England are edging ever closer to a commanding series whitewash of Pakistan after forcing the visitors into a precarious 52 for 2, still trailing by 268 runs, when rain abruptly halted play early on the second day of the third Test at Edgbaston. The Pakistani total at stumps actually marked a modest recovery; their situation had seemed even bleaker than the gathering clouds when they slumped to 0 for 2 in Ollie Robinson's opening over.
Robinson, who finished with figures of 2 for 10, dismissed opener Saim Ayub on the very first ball – the player, one of four newcomers rushed into the side after seven members were sent home from the touring party, fell for a pair – and then saw Abdullah Shafique caught behind just three deliveries later. Robinson’s haul now stands at 28 wickets from his four Test appearances this summer, an astonishing average of 7.75 wickets per match, which improves to an even more impressive 6.66 when the series as a whole is considered. His incisive swing has been a decisive factor in England’s dominance. Joe Root’s sharp catch at slip to dismiss Shafique moved him ahead of Australia’s Steve Smith, taking his tally to 220 catches – a personal contest to become the most prolific outfielder in Test history.
Unlike Pakistan’s first innings, the wicket fell more slowly in the second. Azan Awais (29 not out) and Shan Masood (21 not out) built a modest fifty partnership before the rain intervened, though Masood was later dismissed for 13 by Ben Duckett, his third victim of the match, off a wayward delivery from 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, England had been dismissed for 452, establishing a 320‑run first‑innings lead thanks to half‑centuries from Dan Lawrence (65), Jamie Smith (69) and Ollie Robinson (50), complementing Emilio Gay’s 60 and Harry Brook’s 75 on day one. Brook added 23 runs to his overnight score before becoming the first wicket to fall on the second morning. At that point, he and Lawrence – who had raced to a 47‑ball fifty – appeared to have shattered Pakistan’s resolve, contributing 73 runs in the opening ten overs of the day.
Brook’s dismissal was almost self‑inflicted; he called for a risky single to mid‑wicket, only for Masood to complete a direct‑hit run‑out. The momentum, however, did not stall.
Smith joined Lawrence at the crease, and the pair compiled a 64‑run partnership before Lawrence was caught behind off Mohammad Imran’s (2‑47) bowling just before lunch. Smith then reached his half‑century in 54 balls but could not convert it into a larger score. After Gus Atkinson (19) was bowled by a superb delivery from Imran, Smith edged a ball to the fiery Razaullah, who finished with figures of 4‑148. Later in the innings, Smith had to leave the field when Jordan Cox substituted as wicket‑keeper, the regular keeper nursing a finger injury sustained on day one.
Robinson, celebrating his second Test fifty, and Jofra Archer (32 not out) provided the lower‑order fireworks, finding the boundary with regularity and helping England push their total beyond the 400‑run mark, extending the lead to more than 300 before the innings was finally wrapped up. Pakistan’s tentative fielding carried over into the start of their second innings. After Robinson’s double strike in the very first over, a two‑day finish seemed plausible, but Azan and Masood displayed some resilience, and the looming rain finally put a stop to further play.
Dan Lawrence expressed his 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 push on and make a really big score, but I'm fairly 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 content with three fifties in four innings this series. If someone had offered me 65 at the start of the day, I would have taken it." Meanwhile, seamer Ollie Robinson has been the star of the series, boasting 21 wickets at a jaw‑dropping average of 6.66. When he dismissed Shafique for the fifth time in six innings, his average against the Pakistani batsman was an astonishing 6.19. England slip fielder Dan Lawrence admitted the slip cordon 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 pressure.
The wickets have been generous, and all the seamers are getting something out of them. You definitely feel involved behind the stumps when a bowler is at the peak of his powers." Sky Sports analyst Nasser Hussain criticised Pakistan’s selection policies, particularly the inclusion of Saim Ayub, who had not played first‑class cricket for eleven months after returning from the Caribbean Premier League. Hussain remarked, "He shouldn’t be here. Bringing a player from foreign conditions who hasn’t faced a Duke ball in months shows a lack of respect for Test cricket.
The players who remain have seen their teammates and friends sent home after being axed. When you dismiss seven players between Tests, the remaining squad starts looking after themselves. It’s hard to stay motivated for a team that seems to adopt a ‘what will be, will be’ attitude." The third Test continues on day three, with live coverage on Sky Sports Cricket from 10:15 a.m.
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