England’s seamers rip through Pakistan for 110, taking a 180-run lead at Lord’s
England can anticipate finishing day two against Pakistan in the Lord’s Test as it started on Friday - batting.
England was all out for 290 in the morning, and its four seam bowlers then tore through Pakistan for 110 in 37.2 overs for a first-innings lead of 180.
Ollie Robinson had 4-11 off 13 overs, including six maidens. Jofra Archer had 3-26 from 11.2; Josh Tongue had two wickets and a luckless Gus Atkinson none.
Azan Awais was easily the standout for Pakistan. The novice opener, after scoring 0 and 9 in the first test defeat in Leeds last week, lasted to the 35th over, digging in against 102 balls to score 46.
He was out top-edging a pull to the boundary. Awais’ innings was remarkable considering the next best runs in Pakistan’s scoreboard were 20 extras.
He was the second-to-last man out at 106-8. Pakistan was effectively nine down because Awais’ opening partner Imam-ul-Haq couldn’t bat due to a low-grade left calf tear sustained while fielding on Thursday.
It’s questionable how much of a difference a full lineup would have made for Pakistan. The bowling was too good. Pakistan lost its most in-form batter, Abdullah Shafique, right on lunch, taken at 16-2 in 14.1 overs. Captain Babar Azam, coming back from a finger injury that made him miss the first test, walked out after lunch, hit a couple of boundaries through the covers, then edged Tongue to third slip. Saud Shakeel was the only batter other than Awais to reach double figures. He had 16 from 16 balls when he was pinned by Robinson on his back leg. After a 30-minute rain delay, Mohammad Rizwan was also out LBW to Robinson. The wickets fell in a hurry from that point.
Ali Usman played Archer onto his stumps, Khurram Shahzad edged Robinson to second slip, and Awais finally fell. Archer missed claiming Mohammad Ali, who was dropped by Joe Root at leg slip, but the fast bowler bowled Mohammad Abbas to end the innings.
