England are on the brink of completing a crushing series whitewash against Pakistan after they skittled the visitors to 52 for 2, still trailing by 268 runs, when rain forced an early end to play on the second day of the third Test at Edgbaston. Pakistan’s overnight total, though modest, actually marked a small recovery after the situation looked far bleaker when the innings began with two quick wickets in Ollie Robinson’s very first over. Robinson, who finished the spell with figures of 2 for 10, dismissed opening batsman Saim Ayub on the first ball – Ayub, one of four newcomers rushed into the side after seven players were sent home from the touring party, was out for a pair – and then saw Abdullah Shafique caught behind just three deliveries later.
Robinson’s early success has taken his tally to 28 wickets in just four Test matches this summer, an average of an astonishing 7.75 runs per wicket. Within the current series his average is even more impressive, sitting at 6.66. His spell has been a major factor in England’s dominance.
Joe Root’s sharp catch at slip to dismiss Shafique also moved him ahead of Australia’s Steve Smith, putting Root on 220 catches in his Test career and placing him in contention for the record for most catches by a non‑wicket‑keeper in the format. Unlike the first innings, the fall of wickets was slower in Pakistan’s second effort.
Azan Awais (29 not out) and Shan Masood (21 not out) managed a small partnership of fifty runs before the rain intervened. Masood had earlier been dismissed for 13 by Ben Duckett, his third wicket of the match, after a mis‑field by Gus Atkinson. **Scorecard snapshot** - Pakistan 1st innings: 133 all out (33.5 overs) – top scores: Saud Shakeel 43, Mohammad Abbas 21; England bowlers: Josh Tongue 4‑42, Ollie Robinson 3‑15, Jofra Archer 3‑25. - England 1st innings: 453 all out (89 overs) – Harry Brook 75, Jamie Smith 69, Dan Lawrence 65, Emilio Gay 60, Ollie Robinson 50; Pakistan bowler: Razaullah 4‑148.
- Pakistan 2nd innings (so far): 52‑2 (12.4 overs) – Azan Awais 29* , Shan Masood 21* ; England bowler: Ollie Robinson 2‑10. Earlier on day one England were bundled out for 452, giving them a first‑innings lead of 320 runs.
The English batting line‑up was anchored by half‑centuries from Dan Lawrence (65), Jamie Smith (69) and Ollie Robinson (50), complementing contributions from Emilio Gay (60) and Harry Brook (75). Brook added 23 runs to his overnight total before falling as the first wicket of day two. His dismissal came just as he and Lawrence, who had raced to a 47‑ball fifty, seemed to have shaken Pakistan’s confidence with a rapid 73 runs in the opening ten overs of the morning session. Brook’s wicket was almost a self‑inflicted one – he called for a risky single to mid‑wicket, missed the call and was run‑out by Masood’s direct hit.
The momentum, however, did not stall. Smith joined Lawrence at the crease and the pair compiled a 64‑run partnership before Lawrence was bowled off a delivery from Mohammad Imran (2‑47) just before the lunch break.
Smith then reached his own half‑century, scoring 54 off 54 balls, but was unable to convert the start into a big score. After a brief cameo from Gus Atkinson, who was dismissed by Imran, Smith edged a ball to the fiery Pakistani bowler Razaullah, who claimed his fourth wicket of the innings (4‑148).
Later in the innings, England’s regular wicket‑keeper Jordan Cox had to step in for an injured Jamie Smith, who was nursing a finger injury sustained on day one. Despite the setback, England’s lower order continued to add valuable runs.
Robinson, now on his second Test fifty, and Jofra Archer (32 not out) found the boundary with regularity, pushing England’s total well past the 400‑run mark and cementing a lead of more than 300 runs before the innings was finally wrapped up. Pakistan’s fielding remained tentative as they entered their second innings, and the prospect of a two‑day finish briefly seemed possible after Robinson’s double strike in the opening over. Yet Azan Awais and Shan Masood displayed some resilience, adding crucial runs before the rain finally halted play. Dan Lawrence expressed disappointment at missing out on a maiden Test century.
The 29‑year‑old, who has already recorded scores of 51 at Headingley and 54 at Lord’s in the series, said, "I’m obviously gutted that I didn’t convert and make a really big score, but I’m pretty happy with how I performed overall. I felt I was playing nicely on a good surface against a tiring attack. I thought I would get a big score, but it just didn’t happen.
I’ve missed two chances to make big contributions – at Headingley and here – but I’m satisfied with three fifties in four innings. If I had been offered 65 at the start of the day, I would have taken it." Robinson has been the standout bowler of the series, boasting 21 wickets at an astonishing average of 6.66.
When he dismissed Shafique for the fifth time in six innings, his average against the Pakistani batsman stood at a minuscule 6.19. England slip fielder Dan Lawrence admitted the fielding unit must stay on high alert whenever Robinson is on a spell, noting, "When he bowls, he hits the same spot almost every ball, you feel the pressure.
The wickets have been generous and the seamers are on fire. You definitely feel the game behind the stumps when you have someone at the peak of his powers." Sky Sports analyst Nasser Hussain was scathing about Pakistan’s selection policies, particularly the inclusion of Saim Ayub. He remarked, "Ayub struggled. He shouldn’t be here.
He came from the Caribbean Premier League and hasn’t played first‑class cricket in eleven months. Who thinks it’s right to fly a player over from foreign conditions and expect him to cope with a Duke ball and Ollie Robinson’s pace? It shows a lack of respect for Test cricket. The players who are here have seen teammates and friends sent home, even those with five‑wicket hauls." Hussain added that the treatment of players is a two‑way street: "When you hand a player a Test cap, you expect them to uphold the core values of representing Pakistan, but the board must also look after its players.
Sending seven people home between Tests sends a message that the team looks after itself first. The side appears to have adopted a ‘what will be, will be’ attitude, focusing only on themselves." The third Test continues on day three with live coverage on Sky Sports Cricket from 10:15 am. Viewers without a Sky subscription can explore the latest Sky Sports deals or stream the match without a contract on NOW.