LONDON: Pakistan pacer Mohammad Abbas picked up three wickets as England’s top order stumbled at Lord’s Cricket Ground on Thursday.
England were tettering at lunch on 80-4. Jordan Cox remained not out on 27 off 29, hitting four boundaries, while Dan Lawrence remained unbeaten on two.
The play started after an hour-long delay due to rain.
England openers Emilio Gay and Ben Duckett added 21 in four overs before Abbas controlled the proceedings with his meticulous bowling.
The right-armer first removed Gay, caught for eight down the leg-side as Mohammad Rizwan took an excellent catch.
Shortly after, Duckett was pinned lbw for eight, leaving the hosts two down for 26. The early wickets brought England captain Joe Root to the crease alongside Jordan Cox.
The duo only added 10 before Abbas ended Root’s itchy and short stay at the crease. He was lbw for four.
At this stage, England were 36-3 as Harry Brook and Jordan Cox stitched a counter-attacking partnership of 41 runs. Brook two boundaries in his 15 off 26 before he was cleaned bowled by Mohammad Ali. The wicket made it a complete Pakistan morning at Lord’s.
Playing XIs2
England: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox, Joe Root (c), Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith (wk), Ollie Robinson, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue.
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, and Mohammad Abbas.
READ: Mohammad Abbas completes 900 first-class wickets at Lord’s