BRILLIANT WOAKES KEEPS TEST ALIVE

ENGLAND V PAKISTAN - DAY THREE AT LORD'S

From hero to hothead

Misbah was wondrous on day one, his temperament and poise at the crease captivating. Perhaps the adrenaline from the press-ups was still coursing through the veins as the Pakistan skipper seemed to suffer a rush of blood in the second innings. Much like Root before him, an entirely unnecessary shot was unfurled – Moeen Ali the bowler - and Misbah found himself back in the hutch for a two-ball duck. It was a fine grab by Alex Hales on the boundary edge, not quite Ben Stokes in Bloemfontein but it took some catching.

Shot of the day

Asad Shafiq’s  punch down the ground. Balance, a still head, a push of the blade, and the Dukes raced beyond the luckless Finn and past Younis Khan at the non-strikers end to the boundary rope. Elegance.

Don’t write off Mo

Moeen, attacked and dismissed in the first innings – removed both Misbah and Younis in the second. There willl still be concern that Moeen struggles to consistently trouble truly great players of spin - and of course the winter tour will be the acid test – but today Mo reminded us that has the knack of getting the job done.

Glove is the key

Will Jonny Bairstow be wearing gloves at Old Trafford? The Yorkshireman's drop of Sarfraz Ahmed on 36 made sure that questions over his keeping ability will not dissipate. He has taken 39 catches in seven Tests since the turn of the year, but dropped his fair share too.

All the more galling for the bowler, it just was not Steve Finn’s day.

Quote of the day

“He moved so slow, I was going to have a go at him!” – Post-match Moeen questioned Hales’ ability to shift the gears around the boundary rope.

Records are there to be broken

Pakistan’s lead stands at 281 with two wickets in hand. The highest ever run chase at Lord’s is West Indies’ 344-1 against England in 1984. The next – more realistic – representation is England’s 282-3 to defeat New Zealand in 2004.

Pakistan’s coach, Micky Arthur, suggested they were targeting 275. 300 plus might feel a little safer and have England on the back foot – but two quick wickets and two days uninterrupted by weather, you never know. Yasir Shah may have a word or two to say about that, however.

Day three highlights

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