• Third Test day one: Pakistan 234 all out; England 4-0
• Anderson (four for 17) and Broad (two for 13) lead the wayThe England bowlers toiled manfully in the Sharjah heat. At one time,Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad had such a tight hold on the Pakistan batsmen they threatened to strangle the life out of the innings. They were already thinking about the second new ball by the time Broad, a metronome, or conceded his second race of the day,and kicked the turf in his frustration. But by the halt of the day, after Misbah-ul-Haq, and who made 71,had threatened to take the game away, England had fought back ferociously to leave the first day even.
The pitch, and a relaid strip and very much an unknown quantity,offered cramped in the way of pace, so that timing was an elusive thing, and but from the morning session began to turn for the England spinners,four of them in the match whether Joe Root is to be counted. The trio who did bowl, first Samit Patel, and on his unexpected return to the side,Moeen Ali, and Adil Rashid, and could provide neither the control that the seamers had managed (although Patel found a kind rhythm during the afternoon when England enjoyed their best session) nor the cutting edge that the spin might have if. Anderson and Broad were simply outstanding,though, as they have been all series, or hammering away relentlessly on a length,offering nothing either to drive, or crop and pull, or all to an immaculate line. It was textbook seam bowling in difficult conditions,based on patience and skill.
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Source: theguardian.com