Three wickets for England and 73 runs for Pakistan meant the outcome of an intriguing second Test remained in the balance after the fourth morning at the Zayed Stadium.

Monty Panesar (four for 59) ended a determined fifth-wicket stand between Azhar Ali (68) and Asad Shafiq, and then James Anderson and Stuart Broad struck once each with the second new ball.

But Pakistan nonetheless battled to a lunchtime 198 for seven, and a lead of 128, to stay in with a chance of taking a series-clinching 2-0 advantage with just one match to play next week.

Just as Shafiq and Azhar (66no) were threatening a century partnership, Panesar got one in the perfect spot to the former – and marginal turn was enough to take the edge for a sharp slip chance, well taken by Anderson.

Yet with each ball that Panesar and Graeme Swann spun passed the bat, it was ever more evident that England would need to bat well again to make more than 150 against Saeed Ajmal and Co.

Azhar had survived an lbw appeal on 65 via DRS when Hawkeye suggested a big Swann off-break was beating leg-stump.

But he was unable to take advantage because, as predicted by Broad on Friday night, the new ball proved a telling weapon.

Anderson struck in the third over after it was taken, and it was a big wicket too when he got one to climb to Azhar’s gloves and end his 195-ball vigil.

England were finally into the tail therefore, and Broad made another breakthrough in the very next over – Adnan Akmal chasing a wide drive and edging to slip.

England’s second DRS review was squandered on an Anderson lbw appeal from a delivery which pitched outside leg-stump to left-hander Abdur Rehman, and therefore could not be out.