Bowlers impress as England dominate against Pakistan on day one

David Clough 22:01 01/06/2018
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  • In fantastic form: Stuart Broad

    England answered the rallying call from captain Joe Root as they dominated day one of the must-win second Test against Pakistan.

    After Sarfraz Ahmed chose to bat under initially sunny skies at Headingley, England’s three senior seamers shared nine wickets in humid conditions and Pakistan struggled to 174 all out against the swinging ball.

    By stumps, despite the late departure of Alastair Cook, the hosts were 106 for two on a good batting surface as they seek to square this series at 1-1 and avoid a seventh defeat in their last nine Tests.

    It was no less than Root demanded, on the eve of this match, when he spelled out that England have been under-performing for far too long.

    Stuart Broad, James Anderson and the returning Chris Woakes proved they had been listening as the hosts overcame the injury-enforced absence of key all-rounder Ben Stokes to take the initiative.

    Shadab Khan (56) responded, after the loss of three wickets for one run, with spirited resistance to help Pakistan more than double their total from 79 for seven.

    Nonetheless, even after Cook was caught behind hooking at Hasan Ali 10 minutes before the close and just four short of his fifty, there was no question where the balance of power lay.

    Pakistan lost their first wicket without a run on the board, Imam-ul-Haq edging the last ball of Broad’s first over high to a safe Root at third slip.

    The tourists took 27 balls to open their account, Azhar Ali eventually scrambling a single off Anderson – only for their second opener to depart in the 10th over, pinned lbw just on off-stump by Broad.

    Haris Sohail and Asad Shafiq also both went before lunch. Sohail became Woakes’ first victim, edging one angled across him to second slip, and then a juggling Cook held on at first when Shafiq failed to cover the bounce from the same bowler.

    Anderson was in business at the start of the afternoon, bowling Sarfraz off his pads as the Pakistan captain aimed to leg.

    Broad then struck again as debutant Usman Salahuddin was lbw pushing forward, and Anderson hit Faheem Ashraf in front too.

    Shadab and Mohammad Amir were in counter-attack mode, however, and took the total into three figures before the left-hander flailed a catch behind off Anderson.

    Hasan joined Shadab for another handy stand, 43 from just 31 balls – the number 10 climbing into three off-side fours in the eighth and last over of Anderson’s spell either side of lunch.

    Shadab’s was the pedigree innings, though, and he completed his 48-ball half-century with a memorable pull well in front of square off Woakes for his ninth four.

    Before then, Woakes had held a sharp return catch to see off Hasan. But it fell to debutant Sam Curran to end the innings when Shadab became his fellow teenager’s maiden Test victim – caught in the leg-side deep.

    Cook and Keaton Jennings provided an initial platform, but little more, with only England’s second half-century opening stand since the penultimate Test of last summer – at this same venue.

    Jennings, first of the 12 opening partners for Cook since 2012 to be given a second opportunity in the role, hinted he may be able to make a success of it until he fell to the last ball before mid-evening drinks.

    The nagging Ashraf found a thin, involuntary edge behind as Jennings tried to pull the bat inside the line on the back-foot defence.

    Cook and Root were then all set to close out the last hour-and-a-half until the opener’s unexpected mistake gave nightwatchman Dom Bess a job which he completed successfully.

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