Ali holds firm despite Panesar

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Azhar Ali continued to frustrate England with a career-best hundred despite left-arm spinner Monty Panesar grabbing three wickets in the session in the third and final Test at Dubai Stadium here on Sunday.

Ali was batting on 147 - his second Test hundred - as he carried Pakistan to 350-8 to increase their lead to 308.

With a session and two full days to go that put them in a strong position to record a first-ever 3-0 clean sweep against England.

Saeed Ajmal fell for one on the last ball before tea to Graeme Swann.

Dropped on 84 by Swann in the slip off James Anderson, 26-year-old Ali, whose maiden hundred came against Sri Lanka at the same venue in October last year, hit Panesar for two boundaries in successive overs to reach the three-figure mark.

He has so far hit nine boundaries and a six off a marathon 424-ball knock. His previous best of 100 was also here last year.

Pakistan were well placed at 295-3 at lunch, but England hit back in the second session with Panesar trapping Misbah-ul Haq (31) and Asad Shafiq (five) in the space of eight runs.

Panesar then bowled Adnan Akmal (nought) to further make inroads into the Pakistan batting. From the other end Swann accounted for Abdul Rehman (one) and Ajmal in successive overs.

Panesar has figures of 4-115 while Swann has taken 2-96.

Ali added an invaluable 216 runs for the third wicket with Younis (127) in a stand which piled further misery on England.

Pakistan won the first Test by 10 wickets in Dubai and the second in Abu Dhabi by 72 runs.
Resuming at 222-2 Pakistan slowly added invaluable runs as England, who took the second new ball late on Saturday, attacked with pacemen James Anderson and Stuart Broad in a hope of early wickets.

Broad provided the breakthrough when he brought one in and caught Younis in front of the wicket. Younis challenged Australian umpire Steve Davis's decision but on review had to leave the field.

Younis hit 12 boundaries and a six during his 221-ball knock.

Anderson and Panesar also have one wicket each as the bowlers continued to struggle after the nature of the pitch changed on the second day. As many as 16 wickets fell on the first day.