England make superb start (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

England make superb start

7:13am Friday 3rd February 2012 in National Sport News © Press Association 2011

Stuart Broad and James Anderson both struck with the new ball to give England a flying start to the final Test against Pakistan.

England, in danger of a 3-0 whitewash after back-to-back defeats here and in Abu Dhabi, gave their hosts a torrid time after Misbah-ul-Haq had chosen to bat first at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan found themselves eight for two in the sixth over, and then 18 for three in the eighth after three single-figure scores in the top order.

Anderson got rid of Taufeeq Umar, for a five-ball duck, in the first over with a ball which straightened off the seam for lbw.

England could have had their second wicket only two balls later, Broad finding Mohammad Hafeez's edge in his first over only for Andrew Strauss to merely parry a sharp head-high catch at slip.

The opener therefore survived on one, and Broad had to wait until more movement took a faint inside edge to account for Azhar Ali after a fine catch by Matt Prior and a DRS review which overturned Simon Taufel's initial not-out verdict because of Hotspot evidence.

It got even better for the world number ones, so off-colour previously in this series, when Younus Khan fenced at some extra bounce from Broad and also went caught-behind thanks to Prior - in the wicketkeeper's 50th Test.

England had named an unchanged side, resisting the temptation to tinker with a batting line-up which has failed three times in four attempts on this tour.

Pakistan did alter their winning side, Aizaz Cheema returning in place of his fellow seamer Junaid Khan.