Rawalpindi Test: Pakistan in control as spinners trap England on first day

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan's spin trap led by Sajid Khan and Noman Ali on Thursday wreaked havoc on England to dismiss the top half of their batting lineup in one session reducing the tourists to 110-5 on the opening day of the deciding third Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

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.

With the series levelled 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 spilt 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.

Currently, England are 118-6 with Jamie Smith batting at 7* and Gus Atkinson on zero, while Pakistani spinners Sajid and Noman's tally of wickets stands at four and two, respectively.

Playing XIs

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (captain), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Muhammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Salman Agha, Aamer Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir