Jofra Archer delivered the quickest opening spell of his Test career on the second day of the Lord's Test against Pakistan, setting the tone for an England side that bowled with relentless precision and intensity. England bundled the visitors out for a modest 110 in their first innings, thanks to a spectacular performance from the pace quartet: Ollie Robinson claimed four wickets for just 11 runs, Archer took three for 26, and Josh Tongue added two for 27.
Archer’s five-over onslaught before the lunch break was the catalyst that broke the opening partnership and put Pakistan on the back foot. Data from CricViz shows that Archer’s opening spell averaged an astonishing 90.7 mph, with a few deliveries even touching 94 mph. His early strike came when he trapped the unsteady Shan Masood behind the stumps, leaving Pakistan precariously 16 for 2 after just 14.1 overs of searing pace.
The speed and aggression of Archer’s delivery set a frantic rhythm that the rest of the attack eagerly followed. "That was quality, high quality," England fast bowler Mark Wood enthused on Sky Sports Cricket.
"If you want to come and watch international sport at its very best, this was it. England were relentless with their line and length and passed it on to the next bowler and the next.
It was top quality. Pakistan didn't do a lot wrong but the scoreboard didn't go anywhere because they were under pressure.
Archer was very fast and intimidating, he ran in hard and just kept getting quicker and quicker. You could almost feel how uncomfortable it was for the batters from the commentary box." Nasser Hussain, also on Sky Sports, highlighted the varied nature of England’s attack as a key factor that troubled Pakistan. He noted that each bowler brings a distinct pace, skill set and angle, making it difficult for the visitors to settle.
Robinson, with his high release point and near‑perpendicular delivery, extracts bounce that unsettles even the most confident batsmen. Tongue, who operates even further beyond the perpendicular, creates awkward angles that force right‑handers to play across the line, increasing the chances of nicking to the slip cordon. Robinson’s spell was particularly lethal.
After lunch he dismissed Abdullah Shafique (caught at slip for five) and Babar Azam (caught behind for eight) and then overturned two on‑field lbw calls to finish with figures of 4‑11 from 13 overs. Since returning to the Test side earlier this summer, his bowling average has plummeted to an astonishing 8.84, underscoring his impact. Tongue’s contributions were equally vital.
He struck twice around the lunch interval, and his ability to generate steep bounce and sharp angles kept the Pakistani top order guessing. The combination of Robinson’s bounce, Tongue’s angles and Archer’s sheer pace created a multifaceted assault that left the opposition with few scoring opportunities.
Archer, despite his impressive figures of 3‑26, lamented a lack of luck. He repeatedly forced edges from Pakistan’s batsmen, most notably Azan Awais, who survived 14 close calls without being dismissed. Former England seamer Stuart Broad echoed this sentiment, suggesting that Archer could have walked away with a five‑wicket haul if a few more chances had fallen.
"He had no luck," Broad said. "The pace, the skill, he swung and seamed the ball, while he also bowled a couple of beautiful bouncers. England have been brilliant with the ball.
We know this pitch is moving, but you've still got to get the ball in the right areas and threaten, and England, to a man, were on the money. They were relentless, they gave no free, cheap boundaries away. It looked a really impressive bowling unit." Archer himself admitted that a streak of misfortune has dogged him recently, but he remains confident that wickets will come in clusters when the time is right.
"I haven't had luck for a few weeks now but when you are bowling you have to hang in there because when wickets come, they come in buckets," he told Sky Sports. He also praised his teammates, noting the depth of England’s seam options: "It is 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 40 at this rate!" The day’s action also saw Pakistan’s tail collapse dramatically, with the final five wickets falling for just 19 runs. Archer’s relentless pressure helped clean up the tail, cementing his role as the spearhead of the attack.
While the Pakistani batsmen showed resilience—Azan Awais, for instance, survived a barrage of fast deliveries without being dismissed—their inability to convert chances into runs kept the scoreboard stagnant. Overall, England’s bowling performance on day two was a masterclass in pace, variation and discipline. The combination of blistering speed, precise line and length, and strategic use of angles forced Pakistan into a defensive posture and set the stage for a substantial first‑innings lead.
As the series progresses, the English side will look to maintain this intensity, while Pakistan will need to find ways to counter the multifaceted threat posed by Archer, Robinson, Tongue and the supporting bowlers. Fans can continue to follow the drama live on Sky Sports Cricket, with day three scheduled to begin at 10:15 am on Saturday. For those without a Sky subscription, alternative streaming options and the latest Sky Sports deals are available to ensure everyone can watch the unfolding contest at Lord’s.