LEEDS: Persistent rain washed out the first session of Day 2 of the opening Test between England and Pakistan on Thursday at Headingley.
Due to weather conditions, the start was delayed, never allowing a single ball to be bowled in the first session as the umpires decided to call early lunch. The pitch inspection will take place at 5:00 pm.
England ended the opening day in a commanding position at 112-2, trailing Pakistan by 59 runs after dismissing the visitors for just 171 in their first innings.
Joe Root, beginning his second stint as England’s full-time Test captain, remained unbeaten on 37, while Jordan Cox was not out on 23 when play was halted due to bad weather.
The hosts’ strong position came after their pace attack dismantled Pakistan’s batting lineup, with Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue sharing all 10 wickets between them.
Robinson, recalled to the England Test side, made an immediate impact by dismissing Abdullah Shafique with the first delivery of the match.
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He finished with impressive figures of 5-51 from 18 overs, claiming four of Pakistan’s top five wickets.
Tongue completed his five-wicket haul with figures of 5-46 as Pakistan were bowled out inside 50 overs.
Pakistan’s resistance came largely through Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq, who scored 61 and 42 respectively and combined for a 91-run third-wicket partnership.
However, once their stand was broken, Pakistan suffered a collapse and lost their remaining wickets cheaply.
The opening Test is England’s first since the international retirement of former captain Ben Stokes and the departure of red-ball head coach Brendon McCullum.