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Saturday, January 28, 2012

Pakistan 214 all out as England need 145 to win


ABU DHABI: England were left to chase a 145-run target for a series-levelling win in the second Test after Pakistan were bowled out for 214 in their second innings at Abu Dhabi Stadium on Saturday.

Left-arm spinner Monty Panesar finished with six for 62.

Pakistan won the first of three Tests in Dubai by ten wickets.

Pakistan had resumed on 125-4, with Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq at the crease after putting on an unbeaten 71 on Friday.

The duo were cautious early on, scoring just 11 runs from seven overs, but became more attacking as the desert sun burnt through the fog shrouding the Sheikh Zayed stadium and Azhar reached his 14th Test 50 with a flicked shot past square leg.

Strauss had started with Broad and Graeme Swann before introducing Monty Panesar, a decision that paid quick dividends as the Sussex spinner bagged his fourth wicket of the innings.

Shafiq (43) was Panesar's latest victim, getting a thick edge to a turning delivery that was comfortably held by Anderson at slip to end Pakistan fifth-wicket stand at 88.

In came Adnan Akmal. The wicketkeeper scored a career-best 61 in last week's first Test and he began aggressively here, but that was also his undoing, although Ali was first to fall.

Ali tried to fend off Anderson's fierce delivery with his glove, but the ball edged off the bat for a routine catch for wicketkeeper Matt Prior. Pakistan were now on 170-6.

Ali made 68 from 195 balls with eight boundaries.

Akmal (13) was to follow in the next over, Broad claiming his first wicket of the innings thanks to a catch from Strauss at slip.

At lunch, Saeed Ajmal (11) and Abdur Rehman (10) were batting with a vital 26-run partnership but Rehman departed in the very first over after lunch.

Then Panesar wiped off the remaining two wickets in the same over dismissing Ajmal for 17 and Junaid Khan for nought while Umar Gul remained not out on ten