We assess England's squad after their decisive 194-run victory over Pakistan at Lord's, a win that once more highlighted the potency of the seam attack. The Test itself was largely forgettable, with the England opener surviving just 26 balls across both innings.
He joined a group of batsmen who felt a little unlucky, being 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 call. His second‑innings dismissal was more straightforward – a mistimed shot that was caught cleanly at mid‑off. The match report also noted that Gay suffered a similar fate in both innings, with Mohammad Rizwan pulling off an impressive diving catch off a modest leg‑side edge in the first innings, and later trapping him lbw with a low‑bouncing delivery on a rain‑affected third day.
Gay had shown resilience by batting through to the close of the second evening, a quality he has displayed since his debut earlier this summer. Nevertheless, his position in the side is under scrutiny, especially with Jacob Bethell yet to return and other aspirants knocking on the door. One of those aspirants is Tom Cox, who is pushing for a permanent place 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 Test, Cox admitted, "This could be your only shot, make sure this counts." He has come close to seizing that opportunity, looking confident in the middle order much as he did at Headingley. A century again slipped away, this time because of an extraordinary slip catch taken by Salman Ali Agha – arguably one of the best catches ever seen in a slip position. The discussion then turned to the England captain, Joe Root, and whether he has an emerging lbw problem. Michael Atherton of Sky Sports observed, "It is fascinating that even a player with more than 160 Tests, an average above 50, and a status as one of England's greatest ever batsmen, can still be vulnerable to a developing trend." Root was dismissed lbw in both innings, marking his seventh such dismissal this summer and nine times in his last twelve Test innings.
While many batters have fallen to lbw in seamer‑friendly conditions this season, Root will be eager to erase the pattern with a big score in the final Test at Edgbaston. Ben Brook performed better than his modest run total suggested, especially in the second innings where he negotiated a tricky period on the second evening before forging a promising partnership with Dan Lawrence on day three, when the conditions were at their most testing. Brook’s wicket fell when a faint shoulder edge was caught by Rizwan, who was standing up to the stumps off Mohammad Abbas. Throughout the summer, Brook has been a reliable slip catcher, taking a catch to dismiss Azan Awais on eight runs, and later contributing 46 in the first innings.
Dan Lawrence continues to stake his claim for a permanent spot, particularly at number six, a role that has become vacant following Ben Stokes' departure. While Lawrence cannot be expected to replicate Stokes' extraordinary feats, he offers a similar counter‑attacking flair, demonstrated by his second‑innings half‑century under difficult conditions.
Additionally, his occasional off‑spin provides balance to England's four‑pronged pace attack, a facet that has not yet been fully exploited. James Smith also returned to form with a brisk 61 off 80 balls in the first innings, punctuated by ten fours. This aggressive approach is the hallmark of his early Test career, which began brightly before criticism emerged during a lean period in the Ashes.
Smith admitted to Sky Sports Cricket that he has found the recent run drought challenging. His wicket‑keeping, especially when standing up to the stumps, earned him extra praise. The bowling unit saw varied fortunes. Sam Atkinson felt the pressure of England's deep pace resources, often relegated to second change and denied his preferred end.
With Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer excelling with the new ball and Josh Tongue targeting the tail, opportunities were scarce. Nevertheless, Atkinson delivered a respectable spell before tea on day four and contributed a useful 45 in the first innings, echoing his earlier Test century at Lord's. Ollie Robinson produced a match‑winning performance, claiming 8‑35 from 27 overs of skillful seam bowling. He now boasts 99 wickets in 23 Tests at an average of 19.53, which improves to 15.45 at Lord's and an astonishing 8.34 in this summer’s three Tests.
Nasser Hussain praised Robinson, noting that despite a long absence from the side, he has emerged as England’s leading bowler in current conditions. Hussain also urged Robinson to work with senior bowlers like Stuart Broad and James Anderson to become a complete bowler. Jofra Archer’s opening spell averaged a blistering 90.7 mph, touching 94 mph on occasion, and yielded the wicket of Shan Masood caught behind.
He continued to menace both edges of the bat, though he was occasionally punished by Azan Awais, who edged fourteen times before finally falling. Archer later dismissed Babar Azam with a powerful bouncer in the second innings, helping reduce Pakistan to 14‑3 as part of a devastating new‑ball partnership with Robinson. Josh Tongue claimed the wickets of Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam before lunch on day two, and later removed Saud Shakeel, who was caught after a hook that fell three runs short of a well‑deserved hundred. While Tongue remains a valuable component of the attack, he can be expensive against left‑handers, conceding over five runs per over in his 14.5‑over spell.
He also contributed with the bat, scoring a quick 47 in a final‑wicket partnership with Atkinson. Overall, England’s seamers have dominated the series, with the batting unit showing flashes of resilience and potential.
The upcoming Edgbaston Test will provide a final chance for players like Root, Cox, and the younger bowlers to cement their places and address the lingering issues, particularly the rise in lbw dismissals under seamer‑friendly conditions.