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Cautious or clever? How Cook split opinion

Captain's call not to enforce follow-on with huge lead triggers widespread debate at Manchester and beyond

England's decision not to enforce the follow-on on the third day of this second Test attracted much criticism – aggravated by the subsequent poor weather that saw 27 overs of the day lost.

The move, with England holding a first-innings lead of 391, was seen as negative and in the simplest terms that may be true.

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Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur, when pushed, even admitted his team probably have a better chance of drawing this game than they would have done had they been forced to bat again.

"Probably, yes," said Arthur. "It probably gives us a better chance. That's certainly not an inflammatory headline at all because irrespective of when Alastair declares we are going to have to bat well in the second innings."

However, to say the decision was symptomatic of a conservative outlook from England captain Alastair Cook – as many did on social media – misses the point.

Such views were reinforced by criticism from almost every commentator covering this match.

Michael Vaughan, England's 2005 Ashes-winning skipper, was typical when saying: "I'm absolutely staggered. They are 391 runs ahead and there have been intervals – 391 runs!

"Win the game today – why delay it? What happens if it rains again? England are so far ahead of the game that I don't know how they play it from here."

In the most basic terms, England will win this game over the coming days to level the series come what may, given there is still so much time left in the contest. The lead is so huge, only two more days of constant rain – which the forecast does not show – will deny them that.

What Cook and England's management – for this was a group decision – were really weighing up when making the call was if they could win the game without exhausting their bowlers.

But there would also have been the consideration of trying to inflict the maximum psychological and physical damage on Pakistan.

By giving their own bowlers a rest – and getting overs into the legs of the opposition's – England gave themselves the best chance of achieving both of those goals.

Before the weather intervened, the game plan would have been to bat aggressively for a couple of hours, increase the lead up towards 600 and demoralise Pakistan's attack in the process.

That will not come to pass as quickly as England would have liked thanks to the Manchester rain but the objective will be achieved at some point today.

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Alternatively, if England, with tiring bowlers, had enforced the follow-on, they would have left themselves vulnerable to a Pakistan revival that might not have won the tourists this Test but taken a high physical toll on an attack that includes two players in James Anderson and Ben Stokes who are just returning from injury.

Pakistan's first innings may have lasted just 63.4 overs, yet the ninth-wicket post-lunch stand between captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Wahab Riaz that lasted more than 15 overs probably made England's decision with regards to the follow-on easier.

Paul Farbrace, England's assistant coach, explained: "We're in the driving seat of this game, have played some excellent cricket over the three days and we think by keeping them under pressure we will dominate. There's no point risking putting ourselves under pressure later in the game.

"There's still 200 overs to be bowled in the match so there's plenty of time.

"It could have gone either way, but I think it's the right decision and hopefully we'll be proven right."

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And it is worth noting that this decision was not a given.

Cook and England are not averse to enforcing the follow-on – in fact they have done so twice already this summer when winning Tests against Sri Lanka at Headingley and Durham.

On both those occasions the bowlers had been forced to do less work in wrapping up the first innings than here – sending down 36.4 and 44.3 overs respectively.

Indeed, in Cook's 49 previous Tests as captain, England have had five opportunities to make the opposition follow on. They had done so three times, with a rain-ruined draw against New Zealand at Wellington added to the two wins against Sri Lanka this year.

On the two occasions England have not opted not to enforce the follow-on under Cook they have won – against India at Southampton in 2014 and Australia at Lord's the previous year.

England went on to win both those series – as they will be favourites to do against Pakistan whenever they seal victory here.