Jofra Archer delivered the quickest opening burst of his Test career as England unleashed a relentless, high‑calibre bowling performance on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan at Lord's. The visitors were bundled out for a meagre 110 in their first innings, thanks to a collective effort that saw Ollie Robinson claim four wickets for just 11 runs, Archer pick up three for 26, and Josh Tongue add two for 27.
Archer set the tone early, unleashing a ferocious five‑over spell before lunch that produced the first breakthrough. According to the analytics firm CricViz, Archer’s opening spell averaged an eye‑popping 90.7 miles per hour, with a few deliveries even touching the 94‑mph mark. His first wicket came when the flat‑footed Shan Masood was caught behind, leaving Pakistan wobbling at 16 for 2 after 14.1 overs of blistering pace. "That was quality, high quality," England fast‑bowler Mark Wood enthused during a Sky Sports Cricket interview.
"If you want to watch international sport at its very best, this was it. England were relentless with their line and length, passing the pressure onto the next bowler and the next. It was top‑class.
Pakistan didn’t do much wrong, but the scoreboard stayed stubbornly still because they were under constant pressure. Archer was extremely fast and intimidating – he ran in hard and kept getting quicker and quicker.
You could almost feel the discomfort of the batsmen from the commentary box." Sky Sports’ former England captain Nasser Hussain highlighted the variety within England’s attack, noting that the differing paces, skills and angles presented a layered challenge for the Pakistani side. "Robinson has a very high release point and is bang on the perpendicular, which gives him extra bounce," Hussain explained. "Tongue operates well beyond the perpendicular, finding angles that force right‑handers into vulnerable positions where they can nick edges. And Archer’s opening spell was truly a box‑office performance." Tongue’s contributions were split around the lunch interval, with two wickets taken both before and after the break.
Abdullah Shafique (5) and Babar Azam (8) edged deliveries to the wicket‑keeper and third slip respectively, while Robinson overturned a couple of on‑field LBW calls to finish with astonishing figures of 4‑11 from 13 overs. Since his return to the Test side earlier this summer, Robinson has been averaging an astonishing 8.84 runs per wicket.
Archer continued to be a persistent threat throughout the day, though luck was not on his side. He repeatedly forced edges from the Pakistani batsmen, most notably from Azan Awais, who managed to survive 14 deliveries without being dismissed. Archer’s persistence paid off in the tail, as Pakistan’s last five wickets collapsed for just 19 runs, giving Archer a final tally of 3‑26.
Former England seamer Stuart Broad commented on Archer’s effort, saying, "He had no luck today. He could have been walking away with a five‑for.
The pace, the skill – he swung and seamed the ball, and bowled a couple of beautiful bouncers. England have been brilliant with the ball. We know the pitch is moving, but you still have to hit the right areas and threaten, and England were spot‑on. They were relentless, gave away no cheap boundaries, and looked like a truly impressive bowling unit." Archer himself admitted that a lack of luck has been a recurring theme recently.
"I haven’t had luck for a few weeks now, but when you’re bowling you have to hang in there because when wickets come, they come in buckets," he told Sky Sports. He also praised Azan’s resilience, noting, "I have never seen someone play and miss so many balls without getting out – fair play to him." Feeling fresh and confident, Archer added, "It’s nice having extra seamers in the line‑up.
Everybody is fit and firing, and every day it will be someone else’s turn. I bowled 12 overs today; in the last game I bowled nine, so it’s unbelievable. I can probably play until I’m 40 at this rate!" England’s dominant spell built a substantial lead over Pakistan at Lord’s, setting the stage for a compelling third day. Fans can watch the continuation of the second Test live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10:15 am on Saturday.
For those without a Sky subscription, various streaming deals and contract‑free options are available. The match promises further excitement as England’s bowlers aim to maintain pressure and Pakistan strives to mount a comeback.