RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (Reuters) -Pakistan spin duo Sajid Khan and Noman Ali combined to blow away the top half of England’s batting lineup in one session and reduce the tourists to 110-5 on the opening day of the deciding third test on Thursday.
Ben Duckett (52) gave England a decent start but captain Ben Stokes, batting on six, was left to rue his decision to bat first on a turning track. Jamie Smith was batting on five at the break with England facing a massive job to rebuild the innings.
The three-test series is level at 1-1.
Pakistan attacked with spin from both ends with Sajid and Noman, who shared all 20 England wickets in the previous test in Multan, bowling in tandem.
Left-arm spinner Noman drew first blood when he tempted Zak Crawley (29) with a flighted delivery, the opener trying for a drive but edging it to Saim Ayub at gully.
England vice captain Ollie Pope (three) fell to Sajid for the third time in three innings after fluffing a sweep shot.
The off-spinner then delivered a body blow when he trapped Joe Root, currently the top-ranked test batter, lbw for five with a sharply turning ball.
Duckett hit a six off Sajid en route to his fifty and got a reprieve when Noman spilled a return catch. The spinner got his man though, dismissing Duckett lbw in the same over with a delivery that kept low.
Sajid’s trademark thigh-slap celebration was on display again when he bowled Harry Brook (five), who looked ill at ease against the turning ball.
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Peter Rutherford)
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