The second test match of a three match series between the England and Pakistan men’s teams is in progress at Lord’s. Today is the third day, and even with some quite significant disruption by the weather it is against the odds that this game will reach day five. This post looks at what has happened so far.
DAY ONE
I had expected to miss pretty much the whole of day one due to work, but weather interruptions meant that I got to hear some of it once I was home from work. England reached 248-9 in difficult conditions, which looked pretty respectable especially given the known frailty of the Pakistan batting.
DAY TWO
Yesterday began with the last England pair, Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue, batting entertainingly. They advanced the score by 42 at pretty much a run a minute before Atkinson was last out for 45. Imam-ul-Haq had picked up a calf strain, and somewhat surprisingly did not bat at all. With the exception of Azan Awais, who fought hard, and got into the 40s, no one batted at all well for Pakistan in the face of some excellent England bowling. Ollie Robinson was almost unhittably accurate, recording figures of 13-6-11-4, while Jofra Archer bowled with lightning speed to record 11.2.-1-26-3. Josh Tongue picked up a couple of wickets, while Atkinson was wicketless. Pakistan had managed a beggarly 110 all out giving England a first innings lead of 180. By the close England were 81-3, 261 ahead, and the match already looked beyond Pakistan’s reach.
TODAY
Rain against disrupted things, and it was not until 2:20PM that play that could underway. Emilio Gay, unbeaten on 30 overnight, got an unplayable ball from Mohammad Abbas – it shot straight along the ground to pin him LBW. Abbas has since then added the wickets of Brook for 34, and Jamie Smith for 7, but Lawrence is batting well on 37, and Atkinson has just started his innings, on 7 not out, with a nice four off Abbas. England are 162-6, a lead of 342 overall, and certainly more than they are likely to need. England will be hoping there aren’t too many more interruptions, while Pakistan need something Noachian to save them. As I type rain has just intervened again.
PHOTOGRAPHS
My usual sign off…
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