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England captain Andrew Strauss scored a majestic century on the fourth day of the third Test against Pakistan here at Headingley on Monday, to set up the prospect of an enthralling finale.

The home side were bowled out for 345 just before the close to give the touring side a victory target of 323. Pakistan’s openers survived a single over at the end of the day without scoring. On a day of fluctuating fortunes, Strauss made 116 and put on 158 for the first wicket with Marcus Trescothick (58) in England’s second innings before the touring side scythed through the top order to reduce their hosts to 248 for five.

Wicket-keeper Chris Read, however, back in the England side after a two-year exile because of his perceived poor batting, took the victory target beyond 300 with a Test-best 55 before he was last man out.

England lead the four-match series 1-0. Only two sides have ever scored more than 300 in the final innings to win a Test at Headingley.

Pakistan, who made 538 in their first innings, will have to overcome another sizeable problem on the final day, with skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq set to bat no higher than number seven after spending most of Monday off the field with a chest injury. —Reuters

England won toss

England 1st inns 515 (K P Pietersen 135, I R Bell 119; Umar Gul 5-123)

Pakistan 1st inns 538 (Younis Khan 173, Mohammad Yousuf 192)

England 2nd inns (overnight 3-0)

M E Trescothick c Salman b Umar 58

*A J Strauss c Kamran b Sami 116

A N Cook c Faisal b Kaneria 21

K P Pietersen b Kaneria 16

P D Collingwood b Shahid 25

I R Bell c Kamran b Sami 4

†C M W Read b Sami 55

S I Mahmood c Kamran b Shahid 2

M J Hoggard c Younis b Shahid 8

S J Harmison c sub (Imran Farhat) b Umar 4

M S Panesar not out 5

Extras (b8, lb3, w1, nb19) 31

Total (all out, 88.3 overs) 345

Fall: 1-158, 2-190, 3-214, 4-237, 5-248, 6-299, 7-301, 8-323, 9-332

Bowling: Mohammad Sami 21.3-4-100-3 (7nb); Umar Gul 20-1-76-2 (9nb, 1w); Shahid Nazir 14-4-32-3 (1nb); Danish Kaneria 33-2-126-2 (2nb)

Pakistan 2nd inns

Salman Butt not out 0

Taufeeq Umar not out 0

Extras 0

Total (no wkt, 1 over) 0

To bat: Younis Khan, Faisal Iqbal, *Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, †Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Sami, Shahid Nazir, Umar Gul, Danish Kaneria

Bowling: Hoggard 1-1-0-0

Series: England leads the 4-Test series 1-0

Umpires: B R Doctrove (West Indies) and D B Hair (Australia). TV umpire: N J Llong. Match referee: R S Madugalle (Sri Lanka)

Previous matches: July 13-17 1st Test Lord’s, match drawn. July 27-29 2nd Test Manchester, England won by an innings and 120 runs

Fourth & final Test: August 17-21, The Oval
Source:The News