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Younis and Sarfraz build Pakistan lead

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Lunch Pakistan 417 for 7 (Younis 147*, Wahab 1*) lead England 328 by 89 runs
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Younis puts Pakistan in command

Younis Khan and Sarfraz Ahmed cemented Pakistan’s slender advantage on the third morning of the fourth Investec Test at the Kia Oval, adding 77 for the seventh wicket before Chris Woakes, once again, prised a much-needed opening for England, courtesy of a smart one-handed catch behind the stumps by Jonny Bairstow.

After resuming on 340 for 6 overnight, with a narrow lead of 12, Sarfraz and Younis continued the revival that they had begun late on the second evening, as they blunted the remaining overs of the new ball with contrastingly effective approaches, before Wahab Riaz dug in with impressive resilence, scoring one run from 23 balls in support of his senior partner as England’s bowlers became increasingly frustrated at their lack of incision.

Sarfraz, as has so often been the case in the course of this series, was Pakistan’s main aggressor, trading long-term returns for short-term impact with seven fours in his 44 from 78 balls. He began his day as he meant to go on, with a leg-side flick from his very first ball of the morning, as he advanced out of the crease to meet James Anderson, and tucked a respectable off-stump delivery through fine leg for four.

Younis, by contrast, was in no hurry to get his innings rolling. Having rediscovered his elusive form during a brilliant unbeaten hundred on the second day, he was content to bide his time, as England found some handy extra bounce with the still-new ball, as well as a modicum of lateral movement on an overcast morning.

It took Younis 13 balls before he tucked his first run, through square leg off Stuart Broad, and the day was eight overs old before he cashed in with his first aggressive stroke, a firm carve through point as Anderson offered too much width. But with Sarfraz bristling at the other end of the pitch, outscoring his senior partner by four runs to one in the first hour – particularly behind square on the leg side – Pakistan’s lead continued to climb steadily.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the second hour of the morning, as Woakes – who had shared the morning honours with Anderson before being switched to the Vauxhall End to take advantage of a stiff outswinger’s breeze – found a perfect bail-trimming line and length to demand a defensive jab from Sarfraz. Bairstow behind the stumps reacted instinctively, flinging himself in front of first slip with one hand to cling onto the offering and take Woakes’ tally for the series to a remarkable 26 wickets at 15, with a whole innings yet to come.

With 15 minutes to go until lunch, and Pakistan’s lead standing at an ominous 75, England briefly believed they had bagged the big one, as Steven Finn rapped Younis on the pads as he hopped into line in front of middle and extracted a raised finger from umpire Bruce Oxenford. However, Younis, on 133 at the time, instantly reviewed and replays showed that the ball was bouncing straight over the top of middle stump.

By this stage, Younis was imbuing his innings with the same authority that he had been displaying late on the second evening. He played one false stroke that flew for four, just out of James Vince’s reach in the covers, but his other boundaries in the session were emphatic stamps of class – authoritative drives down the ground and through the off side, plus a fierce roundhouse pull through midwicket as Finn tested out the middle of the pitch. There was time, too, to drill Moeen Ali for consecutive fours in his solitary over before lunch as Pakistan laid the platform for a handy first-innings advantage.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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