Good fortune
England ended the third day of the second Test 34 runs adrift of Pakistan and with just two wickets in hand, after a late batting collapse.
Graham Thorpe had put England in the ascendancy with a hard-worked 79 on an unpredictable pitch.
But within five balls of his dismissal, two more wickets had fallen and England ended the day on 282 for eight soon after being on 274-5.
Following his century in Lahore, Thorpe again played a vital role. With nightwatchman Ian Salisbury, he frustrated Pakistan who were looking to build on the dismissals of Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain at the end of the second day's play.
Good fortune
The Surrey pair made slow progress, scoring at little more than two-an-over after England resumed on 110-3, and dug in to lunch.
Thorpe was lucky to survive when he appeared to edge a ball to wicketkeeper Moin Khan, when on 12. But England could point to the controversial dismissal of Hussain, the day before, as evidence that not everything has gone their way.
Salisbury, who is having little luck with the ball, made a dogged 33 before Arshad Khan claimed the first wicket of the day.
The nightwatchman was caught by Yousuf Youhana at silly mid-off, after a partnership with Thorpe of 97 which lasted three hours and 15 minutes.
Alec Stewart was next to go, out for 13 when he miscued a delivery from Danish Kaneria and skied the ball for Abdur Razzaq to take a simple catch.
That left England on 235-5. But Thorpe was still there and the tourists put on another 39 with no further losses.
Wasim joy
However, thoughts of building a healthy first innings lead were quickly dashed soon after the introduction of the new ball.
First Wasim Akram claimed his first wicket in his 100th Test appearance when he had Thorpe lbw, beating the left-hander for pace.
Graeme Hick was caught next ball off Abdur Razzaq for 17, when he top-edged to Yousuf Youhana. Razzaq also claimed the wicket of Ashley Giles, caught low at second slip by Shahid Afridi for nought.
England go into the fourth day trailing Pakistan by 34 runs, with Craig White and Andy Caddick at the crease.
Thorpe said he would have settled for that at the start of the day.
"The one thing we wanted to do was stay in the game and we have done that," he said.
"It was a hard day's cricket. The ball was a bit soft and we were up against spinners who were not giving away a great deal.
"Pakistan had the momentum this morning but we took that away from them. All in all, it was a good day because we did not let them walk all over us."