England are on the verge 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. The Pakistani innings at the close of play was actually a modest revival; earlier in the day their situation had looked even bleaker than the gathering clouds when they found themselves two down without a run after Ollie Robinson’s opening over.
Robinson, who finished the spell with figures of two wickets for ten runs, began by dismissing opening batsman Saim Ayub on the very 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 golden duck. Three deliveries later, Abdullah Shafique fell to a catch at slip, further denting Pakistan’s hopes.
Robinson’s haul now stands at 28 wickets in just four Tests this summer, an astonishing average of 7.75 runs per wicket. In this particular series his average improves to an even more remarkable 6.66. Meanwhile, England captain Joe Root’s slip catch to dismiss Shafique moved him ahead of Australia’s Steve Smith, taking his personal tally to 220 catches – the highest ever recorded by a non‑wicket‑keeper in Test cricket.
The wicket‑taking frenzy that characterised Pakistan’s first innings did not repeat itself in the second. Instead, Azan Awais (29 not out) and Shan Masood (21 not out) steadied the ship with a modest fifty partnership before the rain intervened. Masood, however, was caught on 13 by Ben Duckett, marking Duckett’s third dismissal of the match, and the ball was bowled by the unfortunate Gus Atkinson.
A quick recap of the scores: - Pakistan 133 all out in 33.5 overs (first innings): top scorers Saud Shakeel 43, Mohammad Abbas 21; England bowlers Josh Tongue 4‑42, Ollie Robinson 3‑15, Jofra Archer 3‑25. - England 453 all out in 89 overs (first innings): Harry Brook 75, Jamie Smith 69, Dan Lawrence 65, Emilio Gay 60, Ollie Robinson 50; Pakistani bowler Razaullah 4‑148. - Pakistan 52‑2 after 12.4 overs in the second innings, still 268 runs behind: Azan Awais 29 not out, Shan Masood 21 not out; Ollie Robinson 2‑10. Earlier on day one, England had posted 452, securing a 320‑run first‑innings lead thanks to half‑centuries from Dan Lawrence (65), Jamie Smith (69) and Ollie Robinson (50), complementing the contributions of Emilio Gay (60) and Harry Brook (75).
Brook added a quick 23 runs overnight before becoming the first wicket to fall on the second morning. His dismissal came as he attempted a risky single to mid‑wicket, only for Masood to complete a direct‑hit run‑out. Despite the loss of Brook, England’s scoring continued unabated.
Jamie Smith joined Lawrence at the crease, and the pair added 64 runs before Lawrence was bowled after a mistimed shot off Mohammad Imran (2‑47) that ricocheted onto his stumps just before lunch. Smith soon reached his own half‑century, making 50 off 54 balls, but was unable to convert it into a larger score.
After Gus Atkinson was clean‑bowled by a superb delivery from Imran, Smith edged a ball to the fiery Pakistani bowler Razaullah, who finished with figures of 4‑148. Smith later missed part of the fielding effort when Jordan Cox substituted as wicket‑keeper, covering for the regular keeper who was nursing a finger injury sustained on day one. Robinson, now with a second Test fifty to his name, and lower‑order hitter Jofra Archer (32 not out) kept the run rate brisk, finding boundaries with regularity and pushing England’s total well beyond the 400‑run mark, thereby extending their lead to over 300 before the innings was finally declared closed.
Pakistan’s tentative fielding continued into the start of their second innings. After Robinson’s double strike in the very first over, the hosts seemed poised for a rapid two‑day finish, but the resilience shown by Azan and Masood, coupled with the onset of rain, halted any such hopes. 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 this series, said, “I’m obviously gutted that I didn’t convert and make a big score, but I’m happy with my overall performance.
I felt I was playing well on a good surface against a tiring attack. I thought I would make a big score, but it just didn’t happen. I’ve missed two chances for big innings – at Headingley and here – but I’m pleased with three fifties in four innings.
If I’d been offered 65 at the start of the day, I would have taken it.” Meanwhile, seam bowler Ollie Robinson has been the star of the series, claiming 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 was a minuscule 6.19.
England slip fielder Dan Lawrence admitted that 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, and you feel the game shift. The wickets have been generous, and the seamers have had plenty to work with. You definitely sense the impact when a bowler is at the peak of his powers.” Sky Sports Cricket analyst Nasser Hussain was blunt about Pakistan’s selection policy, particularly the inclusion of Saim Ayub. “He shouldn’t be here,” Hussain said.
“He came from the Caribbean Premier League and hasn’t played first‑class cricket in eleven months. Flying a player over from foreign conditions and expecting him to cope with a Duke ball and Robinson’s pace shows a lack of respect for Test cricket.
The players who remain have seen teammates with five‑wicket hauls sent home. How you treat players matters. When you send seven people home, the rest start looking after themselves. Why should I care about a team that doesn’t care about me and has dismissed my teammates between Tests?
This Pakistan side looks like a group that says ‘what will be, will be’ and only looks after itself.” The third Test’s day three action will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10:15 am on Friday, with streaming options available for those without a Sky subscription. All matches remain live on Sky Sports.