England strengthen grip over Pakistan as Lord’s test ends early due to bad light

The second day of the Lord’s Test was brought to an early close due to poor light, with England once again dominating Pakistan

LONDON: The second day of the Lord’s Test was brought to an early close due to poor light, with England once again dominating Pakistan in all departments of the game.

England ended the second day at 81 for three in their second innings, extending their overall lead to a commanding 261 runs. The strong position has given England a firm grip on the second Test and put Pakistan under considerable pressure heading into the third day.

England lost three wickets during their second innings. Joe Root was dismissed for 24, Jordan Cox scored 11 before returning to the pavilion, while Ben Duckett was dismissed for just one run. Emilio Gay remained unbeaten on 30, while Harry Brook was on seven at the close of play.

For Pakistan, Khurram Shahzad claimed two wickets in England’s second innings, while Mohammad Ali took one.

Earlier, Pakistan’s batting collapsed during their first innings, with the team failing to produce a competitive total. Apart from young batter Azaan Owais, none of the Pakistani batsmen managed to spend significant time at the crease.

Owais top-scored for Pakistan with 46 runs, while Saud Shakeel was the only other notable contributor, scoring 16. Eight Pakistani batsmen failed to reach double figures as England’s bowlers maintained consistent pressure throughout the innings.

Pakistan captain Shan Masood was dismissed for one run, while Abdullah Shafique scored five and captain Babar Azam managed only eight. Mohammad Rizwan contributed seven runs, while Mohammad Abbas scored two. Ali Usman and Khurram Shahzad were both dismissed after scoring one run each.

Opening batter Imam-ul-Haq was unable to come out to bat because of a calf injury, further weakening Pakistan’s batting lineup.

England’s bowlers took full advantage of the conditions. Ollie Robinson claimed four wickets, while Jofra Archer took three to dismantle Pakistan’s batting order.

Earlier in the day, England resumed their first innings with Gus Atkinson on 34 and Josh Tongue on one, after the hosts had finished the previous day on 248 for nine. The English tailenders added another 42 runs to the overnight total before the innings came to an end.

Atkinson was the final England wicket to fall, scoring 45 runs before he was dismissed by Ali Usman. England had been reduced to 248 for nine when bad light forced an early end to the opening day.

Jamie Smith and Jordan Cox had been the leading contributors for England in the first innings, both scoring half-centuries. Smith made 61, while Cox scored 55. Ben Duckett and Lawrence contributed 17 runs each, while Harry Brook scored 15 and Jofra Archer added 14.

Pakistan’s bowling attack was led by Mohammad Abbas, who claimed four wickets. Mohammad Ali took three wickets, while Khurram Shahzad and Ali Usman picked up one wicket each.

With England already leading the three-match series 1-0, their commanding position in the second Test has increased the pressure on Pakistan. England will now look to build their lead further on the third day and put themselves in a position to secure another victory, while Pakistan will need a major turnaround with both bat and ball to remain competitive in the match.

The early finish due to bad light means both teams will return on the third day with valuable overs still available. Pakistan face the difficult task of restricting England’s lead and then producing a much stronger batting performance if they are to keep their hopes of leveling the series alive.