Trailing Pakistan by 69 runs and with skipper Andrew Strauss already dismissed, England begin day three at The Oval badly in need of a big score from out of sorts Alastair Cook
Cook gets away with three streaky edges through the slips for four during the first 45 minutes of play but also produces an authoritative pull shot to the boundary off Wahab Riaz
Pakistan introduce spin and immediately make a breakthrough as nightwatchman Jimmy Anderson jabs unconvincingly at an off-break from Saeed Ajmal and a delighted Kamran Akmal takes the catch
Cook reaches a 77-ball half century and buoyed by his return to form, produces some powerful cover drives and square cuts as England clear their first-innings deficit and reach 110-2 at lunch
Jonathan Trott is content to play the supporting role, demonstrating a rock-solid technique as he and Cook build England's lead with a hundred partnership
Cook's 13th Test century arrives in comical fashion when he plays a defensive push back to bowler Mohammad Asif who sends a wild throw over the wicketkeeper's head and away to the boundary
Pace bowler Wahab Riaz finally brings Cook's innings to an end with an angled delivery which the England opener shapes to leg-glance - but he only manages to make a thin contact and is caught behind
With Cook gone, it falls to Kevin Pietersen to try and up the tempo of England's innings and he hits three fours in a single over from Asif as England's total progresses to 194-3 at tea
Saeed Ajmal strikes a vital blow straight after the interval with a superb delivery which spins between bat and pad and clips the top of Pietersen's middle stump, sending the England batsman on his way for 23
Trott reflects on a loose stroke as he follows Pietersen back to the dressing room in the next over, having sliced a catch to gully off Mohammad Amir
England are in danger of self-destructing as Paul Collingwood wafts a catch to the keeper and Eoin Morgan's defensive technique is found wanting (pictured) as he is bowled by spinner Ajmal's arm ball
Having accounted for Collingwood, the combination of Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Amir celebrate again after Matt Prior is caught behind for five, leaving England tottering on 210-8
Graeme Swann's knowledge of the art of off-spin does him no good as he is bowled on the back foot, Ajaml's fourth victim of the innings
With Pakistan looking to polish off England's innings, umpires Tony Hill and Steve Davis decide the light is not good enough for play to continue and the home side end the day on 221-9, a lead of 146
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