Cook: Late surge sours day for England

Abu Dhabi: England vice-captain and opening batsman Alastair Cook admitted that the late surge by Pakistan's spinners had turned ‘a very good day' into just a ‘good day' for his team.

"It's been a really good day's Test cricket. We've had a good day, obviously the last half hour turned it from a very good day to a good day," said Cook, adding that getting a quick start was a tough ask in the sub-continental conditions.

"One of these things in sub-continent conditions is that you never get to 20 very easily. In English conditions you can get to 20 quickly because the ball comes on to the bat nicely. It's always hard work for the new guy coming in.

"And when you've got an opposition and when you know only 20 minutes [are] left, you can really attack the opposition knowing they can't attack you. Obviously they jumped in very well then," Cook added, explaining the fall of three quick wickets in the final session.

Cook, who scored 94 and was involved in a 139-run second-wicket stand with Jonathan Trott, compared yesterday's innings to his century on his Test debut against India in 2006.

"This innings is similar to my first innings in Nagpur because shot selection was limited then," he said, referring to his unbeaten 104 against Indian spin twins Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh.

‘Frustrating'

"Today in those conditions I certainly ruled out any cross-batted shots. That hundred in India I don't think I did play a sweep shot. I hope to think I've improved as a player over those six years.

"It's always frustrating [missing out on a hundred] when you've worked so hard to get a milestone to fall short of it, but it beats last week when I got three and five."

On a more positive note, Cook felt that his team was beginning to figure out Ajmal, saying: "I do think I can pick him the majority of the time, but like any batter you make mistakes and it's trying to get the technique so you can adjust to it."