ENGLAND ended day one of the third Test with a five-run lead after the tourists skittled out Pakistan for 99 as an incredible 16 wickets fell in Dubai yesterday. Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and elected to bat on what looked a good batting track, but his side were only able to muster a paltry total as Stuart Broad took four wickets in a dramatic morning session.
Nine lbw decisions were given as batsmen from both sides struggled badly, and England ended the day on 104 for six with captain Andrew Strauss unbeaten on 41 as the tourists look to build a commanding first-innings lead.
Pakistan have already clinched a series victory after having won the first two Tests, but Broad was in scintillating form as he ripped through Pakistan’s top order in taking four for 36 from 16 overs as the hosts’ first five batsmen scored a combined 19 runs.
New ball partner James Anderson got England off to a perfect start when he struck with the last ball of the first over, removing Taufeeq Umar with a regulation leg-before decision.
Broad was soon among the wickets when he trapped Azhar Ali in his third over, the batsman sent back to the pavilion when a TV review showed he had feathered a catch through to wicketkeeper Matt Prior.
It was also a poor morning for umpire Simon Taufel, who had a second not-out decision overturned by an England review when Muhammad Hafeez was given out lbw to a Broad delivery that was clipping leg stump to leave Pakistan four down.
His counterpart Steve Davis was having a better time of it and was vindicated after two Pakistan reviews – the first ordered by captain Misbah-ul-Haq and the second by Adnan Akmal – both backed up his decision to give them out lbw.
Younis Khan played a loose shot outside off stump to a Broad lifter and, when Abdul Rehman gifted spinner Graeme Swann his wicket 20 minutes before lunch, Pakistan were left reeling on 44 for seven and in danger of not reaching their lowest Test score of 53, scored against Australia at Sharjah in 2002.
Asad Shafiq, in tandem with Saeed Ajmal, provided the only real resistance with a fluid innings of 45 which ended shortly after the afternoon drinks break when he attempted to cut a straight one from Monty Panesar which hit him on the back pad.
After Shafiq’s exit, Umar Gul entertained the small contingent of Pakistan fans with a brief cameo – including one huge six off Panesar – before Anderson rearranged his stumps to bring the innings to a close with his third wicket.
But despite having established a clear early advantage, England promptly followed Pakistan’s example and lost two wickets before tea.
Alastair Cook departed early as he played away from his body at a Gul delivery, inducing an edge which was finely pouched by wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal diving in front of first slip.
He was soon followed by Jonathan Trott, who was unfortunate to be given out leg-before on two, to a Gul delivery which TV replays showed was slipping down the leg side.
Strauss and Kevin Pietersen steadied the England ship after the interval, and the latter looked in very fine nick as he swiftly plundered four imperious boundaries.
But Pietersen was left to throw his bat in the air in disgust as he was given out lbw to another dose of left-arm spin with replays showing the ball clipping the leg stump. It was a tough call for the batsman to take, but he had to depart for 32.
Ian Bell was the next to go for just five runs after he again failed to pick a doosra from Ajmal and was left haplessly attempting to regain his ground before being stumped by Akmal.
Eoin Morgan’s wretched tour continued as he was trapped lbw to Rehman for just 10 runs, and Matt Prior also fell to the slow left-arm spinner – who finished with three wickets – for six as he played all around a fiercely spun delivery.
England rather surprisingly sent out Anderson as a nightwatchman to protect the number eight Broad, but the tail-ender did his job alongside Strauss in guiding the tourists to the close.
Strauss’s side undoubtedly hold the ascendancy after a breathless three sessions in Dubai but, with England’s batsmen continuing to flounder, a note of caution will be sounded ahead of a crucial second day.

SCORECARD
PAKISTAN 1st innings
M. Hafeez lbw Broad 13
T. Umar lbw Anderson 0
A. Ali c Prior b Broad 1
Y. Khan c Prior b Broad 4
Misbah-ul-Haq lbw Anderson 1
A. Shafiq lbw Panesar 45
Adnan Akmal lbw Broad 6
A. Rehman c Pietersen b Swann 1
S. Ajmal lbw Panesar 12
U. Gul b Anderson 13
A. Cheema not out 0
Extras: (lb-3) 3
Total: (all out, off 44.1 overs) 99
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-8, 3-18, 4-21, 5-21, 6-39, 7-44, 8-78, 9-85.
Bowling: Anderson 14.1-3-35-3, Broad 16-5-36-4, Panesar 13-4-25-2, Swann 1-1-0-1.

ENGLAND 1st innings
A. Strauss not out 41
A. Cook c Adnan Akmal b Gul 1
J. Trott lbw Gul 2
K. Pietersen lbw Rehman 32
I. Bell stp. Adnan Akmal b Ajmal 5
E. Morgan lbw Rehman 10
M. Prior b Rehman 6
J. Anderson not out 3
Extras: (b-1, lb-3) 4
Total: (for 6 wickets, off 43 overs) 104
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-7, 3-64, 4-75, 5-88, 6-98.
Bowling: Gul 7-1-28-2, Cheema 4-0-9-0, Ajmal 17-5-40-1, Rehman 15-4-23-3.