Pakistan v England: 2nd Test, day four commentary

Pakistan win by 72 runs A brilliant Test match is, in the end, not even close as Pakistan rout England's batting line-up for under half their 145-run target. Astonishing performance from Rehman and Ajmal has spun England into strokeless submission and bagged a famous victory. Pakistan win the series, with England's sole objective in the final Test at Dubai trying to restore some pride. To be honest, it'll take something pretty special to do it after this.

Over 36: Rehman W 72 WICKET! All over! Stunning series-clinching victory for Pakistan as Anderson top-edges a slog-sweep to be caught by Umar Gul at deep square-leg. Rehman ends up with six wickets as England's defensive mindset got them first into a spot of bother, then real trouble, and then quicksand from which there was no escape. Pakistan's spinners were superb, but my word that was a pathetic batting performance from England. It was Adelaidesque, and there can be no greater condemnation than that.

Over 36: Ajmal 3-0-0-W-1-W 72-9 - Prior nicks an attempted cut shot just wide of the man at slip and Swann scampers back for a third run. WICKET! Another batsman lbw playing back to spin, Swann this time. It's absolutely plumb and the end is nigh. That's the 16th lbw in the match, to go with 13 bowled. In the end, this match isn't even going to be close. Anderson joins Prior in the middle, and scampers a single first ball to get off the mark. WICKET! Prior gone as well now, tamely chipping a catch to cover. One of the most astonishing collapses

Over 35: Rehman 1-4lb-W-0-W-0 68-7 WICKET! Hard to know if Trott was struggling because he's so ill or if he was just gripped by the same paralysis that has afflicted all England's batsmen here. He's trapped plumb lbw playing back to Rehman. One more wicket here for Pakistan and you'd have to think the game is up. England still need 77 runs to win and at the moment it looks like it must as well be 777. Broad is the new batsman, and he has to have permission to attack. WICKET! All over now, surely. Broad looks to drive against the turn, and the ball spins sharply to go through the gate and knock back the off stump. What an astonishing game Test cricket can be. Graeme Swann is the new batsman. In all the excitement, I didn't even notice that Rehman's picked up a five-wicket haul. Superb performance from the other Pakistan spinner. On the TV the spin-o-tron reveals that ball to bowl Broad spun seven degrees. Doesn't sound very much, does it? It was loads.

Over 34: Ajmal 2-0-0-0-1-0 63-5 - Prior drives hard through cover but has to settle for two runs. Trott wasn't keen on a third run, and it's hard to criticise. Prior sweeps hard to deep square-leg for a single. England need 82 to win, and at the rate they're going it will only take around 50 overs.

Over 33: Rehman 0-0-0-0-0-0 60-5 - Another maiden over from Rehman. Trott manages to get through the over. It's hard to tell how he's feeling - his face rarely betrays much emotion - but it's hard to shake the notion that he'd much rather be somewhere else. Somewhere rather closer to a toilet.

Over 32: Ajmal 0-0-0-0-0-0 60-5 - Pakistan review a close lbw shout against Prior, but it's just missing leg stump. Must admit it looked straight to me; thought it would be one of those umpire's call jobs. Wasn't expecting it to actually be missing.

Over 31: Rehman 0-1-0-0-0-3 60-5 - Chance! Complete mix-up between Trott and Prior ends with both batsmen at the keeper's end as Umar Gul fields at backward point. For some reason, though, someone shouts for the throw to go to the keeper's end and Trott is able to scamper to the bowler's end and get off the mark. Could make a joke here about dodgy runs, but it's beneath me. (It isn't.) Pakistan just got overexcited there. Cool heads were needed, and there were none. A thick but safe outside edge from Prior brings three runs, with Trott quick enough and well enough to come back for the final run as Umar Gul does the fielding.

Over 30: Ajmal 0-0-0-0-0-0 56-5 - Ajmal bowls another maiden. This really is all rather horribly, unpleasantly Adelaidey for England.

Over 29: Rehman 0-0-1-0-4-W 56-5 - A run! An actual run! Prior sweeps hard into the legside for a single, and Strauss smacks a hard sweep shot to the square-leg boundary for four more. WICKET! But such giddy runscoring could only precipitate a wicket. Strauss falls to a marginal leg-before decision playing off the back foot. He reviews, but without much conviction. There are amber umpire's call lights for both the impact on the off stump and for the ball just clipping the leg bail. Taken in isolation, you could say Strauss is unlucky to be given out there. But after the ludicrous life he was given by Bowden before tea, he can't really be too upset. England now have no reviews left: could yet be crucial as well. Trott is the new batsman. He doesn't look thrilled to be out there.

Over 28: Ajmal 0-0-0-0-0-0 51-4 - Strauss fiddles his way through another maiden over. Basically, unless Ajmal bowls a wide long-hop or drifts right into the pads, he will concede no runs to Strauss and has every chance of getting him out. This is one of the most painful 28 not outs I've ever witnessed. Strangely admirable in its way.

Over 27: Rehman 0-0-0-0-0-0 51-4 - Rehman rips one past Prior's outside edge and then strangles an lbw shout as the batsman this time does manage to get the edge of the bat to the ball. Nerve-shredding stuff.

Over 26: Ajmal 0-0-0-0-0-0 51-4 - Strauss looking to defend chiefly on the back foot, and negotiates another over in which he only has to survive one huge appeal. It's for caught behind. The ball clipped his pad, not bat. Good decision.

Over 25: Rehman 0-0-1-2-0-4 51-4 - More like it. Strauss works to leg for a single before Prior fiddles to fine-leg for a couple of runs to take the target down to double figures. Prior celebrates this by slapping the last ball of the over to the cover boundary. England need, by hook or by crook, to find another 94 runs here.

KP "I am following in Vietnam...its evening here...about KP ...isnt it about time he was dropped...he may be wonderfully gifted but he cant score runs! what is his average now? and Morgan too ...great limited overs player but surely not a Test batsman.." says Phillip. I'm glad you brought up Pietersen's average. His 6378 Test runs have come at 49.06. He scored 175 two Tests ago. He can stay for a while yet, I think. You may, though, be right about Morgan. Not convinced about him as a Test batsman, I'm afraid.

Over 24: Ajmal 0-0-0-0-0-0 44-4 - Huge moral victory for England here, as Prior picks the doosra and defends it with the middle of his bat. Like throwing a shoe over a Slough office block, that's the real quiz. That's Blockbusters.

Over 23: Rehman 0-0-1-0-4-0 44-4 - Prior takes a pretty safe single to midwicket, but even that seems fraught with trouble as the fielder throws down the stumps from midwicket. He's well in, though. Strauss picks up four with another well-played cut shot. I'd put a man out there, to be honest. It looks to be his only realistic boundary option at the moment; might as well cut it off. England need 101 to win.

Evidence Bowden reports he didn't give Strauss out because there was "no clear evidence" that Ali had taken the catch. Needs to give his screen a bit of a wipe, I think.

Freeze "Is it just me or do we look like a team made up of Robin Smiths when it comes to facing a half decent spin bowler?" asks "very frustrated" Matt Hobbs. "Maybe we should try hypnotherapy when faced with a turning wicket as we just freeze."

Gin "Squeaky bum time again," writes Matt - who also reports he is now out of gin. "This is why we love following England, an easy run chase wouldn't motivate them for the next match."

Tea What a Test match. Having polished off the Pakistan innings and left chasing a mere 145 for victory, England appeared set to level the series at 1-1. But since then it's all gone rather wrong. England trying to play from the crease against high-class spin bowling and paying the price. They're now 39-4, Trott is still yet to bat because he's ill, and England are in desperate need of a partnership between Strauss and Prior. Trott's got the trots, but England haven't got the runs. Things could and should've been worse for England as well: Strauss was clearly caught at short-leg, but was spared due to Billy Bowden's overwhelming desire to make sure he's a talking point in even the most scintillating Test match, and even when he's not out in the middle.

Over 22: Ajmal 0-0-2-0-0-0 39-4 - Trott not the only one in need of Imodium now. His dicky tummy really was badly timed, robbing England of their reassuring presence at number three and also exposing a middle-order devoid of confidence. Somehow, Strauss is still there and picks up two more with an outside edge that finds the gap between slip and gully.

Over 21 Rehman 0-0-0-W-4lb-W 37-4 WICKET! It's all going very, very wrong for England here. Pietersen falls to a classic modern-day lbw decision. There was a time when his huge forward stride would've saved him, but those days are gone. Oxenford raises the finger and, with Hawk-eye showing the ball hitting the bails, even a review can't save Pietersen from another failure in this series. Pakistan getting close to being favourites here. WICKET! Pakistan definitely favourites for this now. Morgan plays back and is bowled by one that spins back to beat the inside edge and knock back the off stump. Someone's going to have to play a counter-attacking innings. England won't win the game playing like this.

Over 20: Ajmal 0-0-0-0-0-4 33-2 - Strauss beaten again by a beauty from Ajmal before gleefully cashing in on a genuine long-hop and cutting it past point for four. Too often England's parched batsmen have seen a mirage of a long-hop when trying to cross the desert of Ajmal's bowling. This one's the real thing.

Over 19: Rehman 0-0-0-0-0-1lb 29-2 - Beaten twice early in the over, Strauss ends it with a desperate sweep that rolls away on the legside for a leg-bye. At the moment, Bowden's moment of madness doesn't look likely to cost Pakistan too much. But you never know...

Over 18: Ajmal W-1-1-0-0-0 28-2 WICKET! Bell defends the ball straight into the ground and, to his horror, can only watch as it spins sharply back into his stumps to dislodge the bails. This is starting to have an unpleasant Adelaide 2006 feel to it. England gripped by paralysis and seemingly incapable of escaping the stranglehold. Kevin Pietersen is the new batsman and, in a pretty poor piece of cricket from Pakistan, is able to get off the mark with an easy single on the offside first ball. Got to keep him on nought; make him earn his first runs with a good shot. Because the alternative is that he may well do something stupid. Strauss adds another single with a dab to third-man before Pietersen very nearly does that something stupid, setting off on a hare-brained run after blocking the ball straight to a fielder 15 yards from the bat. Strauss sends him back with just enough time to avery disaster. England struggling horribly here two down. And it really should be three.

Over 17: Rehman 0-3-0-0-0-0 26-1 - Bell gets off the mark with a solid whip through midwicket for three, but that's not the main event in this over. If England go on to win this match, this is a moment that Pakistan will never forget. Strauss gets a big inside edge into his pad and Azhar Ali does brilliantly to get his fingers under the ball at short-leg. The on-field umpires decide to check upstairs where, despite replays clearly showing the fielder has completed a superb catch, third umpire Billy Bowden decides there's enough doubt for him to give it not out. Can't agree with him. Astonishing let-off for Strauss.

Over 16: Ajmal 0-2-0-0-0-0 23-1 - Strauss squeezes an outside edge past slip and gets back for two runs. This isn't a run-chase, it's a run-have-a-nice-sit-down-and-hope-everything-turns-out-okay.

Over 15: Hafeez 0-3-0-0-0-W 21-1 - Strauss clips through the legside for three runs before Cook gets away with one. Again looking to cut a ball that's just far too straight, he jabs down on the ball with bat and pad close together. It's knocking back middle stump, but hard to tell at full speed whether it's bat or pad that makes the first interception. Replays show, though, that it is indeed pad then bat. Would've been interesting to see what happened if that had been reviewed. It was certainly hitting the stumps: would the replay showing pad first have been deemed sufficient evidence to overturn the original decision? I'd suggest yes, and it's another DRS error from Pakistan. WICKET! Doesn't matter now. Cook's gone, looking to work Hafeez into the legside against the spin and getting a leading edge to give the bowler the simplest of return catches. Ian Bell is indeed the man in at number there

Over 14: Ajmal 1-0-0-0-2-1 18-0 - Cook works to leg for a run, which is normally as mundane and regular occurrence as breathing, but is now suddenly once again a truly miraculous and awe-inspiring sign of the wonder of life and existence itself. Strauss then positively hyperventilates by cutting behind point for two and working to leg for another single.

Over 13: Hafeez 0-0-0-0-0-0 14-0 - England have scored two runs in the last seven overs. Don't rule out the draw, people.

Over 12: Ajmal 0-0-0-0-0-0 14-0 - Close! Cook fails to pick the doosra, rocking back to cut a ball that - to his horror - he suddenly realises is spinning back rather sharply towards his stumps. He just about manages to get bat down on ball before disaster strikes.

Over 11: Hafeez 0-0-0-0-0-0 14-0 - Strauss prods and pokes his way through a maiden over. The England captain is surviving by sheer force of will here.

Over 10: Ajmal 0-0-1-0-0-0 14-0 - There's not a chance of it happening, though. I know that. I think we'll just have to accept that England's progress towards this target will be slow. As long as it's slow and steady, slow and methodical, that's fine really. It's when it becomes slow and tortured, slow and panicked, slow and oh-crikey-there-goes-another-one-I-can't-watch-this-where's-the-gin that problems start.

Over 9: Hafeez 0-0-0-0-0-1 13-0 - Just a single from the over. Every run hard-earned here. Here's a bit of outside-the-box thinking: if Trott's too ill to bat at three, why not send Broad in at three with licence? He hits the ball cleanly from sound technical positions - I've described him before as the game's most technically correct slogger. If he gets out cheaply, you've not lost a frontline batsman. If he bats for 10 or 15 overs, the game is won. I'd be genuinely tempted you know.

Over 8: Ajmal 0-0-0-0-0-0 12-0 - It was never going to take too long, was it? Ajmal into the attack and he starts with a maiden that ends with a big lbw shout against Cook. It's the offie delivered from round the wicket - as opposed to his first-innings dismissal of Cook with the doosra from over the wicket - but didn't spin back enough and would've slipped down the legside.

Over 7: Hafeez 0-0-0-0-0-0 12-0 - Strauss plays out a maiden over from Hafeez. No great alarms, all things considered.

Over 6: Umar Gul 0-0-1-0-0-0 12-0 - Strauss misses out on a rare boundary opportunity, hitting his favourite cut shot straight at point, but does pick up a single to third-man a couple of balls later. Appeal for a catch down the legside - which appears to be a genuine tactic from Umar Gul, so frequently does he take wickets in that way - against Cook, but I don't think there's any bat on that and more importantly nor does Steve Davis.

Over 5: Hafeez 1-0-0-0-2-0 11-0 - Strauss is able to scamper a single for a defensive push into the covers, and Cook adds a couple with a flick behind square-leg as Hafeez drifts down the legside.

Over 4: Umar Gul 0-0-0-1-0-1 8-0 - So far, this run-chase hasn't been remotely terrifying. Long way to go, though...

Over 3: Hafeez 1-0-1-1-0-0 6-0 - Jonathan Trott - who has the most unfortunate surname for a stomach-upset victim since the fictitious left-arm spinner Johnny Diarrhoea hang up his spikes 34 years ago in my mind - cannot bat until 0940 GMT because of the time he spent off the field. That's 12 minutes away. For now, Bell is padded up ready to come in if - let's be confident, let's go with if - a wicket falls before then. Belly and the Trotts. Puntastic opportunities abound there.

Over 2: Umar Gul 0-0-1-0-0-1 3-0 - This is a bonus for England. Don't get me wrong: Umar Gul is a very fine bowler and may well take a wicket or two. But England's openers will feel far more comfortable facing him - even with the new ball - than Ajmal/Rehman. A single apiece for Strauss and Cook in the over.

Over 1: Hafeez 0-0-0-1-0-0 1-0 - Decent start from Hafeez. Nervous, tentative one from Strauss who nonetheless gets off the mark with a thick inside edge as he plays back to a very full delivery.

Pakistan 2nd Inns 214 all out England need 145 to win and level the series at 1-1. They ought to do it with plenty to spare. This is cricket, though, and it's a mad and unpredictable beast. If Pakistan can get into an England middle order that's not exactly full of confidence at the moment then who knows? Big decision for Misbah-ul-Haw here is who he gives the new ball to. I'd say Hafeez is nailed on to be one - he's very, very good with the new ball and loves a left-hander. Wouldn't be surprised to see Ajmal or Rehman at the other end, though. Any over of Gul and Junaid have to be treated as a bonus by England here.

Over 100: Panesar 0-W 214 WICKET! Poor cricket from Junaid. Should've been batting for Gul, but instead has a great big moo at one and is bowled middle stump. But Monty ends with 6-62 and has bowled every bit as well as those figures suggest. The Montster's back.

Over 99: Broad 0-0-6-0-0-0 214-9 - Strauss obviously sensed that Gul was about to attack the spinner, so goes back to Broad. I think it's the wrong option; Gul's far better at attacking the quicks than he is the spinners. And right on cue he smashes a length ball from Broad way, way back onto the grass bank at deep midwicket.

Over 98: Panesar 0-0-3-W-0-0 208-9 WICKET! Five for Monty! Ajmal plays with low hands, and that's his undoing here as he gloves a spinning ball gently to slip where Anderson takes a catch even easier than the non-catch Bell dropped in the last over. Junaid Khan is the last man in for Pakistan; Umar Gul's going to have to play some shots. But hurrah for Monty. He's been magnificent. A superb display of spin bowling from a man who's had to wait and wait for another chance.

Over 97: Swann 0-2-0-0-0-4 205-8 - Ian Bell's a lucky boy here, after dropping the sitter of all sitters at leg-gully as the ball lobbed up off the pad flap. Swann has his head in his hands convinced there was some bat or glove involved. There wasn't. Ajmal gets a big top-edge to a sweep shot and Panesar is completely bamboozled by the spin on the ball as he scampers round from long-leg to field. Initially makes a complete mess of it but recovers well to prevent the boundary. Another sweep shot to end the over rockets off the middle of the bat and races to the square-leg boundary.

Over 96: Panesar 0-0-0-0-0-0 199-8 - Another fine over from Panesar, but Umar Gul is equal to the task. The last one spins past his outside edge, but that's all part of the game here. The top-order players were beaten, so the tailenders are going to struggle as well.

Over 95: Swann 0-0-0-0-0-1 199-8 - Big appeal for a bat-pad catch at short-leg, but there doesn't seem to be any inside edge involved there. Nothing on Hot Spot. Gul sweeps the last ball of the over to square-leg for a single to keep the strike. Well fielded by Monty.

Over 94: Panesar 0-0-0-0-0-0 198-8 - Panesar has a couple of right-handers to work with now as he chases his fifth wicket of the innings. England would dearly love to wrap this up quicksmart.

Over 93: Swann 0-0-W-0-0-0 198-8 WICKET! England strike in the first over after lunch as Swann does for yet another lefty. Rehman on the sweep and is hit on the pad that looks to have spun just enough to hit leg stump rather than miss it. Steve Davis agrees and raises the finger. Rehman uses Pakistan's last review, but Hawk-eye confirms the ball is hitting an umpire's call quantity of leg stump and the decision stands. Umar Gul is in at number 10, and Pakistan need him to play one of the entertaining cameos he produced on more than one occasion during the 2010 series.

Half-empty I know all you England fans like to be fatalistic. So here's one: England have only successfully chased more than their current target of 129 against Pakistan three times in Tests. There you go: commence panic!

Lunch Well England will be relatively pleased with that session, picking up the last three batsmen in the Pakistan line-up. But this stand betwen Rehman and Ajmal is turning into one of those splendid, luck-riding, edge-passing, appeal-surving, run-scrambling efforts that can be crucial in games like this. The lead is now 128, but with no terrors in the pitch only the mental demons currently stalking the England middle-order can make this tricky unless Pakistan get another 80 runs. For what it's worth, a final word on that Panesar shout on the stroke of lunch: there's a tiny mark on the bat on the Hot Spot replay, but it's a red herring. The normal, front-on replay shows the ball going straight past the inside edge and into the pad. No deflection there.

Over 92: Panesar 0-0-4b-0-0-0 198-7 - Sharp spin from Panesar beats everyone and everything - Ajmal's bat, Prior's gloves and Anderson's left hand - before running away for four byes. Precious, precious runs these. Close! Ah, this is why you don't waste the reviews! Panesar hits Ajmal in front of absolutely everything, but Bruce Oxenford shakes his head and there's nothing England can do about it. Absolutely plumb that, and replays show there's no inside edge which was the only thing that could possibly have spared the batsman.

Over 91: Swann 0-1-2-0-1-0 194-7 - Rehman hammers a slog-sweep straight into Cook's knee at short-leg. Ouch. Ah, infuriatingly brainless piece of cricket here from England: having got the batsmen to the 'right' end, England for some reason have mid-on set deep enough for Rehman to knock the ball to him and scamper a single. Can't understand that one at all. Poor. Ajmal picks up two through gully and then scampers a single after a genuine outside edge as he lunges forward. This partnership's worth 22 now; just enough to start becoming an irritant in a low-scoring game.

Over 90: Panesar 0-0-0-2-0-1 190-7 - Panesar back into the attack now, offering Rehman the chance to drive against the spin out of the rough. Rehman accepts the invitation, and picks up a couple of runs. Nice shot, but shouldn't put Panesar off. Rehman gets a single from the last ball of the over. Again, Swann won't mind that. Left-hander at his end and right-hander at Panesar's seems the very ideal situation.

Over 89: Swann 0-1-0-0-0-3 187-7 - Swann into the attack with a fairly new ball. The one that slides on off the shiny leather's as much a danger as the one that bites off the seam here. Ajmal takes a single from the second ball, which won't upset Swann as it brings the left-handed Rehman on strike. Twice he's beaten before deciding that he's had quite enough of prodding and poking around and aims an almighty slog over midwicket. It goes a long, long way up but has just enough distance to clear the infield before plugging as it lands in the deep. Three runs for that, and the lead grows to 117. Another 30 or 40 runs plus another middle-order collapse from England could yet make this a thriller.

Over 88: Broad 0-2-1-0-0-0 183-7 - Outrageous cockiness here from Ajmal. We've all seen Adrian Lewis do that thing where he scores a 180 without looking. Well Ajmal's variation is to pull the ball off the middle of the bat while looking at fine-leg. Does it twice in the over as well, just to prove it's not a fluke. Broad then beats Rehman's outside edge with another fine delivery. Round the wicket, perfect length, just shapes away. Did everything right apart from miss the outside edge.

Over 87: Anderson 1lb-0-0-0-0-0 180-7 - Anderson appeals for leg-before against Rehman, and this time Strauss is convinced to go for a review. The only question here is where the ball pitched to the left-hander. Hawk-eye shows it was just outside leg, killing the review stone dead at the outset. Would've hit the stumps, but that matters not. No reviews left for England in this innings now.

Over 86: Broad 2lb-0-0-0-0-0 179-7 - Broad hits Rehman on the pads, which means we have to go through the standard rigmarole of Broad doing his two-stage 'I want to review that' face - which consists of first stunned disbelief that the umpire has dared to give it not out and then a Puss in Boots, big-eyed pleading face towards first slip where Strauss sadly shakes his head and tells Stuart that no, he cannot have a review in the style of a weary parent denying a child sweets at the supermarket. (It was going comfortably over the top, by the way.)

Over 85: Anderson 1-0-0-0-1-0 177-7 - Genuine edge from Ajmal flies wide of the slip cordon and down to third-man for a single. Rehman tucks to square-leg for an easy run. The lead now 107. Can these last three Pakistan wickets scramble 50 or so runs to make things interesting?

Over 84: Broad 0-0-0-0-W-3 175-7 - Akmal pings a drive into the covers off a wide half-volley but is denied a seemingly certain boundary by a brilliant diving stop from Pietersen. That scores at least a five on the bum-pat scale, I'd reckon. WICKET! Akmal decides to have another go, but this time uses the edge rather than the middle of his bat and sends the ball into the cordon at chest height. Strauss muffed a similar catch in the first innings but holds on to this one safely enough, and the new ball is doing the damage for England. Tail: exposed. Saeed Ajmal is the new batsman, and he gets off the mark with a controlled shot behind point off the back foot that brings three runs. Expect he'll get some short stuff, if only because it might hit him on the hand.

Over 83: Anderson 2-W-0-0-0-0 172-6 WICKET! Ali picks up two runs to take Pakistan's lead into three figures, but he then gets a brute from Anderson that bounces way more than anything else with this new ball so far. All Ali can do is feather it through to Prior, who takes the catch at head height. That can happen with the new ball. As admirable as Ali's effort has been, you do just wonder whether he should've been just a bit more aggressive against the old ball this morning. Shouldn't be too critical - and I certainly think he had the right approach last night - but have Pakistan left 20 or 30 runs unscored this morning? Abdur Rehman is the new batsman, and he gets off the mark with a thick inside edge to long-leg for a couple.

Over 82: Broad 0-0-0-0-1lb-0 168-5 - Bit more assistance for Broad it seems, who hits Ali high on the back leg with one that decks away. The batsmen trot a leg-bye for that one.

Over 81: Anderson 0-0-0-0-0-2 167-5 - Tidy enough first over for Anderson with the new ball, but there's little sign of movement for him. Akmal picks up two with a shovel into the legside.

Over 80: Panesar 0-0-2-1-0-0 165-5 - This might be Monty's last chance for a while to get that five-wicket haul with the new ball available after this over. Akmal works to leg and scampers a slightly iffy but ultimately safe second run. Repeats the shot next ball, but just a single this time. Panesar then rips another snorter past Ali's outside edge, but can't find that wicket. New ball time.

Over 79: Swann 0-1-0-1b-0-0 162-5 - Steve Davis gives Ali out lbw, but it never looks right. My first instinct was spinning down the legside, and Ali reviews instantly. He's right to do it, Hawk-eye showing the ball would've gone on to miss leg stump by quite some way. Not a good one for the umpire, that. Poor decision, but we've got the right result in the end and Ali can continue his innings. Steve Davis shakes his head as he watches the replay - he can't believe how far that's missing by. Must admit I didn't think it was going quite that far down leg, but it certainly looked to be missing the target. Anyway, the players can discuss the ins and outs of the DRS over DRINKS.

Over 78: Panesar 2-0-0-0-0-0 160-5 - Akmal premeditates a paddle-sweep. Anderson sees the shot coming and starts sprinting from slip to leg-slip and almost catches up with the ball. Would've been spectacular, that. Akmal gets a couple of runs, though, and he's definitely doing the right thing in looking to find a way to score runs.

Over 77: Swann 3-0-1-4-0-0 158-5 - Good over for Pakistan as Ali gets three for a thick edge wide of slip and then, after Akmal nurdles a single, picks up a clever boundary with a flicked sweep shot fine on the legside. The lead climbs to 88. Just seen that Trott did the fielding for that edge wide of the slips. So he's back on the field, then. The poor chap does have an unfortunate surname when it comes to falling ill on tour.

Over 76: Panesar 0-1-0-0-0-0 150-5 - Panesar's last Test five-fer was also his Test best: 6-37 against New Zealand at Old Trafford in May 2008. Every chance that he'll soon end that near four-year wait. Ali cuts to deep point for a single to bring up Pakistan's 150 before Akmal is beaten by one that spins past his defensive bat.

Over 75: Swann 0-0-0-1-1-0 149-5 - Huge slice of luck here for Akmal. We saw in Dubai how well he can play the reverse-sweep, but this time he gets it all wrong and the ball hits him on the glove. It could have popped up to any one of five waiting England fielders close to the bat but instead falls straight to earth. Swann unimpressed. Two singles from the over.

Bressie Lad "Continuing yesterday's chat where Broad's averages were close to Bothams, then how about Bresnan's? Batting average 45 which is more than Strauss, and the best bowling average on all England's bowlers." Yep, Bresnan's going to be a key player for England on their sub-continent expeditions later this year. He's their best reverse-swing bowler and, while his batting average is based on only a few knocks and is therefore perhaps slightly skewed, he is probably a better bat than Broad and really gives England the chance to play three seamers and two spinners, with Prior at six, Bresnan seven, Broad eight and Swann at nine.

Over 74: Panesar 0-0-0-0-0-0 147-5 - This is wonderful spin bowling from Panesar - and an indication of how tricky England's run-chase is going to be if the target gets anywhere near 200. Twice in the over he spins the ball past Ali's outside edge.

Over 73: Swann 2-2-0-0-0-0 147-5 - Akmal picks up a couple of twos with paddled-sweeps fine on the legside. England might want to find a fielder to go in at a sort of leg-gullyish thing to cut that off. Pakistan move on to 147. They're not quite at the snookers required stage yet.

Over 72: Panesar 0-0-0-0-0-0 143-5 - Panesar just one wicket away from a five-fer. Hmm. When did he last get one of those in Tests? I'm off to find out.

Feedback Awake at stupid o'clock in England or at a more sensible time in Luxuryville, Abroad? Share your thoughts with us here on Dave.Tickner@bskyb.com. My favourite thing to receive is pictures of bright blue skies in far-off, sunnier climes. I love to look at those while sitting in a cold office in Leeds. On my own. Mumbling to myself in the darkness.

Over 71: Swann 0-1-0-0-0-0 143-5 - Spin at both ends now for England, which will probably be the order of the day for the next 10 overs. There was nothing much in the pitch for the seamers, who would much rather wait for a new ball before having another go thank you very much. Ali eases the ball down the ground for a single to a deep-set mid-on before Adnan Akmal survives a loud but unconvincing appeal for a catch at short-leg from his first ball. Nowhere near the bat, really. Straight off the pad. Did spin, though.

Over 70: Panesar 0-0-0-0-1-W 142-5 WICKET! England have the wicket they wanted before the new ball thanks to a fine piece of bowling from Panesar and a splendid slip catch by Jimmy Anderson. Nice bit of turn for Monty to find Shafiq's outside edge, but the ball flies low and sharply to Anderson's right - it's not dissimilar to the chance he made a right mess of in the first innings - but he grabs it clean as a whistle in his right hand this time. Shafiq falls for a battling 43, Pakistan lead by 72.

Over 69: Broad 1-0-0-0-0-4 141-4 - This is more like it from Pakistan. Not doing anything daft, but giving England something to think about. Ali picks up a single to midwicket before Shafiq gets four from a glorious cover-drive. Just a hint of width there from Broad, and Shafiq took full toll.

Over 68: Panesar 0-0-0-4-0-0 136-4 - Big appeal for leg-before against Shafiq, but it's sliding down leg with a bit of room to spare I'd think. The next ball from Panesar is dragged down short, and Shafiq gleefully leaps out of his defensive bunker to whack it through midwicket for four.

Over 67: Broad 0-0-0-0-0-2 132-4 - Just wonder whether Pakistan need to take a calculated risk here. At present speed and course, they're only going to lead by about 80 when the second new ball comes along. Things could end pretty quickly from there - this has to be the easiest time to get some runs. Even the old ball does something for Broad here, jagging off the pitch to beat Ali's outside edge. He does pick up two with a clip into the legside. Shafiq, meanwhile, is still waiting for his first run of the morning.

Over 66: Panesar 1-0-0-0-0-0 130-4 - Monty Panesar into the attack, and he settles straight away into his favourite Good Areas. After Ali gets his now customary first-ball single, Shafiq is beaten by one that spins just enough to pass the outside edge.

Over 65: Broad 0-0-0-0-0-0 129-4 - Broad bowls a maiden. Careful start to the day's play, which is no surprise. Bit of info from the England camp: Jonathan Trott is off the field feeling ill. Obviously if he's off the field for a significant period of time it could have ramifications for England's second-innings batting order.

Over 64: Swann 2-0-0-0-0-0 129-4 - Slight change in the plan this time, as Ali takes two from the first ball of the over to reach an excellent half-century. Pakistan could really do with him becoming the first player in this series to convert such a start. Drop! Almost falls instantly, although he would have been unlucky and it's pretty tough to call this a chance as a clip to leg comes off the face of the bat and hits Alastair Cook at short-leg before he can react. Cook needed that to either a) miraculously stick or b) bounce off him into the air to grab at the second attempt. It did neither.

Over 63: Broad 1-0-0-0-0-0 127-4 - Long chat between Andrew Strauss and Stuart Broad before the over starts. Hard to know what this chat is about other than a deliberate attempt to annoy Bumble, who will no doubt be somewhere in Abu Dhabi hollering "Get on with the game!" They have had all last night and this morning to talk plans. The over follows the same plan as the last one: a single for Ali from the first ball, and nothing else.

Over 62: Swann 1-0-0-0-0-0 126-4 - Another good thing about England's stinginess with the ball yesterday is that the new ball will be available to them before the lead has got too unpleasant; it's only 18 overs away now with the lead still just 56 as Ali takes a single from Graeme Swann's first ball of the day. It does look strangely hazy out in Abu Dhabi this morning. Lots of jumpers in evidence for the England players.

Pitch Report Clockwatchers among you may have noticed a slightly tardy start to the preamble this morning. Blame my own incompetence, but also a frozen car that refused to start for a good 10 minutes as I swore at it as quietly as I could. But over in Abu Dhabi, Nasser Hussain reports it's a bit chilly. This has made me feel bad for getting so angry about my own problems when others have it so much worse. Anyway, Nass reckons the pitch is flattening out and should be good for batting.

Welcome It's a pretty clear indication that you've got a very good Test match (or a cliche-riddled commentator) that at the start of every session you stroke your beard and muse on how this next session will be absolutely crucial to the direction of this Test match. Well, this is one such Test match and one such session. Early wickets for England, and the game could be over pretty quickly. But further resistance from Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq and the tail could yet take this game back to an even keel or even tip it Pakistan's way. It's all splendidly exciting.