That's it for today - we leave you with the Test very much in the balance. Join us again tomorrow, bright and early at 05:40, for day four. Until then, goodbye.
"It's close. Pakistan have had the better of the day but that late wicket gave England a lift.
"If England get two quick wickets they could be chasing 160-170. But if they allow Rahat Ali to hang around for a bit tomorrow and there are a couple of partnerships, then it could be 220-plus.
"Alastair Cook has just got to keep the field in and force the big shot. It is on an edge but I would still prefer the runs on the board. I would prefer to be in Pakistan's dressing room now - but only just."
Post update
As pointed out, those two early misses against Hafeez could be crucial. Was the enough evidence to overturn that decision? And what if Bairstow had made that catch? Not only would it have removed Hafeez, it might have given Moeen a bit of confidence as well. Ifs, buts and maybes...
"I still think there's a good chance of a team winning it - and I favour England. There's a good chance of winning, not any chance. It's better than every side getting 500. Runs are hard-earned and when you get runs it means a lot."
"A first-innings lead of 72 is not to be sniffed at. I still think that. England are still in it to win it, even though there was quite a long period in the afternoon when Hafeez and Azhar put on 100 and never looked in trouble."
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Tom, Durham: For all the talk of the pitches, this has been a fascinating series with every session requiring each side to play exceptional cricket. Genuine high-pressure environment that just can't be replicated in the shorter form.
Player reaction
England batsman James Taylor on Sky Sports: "They're playing well at the moment, but we can't look too far ahead. If we can get some early breakthroughs in the morning, you never know. These tracks aid the spinners, but I'm enjoying my cricket more than I've ever enjoyed - I'm enjoying playing cricket for my country and getting a few runs."
"A topsy-turvy day again. It started poorly for England with the two guys who played splendidly yesterday getting out. But Patel batted beautifully. He was out to a superb ball - a leg-spinner that pitched leg and hit off stump."
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Ian J: Chance dropped by Bairstow off Moeen when Hafeez was on 11 starting to look like series-defining moment.
Day in summary
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England struck late on day three to leave the third Test against Pakistan evenly poised in Sharjah.
Pakistan looked set to take control when a century opening stand between Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali wiped out England's first-innings lead of 72.
But three wickets in the evening session left Pakistan 146-3, a lead of 74, with Hafeez still there on 97.
England were earlier all out for 306, James Taylor adding two runs to his overnight 74 and Samit Patel making 42.
"Brilliant innings by Hafeez for his 97. It really does hang in the balance - England have to get four wickets to get to Wahab Riaz, but the Pakistan tail can fold - it's like a pack of dominoes. Hafeez, Misbah and Sarfraz are the key. You wouldn't want to be chasing 220-plus."
Close-of-play scorecard
Pakistan 146-3 (53 overs) - lead by 74
Batsmen: Hafeez 97*, Rahat 0*
Fall of wickets: 101-1 (Azhar 34), 105 (Shoaib 0), 146-3 (Younus 14)
Glenn Sissen: Is it just me that can see this going to the final day and Stokes hitting the winning runs? #fate.
Close of play
Pak 146-3
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It looks like the umpires are insisting on spin for the final over of the day, so it's going to be Moeen to have a bowl. There's a huge appeal off the penultimate ball of the day, but England decide against a review. Rahat survives, and that's stumps.
"This is where Test cricket is mad. Just get on with it."
Pak 146-3 (Hafeez 97, Rahat 0)
Ooh, Rashid so nearly undoes Hafeez with a well-disguised googly, the batsman getting wise to it just in time to jam down on it and prevent it crashing into his stumps. It's a maiden. Now the umpires are converging to discuss the light...
Post update
Pak 146-3
Nightwatchman Rahat Ali is the new man - he almost offers a short-leg chance off his first ball, but the ball flies tantalisingly out of reach of the fielder off the outside edge.
"This is a huge moment in the game. You always know as a batsman that as soon as you don't play a stroke and it hits the front pad... England deserve a wicket with the way they've bowled in the last hour - the two seamers of Anderson and Broad have been immense."
WICKET
Younus lbw Broad 14 (Pak 146-3)
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What a big moment that is. Broad hasn't looked as threatening as Anderson in this spell, but he's come with the goods when it matters. Younus padding up, offering no stroke, the ball swinging back more than he thought, and the DRS shows it would have clattered the top of off.
Broad has hit Younus on the pad, long way forward but no shot played, and the umpire's given him! Younus not incredulous and immediately calls for a review...
Pak 142-2
Yes, as we suspected, Jimmy's batteries are finally run down, and Adil Rashid is the man selected to replace him. He hasn't posed much of a threat in this game and this over is no different, too wide, and Hafeez is able to steer him behind point for two. Too easy.
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Steve: Penny for Tredwell's thoughts now. Discarded quickly but he would have provided the control which all 3 spinners here are clearly lacking.
Saul: Monty would have cleaned up on this pitch.
Pak 138-2 (lead by 66)
Hafeez is ticking along beautifully, into the 90s now, creaming Broad through the covers for three. No-one has batted with more rhythm and ease in this match than him.
"A remarkable effort from Broad and Anderson; Anderson has bowled nine overs in this spell now. I think the senior pair have said to the skipper, 'We'll keep going for you till the end of the day'."
Pak 135-2
Oh dear. We're seeing slow-motion replays of Alastair Cook putting his head in his hands. The careworn brow, the downcast gaze, the bitten fingernails. Has it come to this? Younus Khan so relaxed out there he manages not to look up at all as Jimmy Anderson thunders in to his delivery stride - as oblivious as a teenager listening to their Walkman in a 1980s road safety commercial. Anderson, nine overs into his spell, forced to abort his run-up and go again - not a happy bunny. Hafeez, making it look easy now, clatters Jimmy through point for four. Is that the end of Anderson for today?
"The scenario changes completely when Hafeez is on strike. He is looking like any great batsman would, whereas Younus Khan is looking pretty mediocre out there."
Pak 129-2 (Hafeez 86, Younus 8)
Hafeez and Younus rotate for a single apiece against Broad.
"James Anderson has bowled a great spell - he has made that ball talk. He is a great exponent of reverse swing and has presented England with a fairly good chance of dismantling Pakistan."
Pak 127-2
The attraction of Anderson for the skipper is obvious - getting the ball to hoop, finding the edge, barely coughing up a run, with two of Pakistan's premier batsmen at the crease and England desperately hunting a scalp. But this is his eighth over - he can't have much more left in the tank. A tired ball is carved through point for four by Hafeez.
Pak 121-2 (lead by 49)
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Hafeez gets lucky again, another edge that squirts away through the cordon. Anderson and Broad striving hard for a wicket - how long will Cook bowl them?
"I think Pakistan are slightly ahead. How is the pitch playing? It seems to be getting easier not harder but whether that's the case in the fourth innings with Yasir spinning his magic."
"It's difficult to say who's on top. If Pakistan set England 250 it will be an interesting Test match, very interesting."
Pak 117-2
Anderson causing Younus all sorts of problems, getting a little bit of shape away and getting the Pakistani batsman in a real tangle - poking outside off, getting his body well outside the line of his stumps.
Boycott Bingo
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PM: Ticking off the Boycott Bingo here. 'Add two wickets to the score.'
Here's one we made earlier, PM.
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Pak 116-2 (Hafeez 75, Younus 6)
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Man down! Stuart Broad is on the floor, felled by a throw from his own team-mate Jimmy Anderson. Broad turned round to scream an appeal, not seeing the throw from Anderson in the slips which was sailing towards the back of his shins. He went down like a gazelle felled by a tranquiliser dart. Anderson can't contain his mirth, Broad not quite as caught up in the hilarity of it all.
Post update
APCopyright: AP
Pak 114-2
Hafeez gets a thick outside edge off Anderson that races away through the vacant gully region. The runs are flowing for Hafeez, England really need to see the back of him.
"Azhar Ali made 34 off 115 balls, the longest innings for Pakistan without hitting a boundary since Ramiz Raja scored 29 off 162 balls against West Indies in Karachi in 1986."
Pak 110-2 (lead by 38)
Rashid continues - he's known as a second-innings merchant, now is the time England really need him to step up and take a few wickets. Younus, such an elegant player against spin, gets down on one knee and caresses him through the covers for two.
Pak 106-2
So Younus Khan joins Hafeez at the crease and gets off the mark with a clipped single round the corner. The pendulum is swinging in this match again...
"Great piece of bowling by Jimmy Anderson - that reversed beautifully. Malik was looking to leave it - the bat came down very late. The ball hit the pad a full second before the bat came into play. The lead of 33 is now not so bad when you've got two wickets in the hutch. One or two now and all of a sudden..."
WICKET
Malik lbw Anderson 0 (Pak 105-2)
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Now then! A double whammy for England and they're right back in this Test match. It's brilliant from Anderson, pinning Malik with an absolutely lethal inswinger - the batsman making to leave it and then realising too late his dreadful error. Now, can England nip another out before the close?
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Richard Higgins: Pakistan just always seem to find a way to let England back into the game, very sporting.
Pak 105-1
Shoaib Malik is the new man. Hafeez, no doubt already thinking about the icebreaker he'll use to defuse the awkward the silence between him and Azhar when he gets back in the dressing room, puts it out of his mind to smash Rashid over midwicket for four. He may be a terrible judge of a run, but he's seeing it like a football.
"England are bowling for run-outs! That was an amazing bit of cricket, almost like a double play in baseball. Now it doesn't look to bad for England. They have to summon their energy and push. Cook has to get them together and remind them they are only 29 runs behind."
WICKET
Azhar run out (Bell) 34 (Pak 101-1)
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Well, England weren't having much luck breaking the Pakistan opening partnership, so Pakistan have rather obligingly done it for them. It's an absolutely farcical run-out, a catastrophe: Azhar hits to mid-off, Hafeez charges down the track for a single, Azhar sets off then tries to send him back, but Hafeez has already crossed and Azhar has to try and make the other end. He's so far out that England have time to miss with Joe Root's first throw, and for Ian Bell to pick up and throw again to Rashid, who whips off the bails.
Pak 101-0 (Hafeez 66, Azhar 34)
Ben Stokes is having a snooze on the balcony after his brave effort with the bat. That might wake him up though - Hafeez picks the off-cutter from Anderson and absolutely smokes it over deep midwicket for a huge six. In fact, it looks like we've lost the ball - ah no, hang on, eventually it's located from behind the scorebox.
"The lead is 18 but it feels a lot more. It feel like Pakistan are totally in control; they have played beautifully. England have got to come together and raise the spirits somehow because the body language has gone."
Pak 90-0
Rashid does have the odd rozzer up his sleeve: he pulls out an absolute beauty, pitching on leg and spinning sharply just past the blade of Azhar, Bairstow again sniffing the stumping but Azhar with his back foot nailed firmly to the popping crease.
Post update
Pak 88-0 (lead by 16)
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Short leg and straight mid-on for Anderson - trying to set these right-handers up for the big inswinger. Hafeez and Ali scamper a couple of singles. Just seven runs conceded for Anderson off his eight overs so far, but it's penetration, not parsimony, that England need.
"It was a bit too easy for Pakistan before tea. They are good players of spin and you have to give them credit for that. But, when I see a spinner on this pitch just fire the ball in, you think that there has to be a bit of flight and guile in there. The spinners have been consistently not quite good enough throughout the series."
Pak 86-0
Cook's patience with Samit has finally worn thin, so he turns to the leg spin of Adil Rashid. England desperately need a breakthrough here, this match is slipping away from their grasp. Azhar and Hafeez rotate the strike with four singles.
Pak 82-0 (Hafeez 52, Azhar 29)
This opening duo of Hafeez and Azhar has a much more solid look about it than the previous pair - a solid oak armoire compared to the flimsy flat-pack wardrobe of Hafeez and Masood. Azhar in particular looks to have a really unhurried temperament - he is quite content to block out another Anderson over.
"Nice innings - controlled, sensible, patient. He averages 40 and he's got a very sound technique. I've seen quite a bit of him - he's a good cricketer."
50 for Hafeez
Pak 82-0
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This morning we were wondering whether there might be a way for Samit Patel to make it on the plane to South Africa. That seems a distant memory now as he serves up a rank wide delivery that is dispatched to the boundary by Hafeez to bring up his fifty - his third of the series.
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Jordan Forster: Unless we see an England-esque collapse from Pakistan, I'd say the goose has been cooked in this Test and the series.
David: It's all gone Pete Tong.
Joshwin Maharaj: Oh dear.......
Pak 76-0 (lead by 4)
Anderson returns and is immediately straight into the groove. Azhar, who is yet to hit a boundary in his 29 off 89 deliveries, plays out a maiden.
"Pakistan have stopped the irresponsible shots they played in the first innings. They're not away yet but it is hurting England because of the lack of quality spin. Our spinners are always giving away easy balls to score off."
Pak 76-0
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Keeperwatch: Jonny Bairstow. Morale-boosting chirp: seven out of 10. Looking good in shades: five out of 10. Appeal loudness: eight out of 10. Actual keeping? Pretty good, I'd say, so far - barring that tricky drop of Hafeez which is beginning to look like it might be costly. Azhar works Patel into the leg side for a single.
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Barney: No question the absence of Wood is being felt in this third innings. Raw pace, variety and lifts spirits in the field.
Pak 75-0 (Hafeez 46, Azhar 28)
Hafeez has looked in great nick throughout the series - he's now passed 25 in five of his six innings, but has tended to get himself out when set with loose shots. Broad's task is to induce one, but at the moment Hafeez is resolute - he stonewalls a maiden.
"There's not enough of them. I'd like to know how many spinners are out there on the counties' professional staff. Where are they? Worldwide it's a problem."
"It's easy to criticise the spinners but Samit Patel is a batting all-rounder. The real story is the dearth of specialist spinners in England."
Pak 75-0
Too short from Patel and Hafeez drills it like a dentist doing a root canal. That boundary brings the scores level, so Pakistan are effectively 0-0, and given the strength of England's position result overnight, that is a massive result for them. Hafeez takes the hosts into the red with a sweep for three.
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Kevin Ticehurst: This was why I was fearing the worse yesterday, without Stokes and his extra bowling option. We will struggle to get wickets!
Pak 68-0 (Hafeez 39, Azhar 28)
Hint of reverse nip from Broad, shiny side just shaping back in to the batsman. Azhar watchful as a prairie dog on sentry duty. Maiden.
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Ben in Windsor: So basically we've got three batsmen who can spin it a bit (four if you count Root). Would it not be better to try an out and out spinner regardless of his batting skills? Its all very well having Moeen opening and Rashid and Patel contributing with the bat lower down but we need wickets!
Pak 68-0
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Better from Samit, squaring Hafeez up and getting him to squirt one off the outside edge. James Taylor the man under the lid at short point: he's got the reflexes of a ninja and the bravery of a lion-tamer, but even he had no chance with that one.
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Stanley at Essex University: Do you think it's worth throwing the ball to Ian Bell in the absence of Stokes? He does have 47 first-class scalps including one Test wicket.
Well remembered Stanley. Bell had Mohammad Yousuf caught and bowled for 78 at Faisalabad in 2005, but hasn't bowled at all in Tests since 2006.
Pak 66-0 (trail by 6)
Pakistan inch closer to parity as Hafeez steers Broad into the covers for a single.
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Pete Corrigan: Getting sick of hearing about balls being short again from our spinners! Pitch the ball on a good length for goodness sake!
Pak 65-0
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Jonny Bairstow with the gumshield in as he stands up to the stumps for Patel - clearly with one eye on the lucrative toothpaste advertisements that will tide him over through retirement. I'm a big fan of non-rugby-playing sportsmen wearing gumshields - QPR footballer Sandro is another one, I think. Azhar cuts Patel for a couple.
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Charlie B: I think that Moeen will be dropped for the Test tour to South Africa. Not good enough as a bowler or batsman. Ansari and Rashid for me and play one of them. Moeen is not confident at the moment.
Pak 61-0 (Hafeez 36, Azhar 24)
Broad to open up after tea from the other end - two slips, man on the drive. The Pakistan batsmen were very defensive and resolute against the seamers in the afternoon session, but Hafeez, perhaps in more confident mood now, strokes StuBro through the covers for two.
"There's a Test match to be won now for whichever team grabs a session."
Pak 59-0
Liam Plunkett has replaced the man with the octopus arms, Chris Jordan, as the substitute fielder - a curious one that, given Jordan's world-class abilities as a catcher. All is revealed, however, as the camera pans to Jordan on the balcony - chowing down on a plateful of samosas. Well, you can't do that on the field, can you? Hafeez pushes Patel to mid-off for a single.
"Cook could have said to his spinners 'I expect you to do well and I have to set a field accordingly'. The field spread a little bit too easily."
Post update
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Samit Patel has the ball in hand. Can he break this partnership? Let's find out...
Post update
Thank you Peachy. So after an afternoon session where nothing went right for England, it looks like Pakistan are very much in the box seat. Can England fight back?
Post update
Now time for me to hand you back to James Gheerbrant...
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Eddie F: I think England have paid the price for their scoring rate. I'm glad they didn't take any risks, but to bat for over 120 overs and not reach 350 is largely pointless. Rashid went nowhere.
"Unbelievable session for Pakistan. They came out and made it look a piece of cake - just blocking the seam of James Anderson and Stuart Broad and then slowly went about dismantling the spin bowlers. England have got a bit of head scratching to do at tea time."
Tea report
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Pakistan battled back on the third afternoon of the third and final Test against England in Sharjah.
The hosts reached 58-0, trailing by only 14 runs, with Mohammad Hafeez 33 not out and Azhar Ali unbeaten on 24.
Both men have had slices of fortune - Hafeez had a caught behind decision off James Anderson overturned and was dropped by Jonny Bairstow off Moeen Ali, while replays showed Azhar could have been given lbw to Samit Patel.
England were bowled out for 306, Ben Stokes making a duck at number 11 batting with an injured shoulder.
"It's a fascinating game - a slow game, but it has gone one way and then the other."
Tea - Pak 58-0 (trail by 14, Hafeez 33, Azhar 24)
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Pakistan will be delighted with that session. Both openers looked in all sorts of bother against Broad and Anderson with the new ball, but once that storm was weathered, they looked much more comfortable against England's three spinners. Still not enough control from Messrs Patel, Ali and Rashid, who are punctuating their overs with some very hittable deliveries. England will be slightly uncomfortable during this tea break.
Pak 58-0
Yes - it was grounded, albeit not by much. It would have been a careless way to get out in the last over before tea.
Third umpire
Pak 58-0
This could come out of nowhere - Bairstow thinks he may have got Azhar stumped. He's inside his ground, but is his foot grounded?
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Asad: This game is on the edge, Pakistan need a lead of 250+ to take this game. A long way to go, always at risk of a collapse.
Saiful369: Pakistan have previous in bowling England out cheaply in the final innings in the UAE so not a big lead required.
Pak 56-0 (Hafeez 33, Azhar 23)
Hafeez charges down the wicket to Patel, but Samit telegraphs it and fires one in short, much in the same way he did when Azhar came down the track earlier. Hafeez then gets tucked up full of excitement as a long hop sits up nicely for him, but misses it completely. He knew that should have gone to the boundary. Pakistan will be delighted with this session as it stands.
"You just feel that Pakistan are wrestling the initiative..."
Pak 54-0 (trail by 18)
Suddenly out of nowhere, Rashid gets one to spit up and beats Hafeez's outside edge. Bairstow appeals, more out of hope than expectation, but the umpire is unmoved. The other five deliveries offer much less excitement. Cook's had enough of Moeen, and Samit Patel is coming back on.
"Great, quick use of the feet. He got to the pitch and just followed through - a great shot over mid-off by Hafeez. Pakistan are running England's spinners around here and exposing their lack of control."
Pak 51-0 (19 ovs)
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Moeen's getting targeted here again - his second delivery is sent back over his head for a six that brings up the fifty partnership between the openers. A lot to ponder for Alastair Cook during the approaching tea break. He's got three spinners at his disposal, but none of them are offering the requisite control. England's first-innings lead is down to just 21.
"Shoulders look a little bit down for England - they need a spark here."
Pak 44-0 (trail by 28)
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Rashid still not quite up to speed as he sends down a full toss, but it's not dealt with properly by Azhar and he gets away with a maiden. Just over 10 minutes to go until tea. Pakistan will be very pleased with their afternoon's work if these two go in unbeaten.
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Thomas Measures: Sadly our spinners are not in the league of the Pakistani spinners, and why we are unlikely to win this game.
Stan Raymonde: It's a very sorry state of affairs when Samit Patel is England's 1st change and Moeen Ali is 2nd.
Pak 44-0 (Hafeez 23, Azhar 21)
We've entered a passage of play that generally gets described as 'one for the purists'. Three off the over from Moeen, all of them singles. Just two boundaries hit so far in this innings.
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Andy: With only 2 seamers and expensive spinners, England may struggle to keep a lid on Pakistan here. #worried
Naughtycaller: I like Pakistan's approach. They are not attacking the spinners, only rotating the strike and putting away the bad balls.
Pak 41-0 (trail by 31)
On comes Rashid for his first attempts this innings. Three men out, including long off where Hafeez hit that six earlier. It felt like Rashid was just trying to get his eye in with that over; not quite as much control as he'd have liked. Azhar marks his guard by taking a bail off and bashing it into the turf with his bat handle, a la Chanderpaul.
"Moeen hasn't bowled well for a while. The Australians dealt with him in the summer. As a captain you can only set the right fields, and if he doesn't bowl to it, you have to take him off."
"The trouble with spinners who play a lot of one-day cricket is that they lose their length too easily. You just don't slot into a rhythm."
Pat 38-0 (trail by 34)
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Hafeez goes the full hog at an attempted slog sweep off Moeen, but completely misses the ball and it's gathered adeptly by Bairstow, but it's followed by the first four of the innings as Moeen sends down an easily-hittable one that Hafeez quickly sends to the rope. Moeen's gone for 15 in his three overs so far, which is 15 times more expensive than Broad's three went for.
Pak 31-0 (Hafeez 15, Azhar 16)
Three men on the leg side for Patel, as Pakistan take three off the over, happily nurdling the ball around, waiting for the odd bad delivery to punish
"Moeen is trying to get it wide of off stump, which is the right play, but he's just getting it too wide. There's not a massive margin of error against these types of players, who are so adept at using their feet and playing the cut shot."
Pak 28-0 (trail by 44)
Bairstow, keeping wicket whilst wearing a white gumshield, shows he can be nimble behind the timbers as he whips off the bails when Hafeez misses one, but he's well within his ground. The early pressure that Anderson and Broad built up has evaporated with the two batsmen looking more at ease against Moeen.
"I think part of the reason that England went with three spinners was because of the all-round package that Patel offers. If Wood had been fit, I'm pretty sure they'd have played three seamers."
Pak 23-0 (Hafeez 12, Azhar 11)
Big appeal from Samit for lbw as Azhar comes down the wicket, but Cook pulls rank and tells him that it won't be reviewed. Replays suggest that it would have hit the wickets, but that Azhar was too far down the track, therefore it would have stayed umpire's call.
Next delivery is a half-tracker that is sent away for three runs.
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Mohammed Raza: The rabbit is Mohammad Rizwan. He's a keeper batsman who is also an excellent fielder. We'll see him in the upcoming ODI series
Hafeez dropped on 11
Pak 20-0
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Moeen Ali now replaces Anderson, and gets a thick outside edge from Hafeez, but it gets Bairstow, who was moving to his left, on his inner thigh. Will probably go down as a chance, but it would have had to be some very nimble glovework to have taken that. Three off the over.
Pak 17-0 (10 overs)
After 9.5 watchful overs, Hafeez comes down the track and wallops Samit high into the Sharjah sky and beyond the boundary.
Penny for Moeen Ali's thoughts - he's meant to be England's frontline spinner, but Cook's gone first to a spinner who wasn't even in the original squad.
"I can't understand Pakistan's approach here - you've still got to look to score."
Pak 8-0
A third maiden for Anderson, but the Pakistan openers are looking a little more settled facing him now. Hafeez beautifully times one off the pads, but it goes straight to the fielder.
"In the first innings I felt Samit Patel was trying to spin it too much. He just needs to put it in there - look at Zulfiqar."
Pak 8-0 (Hafeez 5, Azhar 3)
An off-side heavy field for Big Samit, as Hafeez and Azhar take a single each off the over.
Pak 6-0 (7 overs)
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Two runs off the over from Anderson, as Hafeez drives him back down the ground off the last delivery. We see a replay of the Pakistan substitute mocking the England fielders after the decision was overturned. Root responded in a similar verbal retort to Ben Stokes with the Marlon Samuels' salute. And that's enough of the quicks - after his Test best with the bat, Samit Patel's coming on to replace Broad.
Post update
Pak 4-0 (trail by 68)
We're seeing more and more replays of that review. I'm not certain that Hafeez hit it, but there's probably not enough evidence to overturn the decision either. There's no 'umpire's call' equivalent for caught-behind decisions. Whereas the umpire gets the benefit of the doubt when it comes to lbw, the batsman certainly has the laws on his side here. More importantly than that, can you believe the audacity of that Pakistan 12th man? What a cheeky chap. Anyway, at the end of another good Broad over, here's Tim Peach.
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Joshwin Maharaj: How is that different from the Broad review in this match, they couldn't overturn the not out decision, so why overturn the out?
Jay: What's the point in using DRS in a half cooked manner? All it does is sow doubts about the tech and give fodder to the naysayers.
Pak 4-0
Who was that Pakistan sub? He was on with drinks during the review and rubbed salt in the England wounds my mimicking the umpire's cross-armed overturn signal as the decision came in. He got in the face of James Anderson and Joe Root, who had a word for him as he walked off. A shortish chap, he was like a mischievous imp. England will remember that if he tours next summer. We'll try to find out his name.
"I think that's right, there was a gap between bat and ball when it went past the edge."
Pak 4-0
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On-field umpire Bruce Oxenford looks as surprised as anyone to have to overturn the decision. He gets a word in his ear, then makes the arm-swinging signal. There are cheers from the small band of Pakistan fans, while a cup-of-tea-wielding Paul Farbrace looks incredulous in the England dressing room. James Anderson, pretty miffed at the best of times, is wearing a menacing frown.
"There must have been a noise, because England appealed and the umpire gave it, but what else could it have been?"
Umpire review
Pak 4-0
Replay after replay, slow-mo after slow-mo...
Umpire review
Pak 4-0
Not HotSpot, no Snicko. There's no deviation as the ball passes the edge, but not daylight between bat and ball either. Hafeez could get away with this...
"He didn't look as if he touched it, but it didn't hit anything else. I don't know how he's going to get away with it."
Umpire review
Pak 4-0
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James Anderson, the bowler, was up, but keeper Jonny Bairstow didn't really appeal. Remember, given out on the pitch makes it tricky to over turn.
Umpire review
Pak 4-0
Up goes the finger! England think they have Hafeez caught behind. Hafeez, though, is certain he's not hit it. You don't often see a batsman review so quickly...
"In Asia, teams that have a conceded a deficit of 72 or more going into the third innings have only won on 12 out of 270 occasions and lost 186."
Pak 4-0
Broad continues to be miserly, the Scrooge of this England team. Off stump or thereabouts, Hafeez having to decide whether to play or not, but looking much more solid than Azhar. When Broad has an out of body experience, he slightly err on to leg stump and gives away a single. He'll be livid.
"Anderson and Broad know that once they've done their bowling duties here, they can put their feet up, so they can put in a bit of extra effort."
Pak 3-0
James Anderson is wobbling the ball around off stump and Azhar Ali doesn't know whether to have his breakfast or a haircut. Three leaves, two very close to off stump, the middle one hitting high on the pad and enticing an appeal from England. When Azhar remembers that he's got a bat to defend with, he looks slightly more solid. Anderson dangerous.
"I've got more confidence in England on this tour than on their last tour of the UAE. The attitude's right - the way they grafted and adapted yesterday showed that."
Pak 3-0 (trail by 69)
Broad, as ever, shares the new ball, a high-knee gallop urging him towards the crouching Hafeez. Oooofff, that's close. Hint of low bounce, touch of seam back in, off stump missed by a coat of varnish and no more. Hafeez sticks a thumb inside the grille of the helmet to mop his brow, focussed on Broad's exploration of off stump. Broad, who conceded only 13 runs in as many overs in the first innings, starts with a maiden.
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Joshwin Maharaj: Patel, Rashid and Ali will be looking to bowl on this now. Skittle Pakistan for 100 and the game is won.
Pak 3-0 (trail by 69)
Hafeez drops and runs, away immediately with a single. Anderson, that familiar heel-kicking run, strives towards the moustachioed Azhar, who defends behind a sizable arm-guard. Just a suggestion of movement away from the right-hander, who gets off the mark with an elegant drive for a couple through the covers.
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Tattz: Patel scores more runs than Moeen, and out bowled him too. Just saying.
Jon Evans: Anyone noticed that our batsmen seem to have an inability to convert scores currently? Even Root. 40s, 70s but not 100s...
Pak 0-0
Three slips and a gully for Anderson. Third slip is sub fielder Chris Jordan - about the best sub fielder England could call on. In fact, if you were to put a Fielding XI together, all in their rightful positions, I reckon Jordan would be in it. Anyway, Anderson is running in...
"Pakistan are in a dangerous position. When you're 70 runs down in the first innings, if you lose a couple of early wickets in the third innings, you're really in Queer Street."
Pak 0-0
Alastair Cook is leading his England team out on to the field. They go for their team cuddle. Every single one of them is wearing a navy blue England cap, except for Stuart Broad, who favours the floppy sunhat. Mohammad Hafeez is taking guard, Azhar Ali is at the other end. James Anderson is marking out his run.
"England's chances are good. The batsmen had to play steady and careful and they did well. Patel was the star of the morning. He's not just a tailender, he knows what he's doing, and he's particularly at ease against the spinners. It's a good lead."
Post update
If you're just joining us, England have been bowled out for 306. That first-innings lead of 72 is mainly thanks to Samit Patel, who made batting look as easy as any player in this match with 42 - his highest Test score. Ben Stokes did bat at number 11, grimacing his way through 10 balls before being bowled by Shoaib Malik. The pitch, lower on turn yesterday than day one, seems to have awoken from its slumber.
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Andy Donley: Misbah and Younis are such gents. Appreciation for heroic Stokes was evident. Classy cricket.
Ian Bradley: May seem minor detail but Broad butchered the running between wickets with Stokes, no plan, not good enough.
End-of-innings scorecard
ReutersCopyright: Reuters
England 306 (126.5 overs) - first-innings lead of 72
Taylor 74, Patel 42; Malik 4-33, Yasir 3-99
Fall of wickets: 19-1 (Moeen 14), 90-2 (Cook 49), 97-3 (Root 4), 139-4 (Bell 40), 228-5 (Taylor 76), 245-6 (Bairstow 43), 285-7 (Rashid 8), 287-8 (Patel 42), 296-9 (Anderson 7), 306 all out (Stokes 0); Not out: Broad 13*
Bowling figures: Rahat 22-12-48-2, Yasir 36-3-99-3, Riaz 20-5-33-0, Babar 37-6-80-1, Malik 9.5-3-33-4, Azhar 2-0-7-0
Stokes also blasted the air with his bat as he walked off. Even injured he was disappointed with how he got out. A fierce competitor. Now the focus turns to the England bowlers. Is a 72-run lead enough on this wearing pitch? What would be too many to chase?
"I think England will be pretty pleased with how they handled that. Samit Patel batted nicely and Ben Stokes showed real bravery. England can take heart, because there were a couple of absolute rip-snorters bowled by the Pakistan spinners. Just run up, hit middle and off stump, and the odd one will spit or turn."
WICKET
Stokes b Malik 0 (Eng 306 all out)
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Ben Stokes' brave effort is ended, not by the pace of Wahab Riaz, but the off-spin of Shoaib Malik. It was a delivery that a fully-fit Stokes would have dealt with - a regulation offie that turned a touch from the straight and took off stump. However, the limited range of movement in his shoulder prevented him from covering up. He gets a pat on the back from Younus Khan as he departs. England are 306 all out, a lead of 72 runs.
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Evan Byrne: I can't quite figure out the thinking behind sending Stokes in last. Assuming he is fit to bat then why wait until he has only Anderson or Broad for company? If they had sent him in after Rashid was out, then not only would he have still had Patel and Broad to bat with before Anderson, but the medical team would have had 40 minutes to work on his stiffness and had the luxury of knowing exactly when they needed to get his shoulder ready for action. I think they missed a number of tricks there.
Eng 306-9
It's all a bit anti-climatic when Broad is on strike. There's a mini-game of Pakistan spreading the field, looking to minimise scoring and maximise the opportunity to bowl at Stokes. When Broad sweeps Malik, Broad and Stokes do something of a mid-itch hokey cokey, not knowing whether to run or not. In the end, they take the single...
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Bob Hawkins: Does Ben Stokes's shoulder have its own Twitter account yet?
Eng 305-9 (lead by 71)
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There you go. Riaz digs it in, chest-high. Stokes can do nothing but turn his back and wear one. No sign of pain from the flame-haired all-rounder. He turns back to look at Riaz, blowing his cheeks out. He's probably storing this in the memory for when Pakistan travel to England next summer. The next ball is just as high, but Stokes this time can get the bat up to defend. He even tickles the last ball of the over to fine leg, but doesn't take the run. The over is survived. Pure theatre.
Eng 305-9
First ball shortish, bouncing thigh-high. Stokes shuffles to defend, doesn't have to lift the bat much to defend. There's another grimace, the top hand comes off the bat. Anything shorter than that will have him in trouble...
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Rob Zabrocky: I hereby rename @benstokes38 Iron Man. Can't believe he has come out to bat.
Pitched Outside Leg: This bloke Stokes at number eleven looks pretty solid. Maybe give him a try as opening bat? #triedeverythingelse
Eng 305-9
It's not Yasir Shah, but the pace of Wahab Riaz. Stokes can expect some hostility. There's a short leg in place. No mercy from Pakistan.
"They got that wrong, they got a bit overexcited there. They should only have run one."
Eng 305-9 (lead by 71)
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What is the fascination about watching an injured cricketer bat? Is it the drama of the unusual, the curiosity of wondering what might happen? We all like a story of bravery too. Malik round the wicket to Broad, who isn't tempted to take a single even with the field spread. When he gets on the sweep, it goes very fine for the boundary that brings up the England 300. The field converges at the end of the over, a game within a game. Broad gets it through and they take two. Stokes will be on strike to Yasir Shah.
"Ben Stokes is usually such an aggressive cricketer - this is probably the first time in his life he's been unable to swing his bat hard. He's like a swordsman with a blunted blade."
Eng 297-9
Yasir Shah has four catchers around the bat. Stokes looks around. He goes back to a short ball and isn't required to move too much to defend. Over complete.
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Mark: Ben Stokes coming out to bat. What a trooper.
Scott Lennon: The type of person Ben Stokes is, watch him hit a half century #fighter.
Eng 297-9 (lead by 63)
After the injury Ben Stokes suffered on Sunday, I don't think any of us thought he would bat. At that point he was in agony, leaving the field with his right arm in a sling. How does Broad play this? Give it some welly? Hog the strike? The field is spread, Broad takes a single from the fifth ball. One for Stokes to face...
"I think Anderson slightly misjudged the length there, it was a bit fuller than he thought."
WICKET
Anderson b Malik 7 (Eng 296-9)
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Ah. Spoke too soon. James Anderson misjudges the length, goes back when he should be forward, misses a turning off-break and loses his off stump. This England innings is subsiding quickly and the injured Ben Stokes is summoned...
Eng 296-8
Stokes did have some throw-downs during lunch, bit so rather gingerly (no pun intended). He managed to twirl the bat in his hands, but there was plenty of grimacing. There was also very limited movement in that right arm, the one that mainly controls the bat. James Anderson obviously fussed about protecting Stokes for too long, he's on the sweep to take Malik for four...
"Yasir Shah has now taken 72 Test wickets in 12 Test matches, which is the most by any spinner in their first 12 Tests, beating Clarrie Grimmett, who took 71."
Eng 290-8 (Yasir 35-3-98-3)
Patel was just angling his bat slightly, as if to turn the ball on the leg side. That was fatal. The ball dipped in the air, spat off the pitch and on to the off bail. Patel nodded in appreciation as he departed. James Anderson is at the crease at number 10, while I can confirm that Ben Stokes will bat. He is sitting with his pads on. That lad is double 'ard.
"That's the ball of the series without a shadow of a doubt. It dipped in at the last minute, nice, fizzing pace, and then deep, sharp turn. Nothing that Samit could do about that, that was an absolute beauty. Those two wickets have got Pakistan back into the Test match."
WICKET
Patel b Yasir 42 (Eng 287-8)
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Bowled him! What an absolute rozzer from Yasir Shah. For Warne to Gatting, read Yasir to Samit Patel. OK, so it hasn't turned quite as much as the Ball of the Century, but it's pitched middle and leg to leg, fizzed past Patel's defensive grope and taken the top of off stump. Not just a blow to England now, but further warning of what could come later in the match.
"Pakistan's use of Yasir Shah in the morning session was very strange. I don't think any of us could understand how the second highest-rated bowler in world cricket only got five overs."
Eng 285-7 (lead by 51)
Thanks, James. Another good morning for England. Can they push that lead up to 75? Maybe even 100? Stuart Broad has joined Samit Patel after lunch and sees off the two remaining deliveries of Shoaib Malik's over.
Who is the most eccentric cricketer you played with?
Vaughan: "I played with some different characters - they did things their own way. Phil Tufnell was probably as eccentric as any. I remember we were on tour for nine weeks and I never saw him eat once - apart from nuts."
Boycott: "Brian Close was funny. But Graham Stevenson was the funniest bloke I ever played with. He just said funny things and did funny things - I couldn't tell you them all here."
Vaughan: "More countries need to play the game. I'm delighted the ICC are meeting the International Olympic Committee to talk about a format that might work - even if it's indoor cricket. As long as cricket is in the Olympics, it just spreads the game."
Boycott: "Garry Sobers. He was the top batsman. 1966 in England? Wow. He could seriously bat. He didn't give you a sniff of a chance."
Vaughan: "AB de Villiers has taken the game to a different planet in the last two years. I love his approach - 'I just try and keep it simple'.
"But I think for the swagger, I have to go with Sir Viv Richards. The way he walked out to bat, chewing gum with his cap on an angle - everything about him was special."
Is day-night Test cricket the best way to preserve the game?
Boycott: "It's not about the best way; it's about coming up with ways. I came up with this in the Cowdrey Lecture 10 years ago. I thought Packer had it right when he did his one-day clothing - coloured clothing, music playing. Kids like all that jazz - play it at night when people aren't working. Get people in the crowd, get them into enjoying cricket. Cricket, as much as we love it, is a product - we have to sell it to people. Otherwise it's going to die. The quality of the cricket is excellent but that's not the point. If you play it to empty stadiums, with no bums on seats, the game's dying."
Vaughan: "I hope the day-night Test is a success. You don't want it to be a farce; they have to find a ball that's right for lights. And there's got to be a Test championship - every Test match should matter. There has to be some kind of final - there ha to be an end product why we're playing these Test matches."
Post update
Time for me to hand you over to Stephan Shemilt, who will take you through the afternoon session.
Does the modern game demand players to be multi-dimensional?
Boycott: "I'm sure you can be a specialist and be good at one-day cricket. Look at AB de Villiers. He's out of this world. There's easily room to be a pure batsmen or a pure bowler."
Geoffrey, of your 151 first-class hundreds, what was your favourite? Michael, of your 42 first-class hundreds, what was your favourite?
Boycott: "My hundredth hundred, I suppose. But my most important was my 98th, on my Test comeback at Nottingham. I hadn't played for three years. Was I good enough at 36? Then running Derek Randall out, that was a nightmare. That was the hardest. That was a test of character, which I've always believed what Test cricket is about."
Vaughan: "I scored a nice hundred against Australia at Old Trafford in '05. It was a showcase for cricket that summer. It was on day one, setting up the series.
"I also scored a hundred against the West Indies in 2007. I'd been out of the team for 18 months. I went to Headingley on my home ground with a broken finger. My finger was almost hanging off. Even though I got four against Australia, that was as tough as any. To get a hundred in those conditions was as hard as it got.
"My first 10 runs were horrific because I was questioning myself. But I got into a bit of rhythm and got a hundred. I read the papers as soon as I got my hundred - they were giving me pelters for playing. I'm glad I didn't read them before play because my mind would have gone."
Post update
Stokes warming up
Ben Stokes is apparently facing throw-downs from Ottis Gibson on the outfield during the interval. Next man in?
Vaughan: "He just hasn't played well enough. He's played some airy-fairy shots - if you actually look at his batting, he's very easy on the eye, but there's always an element of risk. In South Africa, we'll see him go back to being the one spinner, down to seven or eight, depending on Stokes' fitness, and I think that's better for him."
Boycott: "He's never been an opener for me. He just doesn't play right. When he tried to go ultra-defensive, he couldn't get a run. You have to have a decent defence. That's what makes Cook so good."
Alex Hales next? "Anyone you want. Put my mum in next. She's ready!"
Could Joe Root become England's greatest ever batsman?
Boycott: "No. I think he's one of the best players in the world at the moment. He's a wonderful example of a modern-day cricketer, but you've got to go back to Jack Hobbs, WG Grace, Wally Hammond... when you don't see these people, you can't compare them with modern-day players."
Vaughan: "He's got the potential and opportunity to be talked about amongst the greats. Alastair Cook is up there. Gooch, Boycott, Pietersen... Root has a chance to get into that list, but you can never say who is the greatest."
You can listen to TMS by following the 'Live Coverage' link at the top of this page.
Boycott: "County cricket isn't as strong as it used to be. They aren't as many good players around to fit into 18 counties. The pitches are flatter than ever because of modern machines and drainage. Covering is fantastic too. The ball doesn't turn much so spinners don't become match-winners - they're fill-in bowlers most of the time. That means a dearth of quality opening batsmen. You had to have better technique to survive."
Vaughan: "I think in county cricket the pitches aren't good enough. You get 70 or 80mph wobblers who hit the seam and the ball goes either way. We're in an era where we promote a quickfire 30 or 40. It used to be that you had to bat a long time - that was the old-school way of playing. It's a different era of play."
"He was the kind of player I would have enjoyed captaining. You need single-minded players in your team. I would never have any gripe with any player who's motivated by scoring lots of runs. I really liked players who had a different character - and Geoffrey certainly had that. He just needed that self-assurance all the time but you need to keep buttering these type of players up."
Boycott on his regrets: "I regret being captain of Yorkshire. I regret opting out of England for three years. But they're my mistakes - I look back and say, 'I'm an idiot'. My biggest mistake is not having three daughters like the one I have, who is a cracker."
You can listen to TMS by following the Live Coverage link at the top of this page.
Lunch report
Samit Patel let England to a 51-run lead over Pakistan on the third morning of the third and final Test in Sharjah.
Patel, in his first Test match since 2012, made 41 not out to take England to 285-7.
He shared a stand of 40 with Adil Rashid, who was caught at short leg off Shoaib Malik on the stroke of lunch.
James Taylor struggled on the resumption and edged Rahat Ali behind for 76, while Jonny Bairstow was bowled by Zulfiqar Babar for 43.
England have confirmed that Ben Stokes has a collar bone joint injury. He will not bowl or field in the rest of the match, but he may bat.
Coming up on TMS, a treat for our Yorkshire-based listeners: a Geoffrey Boycott and Michael Vaughan Q&A.
Email your questions to tms@bbc.co.uk, tweet #asktms or post on the Test Match Special Facebook page - and Geoffrey and Michael will answer the best of them from 08:00 GMT.
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Lunch interval
Eng 285-7
And indeed that is lunch. England will begin again after the interval with a lead of 51 and three wickets remaining. Not an impregnable position, but certainly handy.
"That really was outstanding because it went quickly off the inside edge - Azhar Ali had to anticipate. Pakistan were pleased to see him back in the side because of how good he is under the helmet."
WICKET
Rashid c Azhar b Malik 8 (Eng 285-7)
On the stroke of lunch, a potentially crucial blow for Pakistan. The part-timer has done the trick, Rashid propping forward, getting squared up and prodding a sharp chance off the outside edge which Azhar Ali does superbly to snaffle under the lid at short leg. Magnificent catch that on closer inspection, flinging out an arm and scooping the ball millimetres off the turf.
Text 81111
Alan in London: There probably is room on the SA tour for Samit. Probably no return for Ballance and now possible Buttler and/or Stokes won't go either. And he'd be a good pick for the world T20 in India too.
Eng 285-6
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Rashid drives Yasir into the covers for a single. This partnership is now worth 40 hugely valuable runs, underlining the value of England's long batting order.
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Jay: Pretty sure we won't have to wait too long before someone comes up with the brilliant suggestion that England open with Patel
Eng 284-6 (Patel 41, Rashid 7)
Misbah turns to the off-spin of part-timer Shoaib Malik in a bid to break this irritating partnership. Rashid takes the England lead to 50 with a glided single to point.
ECB on Ben Stokes
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Full ECB statement on Ben Stokes: "Imaging confirms Stokes has a collar bone joint injury. It has already been decided he will be unable to bowl or field for the remainder of this Test match but if circumstances dictate he may bat. His injury will be reviewed in 7-10 days once it has had a chance to settle. A decision about his return to play will be taken at this time."
There's something gladiatorial about the contest between two leg spinners: Rashid showing massive cojones to usher through a Yasir delivery that is the width of a gnat's whisker away from disturbing the off pole. Yasir scowls in frustration, Rashid grins. Ten minutes to go until lunch.
Eng 281-6 (lead by 47)
Wahab looking to dig it in short to Patel now, getting it up under the armpit. Patel whips it off his ribs for one.
"It's been a gritty innings from Samit Patel. A lead of 100 would mean something to England, that would give them a clear advantage over the next two days."
Eng 297-6
Zulfiqar rattles through another maiden. Interestingly, Samit - despite blocking out those last six dot balls - still has the best strike rate of any recognised batsman in this match.
"This pitch has improved from where it was on day one. Pakistan might back themselves to defend 175 or 200 in the fourth innings."
Eng 279-6 (Patel 37, Rashid 6)
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Riddle me this: what does Samit Patel have to do here to get himself on the South Africa tour? Presumably England will take Moeen and Rashid as the two spinners, but if Patel strokes a match-winning hundred here (and we may be getting slightly ahead of ourselves), could England leave him out? Is there room for him as a specialist batsman? He adds two more to his score by easing a Wahab full toss into the covers.
"It's starting to turn quickly. Babar isn't a big turner of the ball, but he's getting to pop off the pitch. England won't want to be chasing any more than 150."
Eng 276-6
Rashid can't lay a bat on Zulfiqar at the moment - the left-armer sizzles a couple of deliveries past the outside edge on his way to a maiden.
Too cool for skool
Eng 276-6 (lead by 42)
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There's something comforting about having Samit Patel in that middle order. It's like adding dumplings to a stew - it just bulks it out a bit, adds ballast. The Notts all-rounder moves to 34, his highest Test score, with a very fine leg-side glance off Wahab. I'm not sure what Pakistan's plan is to Samit: there don't seem to many fielders in catching positions. Perhaps even Misbah doesn't know: he's just discombobulated by Samit's brilliance.
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Jack Mendel: Correct me if wrong, but it seems to be the case that Samit Patel has just replaced Moeen Ali's ex-role?
Eng 271-6
Short leg in for Rashid, Zulfiqar just trying to tempt him to prop forward and offer a bat-pad catch. Rashid is wise to that plan, but when he tries to get forward and smother the spin, Zulfiqar gets it to grip and rip sharply past the outside edge. Zulfiqar looking tricksy this morning, Rashid not yet entirely comfortable at the crease.
Eng 268-6 (Patel 28, Rashid 5)
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After trial by spin, Misbah turns back to the owner of the fastest arm and wildest hair in the Pakistan side, Wahab Riaz. Extraordinary plumage from the quick man, like a more bouffant Steve McClaren, voluminous at the back, wispy at the front. Patel jabs an attempted pull round the corner for a single.
Post update
Eng 267-6
That's glorious from Patel, showing the nimble-toed elegance of a ballerina to sashay down the wicket and hoist Zulfiqar inside-out over wide long-off for a one-bounce four. Delicious batting from the big man, who is looking assured.
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Alan Compton: England probably need a lead of 50 or so just to account for batting last. In the balance, this Test match.
Eng 262-6 (lead by 28)
Rashid picks up his first boundary, driving Yasir through the covers for four.
Stokes injury update
Eng 257-6
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We're just reflecting on what a strange series it's been for Adil Rashid. His numbers look very ordinary: a batting average of 24, and a bowling average of 65. And he's made two potentially match-turning contributions in two Tests. That's a chin-stroker for you. Patel slaps Zulfiqar through the covers.
A treat at lunchtime for you, especially if you're from Yorkshire: a Geoffrey Boycott and Michael Vaughan Q&A.
Email your questions to tms@bbc.co.uk, tweet #asktms or post on the Test Match Special Facebook page - and Geoffrey and Michael will answer the best of them from 08:00 GMT.
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Drinks break
Eng 252-6 (Patel 16, Rashid 1)
So we approach to the end of the much-vaunted Crucial First Hour. Is the first hour ever not crucial? Is there such a thing as an insignificant first hour? Either way, Pakistan have had the better of this one. Time for some drinks.
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Alistair Raw: Wasn't Babar a cartoon elephant? He's just bowled Johny Bairstow.
Eng 251-6
Rashid keeps it tight against Zulfiqar - a maiden.
"There's still much for the spinners to be encouraged by on this wicket."
Eng 251-6 (lead by 17)
After that moment of glory for his understudy, Pakistan's leading virtuoso, Yasir Shah, returns to the stage. Rashid gets off the mark with a nudge around the corner, Yasir beats Patel all ends up with an absolute rozzer, but Patel gets his revenge by tonking him through the covers. Have that!
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Ben Prior: Somebody has to tell Bairstow when he gets in to the 40s the game isn't over!
Eng 246-6
Adil Rashid is the new man - England have a long tail and they need it to wag now.
"It does him for length - it was a ball he should have gone forward to. He's done all that hard work - he's got in and got out. A key wicket with the lead only 11. I reckon Babar has bowled the arm ball there, flicked it out of the front of the fingers. Really good bowling."
WICKET
Bairstow b Zulfiqar 43 (Eng 245-6)
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Zulfiqar strikes! It's taken him a day and a bit, but finally the slow left-armer has his man. It's lovely bowling actually, setting Bairstow up with conventional off-breaks and then totally foxing him with the armball that skids straight on and crashes into the timbers. Another nearly-but-not-quite innings for Jonny Bairstow, who has now reached 40 eight times in Tests without making a century.
England, who were in such a strong position this morning, are slumping slightly in the box seat.
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PitchedOutsideLeg: Re 06.04 Why the surprise? Geoffrey is a man apart, always his own agent. #mistertenpercent.
Eng 243-5
Patel's getting into the groove now - he throws those meaty arms at a widish delivery from Rahat and sends it racing behind point for four.
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Matt Chapman: Too many 50s and not enough 100s seems to be the story of this tour.
Eng 237-5 (Bairstow 42, Patel 6)
I must say, I'll be astonished if Ben Stokes is in any shape to hold a bat. He looked like he'd made a right mess of that right shoulder - I'd mentally put him down for three months of rest, recovery and daytime television. Bairstow coaxes Zulfiqar through midwicket for a single.
"The first run that Rahat Ali conceded this morning came from the first ball of his fifth over."
Eng 236-5
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Finally, Patel gets off the mark with a pull for four off the previously immaculate Rahat. Emboldened, he then leans into a cover drive for two. Meanwhile, reports reaching us that England's medical staff have pulled off some miracle work and Ben Stokes will bat...
"Have they told us what Stokes's injury is? We've got more chance of getting information out of MI6. What's the secret? The people of Great Britain want to know about this young cricketer. They are interested."
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Ian Bittiner: Re 06:04. Geoffrey always gives 110%.
Eng 229-5 (trail by 5)
Samit Patel looks as uncomfortable as a man on hot coals against Zulfiqar. Suddenly the previously unthreatening spinner is looking like an unplayable magician, zipping a couple past Patel's groping outside edge.
"They left arm seamers don't get much swing back into the right-handers, but they make it pitch and go away - just enough."
Eng 229-5
Rahat has bowled terrifically well in this Test match after a pretty unconvincing display in the first match at Abu Dhabi. There's something about that angle from left-arm over the wicket that is causing the England batsmen to get themselves in a horrible tangle. Bairstow is beaten when he tries to whip one through midwicket and it gets a bit too close for comfort.
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PtheP: He's useless that Taylor etc etc.
Eng 229-5 (Bairstow 40, Patel 0)
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Bairstow moves into the 40s with a single in front of square. A couple of canny deliveries from Zulfiqar keeps Patel on 0.
"It was tentative poke, a nothing shot. The ball pitched on leg stump and went across him. He couldn't help but follow it. I'm sad for the young man because he played lovely yesterday. I'd sit with him and talk about that 20 minutes he's had, how he can do it better next time."
WICKET
Taylor c Sarfraz b Rahat 76 (Eng 228-5)
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Wise man, that Ed Smith. A dismissal with a very familiar feeling for England fans: overnight batsman, not quite got going, feeling it for it outside off. Sarfraz has been brilliant behind the timbers in this series and he takes another superb diving pouch. Big breakthrough for Pakistan.
"Taylor needs to have a little chat with himself. He hasn't got going at all today."
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Moon: Defrosting the car in chilly, rural Slovakia, lets hope the boys can push on for a 100 lead.
Eng 228-4 (trail by 6)
Touch of desperation creeping into Zulfiqar at the moment, imploring the umpire to give him a wicket like a failing used car salesman begging for that sale. Taylor and Bairstow nick a single apiece.
Eng 226-4
Quick running between the wickets has been a hallmark of this partnership and once Taylor and Bairstow are scampering furiously, nicking two leg byes.
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Paul Comer: Re 06:04. Geoffrey Boycott: 55 + 20 + 35 = 110..... Oh dear.
Eng 224-4 (Taylor 75, Bairstow 38)
Zulfiqar Babar looks more like a mild-mannered office clerk than an international sportsman and so far his bowling has been more pen-pusher than match-winner. 25 overs of wicketless slog yesterday. In fact, we're having a look at his stats for the series and they're none too pretty: 59 average, 159 strike rate. Yowzer. As threatening as a kitten in mittens. His first over sees JT and JB open their accounts for the day.
Eng 222-4
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Rahat, as he has done throughout this series, slanting the ball out wide and aiming to induce an erroneous drive. Taylor is in watchful mood early doors. We begin with a maiden.
"I think there's still a 20% chance of a draw, a 55% chance of England winning and a 35% chance of Pakistan winning."
Post update
Taylor and Bairstow are walking out to the middle. A pat on the back for Yasir Shah from Taylor. Left-arm seamer Rahat Ali is going to open up with the ball. Here we go...
"Taylor was exceptional at picking up length quickly. When he came down the wicket, he took his head towards the line of the ball, which impressed me. Technically, he was brilliant. It was an exhibition in how to play spin bowling."
"If they can bat another session and a half, they will get a 100-120-run lead, which will be huge in this match. You just never know with England - but they're in the box seat."
England in a 'great position'
Ian Bell, who made 40 off 158 balls on the second day, says England are in a "great position" as they close in on a first-innings lead.
"It was the first time I've watched England for a while and the running between the wickets was incredible. That partnership between Taylor and Bairstow may be one that we talk about in a couple of days as the difference between the teams."
Bairstow ready to step up?
If Taylor was the main man yesterday, he was ably assisted by Jonny Bairstow, who hit an unbeaten 37 in their partnership of 83.
The Yorkshireman has a modest record of an average of 27 of and no centuries from his 19 Tests so far.
Could this be day he finally stamps his authority on England's middle order?
"I wouldn't say England are fully on top. But they've put themselves in such a condition that it might allow the bowlers that bat to attack the bowling tomorrow. A lead of 50 or 70 would be good but anything else would be outrageously marvellous."
Live Reporting
James Gheerbrant
All times stated are UK
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Latest PostGoodbye
That's it for today - we leave you with the Test very much in the balance. Join us again tomorrow, bright and early at 05:40, for day four. Until then, goodbye.
Post update
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"It's close. Pakistan have had the better of the day but that late wicket gave England a lift.
"If England get two quick wickets they could be chasing 160-170. But if they allow Rahat Ali to hang around for a bit tomorrow and there are a couple of partnerships, then it could be 220-plus.
"Alastair Cook has just got to keep the field in and force the big shot. It is on an edge but I would still prefer the runs on the board. I would prefer to be in Pakistan's dressing room now - but only just."
Post update
As pointed out, those two early misses against Hafeez could be crucial. Was the enough evidence to overturn that decision? And what if Bairstow had made that catch? Not only would it have removed Hafeez, it might have given Moeen a bit of confidence as well. Ifs, buts and maybes...
Post update
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"I still think there's a good chance of a team winning it - and I favour England. There's a good chance of winning, not any chance. It's better than every side getting 500. Runs are hard-earned and when you get runs it means a lot."
Post update
Simon Mann
BBC Test Match Special
"It's very hard to predict where this game is going to go."
Join the debate at #bbccricket
Adam Savoury: Forget about Bairstow's drop, Hafeez was out caught behind on two! No conclusive evidence to overturn the decision either!
Malik announces retirement
Well, this has come out of the blue. Pakistan batsman Shoaib Malik has just announced his retirement from Test cricket - mid-match!
He picked up his best Test bowling figures earlier today, and only two matches ago hit 245, though he has had a run of low scores since then.
Apparently he's concentrating his attention on the 2019 World Cup - when he'll be, erm, 37.
Post update
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"A first-innings lead of 72 is not to be sniffed at. I still think that. England are still in it to win it, even though there was quite a long period in the afternoon when Hafeez and Azhar put on 100 and never looked in trouble."
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Tom, Durham: For all the talk of the pitches, this has been a fascinating series with every session requiring each side to play exceptional cricket. Genuine high-pressure environment that just can't be replicated in the shorter form.
Player reaction
England batsman James Taylor on Sky Sports: "They're playing well at the moment, but we can't look too far ahead. If we can get some early breakthroughs in the morning, you never know. These tracks aid the spinners, but I'm enjoying my cricket more than I've ever enjoyed - I'm enjoying playing cricket for my country and getting a few runs."
Post update
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"A topsy-turvy day again. It started poorly for England with the two guys who played splendidly yesterday getting out. But Patel batted beautifully. He was out to a superb ball - a leg-spinner that pitched leg and hit off stump."
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Ian J: Chance dropped by Bairstow off Moeen when Hafeez was on 11 starting to look like series-defining moment.
Day in summary
England struck late on day three to leave the third Test against Pakistan evenly poised in Sharjah.
Pakistan looked set to take control when a century opening stand between Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali wiped out England's first-innings lead of 72.
But three wickets in the evening session left Pakistan 146-3, a lead of 74, with Hafeez still there on 97.
England were earlier all out for 306, James Taylor adding two runs to his overnight 74 and Samit Patel making 42.
Read more in Stephan Shemilt's report.
Post update
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"Brilliant innings by Hafeez for his 97. It really does hang in the balance - England have to get four wickets to get to Wahab Riaz, but the Pakistan tail can fold - it's like a pack of dominoes. Hafeez, Misbah and Sarfraz are the key. You wouldn't want to be chasing 220-plus."
Close-of-play scorecard
Pakistan 146-3 (53 overs) - lead by 74
Batsmen: Hafeez 97*, Rahat 0*
Fall of wickets: 101-1 (Azhar 34), 105 (Shoaib 0), 146-3 (Younus 14)
Bowling figures: Anderson 14-5-36-1, Broad 12-4-19-1, Patel 11-0-40-0, Moeen 6-1-25-0, Rashid 10-2-25-0
Pakistan first innings 234: Misbah 71; Anderson 4-17
England first innings 306: Taylor 74, Bairstow 43, Patel 42; Malik 4-33, Yasir 3-99
Pakistan won toss
Full scorecard
Join the debate at #bbccricket
Glenn Sissen: Is it just me that can see this going to the final day and Stokes hitting the winning runs? #fate.
Close of play
Pak 146-3
It looks like the umpires are insisting on spin for the final over of the day, so it's going to be Moeen to have a bowl. There's a huge appeal off the penultimate ball of the day, but England decide against a review. Rahat survives, and that's stumps.
Post update
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"This is where Test cricket is mad. Just get on with it."
Pak 146-3 (Hafeez 97, Rahat 0)
Ooh, Rashid so nearly undoes Hafeez with a well-disguised googly, the batsman getting wise to it just in time to jam down on it and prevent it crashing into his stumps. It's a maiden. Now the umpires are converging to discuss the light...
Post update
Pak 146-3
Nightwatchman Rahat Ali is the new man - he almost offers a short-leg chance off his first ball, but the ball flies tantalisingly out of reach of the fielder off the outside edge.
Post update
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"This is a huge moment in the game. You always know as a batsman that as soon as you don't play a stroke and it hits the front pad... England deserve a wicket with the way they've bowled in the last hour - the two seamers of Anderson and Broad have been immense."
WICKET
Younus lbw Broad 14 (Pak 146-3)
What a big moment that is. Broad hasn't looked as threatening as Anderson in this spell, but he's come with the goods when it matters. Younus padding up, offering no stroke, the ball swinging back more than he thought, and the DRS shows it would have clattered the top of off.
Post update
Charles Dagnall
BBC Test Match Special
"Younus Khan can't believe it."
Umpire review
Broad has hit Younus on the pad, long way forward but no shot played, and the umpire's given him! Younus not incredulous and immediately calls for a review...
Pak 142-2
Yes, as we suspected, Jimmy's batteries are finally run down, and Adil Rashid is the man selected to replace him. He hasn't posed much of a threat in this game and this over is no different, too wide, and Hafeez is able to steer him behind point for two. Too easy.
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Steve: Penny for Tredwell's thoughts now. Discarded quickly but he would have provided the control which all 3 spinners here are clearly lacking.
Saul: Monty would have cleaned up on this pitch.
Pak 138-2 (lead by 66)
Hafeez is ticking along beautifully, into the 90s now, creaming Broad through the covers for three. No-one has batted with more rhythm and ease in this match than him.
Post update
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"A remarkable effort from Broad and Anderson; Anderson has bowled nine overs in this spell now. I think the senior pair have said to the skipper, 'We'll keep going for you till the end of the day'."
Pak 135-2
Oh dear. We're seeing slow-motion replays of Alastair Cook putting his head in his hands. The careworn brow, the downcast gaze, the bitten fingernails. Has it come to this? Younus Khan so relaxed out there he manages not to look up at all as Jimmy Anderson thunders in to his delivery stride - as oblivious as a teenager listening to their Walkman in a 1980s road safety commercial. Anderson, nine overs into his spell, forced to abort his run-up and go again - not a happy bunny. Hafeez, making it look easy now, clatters Jimmy through point for four. Is that the end of Anderson for today?
Post update
Ramiz Raja
Ex-Pakistan captain on BBC Test Match Special
"The scenario changes completely when Hafeez is on strike. He is looking like any great batsman would, whereas Younus Khan is looking pretty mediocre out there."
Pak 129-2 (Hafeez 86, Younus 8)
Hafeez and Younus rotate for a single apiece against Broad.
Post update
Ramiz Raja
Ex-Pakistan captain on BBC Test Match Special
"James Anderson has bowled a great spell - he has made that ball talk. He is a great exponent of reverse swing and has presented England with a fairly good chance of dismantling Pakistan."
Pak 127-2
The attraction of Anderson for the skipper is obvious - getting the ball to hoop, finding the edge, barely coughing up a run, with two of Pakistan's premier batsmen at the crease and England desperately hunting a scalp. But this is his eighth over - he can't have much more left in the tank. A tired ball is carved through point for four by Hafeez.
Pak 121-2 (lead by 49)
Hafeez gets lucky again, another edge that squirts away through the cordon. Anderson and Broad striving hard for a wicket - how long will Cook bowl them?
Post update
Ed Smith
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"I think Pakistan are slightly ahead. How is the pitch playing? It seems to be getting easier not harder but whether that's the case in the fourth innings with Yasir spinning his magic."
Post update
Ramiz Raja
Ex-Pakistan captain on BBC Test Match Special
"It's difficult to say who's on top. If Pakistan set England 250 it will be an interesting Test match, very interesting."
Pak 117-2
Anderson causing Younus all sorts of problems, getting a little bit of shape away and getting the Pakistani batsman in a real tangle - poking outside off, getting his body well outside the line of his stumps.
Boycott Bingo
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PM: Ticking off the Boycott Bingo here. 'Add two wickets to the score.'
Here's one we made earlier, PM.
Pak 116-2 (Hafeez 75, Younus 6)
Man down! Stuart Broad is on the floor, felled by a throw from his own team-mate Jimmy Anderson. Broad turned round to scream an appeal, not seeing the throw from Anderson in the slips which was sailing towards the back of his shins. He went down like a gazelle felled by a tranquiliser dart. Anderson can't contain his mirth, Broad not quite as caught up in the hilarity of it all.
Post update
Pak 114-2
Hafeez gets a thick outside edge off Anderson that races away through the vacant gully region. The runs are flowing for Hafeez, England really need to see the back of him.
How's stat?!
Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician
"Azhar Ali made 34 off 115 balls, the longest innings for Pakistan without hitting a boundary since Ramiz Raja scored 29 off 162 balls against West Indies in Karachi in 1986."
Pak 110-2 (lead by 38)
Rashid continues - he's known as a second-innings merchant, now is the time England really need him to step up and take a few wickets. Younus, such an elegant player against spin, gets down on one knee and caresses him through the covers for two.
Pak 106-2
So Younus Khan joins Hafeez at the crease and gets off the mark with a clipped single round the corner. The pendulum is swinging in this match again...
Post update
Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"Great piece of bowling by Jimmy Anderson - that reversed beautifully. Malik was looking to leave it - the bat came down very late. The ball hit the pad a full second before the bat came into play. The lead of 33 is now not so bad when you've got two wickets in the hutch. One or two now and all of a sudden..."
WICKET
Malik lbw Anderson 0 (Pak 105-2)
Now then! A double whammy for England and they're right back in this Test match. It's brilliant from Anderson, pinning Malik with an absolutely lethal inswinger - the batsman making to leave it and then realising too late his dreadful error. Now, can England nip another out before the close?
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Richard Higgins: Pakistan just always seem to find a way to let England back into the game, very sporting.
Pak 105-1
Shoaib Malik is the new man. Hafeez, no doubt already thinking about the icebreaker he'll use to defuse the awkward the silence between him and Azhar when he gets back in the dressing room, puts it out of his mind to smash Rashid over midwicket for four. He may be a terrible judge of a run, but he's seeing it like a football.
Post update
Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"England are bowling for run-outs! That was an amazing bit of cricket, almost like a double play in baseball. Now it doesn't look to bad for England. They have to summon their energy and push. Cook has to get them together and remind them they are only 29 runs behind."
WICKET
Azhar run out (Bell) 34 (Pak 101-1)
Well, England weren't having much luck breaking the Pakistan opening partnership, so Pakistan have rather obligingly done it for them. It's an absolutely farcical run-out, a catastrophe: Azhar hits to mid-off, Hafeez charges down the track for a single, Azhar sets off then tries to send him back, but Hafeez has already crossed and Azhar has to try and make the other end. He's so far out that England have time to miss with Joe Root's first throw, and for Ian Bell to pick up and throw again to Rashid, who whips off the bails.
Pak 101-0 (Hafeez 66, Azhar 34)
Ben Stokes is having a snooze on the balcony after his brave effort with the bat. That might wake him up though - Hafeez picks the off-cutter from Anderson and absolutely smokes it over deep midwicket for a huge six. In fact, it looks like we've lost the ball - ah no, hang on, eventually it's located from behind the scorebox.
Scorecard update
Pakistan 90-0 (37 overs) - lead by 18
Batsmen: Hafeez 56*, Azhar 33*
Bowling figures: Anderson 8-5-7-0, Broad 7-4-4-0, Patel 11-0-40-0, Moeen 5-0-25-0, Rashid 6-1-13-0
Pakistan first innings 234: Misbah 71; Anderson 4-17
England first innings 306: Taylor 74, Bairstow 43, Patel 42; Malik 4-33, Yasir 3-99
Pakistan won toss
Full scorecard
Post update
Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"The lead is 18 but it feels a lot more. It feel like Pakistan are totally in control; they have played beautifully. England have got to come together and raise the spirits somehow because the body language has gone."
Pak 90-0
Rashid does have the odd rozzer up his sleeve: he pulls out an absolute beauty, pitching on leg and spinning sharply just past the blade of Azhar, Bairstow again sniffing the stumping but Azhar with his back foot nailed firmly to the popping crease.
Post update
Pak 88-0 (lead by 16)
Short leg and straight mid-on for Anderson - trying to set these right-handers up for the big inswinger. Hafeez and Ali scamper a couple of singles. Just seven runs conceded for Anderson off his eight overs so far, but it's penetration, not parsimony, that England need.
Post update
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"It was a bit too easy for Pakistan before tea. They are good players of spin and you have to give them credit for that. But, when I see a spinner on this pitch just fire the ball in, you think that there has to be a bit of flight and guile in there. The spinners have been consistently not quite good enough throughout the series."
Pak 86-0
Cook's patience with Samit has finally worn thin, so he turns to the leg spin of Adil Rashid. England desperately need a breakthrough here, this match is slipping away from their grasp. Azhar and Hafeez rotate the strike with four singles.
Pak 82-0 (Hafeez 52, Azhar 29)
This opening duo of Hafeez and Azhar has a much more solid look about it than the previous pair - a solid oak armoire compared to the flimsy flat-pack wardrobe of Hafeez and Masood. Azhar in particular looks to have a really unhurried temperament - he is quite content to block out another Anderson over.
Post update
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"Nice innings - controlled, sensible, patient. He averages 40 and he's got a very sound technique. I've seen quite a bit of him - he's a good cricketer."
50 for Hafeez
Pak 82-0
This morning we were wondering whether there might be a way for Samit Patel to make it on the plane to South Africa. That seems a distant memory now as he serves up a rank wide delivery that is dispatched to the boundary by Hafeez to bring up his fifty - his third of the series.
Join the debate at #bbccricket
Jordan Forster: Unless we see an England-esque collapse from Pakistan, I'd say the goose has been cooked in this Test and the series.
David: It's all gone Pete Tong.
Joshwin Maharaj: Oh dear.......
Pak 76-0 (lead by 4)
Anderson returns and is immediately straight into the groove. Azhar, who is yet to hit a boundary in his 29 off 89 deliveries, plays out a maiden.
Post update
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"Pakistan have stopped the irresponsible shots they played in the first innings. They're not away yet but it is hurting England because of the lack of quality spin. Our spinners are always giving away easy balls to score off."
Pak 76-0
Keeperwatch: Jonny Bairstow. Morale-boosting chirp: seven out of 10. Looking good in shades: five out of 10. Appeal loudness: eight out of 10. Actual keeping? Pretty good, I'd say, so far - barring that tricky drop of Hafeez which is beginning to look like it might be costly. Azhar works Patel into the leg side for a single.
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Barney: No question the absence of Wood is being felt in this third innings. Raw pace, variety and lifts spirits in the field.
Pak 75-0 (Hafeez 46, Azhar 28)
Hafeez has looked in great nick throughout the series - he's now passed 25 in five of his six innings, but has tended to get himself out when set with loose shots. Broad's task is to induce one, but at the moment Hafeez is resolute - he stonewalls a maiden.
Post update
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"There's not enough of them. I'd like to know how many spinners are out there on the counties' professional staff. Where are they? Worldwide it's a problem."
Post update
Ed Smith
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"It's easy to criticise the spinners but Samit Patel is a batting all-rounder. The real story is the dearth of specialist spinners in England."
Pak 75-0
Too short from Patel and Hafeez drills it like a dentist doing a root canal. That boundary brings the scores level, so Pakistan are effectively 0-0, and given the strength of England's position result overnight, that is a massive result for them. Hafeez takes the hosts into the red with a sweep for three.
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Kevin Ticehurst: This was why I was fearing the worse yesterday, without Stokes and his extra bowling option. We will struggle to get wickets!
Pak 68-0 (Hafeez 39, Azhar 28)
Hint of reverse nip from Broad, shiny side just shaping back in to the batsman. Azhar watchful as a prairie dog on sentry duty. Maiden.
Email tms@bbc.co.uk
Ben in Windsor: So basically we've got three batsmen who can spin it a bit (four if you count Root). Would it not be better to try an out and out spinner regardless of his batting skills? Its all very well having Moeen opening and Rashid and Patel contributing with the bat lower down but we need wickets!
Pak 68-0
Better from Samit, squaring Hafeez up and getting him to squirt one off the outside edge. James Taylor the man under the lid at short point: he's got the reflexes of a ninja and the bravery of a lion-tamer, but even he had no chance with that one.
Email tms@bbc.co.uk
Stanley at Essex University: Do you think it's worth throwing the ball to Ian Bell in the absence of Stokes? He does have 47 first-class scalps including one Test wicket.
Well remembered Stanley. Bell had Mohammad Yousuf caught and bowled for 78 at Faisalabad in 2005, but hasn't bowled at all in Tests since 2006.
Pak 66-0 (trail by 6)
Pakistan inch closer to parity as Hafeez steers Broad into the covers for a single.
Join the debate at #bbccricket
Pete Corrigan: Getting sick of hearing about balls being short again from our spinners! Pitch the ball on a good length for goodness sake!
Pak 65-0
Jonny Bairstow with the gumshield in as he stands up to the stumps for Patel - clearly with one eye on the lucrative toothpaste advertisements that will tide him over through retirement. I'm a big fan of non-rugby-playing sportsmen wearing gumshields - QPR footballer Sandro is another one, I think. Azhar cuts Patel for a couple.
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Charlie B: I think that Moeen will be dropped for the Test tour to South Africa. Not good enough as a bowler or batsman. Ansari and Rashid for me and play one of them. Moeen is not confident at the moment.
Pak 61-0 (Hafeez 36, Azhar 24)
Broad to open up after tea from the other end - two slips, man on the drive. The Pakistan batsmen were very defensive and resolute against the seamers in the afternoon session, but Hafeez, perhaps in more confident mood now, strokes StuBro through the covers for two.
Post update
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"There's a Test match to be won now for whichever team grabs a session."
Pak 59-0
Liam Plunkett has replaced the man with the octopus arms, Chris Jordan, as the substitute fielder - a curious one that, given Jordan's world-class abilities as a catcher. All is revealed, however, as the camera pans to Jordan on the balcony - chowing down on a plateful of samosas. Well, you can't do that on the field, can you? Hafeez pushes Patel to mid-off for a single.
Post update
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"Cook could have said to his spinners 'I expect you to do well and I have to set a field accordingly'. The field spread a little bit too easily."
Post update
Samit Patel has the ball in hand. Can he break this partnership? Let's find out...
Post update
Thank you Peachy. So after an afternoon session where nothing went right for England, it looks like Pakistan are very much in the box seat. Can England fight back?
Post update
Now time for me to hand you back to James Gheerbrant...
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Eddie F: I think England have paid the price for their scoring rate. I'm glad they didn't take any risks, but to bat for over 120 overs and not reach 350 is largely pointless. Rashid went nowhere.
What is a good third-innings total?
Tea scorecard
Pakistan 58-0 (22 overs) - trail by 14
Batsmen: Hafeez 33*, Azhar 24*
Bowling figures: Anderson 5-3-5-0, Broad 3-2-1-0, Patel 5-0-19-0, Moeen 5-0-25-0, Rashid 4-1-7-0
Pakistan first innings 234: Misbah 71; Anderson 4-17
England first innings 306: Taylor 74, Bairstow 43, Patel 42; Malik 4-33, Yasir 3-99
Pakistan won toss
Full scorecard
Join the debate at #bbccricket
Rachel T: Come on Cook, go and insult Jimmy's hair or something. We need Angry Anderson.
Post update
Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"Unbelievable session for Pakistan. They came out and made it look a piece of cake - just blocking the seam of James Anderson and Stuart Broad and then slowly went about dismantling the spin bowlers. England have got a bit of head scratching to do at tea time."
Tea report
Pakistan battled back on the third afternoon of the third and final Test against England in Sharjah.
The hosts reached 58-0, trailing by only 14 runs, with Mohammad Hafeez 33 not out and Azhar Ali unbeaten on 24.
Both men have had slices of fortune - Hafeez had a caught behind decision off James Anderson overturned and was dropped by Jonny Bairstow off Moeen Ali, while replays showed Azhar could have been given lbw to Samit Patel.
England were bowled out for 306, Ben Stokes making a duck at number 11 batting with an injured shoulder.
Post update
Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"If James Anderson or Stuart Broad aren't getting the openers, the cupboard is looking a bit bare for England."
Post update
Simon Mann
BBC Test Match Special
"It's a fascinating game - a slow game, but it has gone one way and then the other."
Tea - Pak 58-0 (trail by 14, Hafeez 33, Azhar 24)
Pakistan will be delighted with that session. Both openers looked in all sorts of bother against Broad and Anderson with the new ball, but once that storm was weathered, they looked much more comfortable against England's three spinners. Still not enough control from Messrs Patel, Ali and Rashid, who are punctuating their overs with some very hittable deliveries. England will be slightly uncomfortable during this tea break.
Pak 58-0
Yes - it was grounded, albeit not by much. It would have been a careless way to get out in the last over before tea.
Third umpire
Pak 58-0
This could come out of nowhere - Bairstow thinks he may have got Azhar stumped. He's inside his ground, but is his foot grounded?
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Asad: This game is on the edge, Pakistan need a lead of 250+ to take this game. A long way to go, always at risk of a collapse.
Saiful369: Pakistan have previous in bowling England out cheaply in the final innings in the UAE so not a big lead required.
Pak 56-0 (Hafeez 33, Azhar 23)
Hafeez charges down the wicket to Patel, but Samit telegraphs it and fires one in short, much in the same way he did when Azhar came down the track earlier. Hafeez then gets tucked up full of excitement as a long hop sits up nicely for him, but misses it completely. He knew that should have gone to the boundary. Pakistan will be delighted with this session as it stands.
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Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"You just feel that Pakistan are wrestling the initiative..."
Pak 54-0 (trail by 18)
Suddenly out of nowhere, Rashid gets one to spit up and beats Hafeez's outside edge. Bairstow appeals, more out of hope than expectation, but the umpire is unmoved. The other five deliveries offer much less excitement. Cook's had enough of Moeen, and Samit Patel is coming back on.
How's stat?!
Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician
"This is only the second time in 16 innings at Sharjah that Pakistan have had a 50-run opening partnership."
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Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"Great, quick use of the feet. He got to the pitch and just followed through - a great shot over mid-off by Hafeez. Pakistan are running England's spinners around here and exposing their lack of control."
Pak 51-0 (19 ovs)
Moeen's getting targeted here again - his second delivery is sent back over his head for a six that brings up the fifty partnership between the openers. A lot to ponder for Alastair Cook during the approaching tea break. He's got three spinners at his disposal, but none of them are offering the requisite control. England's first-innings lead is down to just 21.
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Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"Shoulders look a little bit down for England - they need a spark here."
Pak 44-0 (trail by 28)
Rashid still not quite up to speed as he sends down a full toss, but it's not dealt with properly by Azhar and he gets away with a maiden. Just over 10 minutes to go until tea. Pakistan will be very pleased with their afternoon's work if these two go in unbeaten.
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Thomas Measures: Sadly our spinners are not in the league of the Pakistani spinners, and why we are unlikely to win this game.
Stan Raymonde: It's a very sorry state of affairs when Samit Patel is England's 1st change and Moeen Ali is 2nd.
Pak 44-0 (Hafeez 23, Azhar 21)
We've entered a passage of play that generally gets described as 'one for the purists'. Three off the over from Moeen, all of them singles. Just two boundaries hit so far in this innings.
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Andy: With only 2 seamers and expensive spinners, England may struggle to keep a lid on Pakistan here. #worried
Naughtycaller: I like Pakistan's approach. They are not attacking the spinners, only rotating the strike and putting away the bad balls.
Pak 41-0 (trail by 31)
On comes Rashid for his first attempts this innings. Three men out, including long off where Hafeez hit that six earlier. It felt like Rashid was just trying to get his eye in with that over; not quite as much control as he'd have liked. Azhar marks his guard by taking a bail off and bashing it into the turf with his bat handle, a la Chanderpaul.
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Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"Moeen hasn't bowled well for a while. The Australians dealt with him in the summer. As a captain you can only set the right fields, and if he doesn't bowl to it, you have to take him off."
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Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"The trouble with spinners who play a lot of one-day cricket is that they lose their length too easily. You just don't slot into a rhythm."
Pat 38-0 (trail by 34)
Hafeez goes the full hog at an attempted slog sweep off Moeen, but completely misses the ball and it's gathered adeptly by Bairstow, but it's followed by the first four of the innings as Moeen sends down an easily-hittable one that Hafeez quickly sends to the rope. Moeen's gone for 15 in his three overs so far, which is 15 times more expensive than Broad's three went for.
Pak 31-0 (Hafeez 15, Azhar 16)
Three men on the leg side for Patel, as Pakistan take three off the over, happily nurdling the ball around, waiting for the odd bad delivery to punish
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Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"Moeen is trying to get it wide of off stump, which is the right play, but he's just getting it too wide. There's not a massive margin of error against these types of players, who are so adept at using their feet and playing the cut shot."
Pak 28-0 (trail by 44)
Bairstow, keeping wicket whilst wearing a white gumshield, shows he can be nimble behind the timbers as he whips off the bails when Hafeez misses one, but he's well within his ground. The early pressure that Anderson and Broad built up has evaporated with the two batsmen looking more at ease against Moeen.
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Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"I think part of the reason that England went with three spinners was because of the all-round package that Patel offers. If Wood had been fit, I'm pretty sure they'd have played three seamers."
Pak 23-0 (Hafeez 12, Azhar 11)
Big appeal from Samit for lbw as Azhar comes down the wicket, but Cook pulls rank and tells him that it won't be reviewed. Replays suggest that it would have hit the wickets, but that Azhar was too far down the track, therefore it would have stayed umpire's call.
Next delivery is a half-tracker that is sent away for three runs.
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Mohammed Raza: The rabbit is Mohammad Rizwan. He's a keeper batsman who is also an excellent fielder. We'll see him in the upcoming ODI series
Hafeez dropped on 11
Pak 20-0
Moeen Ali now replaces Anderson, and gets a thick outside edge from Hafeez, but it gets Bairstow, who was moving to his left, on his inner thigh. Will probably go down as a chance, but it would have had to be some very nimble glovework to have taken that. Three off the over.
Pak 17-0 (10 overs)
After 9.5 watchful overs, Hafeez comes down the track and wallops Samit high into the Sharjah sky and beyond the boundary.
Penny for Moeen Ali's thoughts - he's meant to be England's frontline spinner, but Cook's gone first to a spinner who wasn't even in the original squad.
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Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"I can't understand Pakistan's approach here - you've still got to look to score."
Pak 8-0
A third maiden for Anderson, but the Pakistan openers are looking a little more settled facing him now. Hafeez beautifully times one off the pads, but it goes straight to the fielder.
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Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"In the first innings I felt Samit Patel was trying to spin it too much. He just needs to put it in there - look at Zulfiqar."
Pak 8-0 (Hafeez 5, Azhar 3)
An off-side heavy field for Big Samit, as Hafeez and Azhar take a single each off the over.
Pak 6-0 (7 overs)
Two runs off the over from Anderson, as Hafeez drives him back down the ground off the last delivery. We see a replay of the Pakistan substitute mocking the England fielders after the decision was overturned. Root responded in a similar verbal retort to Ben Stokes with the Marlon Samuels' salute. And that's enough of the quicks - after his Test best with the bat, Samit Patel's coming on to replace Broad.
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Pak 4-0 (trail by 68)
We're seeing more and more replays of that review. I'm not certain that Hafeez hit it, but there's probably not enough evidence to overturn the decision either. There's no 'umpire's call' equivalent for caught-behind decisions. Whereas the umpire gets the benefit of the doubt when it comes to lbw, the batsman certainly has the laws on his side here. More importantly than that, can you believe the audacity of that Pakistan 12th man? What a cheeky chap. Anyway, at the end of another good Broad over, here's Tim Peach.
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Joshwin Maharaj: How is that different from the Broad review in this match, they couldn't overturn the not out decision, so why overturn the out?
Jay: What's the point in using DRS in a half cooked manner? All it does is sow doubts about the tech and give fodder to the naysayers.
Pak 4-0
Who was that Pakistan sub? He was on with drinks during the review and rubbed salt in the England wounds my mimicking the umpire's cross-armed overturn signal as the decision came in. He got in the face of James Anderson and Joe Root, who had a word for him as he walked off. A shortish chap, he was like a mischievous imp. England will remember that if he tours next summer. We'll try to find out his name.
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Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"I think that's right, there was a gap between bat and ball when it went past the edge."
Pak 4-0
On-field umpire Bruce Oxenford looks as surprised as anyone to have to overturn the decision. He gets a word in his ear, then makes the arm-swinging signal. There are cheers from the small band of Pakistan fans, while a cup-of-tea-wielding Paul Farbrace looks incredulous in the England dressing room. James Anderson, pretty miffed at the best of times, is wearing a menacing frown.
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Simon Mann
BBC Test Match Special
"There must have been a noise, because England appealed and the umpire gave it, but what else could it have been?"
Umpire review
Pak 4-0
Replay after replay, slow-mo after slow-mo...
Umpire review
Pak 4-0
Not HotSpot, no Snicko. There's no deviation as the ball passes the edge, but not daylight between bat and ball either. Hafeez could get away with this...
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Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"He didn't look as if he touched it, but it didn't hit anything else. I don't know how he's going to get away with it."
Umpire review
Pak 4-0
James Anderson, the bowler, was up, but keeper Jonny Bairstow didn't really appeal. Remember, given out on the pitch makes it tricky to over turn.
Umpire review
Pak 4-0
Up goes the finger! England think they have Hafeez caught behind. Hafeez, though, is certain he's not hit it. You don't often see a batsman review so quickly...
How's stat?!
Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician
"In Asia, teams that have a conceded a deficit of 72 or more going into the third innings have only won on 12 out of 270 occasions and lost 186."
Pak 4-0
Broad continues to be miserly, the Scrooge of this England team. Off stump or thereabouts, Hafeez having to decide whether to play or not, but looking much more solid than Azhar. When Broad has an out of body experience, he slightly err on to leg stump and gives away a single. He'll be livid.
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Simon Mann
BBC Test Match Special
"Anderson and Broad know that once they've done their bowling duties here, they can put their feet up, so they can put in a bit of extra effort."
Pak 3-0
James Anderson is wobbling the ball around off stump and Azhar Ali doesn't know whether to have his breakfast or a haircut. Three leaves, two very close to off stump, the middle one hitting high on the pad and enticing an appeal from England. When Azhar remembers that he's got a bat to defend with, he looks slightly more solid. Anderson dangerous.
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Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"I've got more confidence in England on this tour than on their last tour of the UAE. The attitude's right - the way they grafted and adapted yesterday showed that."
Pak 3-0 (trail by 69)
Broad, as ever, shares the new ball, a high-knee gallop urging him towards the crouching Hafeez. Oooofff, that's close. Hint of low bounce, touch of seam back in, off stump missed by a coat of varnish and no more. Hafeez sticks a thumb inside the grille of the helmet to mop his brow, focussed on Broad's exploration of off stump. Broad, who conceded only 13 runs in as many overs in the first innings, starts with a maiden.
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Joshwin Maharaj: Patel, Rashid and Ali will be looking to bowl on this now. Skittle Pakistan for 100 and the game is won.
Pak 3-0 (trail by 69)
Hafeez drops and runs, away immediately with a single. Anderson, that familiar heel-kicking run, strives towards the moustachioed Azhar, who defends behind a sizable arm-guard. Just a suggestion of movement away from the right-hander, who gets off the mark with an elegant drive for a couple through the covers.
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Tattz: Patel scores more runs than Moeen, and out bowled him too. Just saying.
Jon Evans: Anyone noticed that our batsmen seem to have an inability to convert scores currently? Even Root. 40s, 70s but not 100s...
Pak 0-0
Three slips and a gully for Anderson. Third slip is sub fielder Chris Jordan - about the best sub fielder England could call on. In fact, if you were to put a Fielding XI together, all in their rightful positions, I reckon Jordan would be in it. Anyway, Anderson is running in...
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Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"Pakistan are in a dangerous position. When you're 70 runs down in the first innings, if you lose a couple of early wickets in the third innings, you're really in Queer Street."
Pak 0-0
Alastair Cook is leading his England team out on to the field. They go for their team cuddle. Every single one of them is wearing a navy blue England cap, except for Stuart Broad, who favours the floppy sunhat. Mohammad Hafeez is taking guard, Azhar Ali is at the other end. James Anderson is marking out his run.
How's stat?!
Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician
"Shoaib Malik's figures of 4-33 are his career best, beating the 4-42 he took against South Africa at Lahore in 2003."
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Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"England's chances are good. The batsmen had to play steady and careful and they did well. Patel was the star of the morning. He's not just a tailender, he knows what he's doing, and he's particularly at ease against the spinners. It's a good lead."
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If you're just joining us, England have been bowled out for 306. That first-innings lead of 72 is mainly thanks to Samit Patel, who made batting look as easy as any player in this match with 42 - his highest Test score. Ben Stokes did bat at number 11, grimacing his way through 10 balls before being bowled by Shoaib Malik. The pitch, lower on turn yesterday than day one, seems to have awoken from its slumber.
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Andy Donley: Misbah and Younis are such gents. Appreciation for heroic Stokes was evident. Classy cricket.
Ian Bradley: May seem minor detail but Broad butchered the running between wickets with Stokes, no plan, not good enough.
End-of-innings scorecard
England 306 (126.5 overs) - first-innings lead of 72
Taylor 74, Patel 42; Malik 4-33, Yasir 3-99
Fall of wickets: 19-1 (Moeen 14), 90-2 (Cook 49), 97-3 (Root 4), 139-4 (Bell 40), 228-5 (Taylor 76), 245-6 (Bairstow 43), 285-7 (Rashid 8), 287-8 (Patel 42), 296-9 (Anderson 7), 306 all out (Stokes 0); Not out: Broad 13*
Bowling figures: Rahat 22-12-48-2, Yasir 36-3-99-3, Riaz 20-5-33-0, Babar 37-6-80-1, Malik 9.5-3-33-4, Azhar 2-0-7-0
Pakistan 234: Misbah 71; Anderson 4-17
Pakistan won toss
Full scorecard
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Stokes also blasted the air with his bat as he walked off. Even injured he was disappointed with how he got out. A fierce competitor. Now the focus turns to the England bowlers. Is a 72-run lead enough on this wearing pitch? What would be too many to chase?
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Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"I think England will be pretty pleased with how they handled that. Samit Patel batted nicely and Ben Stokes showed real bravery. England can take heart, because there were a couple of absolute rip-snorters bowled by the Pakistan spinners. Just run up, hit middle and off stump, and the odd one will spit or turn."
WICKET
Stokes b Malik 0 (Eng 306 all out)
Ben Stokes' brave effort is ended, not by the pace of Wahab Riaz, but the off-spin of Shoaib Malik. It was a delivery that a fully-fit Stokes would have dealt with - a regulation offie that turned a touch from the straight and took off stump. However, the limited range of movement in his shoulder prevented him from covering up. He gets a pat on the back from Younus Khan as he departs. England are 306 all out, a lead of 72 runs.
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Evan Byrne: I can't quite figure out the thinking behind sending Stokes in last. Assuming he is fit to bat then why wait until he has only Anderson or Broad for company? If they had sent him in after Rashid was out, then not only would he have still had Patel and Broad to bat with before Anderson, but the medical team would have had 40 minutes to work on his stiffness and had the luxury of knowing exactly when they needed to get his shoulder ready for action. I think they missed a number of tricks there.
Eng 306-9
It's all a bit anti-climatic when Broad is on strike. There's a mini-game of Pakistan spreading the field, looking to minimise scoring and maximise the opportunity to bowl at Stokes. When Broad sweeps Malik, Broad and Stokes do something of a mid-itch hokey cokey, not knowing whether to run or not. In the end, they take the single...
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Bob Hawkins: Does Ben Stokes's shoulder have its own Twitter account yet?
Eng 305-9 (lead by 71)
There you go. Riaz digs it in, chest-high. Stokes can do nothing but turn his back and wear one. No sign of pain from the flame-haired all-rounder. He turns back to look at Riaz, blowing his cheeks out. He's probably storing this in the memory for when Pakistan travel to England next summer. The next ball is just as high, but Stokes this time can get the bat up to defend. He even tickles the last ball of the over to fine leg, but doesn't take the run. The over is survived. Pure theatre.
Eng 305-9
First ball shortish, bouncing thigh-high. Stokes shuffles to defend, doesn't have to lift the bat much to defend. There's another grimace, the top hand comes off the bat. Anything shorter than that will have him in trouble...
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Rob Zabrocky: I hereby rename @benstokes38 Iron Man. Can't believe he has come out to bat.
Pitched Outside Leg: This bloke Stokes at number eleven looks pretty solid. Maybe give him a try as opening bat? #triedeverythingelse
Eng 305-9
It's not Yasir Shah, but the pace of Wahab Riaz. Stokes can expect some hostility. There's a short leg in place. No mercy from Pakistan.
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Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"They got that wrong, they got a bit overexcited there. They should only have run one."
Eng 305-9 (lead by 71)
What is the fascination about watching an injured cricketer bat? Is it the drama of the unusual, the curiosity of wondering what might happen? We all like a story of bravery too. Malik round the wicket to Broad, who isn't tempted to take a single even with the field spread. When he gets on the sweep, it goes very fine for the boundary that brings up the England 300. The field converges at the end of the over, a game within a game. Broad gets it through and they take two. Stokes will be on strike to Yasir Shah.
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Ed Smith
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"Ben Stokes is usually such an aggressive cricketer - this is probably the first time in his life he's been unable to swing his bat hard. He's like a swordsman with a blunted blade."
Eng 297-9
Yasir Shah has four catchers around the bat. Stokes looks around. He goes back to a short ball and isn't required to move too much to defend. Over complete.
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Mark: Ben Stokes coming out to bat. What a trooper.
Scott Lennon: The type of person Ben Stokes is, watch him hit a half century #fighter.
Eng 297-9 (lead by 63)
After the injury Ben Stokes suffered on Sunday, I don't think any of us thought he would bat. At that point he was in agony, leaving the field with his right arm in a sling. How does Broad play this? Give it some welly? Hog the strike? The field is spread, Broad takes a single from the fifth ball. One for Stokes to face...
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Ed Smith
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"I think Anderson slightly misjudged the length there, it was a bit fuller than he thought."
WICKET
Anderson b Malik 7 (Eng 296-9)
Ah. Spoke too soon. James Anderson misjudges the length, goes back when he should be forward, misses a turning off-break and loses his off stump. This England innings is subsiding quickly and the injured Ben Stokes is summoned...
Eng 296-8
Stokes did have some throw-downs during lunch, bit so rather gingerly (no pun intended). He managed to twirl the bat in his hands, but there was plenty of grimacing. There was also very limited movement in that right arm, the one that mainly controls the bat. James Anderson obviously fussed about protecting Stokes for too long, he's on the sweep to take Malik for four...
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Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician
"Yasir Shah has now taken 72 Test wickets in 12 Test matches, which is the most by any spinner in their first 12 Tests, beating Clarrie Grimmett, who took 71."
Eng 290-8 (Yasir 35-3-98-3)
Patel was just angling his bat slightly, as if to turn the ball on the leg side. That was fatal. The ball dipped in the air, spat off the pitch and on to the off bail. Patel nodded in appreciation as he departed. James Anderson is at the crease at number 10, while I can confirm that Ben Stokes will bat. He is sitting with his pads on. That lad is double 'ard.
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Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"That's the ball of the series without a shadow of a doubt. It dipped in at the last minute, nice, fizzing pace, and then deep, sharp turn. Nothing that Samit could do about that, that was an absolute beauty. Those two wickets have got Pakistan back into the Test match."
WICKET
Patel b Yasir 42 (Eng 287-8)
Bowled him! What an absolute rozzer from Yasir Shah. For Warne to Gatting, read Yasir to Samit Patel. OK, so it hasn't turned quite as much as the Ball of the Century, but it's pitched middle and leg to leg, fizzed past Patel's defensive grope and taken the top of off stump. Not just a blow to England now, but further warning of what could come later in the match.
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Ed Smith
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"Pakistan's use of Yasir Shah in the morning session was very strange. I don't think any of us could understand how the second highest-rated bowler in world cricket only got five overs."
Eng 285-7 (lead by 51)
Thanks, James. Another good morning for England. Can they push that lead up to 75? Maybe even 100? Stuart Broad has joined Samit Patel after lunch and sees off the two remaining deliveries of Shoaib Malik's over.
Boycott & Vaughan Q&A
BBC Radio Test Match Special
Who is the most eccentric cricketer you played with?
Vaughan: "I played with some different characters - they did things their own way. Phil Tufnell was probably as eccentric as any. I remember we were on tour for nine weeks and I never saw him eat once - apart from nuts."
Boycott: "Brian Close was funny. But Graham Stevenson was the funniest bloke I ever played with. He just said funny things and did funny things - I couldn't tell you them all here."
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BBC Radio Test Match Special
How do you expand the game?
Vaughan: "More countries need to play the game. I'm delighted the ICC are meeting the International Olympic Committee to talk about a format that might work - even if it's indoor cricket. As long as cricket is in the Olympics, it just spreads the game."
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Boycott & Vaughan Q&A
BBC Radio Test Match Special
Who is the best player you've seen?
Boycott: "Garry Sobers. He was the top batsman. 1966 in England? Wow. He could seriously bat. He didn't give you a sniff of a chance."
Vaughan: "AB de Villiers has taken the game to a different planet in the last two years. I love his approach - 'I just try and keep it simple'.
"But I think for the swagger, I have to go with Sir Viv Richards. The way he walked out to bat, chewing gum with his cap on an angle - everything about him was special."
Boycott & Vaughan Q&A
BBC Radio Test Match Special
Is day-night Test cricket the best way to preserve the game?
Boycott: "It's not about the best way; it's about coming up with ways. I came up with this in the Cowdrey Lecture 10 years ago. I thought Packer had it right when he did his one-day clothing - coloured clothing, music playing. Kids like all that jazz - play it at night when people aren't working. Get people in the crowd, get them into enjoying cricket. Cricket, as much as we love it, is a product - we have to sell it to people. Otherwise it's going to die. The quality of the cricket is excellent but that's not the point. If you play it to empty stadiums, with no bums on seats, the game's dying."
Vaughan: "I hope the day-night Test is a success. You don't want it to be a farce; they have to find a ball that's right for lights. And there's got to be a Test championship - every Test match should matter. There has to be some kind of final - there ha to be an end product why we're playing these Test matches."
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Time for me to hand you over to Stephan Shemilt, who will take you through the afternoon session.
Boycott & Vaughan Q&A
BBC Radio Test Match Special
Does the modern game demand players to be multi-dimensional?
Boycott: "I'm sure you can be a specialist and be good at one-day cricket. Look at AB de Villiers. He's out of this world. There's easily room to be a pure batsmen or a pure bowler."
Boycott & Vaughan Q&A
BBC Radio Test Match Special
Geoffrey, of your 151 first-class hundreds, what was your favourite? Michael, of your 42 first-class hundreds, what was your favourite?
Boycott: "My hundredth hundred, I suppose. But my most important was my 98th, on my Test comeback at Nottingham. I hadn't played for three years. Was I good enough at 36? Then running Derek Randall out, that was a nightmare. That was the hardest. That was a test of character, which I've always believed what Test cricket is about."
Vaughan: "I scored a nice hundred against Australia at Old Trafford in '05. It was a showcase for cricket that summer. It was on day one, setting up the series.
"I also scored a hundred against the West Indies in 2007. I'd been out of the team for 18 months. I went to Headingley on my home ground with a broken finger. My finger was almost hanging off. Even though I got four against Australia, that was as tough as any. To get a hundred in those conditions was as hard as it got.
"My first 10 runs were horrific because I was questioning myself. But I got into a bit of rhythm and got a hundred. I read the papers as soon as I got my hundred - they were giving me pelters for playing. I'm glad I didn't read them before play because my mind would have gone."
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Stokes warming up
Ben Stokes is apparently facing throw-downs from Ottis Gibson on the outfield during the interval. Next man in?
Boycott & Vaughan Q&A
BBC Radio Test Match Special
Why hasn't Moeen Ali worked as an opener?
Vaughan: "He just hasn't played well enough. He's played some airy-fairy shots - if you actually look at his batting, he's very easy on the eye, but there's always an element of risk. In South Africa, we'll see him go back to being the one spinner, down to seven or eight, depending on Stokes' fitness, and I think that's better for him."
Boycott: "He's never been an opener for me. He just doesn't play right. When he tried to go ultra-defensive, he couldn't get a run. You have to have a decent defence. That's what makes Cook so good."
Alex Hales next? "Anyone you want. Put my mum in next. She's ready!"
Email your questions to tms@bbc.co.uk, tweet #asktms or post on the Test Match Special Facebook page.
Boycott & Vaughan Q&A
BBC Radio Test Match Special
Could Joe Root become England's greatest ever batsman?
Boycott: "No. I think he's one of the best players in the world at the moment. He's a wonderful example of a modern-day cricketer, but you've got to go back to Jack Hobbs, WG Grace, Wally Hammond... when you don't see these people, you can't compare them with modern-day players."
Vaughan: "He's got the potential and opportunity to be talked about amongst the greats. Alastair Cook is up there. Gooch, Boycott, Pietersen... Root has a chance to get into that list, but you can never say who is the greatest."
You can listen to TMS by following the 'Live Coverage' link at the top of this page.
Boycott & Vaughan Q&A
BBC Radio Test Match Special
Why can't England find any openers?
Boycott: "County cricket isn't as strong as it used to be. They aren't as many good players around to fit into 18 counties. The pitches are flatter than ever because of modern machines and drainage. Covering is fantastic too. The ball doesn't turn much so spinners don't become match-winners - they're fill-in bowlers most of the time. That means a dearth of quality opening batsmen. You had to have better technique to survive."
Vaughan: "I think in county cricket the pitches aren't good enough. You get 70 or 80mph wobblers who hit the seam and the ball goes either way. We're in an era where we promote a quickfire 30 or 40. It used to be that you had to bat a long time - that was the old-school way of playing. It's a different era of play."
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Boycott & Vaughan Q&A
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
How would you have captained Geoffrey?
"He was the kind of player I would have enjoyed captaining. You need single-minded players in your team. I would never have any gripe with any player who's motivated by scoring lots of runs. I really liked players who had a different character - and Geoffrey certainly had that. He just needed that self-assurance all the time but you need to keep buttering these type of players up."
Boycott on his regrets: "I regret being captain of Yorkshire. I regret opting out of England for three years. But they're my mistakes - I look back and say, 'I'm an idiot'. My biggest mistake is not having three daughters like the one I have, who is a cracker."
You can listen to TMS by following the Live Coverage link at the top of this page.
Lunch report
Samit Patel let England to a 51-run lead over Pakistan on the third morning of the third and final Test in Sharjah.
Patel, in his first Test match since 2012, made 41 not out to take England to 285-7.
He shared a stand of 40 with Adil Rashid, who was caught at short leg off Shoaib Malik on the stroke of lunch.
James Taylor struggled on the resumption and edged Rahat Ali behind for 76, while Jonny Bairstow was bowled by Zulfiqar Babar for 43.
England have confirmed that Ben Stokes has a collar bone joint injury. He will not bowl or field in the rest of the match, but he may bat.
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Lunch scorecard
England 285-7 (120.4 overs) - lead by 51
Batsmen: Patel 41*
Fall of wickets: 19-1 (Moeen 14), 90-2 (Cook 49), 97-3 (Root 4), 139-4 (Bell 40), 228-5 (Taylor 76), 245-6 (Bairstow 43), 285-7 (Rashid 8)
Bowling figures: Rahat 22-12-48-2, Yasir 34-3-93-2, Riaz 19-4-33-0, Babar 37-6-80-1, Malik 6.4-2-18-2, Azhar 2-0-7-0
Pakistan 234: Misbah 71; Anderson 4-17
Pakistan won toss
Full scorecard
Boycott & Vaughan Q&A
BBC Radio Test Match Special
Coming up on TMS, a treat for our Yorkshire-based listeners: a Geoffrey Boycott and Michael Vaughan Q&A.
Email your questions to tms@bbc.co.uk, tweet #asktms or post on the Test Match Special Facebook page - and Geoffrey and Michael will answer the best of them from 08:00 GMT.
Lunch interval
Eng 285-7
And indeed that is lunch. England will begin again after the interval with a lead of 51 and three wickets remaining. Not an impregnable position, but certainly handy.
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Ramiz Raja
Ex-Pakistan captain on BBC Test Match Special
"That really was outstanding because it went quickly off the inside edge - Azhar Ali had to anticipate. Pakistan were pleased to see him back in the side because of how good he is under the helmet."
WICKET
Rashid c Azhar b Malik 8 (Eng 285-7)
On the stroke of lunch, a potentially crucial blow for Pakistan. The part-timer has done the trick, Rashid propping forward, getting squared up and prodding a sharp chance off the outside edge which Azhar Ali does superbly to snaffle under the lid at short leg. Magnificent catch that on closer inspection, flinging out an arm and scooping the ball millimetres off the turf.
Text 81111
Alan in London: There probably is room on the SA tour for Samit. Probably no return for Ballance and now possible Buttler and/or Stokes won't go either. And he'd be a good pick for the world T20 in India too.
Eng 285-6
Rashid drives Yasir into the covers for a single. This partnership is now worth 40 hugely valuable runs, underlining the value of England's long batting order.
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Jay: Pretty sure we won't have to wait too long before someone comes up with the brilliant suggestion that England open with Patel
Eng 284-6 (Patel 41, Rashid 7)
Misbah turns to the off-spin of part-timer Shoaib Malik in a bid to break this irritating partnership. Rashid takes the England lead to 50 with a glided single to point.
ECB on Ben Stokes
Full ECB statement on Ben Stokes: "Imaging confirms Stokes has a collar bone joint injury. It has already been decided he will be unable to bowl or field for the remainder of this Test match but if circumstances dictate he may bat. His injury will be reviewed in 7-10 days once it has had a chance to settle. A decision about his return to play will be taken at this time."
Read more here
Eng 282-6
There's something gladiatorial about the contest between two leg spinners: Rashid showing massive cojones to usher through a Yasir delivery that is the width of a gnat's whisker away from disturbing the off pole. Yasir scowls in frustration, Rashid grins. Ten minutes to go until lunch.
Eng 281-6 (lead by 47)
Wahab looking to dig it in short to Patel now, getting it up under the armpit. Patel whips it off his ribs for one.
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Ramiz Raja
Ex-Pakistan captain on BBC Test Match Special
"It's been a gritty innings from Samit Patel. A lead of 100 would mean something to England, that would give them a clear advantage over the next two days."
Eng 297-6
Zulfiqar rattles through another maiden. Interestingly, Samit - despite blocking out those last six dot balls - still has the best strike rate of any recognised batsman in this match.
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Ramiz Raja
Ex-Pakistan captain on BBC Test Match Special
"This pitch has improved from where it was on day one. Pakistan might back themselves to defend 175 or 200 in the fourth innings."
Eng 279-6 (Patel 37, Rashid 6)
Riddle me this: what does Samit Patel have to do here to get himself on the South Africa tour? Presumably England will take Moeen and Rashid as the two spinners, but if Patel strokes a match-winning hundred here (and we may be getting slightly ahead of ourselves), could England leave him out? Is there room for him as a specialist batsman? He adds two more to his score by easing a Wahab full toss into the covers.
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Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"It's starting to turn quickly. Babar isn't a big turner of the ball, but he's getting to pop off the pitch. England won't want to be chasing any more than 150."
Eng 276-6
Rashid can't lay a bat on Zulfiqar at the moment - the left-armer sizzles a couple of deliveries past the outside edge on his way to a maiden.
Too cool for skool
Eng 276-6 (lead by 42)
There's something comforting about having Samit Patel in that middle order. It's like adding dumplings to a stew - it just bulks it out a bit, adds ballast. The Notts all-rounder moves to 34, his highest Test score, with a very fine leg-side glance off Wahab. I'm not sure what Pakistan's plan is to Samit: there don't seem to many fielders in catching positions. Perhaps even Misbah doesn't know: he's just discombobulated by Samit's brilliance.
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Jack Mendel: Correct me if wrong, but it seems to be the case that Samit Patel has just replaced Moeen Ali's ex-role?
Eng 271-6
Short leg in for Rashid, Zulfiqar just trying to tempt him to prop forward and offer a bat-pad catch. Rashid is wise to that plan, but when he tries to get forward and smother the spin, Zulfiqar gets it to grip and rip sharply past the outside edge. Zulfiqar looking tricksy this morning, Rashid not yet entirely comfortable at the crease.
Eng 268-6 (Patel 28, Rashid 5)
After trial by spin, Misbah turns back to the owner of the fastest arm and wildest hair in the Pakistan side, Wahab Riaz. Extraordinary plumage from the quick man, like a more bouffant Steve McClaren, voluminous at the back, wispy at the front. Patel jabs an attempted pull round the corner for a single.
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Eng 267-6
That's glorious from Patel, showing the nimble-toed elegance of a ballerina to sashay down the wicket and hoist Zulfiqar inside-out over wide long-off for a one-bounce four. Delicious batting from the big man, who is looking assured.
Get Involved
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Alan Compton: England probably need a lead of 50 or so just to account for batting last. In the balance, this Test match.
Eng 262-6 (lead by 28)
Rashid picks up his first boundary, driving Yasir through the covers for four.
Stokes injury update
Eng 257-6
We're just reflecting on what a strange series it's been for Adil Rashid. His numbers look very ordinary: a batting average of 24, and a bowling average of 65. And he's made two potentially match-turning contributions in two Tests. That's a chin-stroker for you. Patel slaps Zulfiqar through the covers.
Scorecard update
England 252-6 (107 overs) - lead by 18
Batsmen: Patel 16*, Rashid 1*
Fall of wickets: 19-1 (Moeen 14), 90-2 (Cook 49), 97-3 (Root 4), 139-4 (Bell 40), 228-5 (Taylor 76), 245-6 (Bairstow 43)
Bowling figures: Rahat 22-12-48-2, Yasir 31-3-86-2, Riaz 15-4-23-0, Babar 32-5-66-1, Malik 5-2-16-1, Azhar 2-0-7-0
Pakistan 234: Misbah 71; Anderson 4-17
Pakistan won toss
Full scorecard
Boycott & Vaughan Q&A
Get involved
A treat at lunchtime for you, especially if you're from Yorkshire: a Geoffrey Boycott and Michael Vaughan Q&A.
Email your questions to tms@bbc.co.uk, tweet #asktms or post on the Test Match Special Facebook page - and Geoffrey and Michael will answer the best of them from 08:00 GMT.
Drinks break
Eng 252-6 (Patel 16, Rashid 1)
So we approach to the end of the much-vaunted Crucial First Hour. Is the first hour ever not crucial? Is there such a thing as an insignificant first hour? Either way, Pakistan have had the better of this one. Time for some drinks.
Join the debate at #bbccricket
Alistair Raw: Wasn't Babar a cartoon elephant? He's just bowled Johny Bairstow.
Eng 251-6
Rashid keeps it tight against Zulfiqar - a maiden.
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Charles Dagnall
BBC Test Match Special
"There's still much for the spinners to be encouraged by on this wicket."
Eng 251-6 (lead by 17)
After that moment of glory for his understudy, Pakistan's leading virtuoso, Yasir Shah, returns to the stage. Rashid gets off the mark with a nudge around the corner, Yasir beats Patel all ends up with an absolute rozzer, but Patel gets his revenge by tonking him through the covers. Have that!
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Ben Prior: Somebody has to tell Bairstow when he gets in to the 40s the game isn't over!
Eng 246-6
Adil Rashid is the new man - England have a long tail and they need it to wag now.
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Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"It does him for length - it was a ball he should have gone forward to. He's done all that hard work - he's got in and got out. A key wicket with the lead only 11. I reckon Babar has bowled the arm ball there, flicked it out of the front of the fingers. Really good bowling."
WICKET
Bairstow b Zulfiqar 43 (Eng 245-6)
Zulfiqar strikes! It's taken him a day and a bit, but finally the slow left-armer has his man. It's lovely bowling actually, setting Bairstow up with conventional off-breaks and then totally foxing him with the armball that skids straight on and crashes into the timbers. Another nearly-but-not-quite innings for Jonny Bairstow, who has now reached 40 eight times in Tests without making a century.
England, who were in such a strong position this morning, are slumping slightly in the box seat.
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PitchedOutsideLeg: Re 06.04 Why the surprise? Geoffrey is a man apart, always his own agent. #mistertenpercent.
Eng 243-5
Patel's getting into the groove now - he throws those meaty arms at a widish delivery from Rahat and sends it racing behind point for four.
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Matt Chapman: Too many 50s and not enough 100s seems to be the story of this tour.
Eng 237-5 (Bairstow 42, Patel 6)
I must say, I'll be astonished if Ben Stokes is in any shape to hold a bat. He looked like he'd made a right mess of that right shoulder - I'd mentally put him down for three months of rest, recovery and daytime television. Bairstow coaxes Zulfiqar through midwicket for a single.
How's stat?!
Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician
"The first run that Rahat Ali conceded this morning came from the first ball of his fifth over."
Eng 236-5
Finally, Patel gets off the mark with a pull for four off the previously immaculate Rahat. Emboldened, he then leans into a cover drive for two. Meanwhile, reports reaching us that England's medical staff have pulled off some miracle work and Ben Stokes will bat...
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Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"Have they told us what Stokes's injury is? We've got more chance of getting information out of MI6. What's the secret? The people of Great Britain want to know about this young cricketer. They are interested."
Join the debate at #bbccricket
Ian Bittiner: Re 06:04. Geoffrey always gives 110%.
Eng 229-5 (trail by 5)
Samit Patel looks as uncomfortable as a man on hot coals against Zulfiqar. Suddenly the previously unthreatening spinner is looking like an unplayable magician, zipping a couple past Patel's groping outside edge.
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Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"They left arm seamers don't get much swing back into the right-handers, but they make it pitch and go away - just enough."
Eng 229-5
Rahat has bowled terrifically well in this Test match after a pretty unconvincing display in the first match at Abu Dhabi. There's something about that angle from left-arm over the wicket that is causing the England batsmen to get themselves in a horrible tangle. Bairstow is beaten when he tries to whip one through midwicket and it gets a bit too close for comfort.
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PtheP: He's useless that Taylor etc etc.
Eng 229-5 (Bairstow 40, Patel 0)
Bairstow moves into the 40s with a single in front of square. A couple of canny deliveries from Zulfiqar keeps Patel on 0.
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Ed Smith
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"It was an unconvincing 20 minutes of batting. It was almost an involuntary flick of the hands."
Eng 228-5
So, the little man walks back to the pavilion, and the big man strides out. Samit Patel is the new batsman - can he see England into a healthy lead?
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Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"It was tentative poke, a nothing shot. The ball pitched on leg stump and went across him. He couldn't help but follow it. I'm sad for the young man because he played lovely yesterday. I'd sit with him and talk about that 20 minutes he's had, how he can do it better next time."
WICKET
Taylor c Sarfraz b Rahat 76 (Eng 228-5)
Wise man, that Ed Smith. A dismissal with a very familiar feeling for England fans: overnight batsman, not quite got going, feeling it for it outside off. Sarfraz has been brilliant behind the timbers in this series and he takes another superb diving pouch. Big breakthrough for Pakistan.
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Ed Smith
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"Taylor needs to have a little chat with himself. He hasn't got going at all today."
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Moon: Defrosting the car in chilly, rural Slovakia, lets hope the boys can push on for a 100 lead.
Eng 228-4 (trail by 6)
Touch of desperation creeping into Zulfiqar at the moment, imploring the umpire to give him a wicket like a failing used car salesman begging for that sale. Taylor and Bairstow nick a single apiece.
Eng 226-4
Quick running between the wickets has been a hallmark of this partnership and once Taylor and Bairstow are scampering furiously, nicking two leg byes.
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Paul Comer: Re 06:04. Geoffrey Boycott: 55 + 20 + 35 = 110..... Oh dear.
Eng 224-4 (Taylor 75, Bairstow 38)
Zulfiqar Babar looks more like a mild-mannered office clerk than an international sportsman and so far his bowling has been more pen-pusher than match-winner. 25 overs of wicketless slog yesterday. In fact, we're having a look at his stats for the series and they're none too pretty: 59 average, 159 strike rate. Yowzer. As threatening as a kitten in mittens. His first over sees JT and JB open their accounts for the day.
Eng 222-4
Rahat, as he has done throughout this series, slanting the ball out wide and aiming to induce an erroneous drive. Taylor is in watchful mood early doors. We begin with a maiden.
Boycott the mathematician
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"I think there's still a 20% chance of a draw, a 55% chance of England winning and a 35% chance of Pakistan winning."
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Taylor and Bairstow are walking out to the middle. A pat on the back for Yasir Shah from Taylor. Left-arm seamer Rahat Ali is going to open up with the ball. Here we go...
'An exhibition in batting against spin'
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"Taylor was exceptional at picking up length quickly. When he came down the wicket, he took his head towards the line of the ball, which impressed me. Technically, he was brilliant. It was an exhibition in how to play spin bowling."
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Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"If they can bat another session and a half, they will get a 100-120-run lead, which will be huge in this match. You just never know with England - but they're in the box seat."
England in a 'great position'
Ian Bell, who made 40 off 158 balls on the second day, says England are in a "great position" as they close in on a first-innings lead.
See what else he had to say.
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Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"It was the first time I've watched England for a while and the running between the wickets was incredible. That partnership between Taylor and Bairstow may be one that we talk about in a couple of days as the difference between the teams."
Bairstow ready to step up?
If Taylor was the main man yesterday, he was ably assisted by Jonny Bairstow, who hit an unbeaten 37 in their partnership of 83.
The Yorkshireman has a modest record of an average of 27 of and no centuries from his 19 Tests so far.
Could this be day he finally stamps his authority on England's middle order?
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Are England on top?
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"I wouldn't say England are fully on top. But they've put themselves in such a condition that it might allow the bowlers that bat to attack the bowling tomorrow. A lead of 50 or 70 would be good but anything else would be outrageously marvellous."
Listen to Geoffrey's review of the second day on the Test Match Special podcast.
Start-of-play scorecard
England 222-4 (92 overs) - trail by 12
Batsmen: Taylor 74* (141), Bairstow 37* (93)
Fall of wickets: 19-1 (Moeen 14), 90-2 (Cook 49), 97-3 (Root 4), 139-4 (Bell 40)
Bowling figures: Rahat 6-8-35-1, Yasir 29-3-79-2, Riaz 15-4-23-0, Babar 25-2-60-0, Malik 5-2-16-1, Azhar 2-0-7-0
Pakistan 234: Misbah 71; Anderson 4-17
Pakistan won toss
Full scorecard
Good morning
Hello and welcome to live coverage of day three of the third Test between England and Pakistan at Sharjah.
The tourists were 222-4 overnight - just 12 runs behind Pakistan's first innings score of 234.
Taylor made
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. He may be small in stature, but yesterday James Taylor showed that he's made for big occasions.
His unbeaten 74 on his return to the England side has put England firmly in the box seat in this third Test.
The question is: can they press home their advantage?