Anderson gives England perfect start

Paceman James Anderson led England's efforts to level the series against Pakistan with four wickets on the opening day of the third and final Test in Sharjah.

Seeking to level the three-match series after losing the second Test in Dubai, England were kept in the hunt by Anderson who took 4-17 to dismiss Pakistan for a paltry 234 on a relaid pitch.

At the close, England openers Alastair Cook (0) and Moeen Ali (four) had survived two overs to finish on 0-4 as England trailed by 230 runs.

Anderson's new-ball partner Stuart Broad kept the pressure on from the other end, bowling eight maidens from his 13 overs and finishing with 2-13.

Pakistan, who won the toss and batted, were indebted to skipper Misbah-ul-Haq who was ninth out after scoring a fighting 71, his 32nd career half-century.

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Misbah saved Pakistan with another half-century // Getty Images

Misbah added a fighting 80 for the sixth wicket with Sarfraz Ahmed (39) but all the other batsmen, including Younis Khan (31), Shoaib Malik (38) and Mohammad Hafeez (27), failed to capitalise on good starts.

England took the second new ball with the score on 7-222 with Anderson dismissing Misbah caught in the slips before wrapping up the innings with the wicket of Rahat Ali for four.

Misbah hit seven fours and two sixes during his 160-ball knock but could not stop the slide as Pakistan lost their last five wickets for just 38 runs.

England lost Ben Stokes in the last session when he fell on his arm while trying to take a catch at short fine leg.

He walked off the field and was taken to hospital for an x-ray.

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Ben Stokes is helped off the turf after injuring his shoulder // Getty

Younis, who made a brilliant hundred in the second Test in Dubai, looked in good shape before falling leg-before as he missed a full toss from Anderson and unsuccessfully challenged the umpire's decision.

Younis, who survived a confident caught-behind appeal off Broad on 21, became Anderson's 422nd wicket in his 110th Test.

Anderson is now eighth on the all-time leading Test wicket takers, usurping South African paceman Shaun Pollock's tally of 421.

Broad put pressure on the Pakistan batting, and had Malik caught behind, while Asad Shafiq was dismissed for just five by Samit Patel, who finished with 2-85. Spinner Moeen took 2-49.

Pakistan had mixed fortunes in the first session.

Pakistan lost opener Ali, who missed the first Test with a foot injury and the second due to the death of his mother-in-law, in the third over when he edged Anderson to Bairstow without scoring.

Mohammad Hafeez swept Moeen's first delivery to the boundary but miscued a pull shot and was caught in the deep by Broad for 27.

ALL-TIME LEADING TEST WICKET-TAKERS

• Muthiah Muralidaran (Sri Lanka) - 800 in 133 matches
• Shane Warne (Australia) - 708 in 145 matches
• Anil Kumble (India) - 619 in 132 matches
• Glenn McGrath (Australia) - 563 in 124 matches
• Courtney Walsh (West Indies) - 519 in 132 matches
• Kapil Dev (India) - 434 in 131 matches
• Sir Richard Hadlee (New Zealand) - 431 in 86 matches
• James Anderson (England) - 424 in 110 matches
• Shaun Pollock (South Africa) - 421 in 108 matches
• Harbhajan Singh (India) - 417 in 103 matches