We assess the performances of England’s squad after their 194‑run, series‑sealing triumph over Pakistan at Lord’s, where the pace attack once more stole the spotlight. The Test itself was relatively unremarkable, especially for the England opener who faced a mere 26 balls across his two innings. He was among several batsmen who felt a little unlucky when they were given out leg‑before‑wicket in the first innings to deliveries that initially appeared to be missing the stumps, only for a timely Pakistani review to overturn the on‑field decision.
In the second innings his dismissal was simply a case of a mis‑timed shot that nudged straight to mid‑off. The opening partnership also suffered a touch of misfortune. In the first innings, Mohammad Rizwan produced a spectacular diving catch off a modest leg‑side edge, while later in the rain‑affected third day a low‑bouncing delivery trapped the same batsman lbw when the batting conditions were at their most difficult. Rizwan has shown determination, batting through to the close of the second evening – a quality evident since his debut earlier this summer – yet his place in the side is under increasing scrutiny.
Jacob Bethell remains unavailable after this series, and other emerging talents are eager to stake a claim. One of those hopefuls is Haseeb Cox, who is pushing for a permanent spot after notching a second half‑century in as many Tests since being recalled to replace the injured Bethell at number three.
Speaking to Sky Sports Cricket before the Lord’s encounter, Cox admitted the pressure of the opportunity: “This could be your only shot, make sure this counts.” He has responded by looking assured in the middle order, echoing the composure he displayed at Headingley. A century again eluded him, this time because of an extraordinary catch taken by Salman Ali Agha – arguably one of the finest slip catches ever witnessed.
The discussion about England captain Joe Root’s susceptibility to lbw dismissals has intensified. Michael Atherton of Sky Sports observed, “It’s fascinating that even a player with more than 160 Tests, an average above 50 and a status as one of England’s greatest batsmen, can still be caught out in this way.” Root fell lbw in both innings, marking his seventh such dismissal this summer and his ninth in his last twelve Tests. While the rise in lbw wickets reflects the seamer‑friendly conditions, Root will be eager to erase the trend with a big score at the upcoming Edgbaston Test.
Tom Brook’s contribution with the bat was better than his modest run total suggested, especially in the second innings when he navigated a tricky period on the second evening before forging a promising partnership with Dan Lawrence on day three, despite the challenging conditions. In the first innings, Brook was eventually bowled by a lethal in‑ducker from Mohammad Ali after a faint shoulder‑edge that clipped Rizwan’s stumps.
He has been a reliable slip fielder all summer, taking a catch to dismiss Azan Awais on eight and later contributing a 46‑run knock in the first innings. Dan Lawrence continues to argue for a permanent place, particularly at the No 6 slot that England have been trying to fill since Ben Stokes’ departure. While he cannot replicate Stokes’ extraordinary feats, Lawrence offers a similar counter‑attacking spirit with the bat, evident in his second‑innings half‑century under testing conditions.
His part‑time off‑spin also adds variety to England’s four‑pronged pace attack, a facet that has yet to be fully exploited. James Smith returned to form with a brisk 61 off 80 balls in the first innings, laced with ten boundaries. His aggressive style made him a standout in his early Test career, though criticism mounted when his runs dried up during the recent Ashes drubbing. He admitted to Sky Sports Cricket that he has found it “tough” lately.
Smith’s wicket‑keeping, especially when standing up to the stumps, earned him additional praise. Bowling-wise, Sam Atkinson has felt the squeeze of England’s deep pace resources, often relegated to second change and missing the preferred end. With Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer dominating the new‑ball duties and Josh Tongue targeting the tail, opportunities have been scarce. Nonetheless, Atkinson delivered a lively spell before tea on the fourth afternoon and claimed a solitary wicket in the series.
He will be keen to make a bigger impact at Edgbaston. At the bat, Atkinson showed promise, scoring 45 at Lord’s – the venue of his Test hundred.
Robinson, meanwhile, produced astonishing match figures of 8‑35 from 27 overs, showcasing supreme skill. He now boasts 99 wickets in 23 Tests at an average of 19.53, which improves to 15.45 in his five Tests at Lord’s and an eye‑popping 8.34 across his three appearances this summer.
Nasser Hussain of Sky Sports praised him, noting that despite questions about his ability on difficult seams, Robinson has become England’s leading bowler in the current conditions. Hussain added that Robinson must now work with the coaching staff, Stuart Broad and James Anderson to become a more complete bowler. Jofra Archer earned a well‑deserved five‑wicket haul in the first innings, though many felt he could have taken even more. CricViz recorded his opening spell averaging 90.7 mph, with occasional deliveries touching 94 mph, and he dismissed Shan Masood caught behind.
Archer repeatedly threatened both edges of the bat, though the Pakistani batsmen often missed, until he finally broke through the tail later on. Josh Tongue claimed wickets of Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam before lunch on day two, and later removed Saud Shakeel, who was on the brink of a century before being caught off a hook shot.
Tongue’s contributions have solidified his role in the attack, despite occasional leaks of runs, especially to left‑handers, where he has been expensive at over five runs an over in a 14.5‑over spell. He also contributed with the bat, hitting a few boundaries at No 11 and sharing a vital 47‑run partnership for the last wicket with Atkinson in the first innings. Overall, England’s seamers have been the decisive factor in the series‑sealing win, while the batting unit has shown flashes of resilience and potential. As the team looks ahead to the final Test at Edgbaston, the focus will be on converting these performances into consistent results, fine‑tuning the balance between attack and defence, and giving emerging players like Cox, Lawrence and Atkinson the platform to cement their places in the side.