Close Pakistan 221 (Raza 54*, Warne 5-75, McGrath 4-41) and 176 for 8 (Raza 56*) trail Australia 444 by 47 runs
Scorecard

It was an improvement on their showing in the second Test, but with the honourable exception of Hasan Raza, Pakistan's batsmen were once again a shower on a cloudless day at Sharjah.

After resuming their first innings 281 runs adrift on 163 for 6, they lost 12 further wickets for the addition of 234 runs, with the peerless Glenn McGrath snaring five more victims to take his Test-match tally past 400. Only the rapid fading of the light enabled Pakistan to carry the match into a fourth day.

If the second day had belonged indisputably to Steve Waugh, then the third was the property of McGrath. At the start of the day, he had needed just two more wickets to join one of Test cricket's most exclusive clubs. In the event he required just two balls to make his first breakthrough of the morning. Coming on first change after a lengthy spell on the second day, McGrath uprooted Saqlain Mushtaq's off stump to end a stubborn seventh-wicket partnership of 91. He then trapped Waqar Younis lbw in his next over to bring up the 400.

Mohammad Sami didn't last long, and though Danish Kaneria's long handle kept Raza company in an entertaining last-wicket stand of 22, it was too little, too late. Raza finished unbeaten on 54 from 160 balls, an oasis of resolve in a mirage of an innings.

Steve Waugh had earlier expressed reservations about enforcing the follow-on, clearly mindful of Australia's defeat by India at Kolkata two winters earlier. But there was never any danger of Pakistan springing that sort of Laxman-inspired surprise, especially when they slumped to 18 for 3 at the hands of McGrath and Andy Bichel. That soon became 30 for 4 when Imran Farhat was stupidly run out, and at 58 for 5, Pakistan were odds on to complete two Sharjah Tests in the time usually allotted for one match.

But Raza was once again on hand to steady the innings, and by the close he had completed his second half-century of the match, from an equally resolute 112 balls. He received little support from the rest of the batsmen however. Misbah-ul-Haq and Rashid Latif contributed a brace of 17s, and when Saqlain became Warne's third lbw victim in a row, Pakistan had slumped to 102 for 7.

Waqar Younis, however, took responsibility with a bullish 24, only ended when McGrath returned to the attack (157 for 8).

Australia's only flutter of anxiety came in the morning session, when Raza cracked a Warne half-volley straight onto the back of Justin Langer's helmet at forward short-leg. Langer, who normally takes these hits like mosquito bites, keeled over and lay still for nearly three minutes.

Thankfully, he groggily returned to his feet and staggered out of the ground without aid of the stretcher. The Pakistanis, however, may need something rather stronger than headache tablets when this series concludes tomorrow morning.

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