fired down the leg-side, Stokes goes for a wander, Sarfraz gathers and whips off the bails! That is the end of that!
Pakistan vs England, 3rd Test at Sharjah, Nov 01 2015 - Ball by Ball Commentary
RESULT
3rd Test, Sharjah, November 01 - 05, 2015, England tour of United Arab Emirates
New
ENG 2nd Innings
Full commentary
So there we go. It's all over in the UAE. Pakistan begin their celebrations, England lick their wounds. Thank you for your feedback throughout a fascinating, if occasionally attritional, series and join us again next week for the first ODI in Abu Dhabi. In the meantime, have a read of Alan Gardner's match report and look out for Gnasher and Umar's copy when it lands shortly.
2pm Alastair Cook speaks: "We competed really well in all three of the games but at critical moments we couldn't dominate Pakistan, they are very resilient. We are lucky to have Jimmy and Broady, they are outstanding, but we have a very good seam attack. Losing Ben [Stokes] really hurt us, our seamers have done well to contain Pakistan.
"International cricket isn't just about learning, it is about getting results, and we weren't good enough at key moments." An honest appraisal...
Misbah-ul-Haq receives the series trophy: "Credit should be given to the England team for really putting up a good effort and fight. But Yasir Shah won us two games and the batsmen contributed. There were contributions from everyone and that is really pleasing. Wahab and Imran bowled well in the first two games, then Rahat here. Zulfiqar ... Shoaib... it's a pleasing sign for a captain and a team."
1.50pm The most valuable player of the series is James Anderson. Very well earned. Although Yasir Shah gets the man of the series award, and rightly so ... I'm afraid my Urdu can't keep up with his interview, but he did mention the word "pressure ..."
Tayyub: "Yasir said that he's thankful to Mushi bhai for giving him loads of practice in nets. He's happy that he has played well returning from injury and he said that he has picked a couple of things from "Warne bhai" which he considers useful." Thanks Tayyub ...
1.45pm The presentation party is in place. Yasir Shah receives the Robert Padmore memorial medal - I remember him well, a Barmy Army veteran who sadly died on the 2005 tour. Shoaib Malik gets another award (not sure what), Misbah gets the most colourful innings award - take that, Tuk-Tuk bashers! And Yasir gets yet another award ... blimey, they keep on coming ...
But finally, the actual Man of the Match is Mohammad Hafeez "I was very happy to convert an innings for the team," he says. "I haven't seen that much reverse swing in my career, but at the same time I applied myself and looked for my opportunities to score runs. It's great to contribute as a batsman, and contribute to a victory for Pakistan."
Misbah wishes Shoaib Malik the best of luck in retirement, and as for his own plans, he is coy. "The next series is in seven or eight months. It is good for me to go and think if I want to continue or not. Let's see..."
1.40pm Nearly time for some presentations. Who's going to be Man of the Match?
Jawad Ahmed: "I say Shoaib Malik should be the Man of the Match as it was his spin that spun the match yesterday in Pakistan's favor and most importantly it'll be a great farewell for him!"
Nadim: "Whilst we are all praises for the Paki team, my Man of the Match is Hafeez for his pivotal 151 in 2nd innings. Pakistan were done and dusted if not for that fighting knock which changed the course of the match..."
Ikram: "Can you imagine Andrew, Misbah is not among most famous players in Pakistan. That tells you how much we love glamour & looks over resilience, hard work, patience & calmness " That's just the way of the modern world, Ikram ... but there's always a place for those attributes in Test match cricket...
1.25pm Shoaib: "Hurrah!!! Pakistan reached to no. 2 in ICC test Rankings...Huge acheivemnt for the team in exile." Quite so. I remember way back in the days of Javed Miandad and Imran Khan, when Pakistan were the only team that could hold a candle to the great West Indies side of the late 1980s. This lot might not be quite in the same bracket, but they are simply formidable on their home-from-home soil in the UAE, and in Misbah and Younis, Wahab and Yasir, they have many of the traits of the great Pakistani teams of years gone by. Quality batsmen, a seriously rapid bowler and a legspinner who twists the blood of Englishmen...
Yaseen: "2010 was probably the lowest point in Pakistan's cricket history and this is pretty much the highest point and will be cherished for years to come... say what they wanna say abt Misbah the ex-players but this guy has achieved something none of them could ever imagine "
1.20pm So, England all out for 156, a disappointing end for them but all credit to Pakistan for a magnificent bowling performance. They shredded the prospect of a tight finish with those four early wickets, and despite Alastair Cook's bloodymindedness and Ben Stokes' injury-defying valour, 2-0 it is.
Fakhar: "Retiring Malik earns the big-3 opening scalps that resulted in Pakistan's victory. Last match, 7 wickets, not a bad end to test career." Quite so. A curious final chapter to his 35-match career, what with the small matter of 245 at Abu Dhabi too ...
Farrukh Alam: "5 years ago, I never thought I will see this in my lifetime Pakistan number 2 team in test cricket thank you Misbah"
60.3
W
Yasir Shah to Stokes, OUT
Ben Stokes st †Sarfaraz Ahmed b Yasir Shah 12 (12b 1x4 0x6 19m) SR: 100
60.2
2
Yasir Shah to Stokes, 2 runs
dabbed into space ... he keeps coming
60.1
4
Yasir Shah to Stokes, FOUR runs
short, and a meaty sweep from Stokes! Get some of that. In the air for a while but oodles of power from a man with a damaged collarbone!
end of over 605 runs • 1 wicket
ENG: 150/9CRR: 2.50
James Anderson0 (1b)
Ben Stokes6 (9b)
Shoaib Malik 15-4-26-3
Yasir Shah 17-2-38-3
59.6
•
Malik to Anderson, no run
solid defence to launch the latest phase of England's resistance movement
The end of an heroic but futile effort from Cook. He wasn't playing his natural game by the end of it, which makes you wonder what might have been with some, any, assistance from the top order. An agonising post-tea defeat by 12 runs probably. But anyway. Here's Jimmy
59.5
W
Malik to Cook, OUT
down the track, through the gate, stumped by a mile! Shoaib saw him coming, dragged it down, and utterly flummoxed the England captain!
Alastair Cook st †Sarfaraz Ahmed b Shoaib Malik 63 (164b 4x4 0x6 241m) SR: 38.41
59.4
1
Malik to Stokes, 1 run
swept, a huge steepling top-edge but Misbah can't back-pedal from slip in time! Against the spin which is always dangerous. But on the plus side, at least his shoulder is loosening up with the effort
59.3
1
Malik to Cook, 1 run
worked off the toes, round the corner for another single, and another nibble out of England's mahoosive task
Jiten Surtani: "Someone sign a petition requesting Stokes to go back and rest ! Honestly speaking - resistance is futile" He's got a point. But trying stopping him, the masochist
59.2
3
Malik to Stokes, 3 runs
down the track and that's an excellent clip through midwicket. Well played that man
59.1
•
Malik to Stokes, no run
shuffled in the crease and defended
end of over 594 runs
ENG: 145/8CRR: 2.45
Alastair Cook62 (162b 4x4)
Ben Stokes2 (6b)
Yasir Shah 17-2-38-3
Wahab Riaz 5-0-25-0
Muneeb shahzad: "I think both the teams worked hard but pakistan was fabulous. I am against DRS as its not in favour of teams but to umpires. I think there should be nothing like Umpires CALL and clipping wickets should be out." Agree with much of that. The DRS in this series has been a half-baked shambles
58.6
•
Yasir Shah to Cook, no run
on the toes, flicked to leg gully
58.5
•
Yasir Shah to Cook, no run
back and across, wider from Yasir and spinning sharply
58.4
•
Yasir Shah to Cook, no run
on the toes, no leg slip for the moment so Cook gratefully shuffles one round the corner
58.3
•
Yasir Shah to Cook, no run
fully forward, bat low to the ball, deflected into the slips
58.2
•
Yasir Shah to Cook, no run
more conventional defence
58.1
4
Yasir Shah to Cook, FOUR runs
a reverse sweep! Are my eyes deceiving me? It appears not
end of over 581 run
ENG: 141/8CRR: 2.43
Ben Stokes2 (6b)
Alastair Cook58 (156b 3x4)
Wahab Riaz 5-0-25-0
Yasir Shah 16-2-34-3
Majid Hassan Bu: "Did anyone notice Cook getting to the 10,000 mark without getting noticed? What a player. Highly under-rated. " Err ... nope. Not yet ... he's on 9775 and counting. Which is still pretty handy!
57.6
•
Wahab Riaz to Stokes, no run
the invalid survives his first trial by pace
Ammar: "Oh Stokes' out there!! How does he look? Is he batting one handed?" Far from it, wielding it like a mace. In other words, heavily and a bit awkwardly
57.5
•
Wahab Riaz to Stokes, no run
fenced into the gully
57.4
•
Wahab Riaz to Stokes, no run
short and pulled very firmly in front of square, but not entirely timed. Good encouraging intent from Mr Hurty Shoulder
Zeeshan: "Please sign this petition for Misbah to postpone his retirement. Also my 1000th comment that won't get published. " Oh well, I am always a sucker for a worthy cause. Go on then!
57.3
•
Wahab Riaz to Stokes, no run
forward and defended to cover
Imran Sheikh: "Still this one is anyone's game. England slow but very close to target.146 is not impossible in 55 overs. with Broad being there I tell you it is achievable. Both batsman can accelerate any time they want." ... oh well, it was a fair point when it was posted, I guess!
57.2
•
Wahab Riaz to Stokes, no run
outside off stump, left alone
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