Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer ripped through Pakistan's batting line‑up, helping England build a commanding 261‑run lead on the second day of the Lord's Test. England’s bowlers were dominant with both ball and bat, opening the day with Josh Tongue (30 not out) and Gus Atkinson (45) at the crease. The lower order set the tone early, adding a vital 47‑run partnership that lifted England to a first‑innings total of 290. The hosts then unleashed a ferocious pace attack that bundled Pakistan out for just 110 runs in 37.2 overs.
The four‑man English seam brigade – Robinson, Archer, Tongue and Atkinson – produced an unrelenting spell before lunch, though they were slightly unlucky not to claim more wickets as Pakistan were 16‑2 at the close of the session. Back on his familiar Lord's turf, Robinson, who had taken seven wickets against New Zealand earlier in the summer, led the way with figures of 4‑11. Archer, displaying his trademark thunder, added 3‑26, while Tongue contributed by dismissing both Abdullah Shafique (5) and captain Babar Azam (8) on either side of the break. Azan Awais proved the most resilient Pakistani batsman, scoring 46 off 102 balls before being caught at mid‑on by Emilio Gay off a Robinson bouncer.
After tea England lost wickets quickly – Ben Duckett (1), Jordan Cox (11) and Joe Root (24) fell within 17 overs – and play was halted at 6.50 pm due to bad light with England 81‑3. Gay (30 not out) and Harry Brook (7 not out) were slated to resume on Saturday morning. When play resumed on Friday, Pakistan struggled to dismiss Tongue and Atkinson early, a lapse that proved costly.
Atkinson, after taking strike, hammered Ali Usman for a boundary and was soon caught at long‑off. Tongue’s batting was aggressive, sweeping four fours and exploiting a gap between third slip and gully, while Atkinson added quick runs, pushing England’s lead to 42 runs. Pre‑match expectations had been that England’s seamers would thrive on the Lord's surface, and they exceeded those forecasts, delivering an hour‑long, relentless spell before lunch. It took four overs for the first wicket, when Archer’s fiery delivery induced an edge from Shan Masood (1) that was caught behind by Smith.
Smith, who had top‑scored with 61 the previous day, returned to the action soon after, only to be edged by Tongue to Shafique, leaving Pakistan 2‑16 after 14.1 overs. After the interval, England maintained their intensity. Tongue claimed the crucial wicket of captain Babar, while Robinson once again worked his magic, dismissing Saud Shakeel (16) lbw after a review.
Robinson also trapped Mohammad Rizwan (7) lbw following a brief rain interruption, overturning two decisions in England’s favour. As clouds gathered over the "Home of Cricket," Robinson and Archer each added two more wickets. Archer removed Usman (1) and later sent Mohammad Abbas (2) back to the pavilion with a clean bowled. Brook edged a Robinson delivery to slip, dismissing Khurram Shazad (1) after Azan had been bowled by Atkinson earlier.
In England’s second innings, the start was shaky. Duckett drove a ball that ricocheted off Khurram onto Babar at mid‑off, while Cox fell lbw to a Pakistani bowler. The captain, Joe Root, was also dismissed for 24 after a delivery that mirrored Archer’s earlier strike on Brook, catching the edge on the pad. Despite the solid lead, England faced fresh pressure as Brook overturned an lbw decision on his first ball after a review.
Gay, meanwhile, fought back against the likes of Abbas and Ali, reaching 30 runs off 69 balls with six fours before play was again suspended due to fading light. The match will continue on Saturday with day three of the second Test, where England will look to consolidate their massive advantage and aim for a decisive victory over Pakistan. Viewers can follow the action live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.15 am, with streaming options available for those without a traditional Sky subscription.