When rain forced an early tea on the third day, Pakistan in their second innings were 167 for five in reply to England's first innings 461 for nine declared -- still 175 runs behind.

By then left-arm spinner Panesar had captured the prize wickets of Mohammad Yousuf, Pakistan captain Inzamamul Haq and Younis Khan on his way to a return of four for 48 in 19.1 overs.

Panesar struck first ball after lunch removing the dangerous Yousuf for 15 after he drew the batsman forward and beat the outside edge before wicketkeeper Geraint Jones completed the stumping.

Pakistan were 101 for three at that stage and that became 117 for four when Panesar saw off Inzamam for an unlucky 13.

The Pakistan skipper played the ball onto his toe as he pushed forward and Alastair Cook took the catch at silly point although it needed TV umpire Ian Gould to confirm the decision.

Panesar had taken two wickets for nine runs in 18 balls and, in a match coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Jim Laker's Test world record 19 for 90 at Old Trafford, another England spin bowler was playing an important, if not quite as dramatic, role at the Manchester venue.

Younis chanced his arm on a couple of occasions before completing a 91-ball fifty with six fours while new batsman Faisal Iqbal lofted Panesar for six.

But the 24-year-old Northamp-tonshire bowler, the first Sikh to play Test cricket for England, was unruffled and removed Younis for 62 when the batsman, propping forward but playing no stroke was lbw to leave Pakistan 161 for five. Pakistan resumed Saturday on 12 without loss.

Kamran Akmal was two not out and Imran Farhat, batting with a fracture in his right ring finger, four not out.

Before play started fast bowler Harmison, who took six for 19 in Pakistan's meagre first innings 119, was passed fit after leaving the field late on Friday with a side strain.

Meanwhile Jones continued despite suffering a fracture in the tip of his right ring finger while batting Friday.

Harmison allayed fears regarding his fitness in his first over Saturday, all of his initial six deliveries clocked in excess of 81 mph.

And in the fourth over, Harmison and Jones combined to reduce Pakistan to 21 for one.

Akmal, promoted to open after Salman Butt was dropped from the team that drew the first Test at Lord's, was undone by a ball that lifted alarmingly off a good length and fended behind to Jones, the Pakistan wicket-keeper out for his second four of the match.

Harmison was now on his way to a fiery opening spell of 7-2-10-1.

Andrew Strauss, captaining England in the ongoing absence of Andrew Flintoff with an ankle injury, brought Panesar -- who'd supported Harmison with three for 21 in the first innings -- into the attack.

Panesar was soon getting sharp turn, as well as bounce, and his accuracy was rewarded in his fourth over when Farhat, on 34, lunged forward and gave a simple bat/pad catch to Ian Bell at short leg.

Harmison's first innings haul, on a lively pitch, saw England capitalise on the fact that, as in the drawn first Test at Lord's, Pakistan were without leading fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar (ankle), Mohammad Asif (elbow) and Navedul Hasan (out of the whole tour with a groin injury).

His return was then backed up by Alastair Cook (127) and Bell (106 not out) who batted England into a commanding position with their second successive Test hundreds after they'd each reached three figures at Lord's.