Pakistan pacers rattled through the England top-order on the second day of the first Test at Old Trafford. After Shan Masood’s resilient knock of 156 runs off 326 deliveries helped Pakistan put a first innings total of 326, the bowlers reduced England to 92/4 at Stumps.
Mohammad Abbas was the start of the show with the ball as he took two wickets, including the most priced one of Ben Stokes. Shaheen Afridi and Yasir Shah took one apiece, while Naseem Shah provided able support with his fiery spells.
England were put on the backfoot in the first over itself when Afridi trapped Rory Burns for an LBW plumbed in the front of the middle stump. Despite the on-field umpire’s denial, a successful review gave Pakistan their first breakthrough.
Burns’ opening partner Dom Sibley found it just as difficult to adjust to the fiery spells of Afridi and Abbas. He fell two overs later in a much similar fashion as Burns, but the bowler was Abbas.
This meant that England had Ben Stokes and Joe Root in the middle within the first six overs of their innings. Even Stokes, who has enjoyed stellar form over the past year and a half, could not survive for long as Abbas’ delivery swung past his outside edge struck the top of his off stump.
Root hung on with Ollie Pope as the latter finally gave England a steady flow of runs. The pair put up 50 for the fourth wicket before the England captain edged Yasir Shah to wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan. Jos Buttler and Pope then saw England through to Stumps.
Earlier on the day, Masood has raced his way to his century and then to the 150 landmark. Pakistan had begun the day on a slow note but their scoring took the speed in the post-lunch session as Masood started flexing his arms for the first time in his marathon knock.
The visitors could have added more runs to their tally had someone else also stayed with Masood like Shadab Khan did. The duo had added 105 runs for the sixth wicket of which Shadab had contributed 46 runs in 76 balls.
Babar Azam had failed to add to his overnight score and was sent back to the pavilion in the first over of the day by James Anderson.
Brief Scores: Pakistan 326 (Shan Masood 156, Babar Azam 69; Stuart Broad 3/54) vs England 92/4 (Ollie Pope 46*, Jos Buttler 15*; Mohammad Abbas 2/24)