England grabbed four wickets with the second new ball including the prized scalp of Mohammad Hafeez for 151 as they pressed for a series-levelling win against Pakistan in the third and final Test in Sharjah on Wednesday.
Pakistan lost Yasir Shah (four) in the last over before tea on the fourth day and were 319 for eight at the break with Asad Shafiq unbeaten on 31 — an overall lead of 247.
England trail 1-0 in the the three-match series after losing the second Test in Dubai while the first Test ended in a draw in Abu Dhabi.
Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed (38) added 55 for the seventh wicket before spinner Samit Patel gave England a much-needed breakthrough 15 minutes before tea when he bowled the Pakistani wicket-keeper with a sharp turner.
But James Anderson, regarded as England’s safest fielder, dropped Shafiq on 29 off Patel to dent England’s chances of wrapping up the innings early.
England took the second new ball after 81 overs with Pakistan at a lunch score of 229-4 and paceman Stuart Broad soon struck, trapping Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq leg before.
Misbah hit two fours and a six and became Broad’s 50th wicket in the calendar year in his 13th Test.
Misbah and Hafeez added an invaluable 93 runs for the fifth wicket.
Hafeez, dropped by Broad off his own bowling when on 113, drove Anderson for two to reach the 150-mark but almost immediately holed out to spinner Moeen Ali at long-on, where Ian Bell took a simple catch.
Hafeez batted for 380 minutes, faced 266 balls and hit 15 boundaries and three sixes.
With Hafeez’s catch, Bell became the eighth English fielder to take 100-plus catches in Test cricket.
Anderson and Broad have two wickets apiece.
It was a battle of survival for Pakistan in the morning session as England looked for early wickets to force a series-levelling win.
Hafeez survived some anxious moments with leg-spinner Adil Rashid trapping him in front of the wicket with the first ball of the day, after Pakistan resumed on 146-3.
England challenged New Zealand umpire Chris Gaffaney’s not out decision but television umpire Paul Reiffel of Australia upheld the verdict.
One ball later Hafeez charged down the wicket against a googly from Rashid but missed the ball completely. However, wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow missed a stumping chance and the ball went for four byes.
Hafeez swept Rashid in the next over for a single to reach his century off 169 balls, his second at the Sharjah venue.
At the other end Pakistan lost nightwatchman Rahat Ali, caught off Anderson without scoring.