Andrew Strauss' defiance earned England a lead of 42 over Pakistan, as wickets continued to clatter on the second morning of the final Test.
Abdur Rehman's second successive five-wicket Test haul helped to hustle England out for 141 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday, despite the England captain's determined and admirable 56.
But the value of Strauss' contribution was augmented as Pakistan lost two more wickets on the way to 30 in their second innings, in an hour of batting before lunch.
England, 2-0 down and with this series already lost, need to win here to be sure of keeping their world number one status for the International Cricket Council cut-off date at the start of April.
Strauss lost nightwatchman James Anderson to the last ball of the first over of the day, bowled through the gate trying to push-drive Rehman's orthodox left-arm spin.
Stuart Broad soon went at the other end, lbw on DRS pushing well forward to a Saeed Ajmal doosra which struck him just in line with off-stump.
Strauss' concentration did not dip, though, and he was rewarded with a 141-ball half-century - only his second in the past 12 months - when he went up the wicket to Rehman (five for 40) and got a thick edge past slip for his fifth four.
The opener had used the same tactic throughout, using his feet to Rehman in particular, but eventually fell doing just that - stumped after missing a mow to leg - and Graeme Swann was last out, sweeping Ajmal (three for 59) to deep backward-square.
England were back in the wickets themselves after seven overs with the new ball, Anderson finding Taufeeq Umar's outside edge on the front-foot defence for a regulation slip catch.
Then Mohammad Hafeez, having already hit Monty Panesar for a straight six and a cut for four in the same over, missed a sweep and was hit on the back thigh - enough for Steve Davis to judge him lbw.
