Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer tore through Pakistan's batting line‑up, helping England build a commanding 261‑run lead on the second day of the second Test at Lord's. The English side displayed dominance with both ball and bat, beginning the day with a solid opening partnership between Josh Tongue (30 not out) and Gus Atkinson (45). The lower order quickly set the tone, adding a valuable 47 runs that took England to a first‑innings total of 290.
Once the hosts’ fiery pace attack returned to the crease, they dismantled Pakistan for just 110 runs in 37.2 overs. The four‑man English seam unit – Robinson, Archer, Tongue and Atkinson – ran rampant, delivering an unrelenting spell before lunch that, while not yielding as many wickets as it might have, kept the Pakistani batsmen under constant pressure. Pakistan found themselves 16 for 2 at the close of the session. Robinson, who had previously claimed seven wickets at Lord's against New Zealand in June, was the standout bowler, returning figures of 4‑11.
Archer, showcasing his trademark raw pace, added 3‑26, while Tongue contributed by dismissing both Abdullah Shafique (caught for 5) and captain Babar Azam (out for 8) around the lunch break. Azan Awais proved the most resilient Pakistani batsman, top‑scoring with 46 off 102 balls before being caught at mid‑on by Emilio Gay off a well‑timed Robinson bouncer.
After tea, England lost wickets in quick succession: Ben Duckett fell for a single, Jordan Cox was out for 11, and Joe Root managed 24 before the innings stalled at 81‑3 at stumps. Gay (30 not out) and Harry Brook (7 not out) were left unbeaten, set to resume on Saturday morning. On Friday morning Pakistan struggled to make inroads against Tongue and Atkinson, a lapse that proved costly. Atkinson, taking the strike, hammered Ali Usman for four, only to be caught on the next delivery.
Tongue’s aggressive batting yielded four boundaries, and his placement between the third slip and gully raised questions about Pakistan’s field placements. England’s bowlers had been expected to exploit the Lord’s conditions, and they exceeded those expectations with a relentless hour‑long spell before lunch. It took four overs for the first wicket to fall when Archer bowled a searing delivery that induced an edge from Shan Masood, caught behind by Smith. Smith, who had top‑scored with 61 the previous day, returned to the crease only to be dismissed by Tongue, who sent a sharp delivery that saw Shafique edge behind, leaving Pakistan 2‑16 after 14.1 overs.
The English attack kept the pressure on after the break. Tongue claimed the crucial wicket of captain Babar Azam, while Robinson once again worked his magic, dismissing Saud Shakeel (16) lbw after a review. Robinson also trapped Mohammad Rizwan (7) lbw, overturning a previous decision in England’s favour. As clouds gathered over the historic ground, Robinson and Archer each added two more wickets.
Archer removed Ali Usman (1) and later sent Mohammad Abbas (2) back to the pavilion with a clean bowled. Brook contributed by edging Khurram Shazad (1) in the slips off Robinson’s spell, following an earlier dismissal of Azan by Atkinson. In England’s second innings, the start was shaky.
Duckett mishit a drive that led to a catch 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 the one that had previously removed Brook, catching the edge on his front pad.
Despite the shaky start, England’s lead remained imposing, putting additional pressure on Pakistan’s lower order. Brook overturned an lbw decision on his first ball after a review, while Gay displayed resilience, battling the likes of Abbas and Ali to reach 30 runs off 69 balls, punctuated by six boundaries before play was halted due to insufficient light. The match will continue on day three, with England aiming to extend their dominant position and Pakistan seeking to salvage pride. Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10:15 am on Saturday.
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