SOUTHAMPTON: Zak Crawley reached his fourth half-century in test cricket off the final ball before lunch to guide England to 91-2 on the opening day of the third and final test against Pakistan at the Rose Bowl on Friday.
After winning the toss, England lost both of its opening batsmen, Rory Burns (6) and Dom Sibley (22), to leave Crawley and captain Joe Root to rebuild the innings.
Crawley has been watchful and took advantage of the loose deliveries, hitting seven fours.
The last, a punched drive through long-off against Shaheen Afridi, came from the final ball of the session and took him to 53, tied for his third best test score in eight matches.
Root was 10 not out, the partnership up to 18.
Shaheen removed Burns for the third time this series in the fifth over of the day, the left-handed opener edging to the slips where Shan Masood took a low catch with his fingers touching the ground.
Sibley got a start but tried to go on the attack to legspinner Yasir Shah, skipping down the wicket but missing the ball.
The lbw decision was reviewed, and it showed the ball was hitting middle stump.
Shaheen has 1-24 off eight overs.
England leads 1-0 and is looking to clinch a first series victory over Pakistan in 10 years, as well as a second of the summer after beating the West Indies 2-1.
Fast bowler Jofra Archer was recalled by England in place of Sam Curran in the only change from the drawn second test on the same ground in Southampton.
Pakistan selected an unchanged team.