Day 2 belonged to Ollie Robinson and England as they dominated the day’s play from the word go and pushed Pakistan on the brink of a series defeat. After the last wicket pair wagged and added 42 more runs to the tally, England bowlers came out all guns blazing with Ollie Robinson picking 4 and Jofra Archer supporting him with 3 wickets as Pakistan were blown away for 110.
England found the going challenging in the second innings but through Emilio Gay’s 30* made 81/3 at the end of the day but with a huge first innings lead of 180 runs initially, the lead is already up to 261 runs. Pakistan bowlers worked so hard and tried to keep their side in the contest. But the batting was awful to say the least and so all the good work of the first day has been put to waste. England are now the dominant side after the first two days of the Lord’s Test match.
England’s last wicket pair adds 42 valuable runs to take the score to 290; Pakistan lose 2 wickets early in the morning session
Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue came out to resume proceedings for England while Mohammad Ali had the ball in hand for Pakistan. Tongue was off and running straightaway as he looked to defend and got an outside edge that went between gully and backward point for a boundary. Mohammad Abbas had the ball in hand from the other end. Tongue got another outside edge that went between second slip and gully for a boundary. Pakistan used DRS for LBW against Tongue, but the decision was upheld and the visitors lost their review. Ali continued and bowled a decent over.
Abbas continued and bowled a steady over. Ali too kept things tight out there. Abbas delivered another decent over. Ali continued as Tongue glanced it away by clipping it to the fine leg fence for a boundary. Abbas continued and dropped a tough return catch of his own bowling as the batter Atkinson got a lifeline. Ali continued and overstepped yet again while Tongue chipped the ball over mid-on for a triple. Abbas continued as Tongue got on top of the bounce and cut it hard in front of square for a boundary.
Ali Usman came into the attack next as Atkinson used his feet and came down the track to the pitch of the ball to hammer it over mid-on for a boundary. Usman got the last laugh as he dismissed Atkinson for 45 off 46 balls with 6 fours to his name as the batter hit it to Ali at long-off. Tongue remained unbeaten on 30 off 48 balls with 4 fours to his name as England finished with 290 in 66.4 overs. 24 extras conceded by Pakistan.
Mohammad Abbas was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan with figures of 4/73 in 20 overs. Mohammad Ali finished with 3/86 in 22 overs. Khurram Shahzad finished with 1/79 in 15 overs while Ali Usman finished with 1/39 in 9.4 overs. Now, it was the turn of Pakistan to bat in their first innings after keeping England to 290.
Azan Awais and Shan Masood came out to open the batting for Pakistan while Ollie Robinson had the ball in hand for England. Robinson overstepped but bowled a probing first over. Jofra Archer shared the new ball from the other end and he overstepped straightaway but bowled a decent over. Robinson continued as the LBW appeal against Awais was turned down. England reviewed and burnt their DRS. He bowled a decent over.
Archer continued and provided the first breakthrough for England as he removed Shan Masood for 1 off 11 balls with the outside edge taken by Jamie Smith. Abdullah Shafique came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Robinson continued and bowled a decent over. Archer too kept it tight. Robinson delivered a maiden. Archer continued as Azan broke the shackles a wee bit with a lovely square drive past the point fence for a boundary. Robinson continued and bowled another maiden over. Archer bowled another maiden as well.
Josh Tongue came into the attack next and he too started with a maiden. Gus Atkinson came into the attack next and he bowled a brute of a ball and the decision was OUT from the umpire. Azan challenged it immediately and the ball hit the shoulder and so the decision was overturned to NOT OUT. Atkinson bowled a probing over. Tongue continued and bowled a maiden. Atkinson continued as Azan got the outside edge to Harry Brook who put down a chance at second slip.
Tongue continued to bowl the last over before Lunch and on the first ball of that over, he dismissed Abdullah Shafique for 5 off 32 balls thanks to great usage of DRS. The umpire gave it NOT OUT, the England team reviewed as Shafique looked to play the square drive and got the edge through to the keeper as the replays on Ultra Edge confirmed it. Azan was unbeaten on 8 off 44 balls as Pakistan went to Lunch at 16/2 in 14.1 overs with captain Babar Azam set to join the youngster after the interval.
Ollie Robinson & Jofra Archer sinks Pakistan for 110 in a dominant afternoon session for England
Azan Awais and captain Babar Azam walked out to bat for Pakistan while Josh Tongue had to complete the over he started before Lunch. Babar showed his class as he crunched the ball through covers for a boundary to get himself going. Gus Atkinson continued from the other end as Azan played with soft hands past the slips and away to the third man fence as he played it late. Babar once again played a classical cover drive for a boundary.
Tongue continued and got the huge scalp of the Pakistan captain as Babar edged the ball to Jordan Cox at third slip for 8 off 10 balls with 2 fours to his name. Saud Shakeel came out to bat next. Atkinson continued and bowled a tight over. Tongue continued as Shakeel got off the mark with a boundary through the covers. Tongue gifted 5 wides as a bonus to the batting side. Atkinson continued and kept things tight out there.
Tongue continued as Shakeel drove the ball past backward point for a boundary. Shakeel was in full flow now as he cramed it through cover point for a boundary as the 50 came up for Pakistan in 20.3 overs. Shakeel went again as he flicked it fine past deep fine leg for a boundary. Atkinson continued as Azan got on top of the bounce and punched it through backward point for a boundary. Awais was growing in confidence now as he got on top of the bounce and punched it through covers for another boundary.
Ollie Robinson came back into the attack and he broke the threatening stand by removing Shakeel for 16 off 16 balls with 4 fours to his name as he was adjudged NOT OUT initially. England challenged the call and it came back as three reds. Keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan came out to bat next. Atkinson continued as Azan drove it through covers for a boundary and then played away from the body to get the edge past Lawrence at gully for a boundary. Azan got a triple with a drive through mid-off.
Robinson continued and bowled a maiden. Jofra Archer came back into the attack next and bowled a probing over. Robinson continued and bowled another good over. Archer continued as Azan drove the ball through covers for a boundary. Azan was given OUT caught behind off Archer but the DRS was used by the batter and the decision was overturned. Pakistan were 81/4 in 28 overs when rain intervened and delayed play for about 30 minutes. But play resumed soon in the afternoon session only.
Azan Awais and Mohammad Rizwan were back to resume proceedings for Pakistan while Ollie Robinson had the ball in hand for England. Robinson gifted 4 byes as a bonus to the batting side. Archer continued as Rizwan went for the drive and got an inside edge past off-stump for a boundary. Robinson continued and got rid of Rizwan for 7 off 20 balls with one four to his name thanks to DRS as the umpire gave it NOT OUT and it was overturned on replays. Ali Usman came out to bat next and was gifted 4 byes by the bowler.
Archer continued and bowled a decent over. Robinson continued and gifted 4 byes to the batting side as the 100 came up for Pakistan in 32.5 overs. Archer continued and finally got a wicket and the breakthrough as Usman dragged one onto the stumps for 1 off 13 balls. Khurram Shahzad came out to bat next. He got off the mark soon. Robinson continued and got the outside edge through to Brook at second slip who held on as he fell for 1 off 5 balls.
Mohammad Abbas came out to bat next and got off the mark. Robinson got another as he dismissed the set batter Azan for 46 off 102 balls with 7 fours to his name as the top edge carried to Emilio Gay at deep backward square leg. Mohammad Ali came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. Archer continued as Root put down a tough chance at leg slip with Ali getting a lifeline. Ali survived an umpire’s call on Impact against Archer.
Robinson continued and bowled a tight over. Archer continued and got the last wicket to fall as he knocked over Abbas for 2 off 9 balls as Pakistan lost their 9th wicket for 110. But with Imam-ul-Haq unable to bat due to calf strain and was being treated still, the innings came to an abrupt end. Ali remained unbeaten on 3 off 8 balls as Pakistan were done and dusted for 110 in 37.2 overs. 20 extras given by England as a gift.
Just 4 bowlers used by England and all pacers as they were good enough to do the job. Ollie Robinson was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4/11 in 13 overs. Jofra Archer supported him well with 3/26 in 11.2 overs. Josh Tongue finished with 2/27 in 6 overs. Gus Atkinson finished with 0/33 in 7 overs. England had a big first innings lead of 180 runs as at this stage Tea was taken on Day 2 after which England came out to bat next.
Khurram Shahzad strikes twice, but Emilio Gay holds fort to push England’s lead past 250 in the final session
With a huge lead of 180 runs, Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay came out to open the batting for England while Mohammad Abbas had the ball in hand for Pakistan. Abbas started with a tight over. Khurram Shahzad had the ball in hand from the other end. Duckett played a loose shot and gifted his wicket away to the bowler as Babar took a sharp catch at mid-off. Jordan Cox came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Abbas continued as Cox punched the ball through point for a boundary. Cox was in the zone as he crisply hit it through covers for a boundary. Shahzad continued and got rid of Cox LBW again due to DRS as the on-field umpire gave it NOT OUT and it was overturned to OUT due to three reds. Captain Joe Root came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Abbas continued and an appeal against Root was turned down. Pakistan reviewed and burnt the DRS. Shahzad continued and bowled a probing maiden over.
Abbas continued as Gay leaned into the drive through covers for a boundary as the lead crossed 200 runs. Shahzad continued as Root flicked it away through midwicket for a boundary. Abbas continued and bowled a decent over. Shahzad bowled another tight over. Mohammad Ali came into the attack next. Root managed to get a triple with an under edge past gully and slips. Ali overstepped yet again. Shahzad continued as Gay stood tall and flayed it up and over cover point for a boundary.
Ali continued as Root played it late and opened the bat face to get it past gully and slips for a boundary. Root played it with hard hands and got the outside edge past Shakeel at gully and second slip for another boundary. Shahzad continued as Gay lunged forward away from the body to get the outside edge past Shakeel at gully and away to the third man fence for a boundary. Ali continued and bowled a tight over. England were 53/2 in 15 overs when we paused for the Drinks Break in the final session of play.
Khurram Shahzad continued after the break and he overstepped as well. Gay played it with soft hands and the ball went along the ground past second slip and away to the fence for a boundary. Ali continued and got the massive breakthrough of Joe Root for 24 off 37 balls with 3 fours to his name as he was trapped plumb in front. Root reviewed in hope and burnt a review for England. Harry Brook came out to bat next and was given OUT LBW first ball. Brook reviewed it immediately and an inside edge was detected and the decision was overturned.
Abbas continued as Gay drove it through covers for a boundary. Ali continued as Brook punched it through point for a boundary. Abbas continued and bowled a probing over as the lead went past 250 runs now. Ali continued as Gay clipped it nicely past midwicket and square leg for a boundary. Ali gifted 5 wides as a bonus to the England team. Abbas continued and bowled a probing tight over.
England were 81/3 in 22 overs with Gay unbeaten on 30 off 69 balls with 6 fours to his name and Brook is with him unbeaten on 7 off 13 balls with one four to his name. 8 extras given by Pakistan so far. Bad light ended proceedings a little early on Day 2.
Three bowled used by Pakistan so far in the second innings. Khurram Shahzad is the pick of the bowlers so far with figures of 2/26 in 8 overs. Mohammad Ali chipped in with 1/27 in 6 overs. Mohammad Abbas bowled 8 overs for 27 runs. England lead by 261 runs with 7 second innings wickets in hand and 3 days of play left weather permitting and are on top at stumps on Day 2.
What Lies Ahead on Day 3.Â
For starters, the forecast for Day 3 looks grim. There is heavy rain predicted throughout the day. Let’s hope we get some play in and the forecast is wrong. But the Test match has moved like a tracer bullet and so even if we have rain, there is enough time for a result. As far as the Test match goes, England are back on top as it was a horrible day for Pakistan yesterday in all facets of the game especially batting. England will look to pile it on and get a lead of 400 and beyond.
Pakistan has to do damage control now and then bat better and show some fight which has been missing thus far in this series with the bat in hand. England should win this Test easily. Let’s see what Day 3 has in-store for us weatherwise and action wise as well.
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