The England dressing room were all too aware that they have not made this easy for themselves. On the second day in Dubai, Pakistan were confident, taking to the crease with an intact batting line up. It was a day like today where England had to show how and why they are world number one.
Play began with two wickets being taken in the morning session. Hafeez fell to LBW by Swann, having contributed a very useful 88 runs & Stuart Broad led the fight back, by taking the wicket of the second top order batsman, Umar. Broad delivered with venom to bowl Umar out for 58 - one of the key wickets of the day. Broady may look baby-faced but when England needs someone to push that little bit harder & dig that little bit deeper, Broad is usually the man for the job. His second wicket came in the form of, Azhar Ali and Pakistan's number 3 was another important batsman to remove from the crease.
Strauss' captaincy is also worth a mention. He showed good vision by bringing on Johnathon Trott to bowl from the Emirates Road end, and Trotty took Pakistan's number 4 by LBW, a brilliant confidence booster for the part-timer. Trott also has reason to be disappointed; Strauss had removed the slip cordon which, if in place, would have provided his second wicket of the day. Anderson opened his account in the session before tea, gaining his first wicket from a wonderful Prior catch, after Shafiq came feeling for the ball, guiding it low to the right-hand side of the keeper.
The real England fight back came in the evening session. Throughout the day the English bowlers were able to keep Pakistan's lead low. Strauss' use of Tremlett & Trott to bowl the remaining overs before the new ball was an inspired move, it reduced Pakistan's run-rate to just over two, but the most significant breakthrough came from Anderson & Swann striking late. Together, the off field partners in crime, took the fight to Pakistan - all guns blazing. In the penultimate over of the day Swann sent a ball down the off-side to Misbah-ul-Haq, which turned and hit the pad. Umpire Billy Bowden gave 'not out' & from initial viewing the ball appeared to be just missing leg-stump. England reviewed, and low and behold the ball was hitting the top of the stumps - Swann had his second wicket & highlighted the importance of the DRS review system in the modern game. Anderson was handed the ball for the final over of the day, and struck with the very last ball - hitting Rehman's off-stump.
England played with determination, keeping Pakistan grounded. Still Tremlett did not look aggressive enough & with 0-48 he is looking like a wasteful bowler, which in England's position, they cannot afford. At the end of play Pakistan lead by 96 with 3 wickets remaining, suggesting that today the tide turned more in England's favour. Tomorrow, Stauss must look to his bowlers for fast wickets & be prepared to once again face Ajmal.
Statistics of Note, Day 2:
Pakistan 288-7 (104.3 overs) lead by 96
Trott 1-16
Anderson 2-57
Broad 2-72
Swann 2-89
Hafeez 88
Umar 58
Misbah-ul-Haq 52
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