First Test, Trent Bridge (day three, close): England 354 & 262-9 dec v Pakistan 182 & 15-3 Match scorecard
Matt Prior scored his third Test century at Trent Bridge
By Sam Sheringham
England are on course for a resounding victory in the first Test after a century from Matt Prior and three early wickets in Pakistan's second innings.
Prior, who came to the crease at 72-5, made 102 not out as England declared on 262-9 at Trent Bridge, setting Pakistan a world record victory target of 435.
Stuart Broad then struck twice and James Anderson once as Pakistan fell to 15-3 at stumps on day three.
Umar Gul had earlier hit an unbeaten 65 as the tourists avoided the follow-on.
It was another dominant day for England - who should strike first blood in the four-match series on Sunday - as they bowled out Pakistan for 182 in reply to their first innings score of 354.
However, it could have been a different story without Prior, who entered the fray with the home side in trouble after some excellent seam bowling had torn through their top order.
The Sussex wicketkeeper showed patience early on before tucking into the spinners later in the day and gave a timely reminder to the selectors that he has the talent to bat at number six should they wish to revisit the option of playing five bowlers in this winter's Ashes in Australia.
There were useful contributions from Graeme Swann (28) and Broad (24) as England's tail-enders made amends for the first innings, when six wickets fell for 23 runs to bring Pakistan back into the game.
Swann will also be encouraged by the fact that the last three England wickets fell to the spinners on a pitch continuing to offer assistance to bowlers of all varieties.
England lost captain Andrew Strauss in the first over when an edge off Mohammad Aamer flew to second slip Umar Akmal.
The fielder could not cling on to a sharp chance - juggling the ball from one hand to the other - but was spared embarrassment by his brother - wicketkeeper Kamran - who dived to snaffle the ball before it touched the ground.
Alastair Cook's run of low scores continued when he chased after a ball down the leg side and got a faint nick through to the keeper.
Trott and Pietersen set about steadying England with the latter just starting to show signs of his belligerent best when he was dismissed for 22 by a moment of brilliance from Kamran.
An inside edge off Gul looked destined for the boundary, but the Pakistan gloveman, criticized for his sloppy work in the first innings, flew to his left and plucked the ball out of the air with his outstretched left glove.
Gul's batting was a rare bright spot for Pakistan on day three
But perhaps Kamran was still basking in the glory of his moment of inspiration, because he was to undermine his good work with the very next ball.
A flash of Paul Collingwood's blade presented the keeper with a much more straightforward opportunity but this time the ball refused to stick in the glove and the chance went begging.
Luckily for Kamran, Gul did not have to wait long for his second wicket, which came in his next over when a straight ball kept devilishly low and flattened Trott's middle stump.
And soon afterwards, Collingwood was on his way back to the pavilion, trapped leg before wicket for one by the same bowler after trying to pull a short ball that kept low.
First innings centurion Eoin Morgan looked in good touch before he was run out for 17 after a misunderstanding with Prior.
With the wicket still offering plenty of assistance to the bowlers, Swann seemed to decide that attack was the best form of defence, smashing Danish Kaneria over his head for a maximum and pulling the same bowler to the square leg fence.
But a blow on the helmet from a Gul bouncer seemed to rattle Swann and he was dismissed lbw by Kaneria in the next over.
Prior batted superbly, taking the singles on offer from a surprisingly generous field and swiping boundaries through his favoured off side.
He brought up his half century with a clever reverse sweep and smashed two straight sixes in one Kaneria over, before reaching his hundred with a little help from last man Steven Finn, who lasted 50 balls for his nine not out.
Strauss declared as soon as Prior reached three figures, leaving Pakistan to negotiate a tricky last half hour against the new ball.
And once again their batting was found wanting as Broad drew an edge from Salman Butt and had Azhar Ali trapped in front two balls later.
Anderson, who took five wickets in the first innings, then snared Umar Amin lbw with a ball that straightened off the seam to move England one step closer to victory.
The day had begun with some fireworks from Gul, which quickly put the debate over whether England should enforce the follow-on to bed.
After clipping the first ball of the day from Anderson through midwicket for four, Gul helped himself to 30 runs from Finn's next two overs, including two successive pulls into the stands.
But after racing past fifty and posting his highest Test score, Gul's one-man party was brought to a premature end when a mix-up with Mohammad Asif was capitalised on by Morgan, who threw down the stumps from cover.
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