Sarfraz holds Pakistan's hopes of making 300. He'll be looking to flay the England attack with more shots like this one...

Pakistan: 218-4 from 42.1 overs

Batsmen: Sarfraz 51, Shaoib 14

Fall of wickets: 25-1 (Sharjeel 16), 52-2 (Hafeez 11), 113-3 (Babar 40), 178-4 (Azhar 82)

Bowling figures: Woakes 7.1-2-33-0, Wood 8-0-42-1, Plunkett 7-0-36-0, Root 4-0-26-1, Mooen 7-0-30-0, Rashid 9-0-51-2

Full scorecard

Pakistan won toss

They are bringing the big dog out now. A group of groundstaff charge on with the big cover to keep the Ageas Bowl pitch safe from the rain. It actually looks like it might have eased off a bit, but chances are not there to be taken in such circumstances.

Charles Dagnall
BBC Test Match Special

It really is teeming down now. It's the right decision to go off.

Rain stops playpublished at 42.1 overs

42.1 overs

Pak 218-4

The umpires can hold off no longer. It is smashing it down now so off come the players as fans scurry into the body of the stands.

Charles Dagnall
BBC Test Match Special

It's a well-made fifty by Sarfraz. He's a busy cricketer. He's only hit three fours, so it shows how well he has worked the field.

50 for Sarfrazpublished at 42 overs

42 overs

Pak 217-4

It's spitting! If this game was being played in the school playground the dinner ladies would have had them in by now. Fair play to the umpires, they are sticking it out.

Sarfraz minds not about the rain, he rocks back and steers one to third man to bring up his 50. 40 of those have been scored on the leg side. 

TPLFox: There was an episode of Morse in which Lewis went undercover (extra cover?) to investigate the death of a village cricketer.

If it's cricket on telly you're after, you might want to have a watch of this: http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-six-points-on-saturday-1986/, external

Six Points on Saturday - a documentary about the Bradford League filmed in 1984, when pads were buckled and haircuts very dubious.

A beautifully timed Sarfraz stab to leg side ensures Pakistan take 10 of the first over of the last 10. Wait, o-oh, there's rain in the air.

Two thumbs up from one Pakistan fan in the crowd. He looks confident. Maybe he's right to be as Sarfraz dances down to knack the returning Wood towards cow for four. 10 to go. 300 the target.

Here is how England dismissed Azhar for 82... 

Ebony Rainford-Brent
Ex-England batter on BBC Test Match Special

If a side can get to late 200s or 300, it gives them something to work with. 300 is about par for me. I expect England to be more dynamic in the powerplay than Pakistan were.

Someone has Tippexed* in the sky. What was a sea of blue just an hour ago is now all white. It's like living inside a Tupperware* box.

We are back with the frontline boys as Woakes returns. A good return as well. Five off it. The WASP has dipped under 300 - a testimony to England's tidy work in the field.

*Other correction fluids and food containers are available.

Close. So very close. Sarfraz rocks back and pulls aerially towards Plunkett in the deep. The fielder has to dive forward but cannot prevent the ball hitting the deck. Always a nasty thing, diving forward. There is every chance you'll be picking up your teeth afterwards.

Rashid, ever the wily fox, keeps Pakistan in check. Five off that. Move on, nothing to see here.

Welcome to the fun Shoaib. Plunkett says hello with a nasty bouncer that has the batsman ducking sharply. He is able to get off the mark with a single next ball. Responsibility in this innings has now switched to keeper Sarfraz, who is 27 off 35. You wouldn't describe either of these boys as destroyers, though.

Andrew Milner: There's an episode of The Professionals where Bodie plays cricket then rushes away to investigate an assassination at a polo match.

Matthew Allat: I remember on Top Gear when Clarkson rolled a Robin Reliant across the pitch during a "match". Dickie Bird was the umpire.

Shoaib Malik is the new man, but he is not on strike. The last ball a dot. Nice work Rashid. A timely blow.

Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

It was a strange innings. He ended up trying to hit everything out of the park. It was wider from Rashid, a good bit of bowling. England needed that, taking a wicket when the charge is on.