Cricket: Cook ton saves his career

Alastair Cook saved his career yesterday. For England, it was about the only good thing to emerge from the third test.

The rest was gloomier than the skies above The Oval on the third day and it would have taken much more than the floodlights - which were turned on at The Oval for most of the proceedings - to illuminate their batting.

Pakistan, sensing at last that they could compete in this series, instigated a monumental collapse in the final session which should ensure that they go to Lord's with a chance to square matters. Cook scored 110, his colleagues together merely one run more, 11 fewer if the extras are deducted.

His dismissal led to mayhem. England lost six wickets for 26 runs, the cream of their middle order coming and going without, as it were, knowing whether they were coming or going. Cook's innings came in the nick of time, and as if his colleagues were so delighted for him that they were only too glad to let him have all the glory they came and they went.

For most of the morning and well into the afternoon, Pakistan were denied many pickings. But they stayed patient, plotting their course, faithful that at some point the reverse swing of their fast men and the doosra of Saeed Ajmal would do the trick. And how. England were swept away in an hour. They fell from 194 for three to 220 for nine.

In short, they caved in. Bad light came briefly to their rescue to curtail the day - but presumably not for long. They are 146 ahead.

Cook apart, not one of England's top six in this match has made more than 36 and that was a life-sapping vigil of three hours by Jonathan Trott.

Ajmal and Mohammad Aamer combined to spark England's collapse. Off-spinner Ajmal, who bowled 30 overs unchanged, took 4-71 runs and left-arm quick Aamer 4-51.

Pakistan captain Salman Butt said his side would take confidence from their successful pursuit of 180 in a shock three-wicket test win over Australia at Headingley last month when they begin their run chase.

"Before that game, nobody would have said Pakistan would have won," Butt said. "Should we play well, this is something we can achieve."The Independent