12.11 AM Friday, 29 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:57 06:11 12:27 15:53 18:37 19:51
29 March 2024

Pakistan in control despite Woakes heroics

England's Chris Woakes celebrates taking the wicket of Pakistan's Sarfraz Ahmed with Joe Root and teammates. (Action Images via Reuters)

Published
By Reuters

Yasir Shah made a useful unbeaten 30 after starring with the ball to leave Pakistan well-placed come stumps on the third day of an intriguing first Test against England at Lord's on Saturday.

Pakistan were 214 for eight in their second innings at the close, a lead of 281 runs, after leg-spinner Shah took six for 72 in England's first innings 272.

But at stumps he was shaking hands with Chris Woakes after the Warwickshire all-rounder had taken five for 31 to follow the lively paceman's Test-best haul of six for 70 in Pakistan's first innings 339.

Woakes, only recalled to Test duty after fellow all-rounder Ben Stokes was injured during the preceding Sri Lanka series, now had an overall return of 11 for 101 - the first time he had taken at least 10 wickets in a Test match.

It also made him the first England bowler to take five wickets in each innings of a Lord's Test since all-round great Ian Botham did so against New Zealand in 1978.  

England now need to at least equal their record fourth-inning score to win a Test at Lord's of 282 for three against New Zealand in 2004 if they are to go 1-0 up in this four-match series.

"A lead of 300 would be very nice tomorrow," Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur told Sky Sports.

Sarfraz Ahmed (45) and Shah frustrated England in a seventh-wicket stand of 40.

Both batsmen were dropped off the luckless Steven Finn as the fast bowler went wicketless on his Middlesex home ground.

Shah was on two when he chipped Finn and a diving Stuart Broad just failed to cling on to a tough low chance at mid-off.

Ahmed should have been out for 36 when Finn took the outside only for wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow, going to his right, to drop the chance as the ball hit his wrist.

Fortunately for England, it was not too costly a miss with Woakes producing even simpler chances that Bairstow held to get rid of both the gritty Ahmed and Wahab Riaz (nought).

But Finn knew it wasn't his day when Shah, promoted from his first-innings spot of No 11, went down on one knee to hoist him for four high over deep square leg.

"I apologised to him (Finn), because I came on and picked up a couple of cheap ones (wickets) - and he'd bowled really well and deserved a couple if not more," said Woakes.

Magnificent

Pakistan ended day three of the first test in a strong position but the match remained delicately poised as a magnificent bowling display by Chris Woakes kept England in the hunt at Lord's on Saturday.

England were bowled out for 272, adding only 19 runs to their overnight score, as a Yasir Shah-inspired Pakistan took a first-innings lead of 67.

Wickets fell regularly thereafter on a slowish pitch as Pakistan reached 214 for eight for a lead of 281.

"A lead of 300 would be very nice tomorrow," Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur said. "I'm disappointed that none of our batsmen pushed on today."

Pakistan were reduced to 60 for four but valuable knocks from Sarfraz Ahmed (45) and Asad Shafiq (49) kept the scoreboard ticking as Pakistan stretched their lead.

Shafiq was particularly impressive, striking eight boundaries in his 96-ball innings before missing a straight ball from Woakes and seeing his stumps re-arranged.

Woakes also removed Sarfraz who edged behind to Jonny Bairstow and shortly before the close had Wahab Riaz caught behind for a duck.

He ended with five wickets for 31 as he took his match haul to 11-101 - the second best match figures for an England player in this decade.

England had resumed on 253 for seven in reply to Pakistan's 339 all out but any hopes of reaching parity or overtaking that total quickly vanished.

Stuart Broad only managed to add six runs to his overnight total before he fell to a full inswinger from Wahab.

The 30-year-old Yasir then trapped Steve Finn leg before for five and, with no reviews left, he had no choice but to walk.

Yasir's figures of 6-72 were the best recorded by a visiting spinner against England at Lord's since Sid Pegler's 7-65 for South Africa 104 years ago.

Debutant Jake Ball was run out by Shan Masood as he looked for a second run to keep Woakes on strike but was short by some distance as Pakistan wrapped up the England tail.

Woakes was unbeaten on 35.

Pakistan made a rocky start to their second innings with  Broad having struggling opener Mohammad Hafeez caught by Joe Root at second slip for a duck.

Shan Masood and Azhar Ali steered Pakistan to lunch but both fell to Woakes in the afternoon session, Masood edging an outswinger to Alastair Cook having made 24 and Azhar out lbw after an unsuccessful review.

Moeen Ali then took the prized scalp of Misbah-ul-Haq with the Pakistan captain failing to score.

Younus Khan made a scratchy 25 before being bowled by Moeen but Shafiq was joined by Sarfraz and the pair helped Pakistan into a position of some strength despite best efforts of Woakes.