Broad half-century gives England lead

ABU DHABI: Stuart Broad made an aggressive 58 not out to steer England to a slender advantage over a fumbling Pakistan on the third day of the second Test at Abu Dhabi Stadium on Friday.

The 25-year-old left-hander added an invaluable 41 runs with Ian Bell (29) for the seventh wicket after England resumed at 207-5 to take them to 323-8 at lunch, giving them a lead of 66 runs.

Broad, who has so far hit six boundaries and a six off just 62 balls, added 32 runs for the unfinished ninth-wicket stand with James Anderson, who was nine not out at the break.

Pakistan fared poorly in the field as Matt Prior was dropped on two by Junaid Khan in just the second over of the day, while Bell was let off on nine by Abdul Rehman off his own bowling.

But Prior's lapse didn't prove costly as a threatening Saeed Ajmal trapped him leg-before in his next over for three, to raise hopes of Pakistan restricting England's lead.

Broad successfully attacked the bowling, hitting two boundaries each off Ajmal and then off Umar Gul -- after Pakistan took the second new ball with the score at 250-6 -- to take England past Pakistan's total.

Gul struck in his next over when he trapped Bell leg-before with England's lead only extended to 11 runs.

Broad and Graeme Swann (15) took the score to 291 before Rehman trapped Swann leg-before after England's tail-enders frustrated Pakistan.

England, aiming to level the three-Test series after they went down by ten wickets in last week's first Test in Dubai, will take further confidence from the fact that the pitch was taking more spin than on the first two days.

Ajmal has figures of 4-108 while Rehman has so far taken 2-67.