Ollie Robinson started the demolition act before Josh Tongue supported him well from the other end as England won the opening day by bowling Pakistan out for 171 and then, despite losing both openers, recovered courtesy of their captain Joe Root and new Number 3 Jordan Cox to end at 112/2 at the end of Day 1, trailing by 59 runs. Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue both picked up 5 wickets apiece to dismantle Pakistan for 171 on a challenging pitch for the batters.
For Pakistan, Abdullah Shafique got a half-century batting at 4, the position left vacant by the injured Babar Azam, while Imam-ul-Haq played decently for his 42. The rest of the batting crumbled under pressure as 12 wickets fell on the first day, giving the Test match an electrifying start. There is a forecast of rain on Day 2 at Leeds, and so these 12 wickets falling might help in having a result in this match.
Ollie Robinson struck twice before rain halted play to make it a truncated morning session
Put into bat first under overcast conditions, Azan Awais and Imam-ul-Haq came out to open the batting for Pakistan while Ollie Robinson had the ball in hand for England. Robinson gave England a dream start as he dismissed Awais off the first ball of the series for a golden duck LBW. The southpaw reviewed in hope and burnt a review as well first-up. Shan Masood came out to bat next. Jofra Archer shared the new ball from the other end and bowled a maiden despite not getting his radar right yet.
Robinson continued and bowled another probing over. Archer bowled another maiden. Robinson continued as an appeal went up against Imam. The umpire said no, England reviewed and burnt their review as well. Soon, Robinson struck in the same over as he trapped Masood right in front for 5 off 20 balls LBW, and it was so plumb that Shan decided not to challenge the call. Abdullah Shafique came out to bat at 4 and got off the mark straightaway.
Gus Atkinson came into the attack next as Shafique shuffled across and creamed it past mid-on for a boundary, the first of the Test match. Robinson continued and bowled a maiden over. Atkinson continued and bowled a decent over. Robinson continued as Imam looked to clip it leg side and the ball got the outside edge that flew to the left of third slip and away to the fence.
Atkinson continued as Shafique creamed it through the covers and extra cover for a boundary. England appealed for caught behind and LBW against Shafique but none of it was fruitful as the ball missed the bat and the height saved the batter. Pakistan were 23/2 in 9.4 overs at this stage when heavy rain lashed Leeds to wash out the rest of the morning session. An early Lunch was taken after which play did resume later under bright skies for the last two extended sessions.
Ollie Robinson & Josh Tongue combine to keep Pakistan on the back foot in an extended afternoon session
Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq resumed proceedings for Pakistan while Gus Atkinson had the ball in hand to complete his over. He completed his last two balls without any drama. Ollie Robinson had the ball in hand from the other end. Imam creamed the on-drive past short midwicket for a triple. Atkinson continued and bowled a decent over. Robinson continued as Shafique handsomely drove through extra cover for a boundary. Atkinson continued as Imam got the ball away through gully for a boundary.
Robinson continued and bowled a decent over. Atkinson continued as Imam drove the ball straight back past the bowler for a boundary. Jofra Archer came back into the attack next. He bowled another maiden. Atkinson continued as Imam cut the ball square of the wicket past backward point for a boundary as the 50 came up for Pakistan in 17.2 overs. Archer continued as Shafique drove the ball past the non-striker and away to the long-on fence for a boundary. Imam joined in as he drove the overpitched ball through covers for a boundary. Imam managed to get a triple past mid-on as well.
Josh Tongue came into the attack for the first time in the innings. He bowled a probing first over. Archer continued and bowled a decent over. Tongue too kept it tight. Archer bowled another good over. Tongue continued as Shafique took him on first with a leg glance past fine leg for a boundary and then flicked it wide of mid-on for another boundary. The first Drinks Break of the afternoon session was taken with Pakistan at 81/2 in 24 overs.
Archer continued after the break as Imam slashed it hard over gully for a boundary. Imam then flicked it behind square towards the fine leg region for a triple. Ollie Robinson came back into the attack and bowled a maiden. Josh Tongue changed ends as Shafique drove the ball straight down the ground for a boundary. Robinson continued and bowled a decent over.
Tongue finally broke through and broke the partnership as he got the outside edge off Imam and the ball carried to Harry Brook at second slip, who took a good low catch. Imam fell for 42 off 74 balls with 6 fours to his name.
Saud Shakeel came out to bat next, and he opened his bat face to drive it behind square for a boundary to get off the mark. The 100 came up for Pakistan in 29 overs. Robinson continued and overstepped as well. Gus Atkinson returned to the attack and bowled a maiden. Shafique brought up his 7th Test fifty off 82 balls, a hard-working innings from the right-hander. Robinson bowled a decent over. Atkinson continued and bowled a tight over.
Robinson bowled a maiden. Atkinson continued as Shafique tucked it away through square leg for a boundary. Pakistan reached 114/3 in 35 overs when we again paused for the second Drinks break of the afternoon session. Robinson continued after the break and got another wicket to his name as he removed Saud Shakeel for 5 off 25 balls with one four to his name, as he was adjudged LBW.
Shakeel wasted too much time and then wanted the DRS but was timed out. Replays showed it to be missing the stumps due to height. A lucky break for England.
Captain for this Test match, Salman Ali Agha came out to bat next. Atkinson continued and bowled a probing over. Robinson continued and got the big wicket now as he removed Shafique for 61 off 104 balls with 8 fours to his name with an absolute beauty as he cleaned him up. Keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan came out to bat next. Atkinson continued and bowled a decent over. Robinson continued as Salman clipped it away past mid-on for a boundary.
Josh Tongue came back into the attack and bowled a decent over. Jofra Archer returned as well, and Salman cut the short and wide ball past backward point for a boundary. Tongue continued as Salman cut it again past backward point for another boundary. Salman then flashed and flashed hard past the diving Cox at third slip for a boundary. Archer continued and bowled a decent over.
Tongue continued as Rizwan got into the act with a boundary through the fine leg region, helping it on its way. The 150 came up for Pakistan in 44.2 overs. Tongue bounced back as he cleaned up Pakistan captain Salman for 21 off 29 balls with 4 fours to his name. Ali Usman came out to bat next, and he was adjudged LBW off the first ball he faced off Tongue. Usman challenged the call and wasted it as Pakistan were down to 1 review left, like England.
Usman went for a golden duck as Tongue had two in two balls. Tea was taken at this stage with Pakistan at 150/7 with Rizwan at the crease. The Hat-Trick ball was set to be bowled in the final session of play.
Pakistan gets bowled out for 171; Joe Root stabilises England after losing both openers cheaply in the final session
Khurram Shahzad came out to bat to join Mohammad Rizwan in the middle while Josh Tongue had the ball in hand for England with the hat-trick ball. Shahzad crunched the hat-trick ball through the covers to get off the mark with a boundary. Ollie Robinson continued as Shahzad pushed the ball away from the body to catch the edge past third slip and away to the third man fence for a boundary.
Tongue continued and trapped Rizwan in front for 12 off 19 balls with one four to his name, LBW. Rizwan reviewed as the umpire’s call came on Impact and Hitting the stumps. The review was saved, but Rizwan had to go. Mohammad Abbas came out to bat next and was gifted 4 byes as a bonus by the fielding side. Robinson continued as Shahzad swung across the line as the ball raced away to the vacant deep midwicket fence for a boundary.
Shahzad got a reprieve as Atkinson dropped a catch at mid-on. But Robinson was not to be denied as he dismissed Shahzad for 14 off 12 balls with 3 fours to his name, with Atkinson taking the catch at mid-on. Robinson got a five-wicket haul to his name. Mohammed Ali came out to bat next. Tongue continued and dismissed Abbas for 2 off 5 balls by cleaning him up and completing his five-wicket haul as Pakistan were bowled out for 171 in 48.1 overs. Mohammad Ali remained unbeaten on 0 off 0 balls. 9 extras were given by England.
From England’s point of view with the ball in hand, only four bowlers were used, and two of them took all the wickets. Ollie Robinson was the real star and started the rout as he finished with 5/51 in 18 overs. He was ably supported by Josh Tongue, who finished with 5/46 in 9.1 overs. Jofra Archer bowled 9 overs and gave away 26 runs while Ollie Robinson bowled 12 overs for 40 runs. Now, it was England’s turn to bat in their first innings.
Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay walked out to open the batting for England while Mohammad Abbas had the ball in hand for Pakistan. Duckett survived a close LBW shout against him as the umpire gave it NOT OUT, and the umpire’s call on hitting the stumps meant the review was retained, but Pakistan did not get the first wicket. Abbas bowled a brilliant first over.
Khurram Shahzad took the new ball from the other end. He bowled a decent over. Abbas continued as Gay hit the first boundary of the England innings with a cover drive through deep covers. Shahzad continued and bowled a decent over. Abbas continued as Gay shuffled across and flicked it away to deep backward square leg for a boundary and then played it through the covers past deep cover for a boundary. Shahzad bowled a decent over.
Abbas continued as Gay guided the ball past gully for a triple. Shahzad continued as Gay punched it square of the wicket for a boundary. Abbas continued and provided the first breakthrough for Pakistan as Duckett was adjudged LBW for 15 off 28 balls. Duckett used the DRS and burnt that one as well. Jordan Cox came out to bat next. Mohammad Ali came into the attack next as he was greeted with a boundary from Gay as he drove it behind square past backward point.
Gay was in his zone as he caressed the ball through cover point for a boundary and then chipped it nicely past vacant deep backward square leg for another boundary. Ali had the last laugh as he removed Gay for 33 off 31 balls with 7 fours to his name as the ball got the outside edge through to Salman Ali Agha, the captain at second slip. Captain Joe Root came out to bat next.
Abbas continued as Cox got off the mark with a boundary square of the wicket off-side with a drive. Ali continued and bowled a decent over. England were 55/2 in 12 overs when we paused for the Drinks Break in the final session of play. Abbas continued after the break and bowled a maiden. Ali continued as Cox got the outside edge between gully and third slip for a boundary and then crisply through cover point for another boundary. Abbas bowled a decent over.
Ali continued as Root got into the act with a punch square of the wicket past backward point for a boundary. Abbas bowled a decent over. Khurram Shahzad returned to the attack as Root welcomed him back with a cut past backward point for a boundary. The bowler conceded 4 leg byes as a bonus to the batting side. Root then flicked the ball past long leg for a boundary. Abbas continued as Cox got on top of the bounce and punched it past mid-off for a boundary.
Shahzad continued and bowled a decent over. Ali continued and bowled a decent over as well. Shahzad continued as Root glanced the ball past fine leg for another boundary as the 50-run stand came up between Cox and Root. Ali continued as Root got the edge and the gap between gully and slip for a boundary as the 100 came up for England in 22.2 overs. Ali Usman came into the attack next. Root opened the bat face and cut it past backward point for a boundary.
Root managed to get a triple between extra cover and mid-off through a drive. Mohammad Ali came to bowl the final over of the day, and he bowled a decent over. England finished the day at 112/2 in 25 overs with Root unbeaten on 37 off 53 balls with 6 fours to his name alongside Cox unbeaten on 23 off 38 balls with 4 fours to his name. 4 extras given by Pakistan so far as England trail by 59 runs with 8 wickets in hand in the first innings.
Four bowlers used by Pakistan so far. Mohammad Abbas finished the day with 1/34 in 10 overs. Mohammad Ali finished with 1/38 in 7 overs. Khurram Shahzad finished with 0/28 in 7 overs. Ali Usman’s first over yielded 8 runs. So, England are in control at Stumps on Day 1.
What Lies Ahead On Day 2
For starters, there is rain forecast on Day 2 of this Test match. So, we could see another truncated day in store. This Test match has moved at a rapid speed with 12 wickets already down after the first day. England will want to pile on the runs and get as big a lead as possible to pile misery on Pakistan. It is daring to say this, but they would like to bat only once if possible. Pakistan’s hope is the morning session. They need wickets in clusters to roar back into the contest. Even if they concede a lead, the aim is to keep the deficit as low as possible and then bat better.
So, an intriguing Day 2 awaits us all, weather permitting at Leeds, of course. Hoping for a full day ahead.
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