Unquestionably yes.

A Test can go five days and be good. It doesn't have to.

England are being given the run around by this pair as a reverse sweep this time takes the partnership to 25. They have only been together for 17 balls.

Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondent BBC 5 Sports Extra

Image source, Getty Images

England are going to have to play mighty well to get this win. They got to have at least one massive centurion because others are going to fail, you feel. It's that sort of a pitch.

Four more to Salman Ali Agha to make Jamie Smith and Joe Root's hearts sink. He was on four and six when that pair dropped him in quick succession.

And another boundary smashed by a sweep shot! These are painful, painful runs.

Alex Hartley
Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

This is going to be an important passage of play for both sides. England will want to bowl Pakistan out before they get to that lead of 250, if they can.

The hosts have been playing a few more shots than they were to get there as soon as possible.

Sajid Khan, rested after his seven-wicket haul completed this morning, is the new batter and has come out looking to score quickly.

Amid the sweeps and slashes a direct hit might have run out Salman but again he survives.

John Petrie: The runs Salman has scored since being dropped twice could be crucial. This is a much better match than the record run-fest last week.

Salman Ali Agha drills Bashir through the covers with some force to nudge Pakistan's lead on by four more.

Harry Brook wasn't too far away with a diving attempt to catch that. If anyone was going to take it...

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport chief cricket writer in Multan

If England are to win this, they will have to pull off their highest runchase in a Test in Asia. 209-5 to beat Pakistan in Lahore in 1961 is their current best. Four of England's best six overseas chases have come in Melbourne.

England are up to 46% on WinViz but, as I write that, here comes Stephan Shemilt to ruin your mood.

He does that a lot...

Simon Mann
BBC Test Match Special commentator on BBC Sounds

That was good captaincy from Ben Stokes. He's got a big smile on his face as he hugs Shoaib Bashir. It's lovely when a plan comes off.

Argh. That wasn't the plan.

Ben Stokes fires the last ball of his over down the leg side in an attempt to stop Salman Ali Agha getting a single to keep the strike but Jamie Smith fails to take it as the ball bobbles through the dirt.

Four byes take the lead to 231.

"Jack, can I borrow your sweaty forehead please?"

Image source, Getty Images

That WinViz still feels generous to me.

Noman Ali gets off the mark first ball as Stokes continues. It might be time for Shoaib Bashir to the left-hander.

England back in with a sniff?

Image source, Cricviz

Steven Finn
Former England fast bowler on BBC Test Match Special

Aamer Jamal was looking to force that through the off side off the back foot. Because balls had turned and bounced earlier in that over, Jamal thought it was safe to play that shot. But this one from Jack Leach didn't.

Andy Zaltzman
Statistician on Test Match Special

Image source, Reuters

Jack Leach has a superb second-innings record.

He has 76 wickets at an average of 24.1. Out of all the England spinners in the last 50 years who have bowled in five or more second innings, none has a better average than Leach.