England on life support

England vs Pakistan, 3rd Test, Day 2, Dubai
Pak 99 & 222/2
Eng 141
Pakistan lead by 180 runs with 8 wickets in hand

Malik Imran and another
chacha cricket in the making

Day 2 started with the match in delicate balance; however, it ended in anything but balance. After being bowled out with the lead of mere 42 runs, English bowlers sent openers packing with Pakistan still in deficit. At that moment, England seemed in control, but little did anyone know that England's luck had run out, at least for the rest of the day. As Azhar and Younus joined forces in the middle, they methodically aimed for the jugular and put the oppostion on life support. Additionally, Younus' ton revived the batting friendly tag of UAE to some extent and restored sanity in the series. Not only that but it also earned him a well deserved applause from both teams' supporters and neutrals alike. As expected, the pitch started to play tricks for spinners towards the end of the day, which would add to England's unending list of worries when they come out to chase target in the final innings. Tomorrow, every run will of course increase Pakistan's lead; however, it will also squeeze the remaining life out of the top ranked team. With Pakistan in firm control, the clean sweep is in both sight and mind, but before getting hopes too high, remember that it's not over till it is over.