England continued to stamp their authority in the third and final Test of the 3-match series against Pakistan at Southampton after enforcing the follow on to the visitors on Day 3 of the encounter. Pakistan were all at sea after they folded for 273 in their first innings, trailing England by a massive 331 runs and been asked to follow on by skipper Joe Root.

Pakistan skipper Azhar Ali was the lone warrior with the bat for his team as he scored a gritty unbeaten ton which helped his side recover from a miserable start in their first innings, but was not enough to still avoid a very precarious position at the end of Day 3 of the rain-affected third Test between them and hosts England at the Ageas Bowl on Sunday.

At Stumps on Day 3, Pakistan were all out for 273 in response to England's mammoth 583-8 , with their skipper Ali not out on 141 from 272 balls.

England pace spearhead James Anderson was once again the chief tormentor with the red cherry as the seasoned seamer returned with best figures of 5/56, and could have bettered those figures if three more catches had not been dropped off his bowling.

After his opening burst of 2 wickets of Day 1, Anderson added three more wickets to his kitty as he scalped Asad Shafiq who was caught at slip by skipper Joe Root for just five runs. Spinner Dom Bess had left-hander Fawad Alam caught behind by Jos Buttler for 21 before Ali and Rizwan joined staged a brief partnership to steady the ship.

Wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan also scored 53 as he and Ali registered a 138-run sixth wicket partnership after Pakistan were 75/5 at one stage.

Chris Woakes eventually broke the stiff resistance as he dismissed Rizwan before Stuart Broad struck in quick succesion to remove Yasir Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi with Buttler plucking a stunning diving catch behind the stumps to send Afridi back.

Earlier on Day 1, England's tailenders propelled the hosts to pile up a monumental 583/8d before Anderson wrecked through the Pakistani top order to dismiss the openers Shan Masood and Abid Ali and their talented No. 4 batsman Babar Azam at the end of the second day.
Brief scores: England 583/9d (Crawley 267, Buttler 152; Fawad Alam 2/46) vs Pakistan 273 (Ali 141 not out, Anderson 5/56)