The Albany Gazette - England edge ahead in third Test after latest Pakistan collapse

Pakistan, already 2-0 down in the three-match series, were dismissed for a meagre 133 in only 33.5 overs on Wednesday after England captain Joe Root won the toss and chose to field in overcast conditions at Edgbaston.

Fast bowler Razaullah gave Pakistan hope with two wickets on his debut, including the key scalp of Root for just eight.

Emilio Gay and Harry Brook (52 not out) shared a fourth-wicket stand of 104 before England reached stumps on 156-4, a lead of 23 runs.

Gay fell for 60 when he played on to the fiery Razaullah, the 21-year-old taking 2-42 in nine overs.

Brook scored briskly without taking undue risks while compiling a 70-ball half-century with a mere four fours.

Earlier, Pakistan's batsmen again had few answers to the new-ball pair of Ollie Robinson (3-15) and Jofra Archer (3-25).

Fellow paceman Josh Tongue got in on the act with 4-42, with Pakistan still to reach 200 in five innings this series.

Pakistan banished seven players and sacked head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and assistant Umar Gul after a heavy 194-run defeat in the second Test at Lord's before making four changes to their side in Birmingham.

But only Saud Shakeel, fresh from his 97 at Lord's, offered any resistance by a specialist batsman with 43.

Pakistan's latest slump started when recalled opener Saim Ayub was out for a duck, lbw to Robinson as the 32-year-old took his 100th Test wicket.

Azan Awais and Abdullah Shafique both fell cheaply and Pakistan were 26-4 inside 10 overs when the experienced Shan Masood holed out, tamely attempting to pull Archer.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam, without a Test century in nearly four years, was dismissed for just seven, clean bowled by an excellent Tongue delivery that jagged back off the seam.

Pakistan, who have lost 15 of their past 20 Tests, were seven down before lunch.

Razaullah fell shortly after the interval and Shakeel's impressive 47-ball innings, including seven fours, came to an end when he was bowled by Tongue.

England also lost early wickets as Ben Duckett and Jordan Cox were dismissed.

Root has repeatedly got England out of trouble in his long career, but newcomer Razaullah pinned him in front of his stumps.

Gay had made 11 when he was struck a painful blow on the back leg after inside-edging a drive off an 89 mph (143 km/h) delivery from Razaullah.

Averaging a lowly 23.44 from his first nine Test innings, Gay shrugged off the discomfort as the sun broke through and conditions for batting improved.

The 26-year-old completed a watchful fifty, his third in Tests and first of this series, with an elegant cut to the boundary.

(S.Perez--TAG)