EDGBASTON: A battling innings from Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq checked England's bowlers on the third morning of the third test at Edgbaston as the tourists edged to a valuable 39-run first-innings lead at lunch.

Misbah was not out on 44 and Sarfraz Ahmed on 20 as Pakistan moved from an overnight 257 for three to 336 for five.

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Alastair Cook's England claimed an early wicket in the morning's eighth over when Younus Khan played a rash shot to a leg-side delivery from Chris Woakes, edging the ball to keeper Jonny Bairstow for 31.

The wicket lifted the Birmingham crowd and England stuck again with Pakistan still trailing when Stuart Broad comprehensively bowled Asad Shafiq for an 18-ball duck.

Misbah, however, is not one to panic under pressure and, although he edged one ball just short of Joe Root in the slips, he stood firm to deny England any further breakthroughs, sharing an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 40 with Sarfraz.

The four-match series is level at 1-1.