best of 6/25 from left arm spinner Abdur Rehman. None of the English batsmen barring captain Andrew Strauss (32) put forth any resistance in the final innings in what was truly a dreadful display from the world No.1 side.

The young pair of Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq carried on in the same vein in the morning session adopting the slow and steady way to success on a pitch that started to take a lot of turn early on day 4. They were content to play within their limitations and wait for the loose balls to put away as they played the waiting game in the first session. This approach did not pay them much dividends as Panesar was looking more and more threatening with each passing over, extracting sharp turn off the wicket. Asad Shafiq (43) departed, having added just 8 runs to his overnight score, caught at slip by Jimmy Anderson with Pakistan just 72 ahead. Adnan Akmal put on a handy 28 run stand with Azhar Ali before the latter fell caught behind to a rising ball from Anderson with the second new ball after a well made 68. Adnan(13) himself perished soon after, edging a flashy drive off Broad straight to Strauss at first slip.

Abdur Rehman and Saeed Ajmal then added a valuable 25 runs going into lunch for the eight wicket, albeit in agricultural fashion. As things turned out later in the match, these runs proved vital to the team’s cause.

Rehman(10) fell straight after lunch, lbw to Graeme Swann attempting a sweep across the line. Ajmal made a handy 17 before he too perished with the lead on 138, caught in the slips off Panesar, granting him a well deserved 5 wicket haul. The key to Panesar’s success was his pace through the air, he bowled rather flat on a slow track and gave the batsmen less time to read the ball off the pitch. Pakistan reached a lead of 144 before the No.11 Junaid Khan(0) lost his stumps to Panesar, attempting an ungainly heave over mid-wicket with the more enterprising Umar Gul stranded at the other end having made 10.

England, with a little over an hour to survive before tea, were rocked badly early on, losing 4 wickets in that brief period. First to go was Alastair Cook(7), who was caught and bowled by Hafeez off the leading edge, looking to turn the ball on the off-side with the score on just 21. England were lucky not lose their captain a couple of overs later as he was caught bat pad by Azhar Ali at short leg only to later be adjudged as a grassed catch by the third umpire. It was a ridiculous call as the replays showed clearly that the fielder had his fingers firmly underneath the ball. That bit of misfortune did not slow Pakistan’s charge as they sensed fear in the English camp. What was to follow was an absolute procession of the No.1 test side on a turning track.

Ian Bell promoted to No.3 due to some illness affecting Jonathan Trott, was on his way back after making just 3 as his tentative defensive shot off Ajmal’s doosra resulted in the ball spinning back to dislodge the stumps. England lost two more before tea with the score on just 37 as Kevin Pietersen fell LBW to Rehman missing a quickish straighter one that would have hit the top of middle. Eoin Morgan did not do himself any good as he was clueless against a sharp off break from Rehman just before tea, that saw him clean bowled through the gate.

The session after Tea was not any different for England as they struggled to put bat to ball against the Pakistani spinners. Andrew Strauss' luck ran out after having made 32 as he was trapped in front by Rehman with a ball that turned sharply out of the rough. That was the last ounce of resistance gone as the the flood gates opened for a famous Pakistani victory.

Trott finally coming in at 7, looked all at sea at the crease before he too fell lbw to Rehman playing back to a reasonably full turner from the left armer. England’s saviour in the first innings Stuart Broad (0) lasted only two balls as he was also bowled through the gate by a rampant Rehman after attempting an ambitions drive out of the rough. If Broad’s dismissal did not seal the deal, Swann’s(0) surely did the very next over as he fell LBW to the Man of the Match Saeed Ajmal, looking to play off the back foot.

Matt Prior(18) then fell just two balls later, failing to pick Ajmal’s doosra and chipping a drive straight to short extra cover. Jimmy Anderson(1) was the last England wicket to fall holing out to deep square leg, top edging a sweep shot off Rehman.

This victory for Pakistan opened up several questions regarding the England’s supremacy at the top of the test rankings despite not winning in the sub-continent for a long time. Down and out in the series, the Poms will now have to restore some much needed pride in Dubai in the third and final test to arrest this rampant slide in what otherwise is going to be a very hard tour of the subcontinent for them, this coming season.

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 214 all out (99.2 overs , 2.15 runs per over)
A Ali 68(195) M Panesar 6/62
A Shafiq 43(138) G Swann 2/66

England 2nd Innings 72 all out (36.1 overs, 1.99 runs per over)
A Strauss 32(100) A Rehman 6/25
M Prior 18(45) S Ajmal 3/22

File Photograph Copyright: John Fulton