Abu Dhabi: Alastair Cook continued to bat solidly to help England approach Pakistan’s massive total on the fourth day of the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Friday.

The England captain was unbeaten on 237 as England reached 468 for five at tea, just 55 runs behind

Pakistan’s first innings total of 523 for eight declared as the prospects of a result on a flat Sheikh Zayed Stadium diminished.

Ben Stokes was the other unbeaten batsman with 16.

Cook came to the crease in the last hour of the second day and has since batted with authority and grit, smashing 17 boundaries during his resolute 471-ball knock.

He added 141 runs for the fourth wicket with Joe Root who made a brilliant 85 after England resumed at 290-3.

Paceman Rahat Ali provided Pakistan the breakthrough after they went without wicket in the extended two-and-a-half hour session due to Friday prayers.

After lunch Root played a rash shot off a wide delivery and was caught by wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed. He hit seven boundaries during his 143-ball stay.

But it was Cook’s third double century that enlivened an otherwise dull day.

Cook flicked paceman Wahab Riaz to backward square-leg for two to complete his double century off 395 deliveries, the second of the match behind Pakistan’s Shoaib Malik’s 245.

Cook has so far hit 16 boundaries in a 407-ball stay.

Root also batted with authority, reaching his 14th Test half-century with a reverse sweep boundary off Malik.

Pakistan were once again sloppy in the field as they missed another chance to dismiss Cook when wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed failed to take an inside edge off Riaz when the England captain was on 173.

Fawad Alam had let off Cook on 147 off spinner Zulfiqar Babar on Thursday.

Root also survived a confident leg-before shout when fast bowler Imran Khan trapped him but Pakistan’s review once again went unsuccessful.

Riaz was the pick of the bowlers with 3-116.

Pakistan’s frontline spinner Babar also struggled to take a wicket, conceding 132 runs in his 58 overs.

Pakistan has played seven Test matches at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, winning four, including the last two by massive margins against Australia (356 runs) and New Zealand (248 runs) and drawing the other three. It won the only Test match here against England by 72 runs in 2012.

Abu Dhabi: England captain Alastair Cook knocked a solid hundred to lead England’s fightback on the third day of the first Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

Cook continued to bat without much problem as he reached 116 to take his team to 197 for one at tea with Ian Bell on 31 as the pair thwart Pakistan’s pace-cum-spin attack on a Sheikh Zayed Stadium pitch.

England still trail Pakistan’s mammoth first innings total of 523 for eight by 326 runs.

Cook drove left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz for an exquisite cover drive for his tenth boundary to complete his 28th century in Tests, raising his bat in celebration.

When on 93 the England skipper also completed 1,000 runs in 11th Test this year, only the second batsman to reach 1,000 runs in 2015 behind team-mate Joe Root.

He has so far hit 11 boundaries during his 222-ball stay at the wicket.

Pakistan thought they had England skipper leg-before when he failed to connect a sweep off left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar but Australian umpire Paul Reiffel’s decision of not out was upheld on review.

Earlier, Cook and Moeen Ali resumed the day at 56-0, bringing up the century stand in the first hour of play as Pakistan attacked through pace at one end and spin from the other.

England’s last century stand came against New Zealand at Leeds earlier this year with Cook and now discarded Adam Lyth posting 177.

But at 116, left-hander Ali edged an outgoing delivery from paceman Imran Khan to wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed who took a low catch to his left.

Bell survived some anxious moments at the crease with left-armer Zulfiqar Babar started to turn the ball on a pitch which did not assist England spinners on the first two days.

Babar was unlucky not to have Bell four overs before the interval when close-in fielder Shan Masood failed to hold on to an edge at silly point.

Bell, who survived some anxious moments before lunch, looked settled with three boundaries in his 104-ball knock.

(AFP)