Joe Root impressed with England's batting finesse in the second innings

England’s Joe Root lauded the efforts of his side’s batsmen for the way they have approached the second innings of the ongoing third Test against Pakistan at Edgbaston having not just avoided the threat posed by the likes of Mohammad Amir and Yasir Shah but also build up a lead of above 300 going into the final day of play in what has been a very even contest.

After the visitors won the series opener at Lord’s with a thrilling 75-run victory thanks mainly to Yasir’s ten-wicket haul as well as skipper Misbah-ul-Haq’s magnificent century, Alastair Cook’s side equalised the series at Old Trafford with the skipper himself and Root the main architects of the victory.

The ongoing third Test at Edgbaston has turned out to be a very even contest so far with the two teams battling inch to inch as the game progresses into the final day with the hosts 311 runs ahead. Speculation is high that Cook might go in for an overnight declaration to give his bowlers enough time to claim 10 wickets but for now, Root is content with the job the batsmen have done so far.

"The way we applied ourselves throughout this whole innings has been a magnificent effort," Root said. "It started off last night really, with the way Halesy (Alex Hales) and Cooky (Alastair Cook) took the initiative and built that platform. It would have been very easy, if we'd lost a couple of wickets then, to feel under pressure going into today.

“We had to absorb a little bit of pressure this morning, me and Vincey -- to get through that was really important...With any four-man attack, that's what you look to do -- take it deep."

Despite the efforts by the top-order batsmen, England were reduced to 282/5 before Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali strung together an unbeaten 132-run partnership for the sixth wicket which Root felt was crucial in not allowing the Pakistani bowling attack to have a crack at the team’s tailenders.

“The way Jonny and Moeen played tonight was fantastic," Root said, reserving special praise for the wicketkeeper-batsman. "I think the way he (Bairstow) has applied himself to Test cricket over the last 18 months has been great.”

Root is unsure as to when Cook will take the decision to declare the innings but urged the bowlers to be prepared and come out with all guns blazing to achieve an unlikely victory.

“I'm sure Cookie will want a night to mull it over...But we've just got to rock up tomorrow with the right mentality to take 10 wickets," Root opined.