'Nuggety' Rizwan impresses England's Trott before rain checks Pakistan's progress
Mohammad Rizwan was hailed as a "nuggety player who wants to get stuck in" by England batting consultant Jonathan Trott following the Pakistan wicketkeeper frustrated the hosts in the next Test at Southampton on Sunday before more bad weather interrupted the match.
Only 10.2 of the fourth day's scheduled 98 overs have been bowled when the umpires decided no more play was possible on a rainswept outfield, with England 7-1 in answer Pakistan's first innings 236.
Rizwan top-scored with 72 and expertly shepherded the tail when it appeared as if Pakistan could possibly be dismissed for under 200.
He was eventually last man out after an innings that spanned four days.
Rizwan batted for three and three-quarter hours, facing 139 balls with seven boundaries during his second fifty in eight career Tests following a 95 he made against Australia in Brisbane in November.
"Just how he plays, the skill in batting with the tail aswell is something that should not be underrated," Trott told reporters.
"Sometimes that is a challenge alone, to manoeuvre the ball and field so you are on strike again."
The former England batsman added: "He appears like a nuggety player who would like to get stuck where is what you want as a fielder from your own keeper and as a batter."
Pakistan struck with just the fourth ball of England's reply when left-arm quick Shaheen Afridi had Rory Burns caught by Asad Shafiq at second slip for a duck with a fine delivery that swung and seamed.
"There's very little he can do when you get that in early stages," said a sympathetic Trott.
Dom Sibley (two not out) and Zak Crawley (five not out), recalled in place of Ben Stokes following the all-rounder withdrew to be along with his ill father in New Zealand, both struggled against Afridi and the accurate Mohammad Abbas prior to the umpires called a halt at 12:00 pm (1100 GMT).
Play was finally abandoned for your day at 3:51 pm, with a spokesman for the umpires saying it could take at up to three hours at least to dry a rain-sodden outfield, thereby going beyond the 7:00 pm cut-off time for the day's play to end.
Predictably, the Ageas Bowl was bathed in sunshine minutes from then on decision was announced.
- 'Work to be done' -
With only a day now remaining, this match appears destined for a draw -- a result that would preserve England's 1-0 series lead following their three-wicket victory in the first Test at Old Trafford the other day.
The series ends with the third Test, also at Southampton, starting Friday.
"It is important we don't just view it as a day to bat out and walk away with the draw and be one-nil up," warned Trott.
"There is still work to be achieved against the brand new ball to make sure we are in a good place for the third Test. We've seen strange things happen in cricket and we realize the conditions will be pretty tough if the weather is similar."
Pakistan resumed on 223-9 after rain meant not really a ball was bowled Saturday after inclement weather had also curtailed the first two days.
Rizwan was 60 not out, having taken Pakistan from 176-8 to beyond 200 throughout a ninth-wicket stand with Abbas that saw the tailender make just two from 20 balls.
The aggressive Rizwan hit two more fours before, aiming legside off Stuart Broad, he was caught in the covers off a respected edge.
In-form paceman Broad led England's attack with 4-56 in 27.2 overs, a return that took his tally in four Tests this year to 26 wickets at a miserly average of 12.38.
