Pakistan bowler Mohammad Abbas took four wickets as his side just edged the first day of the second Test against England at Lord’s on Thursday although the hosts clambered back from a rocky start to end a weather-shortened day on 248-9.
After Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl on a muggy morning following some long overdue London rain, Abbas took full advantage of the conditions to wreck England’s top order.
A stunning opening spell of 3 for 34 before lunch, including the removal of England skipper Joe Root, put Pakistan in command with the hosts reeling on 80-4 at lunch.
But England, led by half centuries from Jordan Cox and Jamie Smith, responded to move towards respectability, especially against a Pakistan side whose batting was ruthlessly exposed during a heavy defeat at Leeds.
Cox dug in for 55 while Smith made an aggressive 61 and Gus Atkinson swung the bat late on for an unbeaten 34 before bad light forced an early end to proceedings after only 56 overs.
“This is my favourite ground. I played my first test match here in 2018 and I was man of the match,” Abbas said.
“Our coach said stick to the plan and bowl them out as soon as possible. I think they scored a little bit more (after the morning session). Smith played well, but still we are happy.”
The vastly-experienced Abbas would have afforded himself a smile when captain Babar Azam, back after missing the first test defeat, called right to win a delayed toss.
Eight years ago at Lord’s, Abbas claimed eight wickets in a Pakistan win and he found conditions optimal again as he went about his business in skilful fashion.
He made the breakthrough with the last ball of his third over when Emilio Gay flicked a leg side delivery off his pads but was caught by a diving Mohammad Rizwan behind the stumps.
Ben Duckett looked to be aggressive but was undone when on 17 as Abbas jagged a ball back that trapped him on his back foot and was given out lbw on review.
Root has spent the build-up fielding questions about England’s discipline after bowler Brydon Carse was dropped from the squad following an investigation into an incident outside a nightspot in Derby on Saturday.
He would have hoped to spend some time doing what he does best out in the middle but trudged off after being trapped lbw by Abbas for four, having been dropped on one.
Harry Brook was next to go, bowled by a peach of an inswinger by Mohammad Ali as England limped to lunch.
Cox, batting calmly at three, was joined by Dan Lawrence and they were digging in until Lawrence set off for a risky single and was run out by Rizwan after some sharp fielding by Shan Masood at square leg.
England lost only one wicket in the afternoon session to reach 180-5 but the increasingly dangerous partnership between Cox and Smith ended on 67 as substitute fielder and former captain Salman Agha clung on to a sensational one-handed slip catch as Cox edged an attempted drive off Khurram Shahzad.
Smith was in full flow but fell to Ali who then bowled Ollie Robinson two balls later for a duck.
Abbas took his fourth wicket as Jofra Archer slogged across the line after making 14 but Atkinson was still there swinging as England repaired some of the earlier damage in the murk.
“Yeah, a tricky one — it’s a decent enough day for us. The ball was still doing enough, nipping around with the overhead conditions,” Smith said. “They bowled nicely, I think they showed that wickets with the new ball always puts you under a bit more pressure but it did get a bit easier as the ball got softer which helped us as a batting side.”
Source: Khaleej Times