England face tall order to save Third Test

LAHORE, Pakistan, Friday (AFP) - Ashes-winners England faced their first series defeat in nearly two years on Friday, after Pakistan's batsmen broke several records to post a massive 636-8 declared.

At stumps on the fourth day of the final Test in Lahore, England were still 227 runs adrift and facing the serious prospect of an innings defeat after Pakistani paceman Shoaib Akhtar claimed two vital scalps.

Ian Bell was unbeaten on 60 with all-rounder Paul Collingwood on 37 when bad light stopped play with 23 overs remaining and England, who could only muster 288 in their first innings, on 121-2.

England have won six consecutive Test series under Michael Vaughan's captaincy but trail 1-0 against Pakistan in the current three-match series after losing the opening Test by 22 runs at Multan.

The second Test ended in a draw at Faisalabad. Pakistan's batsmen were supreme with Mohammad Yousuf leading the way with a career-best 223, his third double-century in 62 Tests.

Twenty-three-year-old wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal hit 154, his second Test century, and skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq was run out just before the declaration three short of his third consecutive ton.

In contrast, England struggled as they lost Marcus Trescothick for nought and skipper Michael Vaughan for 13 thanks to an incisive opening spell from Akhtar.

Bell and Collingwood steadied the innings with an unbeaten 91-run partnership, but their team still faces an uphill task if they are to save the game on the final day on Saturday.

Bell, struck on the forearm by an Akhtar beamer, survived some anxious moments before reaching his fifth Test half-century which included nine fours. Pakistan earlier feasted on a listless England attack, plundering 190 in less than 29 overs after resuming at 446-5.

Their total was highest against England at home, the previous best being 569-9 at Hyderabad in 1972-73. Yousuf and Akmal were involved in a record 269-run stand for the sixth wicket, surpassing the previous Pakistani best of 217 between Hanif Mohammad and Majid Khan against New Zealand at the same venue in 1964-65.

Inzamam built on the stand, hammering a 101-ball 97. The Pakistan captain, who scored a century in each innings of the drawn second Test at Faisalabad, smashed two sixes and nine fours on his way to becoming the second Pakistani after Javed Miandad to complete 8,000 Test runs.