Oval Test: Azhar, Shafiq keep Pakistan going
LONDON: Pakistan were 97 for two at Lunch on day two of the fourth Test against England at The Oval.
The tourists added 96 runs in 27-overs in the morning
Azhar Ali, who opened the innings on day one for Pakistan, hit six fours in his 85-ball 36 not out. He was joined by Asad Shafiq for the 45-run* second wicket stand.
Shafiq, who failed to score a run in the third Test, remained not out at the end of the session on 24.
Alex Hales and Steven Finn put down two easy chances.
Hales, who was dismissed after Yasir took a blinder at mid-wicket, dropped the leg-spinner at backward point.
Finn put down a return catch of his own bowling right after drinks.
Misbah-ul-Haq's men began day two on the score of three with one wicket down.
Sami Aslam, who scored all of Pakistan's runs yesterday, was trapped in front of stumps by English pacer Stuart Broad in the second over of the innings after England were rolled out for 328 runs.
A 97-run stand for sixth wicket between Jonny Bairstow (55) and Moeen Ali (108) brought Alastair Cook's men back in the game after they had received blows during the first session.
Returning to the playing XI after being rested during Edgbaston Test, Wahab Riaz picked up Joe Root (26) and James Vince (1) before Lunch. His final wicket came right in the start of the second session as he induced an edge from Gary Ballance's bat to be held by Azhar.
Denied an opportunity to score a century at Edgbaston as Cook declared when Ali was batting on 86, the left-hander put up a strong resistance after Mohammad Amir took his second wicket to dismiss Bairstow.
The all-rounder brought up his career's third century with a towering six at cow corner when he charged down the wicket against Yasir.
Pakistan's Sohail Khan continued to take wickets at the regular intervals and completed his second five wicket haul in his second Test on the tour when he got Ali out.
The right-arm fast-bowler returned the innings figures of five for 68 in 20.4-overs.