Crawley, Buttler put England in control

A monumental fifth-wicket partnership of 246 between Zak Crawley and Jos Buttler kept Pakistan bowlers at bay in the rain-struck morning session on day two of the third and final Test between England and Pakistan in Southampton. 

The hosts were firmly placed at 373 for four at lunch. Zak Crawley was unbeaten at 186, eyeing a double hundred. Jos Buttler was unbeaten on 113.

England were 332 for four overnight with Crawley unbeaten on 171 and Buttler on 87. Crawley became the third-youngest centurion at 22 years 200 days against Pakistan, after Alastair Cook and Ian Botham. 

Players were forced off the ground due to heavy showers after England had only managed to add four to their overnight total. Play resumed after a lengthy break and the session was extended to three hours. As the case is often in England, rain interrupted play once again, forcing another rain-break. Play resumed again at 1.15 pm local time with 45 minutes to lunch. 

Shortly after the resumption, Jos Buttler brought up his second Test hundred, his first as a wicketkeeper. En route to his century, the right-hander hit 10 fours and two sixes.

His unbroken partnership with Crawley of 246 is now the highest fifth-wicket partnership for England against Pakistan, breaking the record of Paul Collingwood and Eoin Morgan who put on 219 at Trent Bridge in 2010.

Pakistan bowlers toiled hard with almost no luck going their way. Leg-spinner Yasir Shah picked up two wickets and Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah got one apiece.

England are 1-0 up in the series, winning the first match of the series. The rain-disrupted second Test was drawn.

Brief score

England - 373-4 (Crawley 186*, Buttler 113*, Yasir 2-107, Naseem 1-72)