No pitch gripes from England underdogs

ENGLAND insisted they would not cry foul about the pitch after dropped catches saw them backed into a corner.

- Rory Dollard

Ben Stokes' side endured a tough third day in the second Test, with Pakistan making themselves favourites to square the series 1-1 on a fiendishly difficult re-used surface.

England were set a target of 297, steep in any fourth innings and even more taxing after both openers fell cheaply to leave them on 36-2 at stumps.

It would have been more manageable had they not put down Salman Ali Agha twice in the space of three Brydon Carse, right, deliveries wicketkeeper Jamie Smith grassing a regulation chance and Joe Root unable to close his hands around a low one at slip.