EDGBASTON: England lost the wickets of Alastair Cook and Alex Hales as they moved cautiously on to 183 for two at lunch on an attritional fourth morning of the third test against Pakistan in Birmingham on Saturday.

The hosts led by 80 runs with eight wickets remaining, leaving the match finely poised with five sessions to go.

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Cook, on 66, drove loosely at a wide ball from Sohail Khan and Yasir Shah took a fine diving catch at point before Hales, on 54, edged Mohammad Amir to Younus Khan at second slip.

The Pakistan seamers bowled wide of off stump to restrict the scoring rate and Joe Root, who looked to be suffering with a back injury, and James Vince struggled to break the shackles.

Root reached the interval on 34 not out with Vince on 20.

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