England vs Pakistan at The Oval – day three tea-time report
In what was billed as his last-chance saloon, Alastair Cook has defied the critics and hit a wonderful century as England have taken control of the third Test against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755.
The hosts have dominated the third day and have finished the session on 194-3, 119 ahead of their rivals.
Following a mixture of lucky escapes and confident stroke play in the morning session, Cook starting the session on 76, carried on where he left off after lunch and continued to fend off the Pakistan attack. He reached his century in extraordinary circumstances and summed up the standard of their opponents fielding in this Test series.
On 97, Cook pushed a ball back to Mohammed Asif, who then gifted him his century by launching the ball over his wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal’s head and for four runs.
His innings came to an end on 110 as he was caught down leg side off the bowling of Wahab Riaz. It was a pretty ordinary delivery from the seamer but Cook’s luck from earlier in the day ran out as he tickled one behind and was caught by Akmal. Cook looked distraught on his way back to the pavilion but he received a standing ovation from a sell-out crowd, and his place in the Test side looks stable once again.
Jonathan Trott batted through the session very confidently without setting the scoreboard alight, he will resume on 36 and will be looking to kick-on after tea with the aggressive Kevin Pietersen, who remains unbeaten on 23.
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