England edge ahead as wickets tumble in Third Test

England edged to a slender five-run lead over Pakistan at the close as 16 wickets fell during an extraordinary opening day of the third and final test at Dubai Stadium Friday.

Routed for a low score of 99 in their first innings by England pacemen Stuart Broad (4-36) and James Anderson (3-35), Pakistan spinners moved to the fore to leave England struggling at 104-6.

England, playing for pride after losing the first two Tests and the series, now hold a slight lead on a seemingly batting-friendly pitch.

At the close, Andrew Strauss was unbeaten on 41 and James Anderson was on three not out.

Paceman Umar Gul led Pakistan's fightback by dismissing opener Alastair Cook (one) and Jonathan Trott (two) before Strauss added 57 for the third wicket with Kevin Pietersen (32) during their bids to overcome batting frailties.

England's batting had flopped during their two wicket defeat in the first Test here and in the 72-run defeat in the second match in Abu Dhabi.

Pakistani spinners Abdul Rehman and Saeed Ajmal, who grabbed 34 of the 40 wickets in the first two Tests, then grabbed four more wickets, with Rehman dismissing Pietersen and Eoin Morgan (10) and Ajmal accounting for Bell (five).

Pietersen's dismissal made it 34 leg-before dismissals for the series, beating the previous record of 33 in the Pakistan-West Indies series in the Caribbean in 1993.

Rehman, who took 3-23, then bowled Matt Prior (six) with England just one behind Pakistan.

Earlier in the morning, England's pace duo of Broad and Anderson bowled well to expose Pakistan, who won the toss and batted. Asad Shafiq topscored with 45.

AFP