On the second day of the second Test at Lord's, England surged ahead with a commanding 261-run lead, thanks largely to the incisive spell of Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer. The pair tore through Pakistan's batting line‑up, while England’s own batting unit contributed valuable runs at the top of the order. The day began with England’s lower order already at the crease: Josh Tongue, who had arrived on 30 not out, and the hard‑hitting Gus Atkinson, unbeaten on 45. Their partnership set the tone for a solid first‑innings total of 290, built around a gritty 47‑run stand that steadied the innings after early wickets fell.
When Pakistan came out to bat, the English pace quartet – Robinson, Archer, Tongue and Atkinson – unleashed a relentless barrage that left the visitors reeling. Within 37.2 overs they were bundled out for just 110. The four‑man attack produced an hour of almost nonstop pressure before lunch, but despite the onslaught Pakistan managed to reach 16 for 2 at the tea break. Robinson, who had previously claimed seven wickets at Lord's against New Zealand in June, was the standout bowler, finishing with figures of 4‑11.
Archer, famed for his blistering speed, added 3‑26, while Tongue chipped in by dismissing both Abdullah Shafique (caught for 5) and captain Babar Azam (out for 8) around the lunch interval. Azan Awais proved the most resilient for the visitors, top‑scoring with 46 off 102 balls before being caught at mid‑on by Emilio Gay off a sharp Robinson bouncer. England’s momentum continued after tea, but the batting side soon lost wickets in quick succession: Ben Duckett fell for a single, Jordan Cox was out for 11, and Joe Root managed only 24 before the innings stalled at 81‑3 at stumps.
Gay (30 not out) and Harry Brook (7 not out) were left to resume on Saturday. Friday’s morning session saw Pakistan struggle to break the opening partnership of Tongue and Atkinson. Atkinson, taking advantage of a short‑run strike, struck Ali Usman for four, then was caught at long‑off on the following ball.
Tongue, meanwhile, displayed an aggressive style, sweeping four boundaries and exploiting a gap between third slip and gully that raised questions about Pakistan’s field placement. England’s bowlers continued to dominate the Lord’s surface.
It took four overs for the first wicket, when Archer’s searing delivery forced Shan Masood to edge behind to Smith. Shortly after, Tongue dismissed Shafique in a similar fashion, leaving Pakistan 2‑16 after 14.1 overs. The pressure intensified after the break, with Tongue eventually removing captain Babar Azam, and Robinson later trapping Saud Shakeel (16) lbw after a review.
Robinson’s spell also saw him dismiss Mohammad Rizwan (7) lbw, overturning a brief rain interruption. As clouds gathered over the historic ground, both Robinson and Archer each claimed two more wickets, with Archer also sending Ali Usman back for a single. Brook contributed an edge in the slips to dismiss Khurram Shazad (1), while Atkinson’s earlier delivery had already bowled Azan. The innings concluded with Archer clean‑bowling Mohammad Abbas, while Imam‑ul‑Haq could not bat due to a calf injury.
England’s second innings, however, got off to a shaky start. Duckett’s attempted drive resulted in a catch at mid‑off, and Cox was dismissed lbw by a Pakistani bowler. The captain, Joe Root, fell for 24 after a delivery that mirrored the one that had previously dismissed Brook. Despite the wobble, England retained a massive lead, applying sustained pressure on the Pakistani lower order.
Brook successfully overturned an lbw decision on his first ball after a review, while Gay proved a stalwart, fighting off the attacks of Abbas and Ali to compile a steady 30 off 69 balls, punctuated by six fours before play was again halted due to poor light. Looking ahead, the third day of the Test promises further action as England seeks to consolidate their advantage. Fans can tune in to Sky Sports Cricket from 10:15 am on Saturday to follow the unfolding drama, with streaming options available for those without a Sky subscription.