Manchester: England spinner Monty Panesar destroyed Pakistan's top order on the way to a four-wicket haul which left Pakistan facing defeat on the third day of the second Test on Saturday.
The left-arm spinner, who has rapidly gained cult status among England fans, had taken four for 48 from 19.1 overs before rain interrupted the afternoon session with the touring side on 167 for five, needing another 175 runs to avoid an innings defeat.
Tea was taken early.
Panesar snared Pakistan's key men, Mohammad Yousuf (15) and skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq (13), in the space of three overs before adding vice-captain Younis Khan (62) to his list of victims.
He dismissed Yousuf for the second time in the match and the third time in three innings with the first ball after lunch.
Yousuf, who had saved Pakistan in the first Test with a double century, was lured forward and beaten by the spin, leaving his back toe on the line just outside his crease as Geraint Jones neatly clipped off the bails.
Inzamam did not even get that far. He appeared to have survived a barrage from strike bowler Steve Harmison when he fell victim to a wretched piece of luck, dabbing a ball from Panesar down onto his boot and straight to Alastair Cook at silly mid-off.
That made it 117 for four early in the afternoon, with Pakistan still 225 shy of making England bat again.
That prospect receded further when Younis, having hit a resolute 62 only marred by some edgy shots against Harmison, became Panesar's next victim.
Having seen the 24-year-old spinner extract sharp turn and bounce, he fatally opted to pad up to Panesar's arm ball and went lbw with the score on 161.
Harmison, who took six for 19 to help skittle the touring side for 119 in the first-innings, broke through in the morning session with a brute of a delivery to dismiss Kamran Akmal (4) after Pakistan, facing a 342-run first-innings deficit, had resumed on 12 without loss.
The ball cut in off the seam and reared towards Akmal's throat before being pouched off the glove by Geraint Jones.
Panesar, replacing the struggling Matthew Hoggard at the Brian Statham End, then struck in his fourth over.
The left-handed Imran Farhat -- like Geraint Jones playing on with a fractured finger after hurting himself on Friday -- had got to 34 but was immediately troubled by Panesar.
One delivery spun back into him and beat everything on the way for four byes.
Immediately afterwards, Farhat flat-batted unconvincingly for four through the covers only to fall in the same over, inside-edging onto his pad and into Ian Bell's hands at short leg.
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