On the second day of the second Test at Lord's, England surged ahead with a massive 261‑run lead, thanks largely to the incisive spells of Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer, who dismantled Pakistan's batting line‑up. The English side displayed dominance with both ball and bat, beginning the day with a solid partnership between opening bowlers Josh Tongue, who remained not out on 30, and Gus Atkinson, who contributed an unbeaten 45. The lower order set the tone early, propelling England to a first‑innings total of 290 after a 47‑run stand.
Once England’s bowlers returned to the crease, they unleashed a ferocious attack that bundled Pakistan out for just 110 runs in 37.2 overs. The quartet of fast bowlers – Robinson, Archer, Tongue and Atkinson – ran through the Pakistani batting order with relentless aggression, producing a spell that was both relentless and impressive, even though they missed a few opportunities to claim additional wickets.
Pakistan found themselves at 16 for 2 at the close of the morning session. Back on his familiar Lord's turf, Ollie Robinson, who had previously claimed seven wickets against New Zealand at the same venue in June, emerged as the standout bowler, finishing with astonishing figures of 4‑11.
Archer, showcasing his trademark pace, added 3‑26, while Tongue also made a significant impact, dismissing both Abdullah Shafique (caught for 5) and Pakistan captain Babar Azam (caught for 8) around the lunch interval. Azan Awais was the top scorer for the visitors, proving difficult to dislodge with a gritty 46 off 102 balls before being caught at mid‑on by Emilio Gay off a Robinson bouncer. After the tea break, England lost wickets in quick succession – Ben Duckett fell for 1, Jordan Cox for 11, and Joe Root for 24 – all within 17 overs.
Play was halted at 6:50 pm due to fading light, leaving England at 81 for 3 at stumps, with Gay (30 not out) and Harry Brook (7 not out) slated to resume on Saturday morning. On Friday morning, Pakistan struggled to make early inroads against Tongue and Atkinson, a lapse that proved costly. Atkinson, taking the strike, hammered Ali Usman for four, only to be caught on the next ball at long‑off.
The partnership between Tongue and Atkinson added 42 runs, with Tongue displaying a confident sweep that produced four boundaries and repeatedly probing the gap between third slip and gully. The English bowlers had been expected to exploit the Lord's conditions, but they exceeded expectations, delivering an hour‑long, unyielding spell before lunch.
It took four overs for England to claim their first wicket of the innings, when Archer sent a searing delivery that induced Shan Masood to edge behind to Smith. Smith, who had topped the scoring for England the previous day with 61, soon found himself back in the action as Tongue sent a sharp ball to Shafique, who also edged behind, leaving Pakistan reeling at 2‑16 after 14.1 overs. After the break, England maintained their intensity.
Tongue soon dismissed captain Babar Azam, and Robinson, ever the magician on the Lord's pitch, bowled out Saud Shakeel (16) lbw after a review. Robinson also saw his second‑innings decision overturned in England’s favour when he trapped Mohammad Rizwan (7) lbw following a brief rain interruption.
As clouds gathered over the historic ground, both Robinson and Archer each claimed two more wickets. Archer removed Ali Usman (1), and Brook caught Khurram Shazad (1) off a Robinson delivery after a prior dismissal of Azan earlier in the day by Atkinson. Archer then dismissed Mohammad Abbas (2) with a sharp ball, sealing Pakistan’s innings as Imam‑ul‑Haq was unable to bat due to a calf injury.
England’s second innings began poorly. Duckett mishit a drive that resulted in a catch by Babar at mid‑off, and Cox was dismissed lbw by a Pakistani bowler.
The loss of captain Joe Root for 24 added to England’s woes, as a delivery reminiscent of the one that had felled Brook on Thursday struck his front pad, leading to his dismissal. Despite the shaky start, England’s sizable lead continued to exert pressure on the Pakistani side.
Brook overturned an lbw call after a review on his very first ball of the innings, while Gay displayed resilience, battling the likes of Abbas and Ali to compile 30 runs from 69 balls, punctuated by six fours before play was again suspended due to insufficient light. The narrative of the match underscores England’s dominance in both departments of the game. Their pace quartet has been relentless, extracting movement and bounce from the Lord's wicket, while the batting order, despite occasional setbacks, has managed to build substantial partnerships that have placed Pakistan under constant pressure.
The upcoming third day promises further drama as England looks to consolidate its commanding position and Pakistan strives to claw back into contention.