Pakistan v England, 2nd Test, Abu Dhabi, 3rd day

Broad fifty helps England push ahead

Close England 327 (Cook 94, Trott 74, Broad 58*, Ajmal 4-108 ) lead Pakistan 257 by 70 runs

Pakistan were repelled by a spirited counter-attack by Stuart Broad as England claimed a 70-run lead on first innings on the third day in Abu Dhabi. Broad carried the fight to Pakistan from the outset to remain unbeaten on 58 from 62 balls and leave the second Test engrossingly placed.

Broad needed good fortune on 33 when he survived the narrowest of run out decisions by the third umpire Billy Bowden. Azhar Ali pounced on the ball from cover and threw down the stumps as Broad chanced a single off Junaid Khan and as he dived for the crease it was debatable whether his bat was grounded.

Pakistan finally parcelled up England's innings one over into the afternoon as Mohammad Hafeez, an increasingly redoubtable all-round cricketer, took two wickets in three balls. James Anderson was bowled by a quicker offspinner, trying to cut, and Monty Panesar, whose last Test innings had been a heroic rearguard action against Australia in Cardiff, this time managed a more prosaic second-ball duck. Panesar, lbw, signalled that he had hit it, but England, carelessly, had omitted to save a review for him.

Lunch England 323 for 8 (Broad 58*, Anderson 9*) lead Pakistan 257 by 66 runs

Pakistan were repelled by a spirited counterattack by Stuart Broad as England claimed a 66-run lead with three wickets remaining by lunch on the third day in Abu Dhabi. Broad carried the fight to Pakistan from the outset to reach 58 not out from 62 balls after an engrossing morning.

England made 116 runs in the morning session at a rate of nearly 4.5 runs an over as Broad poured his frustration with England's careworn batting in the series into every shot. He had made some mildly provocative remarks about his England batting colleagues after Pakistan had been bowled out for 257, remarking on Twitter that it would make no difference if the batsmen did not frame themselves.

When Saeed Ajmal had broken England's dominance with three quick wickets on the second evening, frustration had been etched into Broad's face as he watched from the boundary edge. At such times there is something endearingly guileless about him.

He batted like a man on a mission. If it was up there he would hit it. Ajmal, who had threatened to run through England's lower order, was twice driven to the boundary off the front foot. When Pakistan reluctantly took the new ball at 250 for 6 shortly before drinks, Broad retorted by lofting Umar Gul over Younis Khan at mid-off and then slapped him off a thick edge to third man. It was not long before the spinners returned.

Such was Broad's confidence he brought up England's 300 by slog-sweeping Abdur Rehman's left-arm spin for six into the Knocking Area - a sanctuary perhaps for the England batsmen he had previously chided. When he failed to middle another slog-sweep later in the over and it fell short of Asad Shafiq, Rehman railed at the fielder for standing in the wrong place.

Alastair Cook had observed at stumps the previous evening that England remained in a strong position. It smacked off a refusal to accept the truth, an understandable response from a batsman who had put up prolonged resistance only for Ajmal's hot spell to throw the match into turmoil.

The old ball was 84.5 overs old at start of play but Misbah entrusted the task of dismantling England's lower order to his spinners. Matt Prior was intent on playing them off the back foot whenever possible but Ajmal had his measure. He was badly dropped at deep square-leg by Junaid and then spared from an lbw decision by the tiniest inside edge - another excellent decision by Bruce Oxenford, who has had a fine match. By the time Ajmal had him lbw on the back foot, a decision upheld after an England review, it was apparent he needed to be put out of his misery.

Ian Bell was also dropped, a rasping return catch to Rehman which flew through his hands for four, and was also beaten several times by Rehman's sharp turn. He was one England batsman not to have jettisoned the sweep and his tremors against Ajmal's doosra were less apparent. But he fell to Gul and the second new ball, England resorting to DRS but failing for the second time that morning.