Unchanged England team at Last test

England’s second innings, which featured fifties from Cook, Alex Hales, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and man-of-the-match Moeen Ali, allowed Cook to declare early on Sunday at 445 for six.

Meanwhile Pakistan captain Misbahul Haq, one of the quartet of batsmen who succumbed in the pre-tea collapse, said: “Until lunch it was easy, nothing happening”.

Aslam’s defensive ability, and his awareness of exactly where his off-stump is in leaving the moving Dukes ball in particular, has been impressive for someone playing in just his fourth worldwide fixture.

“We hate losing, of course we do, but we lost with a lot of credibility at Edgbaston and that puts us in a really good space to come back particularly hard here”, the former Australia coach insisted.

“We were never leading it – but then, when we got our chance Saturday afternoon, Mo and “Bluey” (Bairstow) put the pressure on them”, said Cook.

This was Pakistan’s second heavy defeat in as many matches following their 330-run defeat in the second Test at Old Trafford and again demonstrated how an attack featuring just four frontline bowlers can tire badly in the latter stages.

“Pakistan looked vulnerable. I think we knew this Pakistan side could be bowled out cheaply but it would take a special effort and England produced that today”.

England’s victory has given them a chance to ascend to the top of the world rankings if they finish the series 3-1 and India do not secure a 3-0 victory over West Indies.

“If it’s a pitch that has got green grass on it, I don’t think there’s any point playing him for the sake of playing him”.

Woakes then replaced Moeen and struck in his first over, Asad Shafiq bagging a pair lbw on the defence – using up a review too, before departing. We thought their tail was quite long and if we got them five or six wickets down, we’d be okay.

Web Desk: Third test match between Pakistan and England will start from tomorrow in Birmingham’s cricket ground Edgbaston, head coach Mickey Arthur says that players must pull up their socks to win this match. I thought we were very good (at Edgbaston).

He said: “If we become the number one side, that’s fantastic, but I wouldn’t say we are anywhere near our potential”.

Cook was especially pleased by the nature of the win bearing in mind that nobody in his side scored a century or claimed a five-wicket haul.

“The lads we have got in the dressing room are very down to earth, honest with their own appraisal and the team’s own form”, added Anderson.

“To go through the gears like that, to score quicker and quicker as that last session went on was brilliant”.

Aslam duly completed his second 50 of the match, mowing Moeen over midwicket for his seventh four from the 124th ball he faced. He added: ‘It was a nice feeling going into the last morning thinking we were the only side who could win the game.