England counter Pakistan's spin trap to take control of Rawalpindi Test

Spinners Sajid Khan and Noman Ali dominate for hosts but keeper Jamie Smith hits brilliant 89 to bolster visitors

Jamie Smith rescued England's innings with a counter-attacking 89 on Day 1 of the third Test against Pakistan at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday, October 24, 2024. Getty Images

Gus Atkinson's 39 played a crucial role in taking England's score to 267. AP

Gus Atkinson, left, and Jamie Smith rescued England from 118-6 in Rawalpindi. AP

Pakistan spinner Sajid Khan picked up six wickets on Thursday. AFP

Sajid Khan celebrates the wicket of England's Harry Brook for five. AFP

Pakistan's Kamran Ghulam is bowled by England pacer Gus Atkinson for just three. AP

Jack Leach, centre, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Saim Ayub. AP

Pakistan's ploy of manufacturing a spin-friendly surface days before the third Test against England backfired on Thursday after the visitors gained the upper hand batting first in Rawalpindi.

Spinners Sajid Khan and Noman Ali had taken all 20 wickets in the second Test in Multan, decimating England's batting on a surface that had been artificially dried out. The home team employed the same tactic for the third Test, but this time England got to bat first and made the most of the opening day freshness.

England were in deep trouble batting first, reduced to 118-6 as the ball began to stay very low early on. But wicketkeeper Jamie Smith hit a counter-attacking 89 to bring his team back into the match.

Smith starred in a 105-run stand with pacer Gus Atkinson (39) to revive their fortunes and help England reach a competitive total of 267 all out.

That was a big score on a pitch that was playing many tricks. Pakistan's top order felt the pressure of the scoreboard and a difficult pitch as they finished the day on 73-3, still 194 behind.

The hosts relied once again on spinners Sajid (6-128) and Noman Ali (3-88) who wrecked England's top order after openers Ben Duckett (52) and Zak Crawley had shared a 56-run opening stand.

Pakistan attacked with spin from both ends as Sajid and Noman bowled a combined 42 consecutive overs together.

Pakistan did not use a third bowler in the morning session and Aamer Jamal, their lone seamer, did not bowl in the England innings.

Left-arm spinner Noman drew first blood when he tempted Crawley (29) into a false drive before England vice-captain Ollie Pope (three) fell to Sajid for the third time in three innings.

Sajid got the big scalp when he trapped Joe Root lbw for five with a ball that turned sharply.

Duckett got a reprieve when Noman spilt a return catch but the spinner dismissed the left-hander lbw in the same over with a delivery that kept very low.

Sajid then bowled the dangerous Harry Brook (five) who looked ill at ease against the turning ball.

England were in danger of being dismissed for under 150 before Smith counter-attacked in the company of Atkinson.

Smith and Atkinson stemmed the rot with calm defence but the pace soon picked up. Smith's first four sixes all came against Sajid, lining up the off-spinner and launching him over midwicket or down the ground.

Saud Shakeel might have caught him on 54 had he not wandered in from the boundary but Smith was unfazed.

He smashed leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood for two more sixes in three balls. Smith was not interested in playing for tea and departed 11 short of a richly-deserved century, top-edging a sweep to give the leg-spinner a moment of respite.

The pitch encouraged England to include Rehan Ahmed as a third specialist spinner beside Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir.

Late in the day, off-spinner Bashir gave England the first wicket when he trapped Abdullah Shafique leg before on the back foot and Saim Ayub fell into an England trap by giving a head-high catch to Root at short mid-wicket.