Pakistan’s seam attack proved decisive on a damp, overcast afternoon at Lord's, as Mohammad Abbas and Mohammad Ali led the bowling effort that saw England wobble to 248 for 9 on the first day of the second Test. A heavy shower delayed the start of play until just after noon on Thursday, and the weather set the tone for a gloomy opening session. After winning the toss and opting to bowl, Pakistan immediately put England under pressure, reducing the hosts to three wickets down for just 36 runs after 10.3 overs.
The day began under a grey sky, mirroring England’s bleak start. The loss of captain Joe Root early in the innings added to the gloom.
Root, who had been under a cloud following the recent off‑field controversy involving bowler Brydon Carse, was bowled by Abbas for a modest four runs. The dismissal was quickly followed by cheap wickets for Ben Duckett (17) and Emilio Gay (8), both taken by Abbas, who was in superb rhythm. Abbas finished with impressive figures of four for 56, while Ali claimed three for 67, delivering three sharp ‘nip‑back’ deliveries that removed Harry Brook (15), Jamie Smith (61) and left Ollie Robinson without scoring.
England’s batting summary read: Duckett 17 off 20 balls, Gay 8 off 17, Root 4 off 13, Cox 55 off 105, Brook 14 off 26, Smith 61 off 80. Pakistan’s bowlers recorded: Abbas 4‑56, Ali 3‑67, Khurram 1‑79. Babar Azam’s return to the side marked a noticeable improvement in Pakistan’s overall performance compared with their 103‑run loss at Headingley a week earlier.
Nevertheless, fielding lapses persisted; Mohammad Rizwan and the slip cordon were positioned too deep, allowing several catching opportunities to slip away. When the clouds began to clear, England showed signs of life. Jordan Cox steadied the innings with a gritty 55, becoming the second player to reach a half‑century after a period of low scores for the wicket‑keeper‑batsman. Jamie Smith also crossed the fifty‑run mark, describing his innings as a gradual finding of rhythm after a tentative start.
"I was trying to ride the wave a little bit," Smith told Sky Sports. "It isn’t the most free‑scoring at times here – you can feel a bit out of rhythm but then catch up. I felt I scratched around at the start, but once I found the middle of the bat, it was slightly different to how I usually play, which is almost at top tempo to start with. That seemed to help today." Gus Atkinson (34 not out) contributed useful runs before play was halted at 6:10 pm due to bad light.
The umpires decided not to resume, and the match continued on Friday morning with Atkinson and Josh Tongue (1 not out) returning to the crease. Abbas, who had taken only a single wicket at Headingley, was in prolific form on Thursday. He first dismissed Gay with a sharp catch taken by Rizwan, who dived on the leg side to collect an edge.
Early in the innings Pakistan almost dismissed Duckett; the opener edged a delivery to the slips but the ball fell short of the fielder. After 20 balls, Abbas finally trapped Duckett lbw. The on‑field decision was initially not out, but a review confirmed the dismissal. Root’s innings was brief.
After surviving an early edge that was caught at third slip, he fell lbw to an Abbas delivery that struck his leg stump. Brook arrived with confidence, smashing Ali for four through square leg on his first ball, but his stay was short. Ali produced a brilliant delivery that snapped Brook’s off‑stump, a moment many described as the delivery of the day. At the lunch break England were 80 for 4, needing stability.
A partnership of 43 runs between Cox and Dan Lawrence provided that, though Lawrence was later run out after a confusing mix‑up. Cox went on to hit seven boundaries on his way to a half‑century. After brief contributions from Brook and Lawrence, Cox and Smith built a partnership of 67 runs from 97 balls, displaying controlled aggression.
The partnership was broken by a spectacular one‑handed catch from Pakistan’s all‑rounder Salman Agha, who dove to take an edge off Cox. Soon after, Ali claimed the wickets of Smith and Ollie Robinson with two more nip‑back deliveries in quick succession.
Archer, the final English batsman to fall, managed a six that flew into the Lord’s Pavilion before Abbas removed his bails, ending the day’s play. The final score reflected England’s struggle against disciplined swing and seam in damp conditions. Looking ahead, day two promises further action as England seeks to recover from the early setbacks while Pakistan will aim to maintain pressure with their bowlers. Fans can follow the live coverage on Sky Sports Cricket from 10:15 pm on Friday, with streaming options available for those without a Sky subscription.
The match remains a compelling contest of skill, weather, and strategy, illustrating how quickly fortunes can shift in Test cricket.