England are on the brink of delivering the most decisive series whitewash of Pakistan after they skittled the visitors to 52 for 2, still trailing by 268 runs, when rain forced an early stoppage on the second day of the third Test at Edgbaston. Pakistan's total at the close of play actually marked a modest recovery, given that their situation looked even bleaker earlier, mirroring the gathering clouds when they found themselves two down without any runs after Ollie Robinson’s opening over.
Robinson, who finished with figures of two wickets for ten runs, dismissed opener Saim Ayub on the very first ball – the youngster, one of four players rushed into the side after seven members were sent home from the touring party, fell for a pair – and then, just three deliveries later, removed Abdullah Shafique, who was caught behind the slips. Robinson’s haul now stands at 28 wickets from his four Test appearances this summer, an astonishing average of 7.75 runs per wicket. Within this particular series his average improves even further to an eye‑watering 6.66.
Joe Root’s sharp catch at slip to dismiss Shafique also moved him ahead of Australia’s Steve Smith, taking his personal tally to 220 catches – the highest ever by a fielder in Test cricket at that point. 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) managed a modest fifty‑run partnership before the rain intervened. Masood, however, was soon out for 13, caught by Ben Duckett – his third dismissal of the match – off a delivery from the unlucky Gus Atkinson.
Summary of the innings so far: - Pakistan 1st innings: 133 all out in 33.5 overs (Saud Shakeel 43, Mohammad Abbas 21; Josh Tongue 4‑42, Ollie Robinson 3‑15, Jofra Archer 3‑25) - England 1st innings: 453 all out in 89 overs (Harry Brook 75, Jamie Smith 69, Dan Lawrence 65, Emilio Gay 60, Ollie Robinson 50; Razaullah 4‑148) - Pakistan 2nd innings (so far): 52‑2 after 12.4 overs, still 268 runs behind (Azan Awais 29*, Shan Masood 21*; Ollie Robinson 2‑10) Earlier on day one England were bundled out for 452, securing a 320‑run lead after the first innings thanks to half‑centuries from Dan Lawrence (65), Jamie Smith (69) and Ollie Robinson (50) that complemented Emilio Gay’s 60 and Harry Brook’s 75. Brook added a quick 23 runs to his overnight score before becoming the first wicket to fall on the second morning. At that moment he and Lawrence – who had accelerated to a 47‑ball fifty – seemed to have shattered Pakistan’s confidence, putting on 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 scoring rate, however, did not falter. Jamie Smith joined Lawrence at the crease and the duo compiled a 64‑run partnership before Lawrence was bowled off a delivery from Mohammad Imran (2‑47) just before lunch, a dismissal that left him “kicking himself”. Smith then reached his own fifty, doing so in 54 balls, but was unable to convert the start into a bigger innings. After Gus Atkinson (19) fell to a clean bowled by Imran, Smith edged a ball back to the aggressive Pakistani bowler Razaullah, who claimed his fourth wicket of the innings (4‑148).
Later, Smith had to leave the field when Jordan Cox temporarily took over wicket‑keeping duties, as the regular keeper nursed a finger injury sustained on day one. Robinson, who notched his second Test half‑century, and lower‑order partner Jofra Archer (32 not out) added valuable runs, finding the boundary with regularity and pushing England’s total well beyond the 400‑run mark, cementing a lead of more than 300 runs before the innings was finally wrapped up. Pakistan’s tentative fielding persisted into the early part of their second innings, and a two‑day finish seemed plausible after Robinson’s double strike in the very first over.
Yet Azan and Masood displayed a measure of resilience, and the looming rain finally halted play. Dan Lawrence expressed disappointment at missing out on a maiden international century. The 29‑year‑old, who had 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 contribution.
I felt I was playing well and the pitch was great for batting against a tiring attack. I thought I would make a big innings, but it just didn’t happen.
I’ve missed two chances to post big scores – at Headingley and here – but I’m pleased with three fifties in four innings in this series. If someone had offered me 65 at the start of the day, I would have taken it." Meanwhile, seam bowler Ollie Robinson has been the star 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 was a minuscule 6.19.
England slip fielder Dan Lawrence admitted that the fielding cordon must stay on high alert whenever Robinson is on a spell. Lawrence explained: "When he’s bowling, he hits the same spot almost every ball, so you’re always aware.
The wickets have offered a lot to us and to the seamers. You definitely feel the game behind the stumps when you have someone at the peak of his powers." Sky Sports Cricket analyst Nasser Hussain was scathing about Pakistan’s selection policies, particularly the inclusion of Saim Ayub.
He remarked: "Ayub, in particular, struggled. He shouldn’t even be in the squad.
He came from the Caribbean Premier League and hasn’t played first‑class cricket in 11 months. Who thought it was a good idea to fly someone 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 their teammates and friends sent home, even those with five‑wicket hauls." Hussain added a broader comment on player treatment: "How you treat players is crucial. It’s a two‑way street when a player is handed a Test cap – they must uphold the core values of representing Pakistan, but the board also needs to look after its players. When you send seven people home, morale drops.
Players start looking out for themselves. Why should I care about a team that doesn’t care about me and has dismissed my teammates between Tests?
This Pakistan side is not only out of form, they appear to have a ‘what will be, will be’ attitude and simply look after themselves." The third Test continues on day three, with live coverage available on Sky Sports Cricket from 10:15 am on Friday. Viewers without a Sky subscription can explore the latest Sky Sports deals or stream the match without a contract via NOW.