England swung the ball prodigiously to dismiss Pakistan for 174 at Headingley before ending the day in a strong position on 106 for two
Vic’s match report has landed, so I’ll leave you with that. Thanks for your company – we’ll be back tomorrow morning to see if England can ram home their advantage.
Related: England seamers make Pakistan pay after Sarfraz Ahmed wins toss
Stuart Broad speaks! “We’re delighted. It was an interesting toss decision; I don’t think any of us expected it to swing like it did. [On talk that he might be dropped for this game] I don’t mind criticism, but I didn’t feel some of the flak that came my way was overly logical – I think there were people promoting their own shows and columns, but that’s the way of the world.
“I know within myself that I’m bowling well. I felt in good rhythm from ball one today. I looked to swing it away from the left-handers and wobble it to the right-handers because that brings LBW into play. What we did well as a unit was that we backed up each other from both ends; we created a longevity of pressure.”
Further reading department
Here’s Ali Martin on how Stuart Broad set the standard at Headingley today.
Related: Stuart Broad sets a bowling standard that was missing at Lord’s | Ali Martin
37th over: England 106-2 (Root 29, Bess 0) Hasan Ali bowls the last over of the day. Root gets a single off the first ball and Bess blocks the remainder to complete a fine day for England. They trail by 68 runs with eight first-innings wickets remaining.
36th over: England 105-2 (Root 28, Bess 0) Shadab shrieks an LBW appeal when Bess gets in a mess trying to defend a googly. It hit him in his personal space, but the umpire decided it was slipping past the leg stump. Replays confirm it was a good decision. It wouldn’t have been leg before wicket so much as le- well, you can do the rest.
35th over: England 104-2 (Root 26, Bess 0) Whether you call it a golden arm, force of personality or sheer filthy effing luck, Hasan Ali has it. I’m not sure any other bowler on either side would have taken a wicket with that delivery at that time. That said, Cook will be so annoyed to get out like that. The new batsman is the nightwatchman Dom Bess.
Hasan Ali, the man who makes things happen, returns for a two-over burst before the close – and he sends Cook for an early ice bath! It was a poor delivery, a short ball on leg stump, but Cook gloved an attempted pull down the leg side to Sarfraz.
34th over: England 102-1 (Cook 45, Root 26) Shadab goes around the wicket to Cook, who muscles a single to leg to bring up the England hundred. They have a great chance to bat Pakistan out of the game over the weekend. What a difference a day makes. What a difference a lost toss makes.
33rd over: England 99-1 (Cook 44, Root 24) The forecast is mixed for tomorrow. Doesn’t really matter: England have all the time in the world and will have to work extremely hard to make a balls of this. They’ve had a really good day, though after recent events I doubt they will be adding up poultry.
“Does Ian Botham drink cocktails?” says Jeremy Yapp. “If he did, would it be a Beefy-fty-two? ‘Jokes’ like that are why I became a father.”
32nd over: England 96-1 (Cook 40, Root 24) Shadab Khan comes on to bowl the first over of spin today. There’s some turn off the pitch, albeit slow, in an accurate first over. Well bowled.
31st over: England 95-1 (Cook 40, Root 24) Pakistan enquire about a catch down the leg side when Cook flicks at Amir. He can be susceptible to that type of dismissal but this one hit the pad, the whole pad and nothing but the pad.
“As the Pakistani pace bowlers struggle for a breakthrough,” says Angus Bujalski, “perhaps time for a Rawalpindi Express-o Martini?”
30th over: England 92-1 (Cook 37, Root 24) Root plays the ball back to Abbas, who flings it towards the stumps as a way of telling Root to get back in his box. Root smiles and then clips the next ball through midwicket for four. Root looks more fluent in this innings than for many a month. It’s almost like he’s playing at home.
“Surely a ‘Whispering Death’ is a cricketing cocktail waiting to be made?” says Matt Brown. “No idea what would be in it but I’m guessing something smooth, velvety, moreish and ludicrously potent.”
29th over: England 87-1 (Cook 36, Root 20) For a captain who doesn’t like having a third man, Root certainly knows how to score there – he gets his third boundary behind square on the off side with a deliberate steer off Amir. A Sky graphic shows that 26 per cent of his runs against seam in Tests in England have gone to third man. I love the smell of data in the evening.
“Stephen Davenport’s literary segue to Kurt Vonnegut puts one in mind of Slaughterhouse Five,” says Brian Withington. “A potentially brutal cocktail (?) but also perhaps an apt description of England’s upper order last winter.”
28th over: England 81-1 (Cook 36, Root 14) Mohammad Abbas has had quite a start to his Test career: eight matches, 40 wickets at 17. He almost gets his 41st when Cook gets a late inside edge to fine leg for four; had he not done so there would have been a huge LBW appeal.
27th over: England 77-1 (Cook 32, Root 14) Everything feels so much more secure when Cook is playing well. The stats support that perception: he averages high 50s when England win or draw and 29 when they lose. Meanwhile, Amir angles a majestic, double-bluff legcutter past Root’s outside edge. He’ll never be as exhilarating as he was in 2010 but it’ll always be a joy to watch such an artist at work.
26th over: England 76-1 (Cook 31, Root 14) Root, on the walk, is beaten by Abbas. Cricket doesn’t yet have Expected Score data – let’s keep it that way, pleasedammit - but this could easily be 65 for three. The ball has gone past the outside edge a helluva lot for a score of 76 for one.
25th over: England 76-1 (Cook 31, Root 14) Mohammad Amir returns to the attack. Pakistan will probably want two more wickets tonight, with a view to restricting England to a lead of around 100. Root survives an LBW enquiry from an inswinger that pitched outside leg; nothing much else to report.
“So cricket-based cocktail puns, is it?” hics Fran Mason. “How about Daiquiri Underwood, AEJ Tom Collins, Chris Old Fashioned, Peter Martini and someone whose surname is already a cricket-based cocktail pun, Otis Gibson.”
24th over: England 75-1 (Cook 31, Root 14) Oofah! Cook leaves a ball from Abbas that just bounces over the off stump. That was not without risk, but ultimately it was well judged. Ish. Cook is beaten later in the over, driving outside the line of a full-length wobbler. Pakistan have bowled really well in this session – it would have been so easy to go hunting for wickets but they have bowled with a lot of discipline and accuracy.
23rd over: England 75-1 (Cook 31, Root 14) Cook plays a lovely extra cover drive for four off Faheem. He looks in excellent touch at the moment, particularly with his driving.
“Good either morning or afternoon, Rob,” says Stephen Davenport. “I have neither the wit nor the depth of bar-fly experience with which to invent a cricketing cocktail; but as an homage to a certain ruddy-faced former Kent and England opener I drink at one of Kurt Vonnegut’s supposed hangouts in Indianapolis, the Red Key.”
22nd over: England 70-1 (Cook 26, Root 14) Mohammad Abbas, the subtle interrogator of this attack, replaces Hasan Ali. Root waves a shortish ball through backward point for four. Like Jennings, Root is batting outside his crease to negate the late movement of Abbas. England have been doing thought!
“Re: the 15th over,” begins Matt Dony. “If someone told me that an activity involved ‘a yoga mat, a small plastic bat, gaffer tape, and some vigorous thrusting’, I don’t think my first guess would be ‘a demonstration of cricket umpiring.”
21st over: England 65-1 (Cook 25, Root 10) “As he has suffered from being rather all or nothing with his scoring recently, am I correct in suggesting that a score of 43 for Cook is by far the most desirable outcome of his current innings?” asks Tom Bowtell.
Didn’t he have a couple of scores from 31-49 during the Ashes? I’d go for a nice solid 92. From memory I don’t think he’s been out in the nineties since he was bowled at Lord’s by Mitchell Marsh at 3.31pm on Saturday 18 July 2015.
20th over: England 64-1 (Cook 24, Root 10) Four more to Root, guided through backward point off Hasan Ali.
19th over: England 57-1 (Cook 23, Root 4) Root gets off the mark with a confident stroke, clipping Faheem between mid-on and midwicket for four. England have another 75 minutes to survive until the close.
18th over: England 53-1 (Cook 23, Root 0) Hasan beats Cook with another ridiculously good delivery. Another maiden, which means the last four overs have produced three maidens, two runs and one wicket.
17th over: England 53-1 (Cook 23, Root 0) Joe Root is the new batsman.
Keaton Jennings falls for a useful 29. Faheem Ashraf angled a length delivery across him from over the wicket, and Jennings snicked a defensive push through to Sarfraz. He might feel he could have left that, but overall it was a decent return to the side.
16th over: England 51-0 (Cook 23, Jennings 27) Hasan Ali, back over the wicket, beats Cook with a brilliant legcutter at the start of a fine maiden over. I must say, I love watching Hasan bowl; he’s Pakistan cricket personified. If he was 7-8mph quicker he’d be a world beater.
15th over: England 51-0 (Cook 23, Jennings 27) Jennings survives an optimistic LBW appeal after leaving Faheem on length. It looked dodgy at first but it was a good leave. Of course it was a good leave: it was a Keaton Jennings leave.
Here’s Mark Higgins. “Nasser was showing he needs to keep up to date with the latest MCC laws (15:57). Law 41.15.1, which became effective on 1 October 2017, states that “The striker shall not adopt a stance in the protected area or so close to it that frequent encroachment is inevitable.” That’s what the umpires were picking up on with Jennings. One of our club umpires recently ran a session where he explained and demonstrated various new laws. I recall that the demonstration of law 41.15.1 involved a yoga mat, a small plastic bat, gaffer tape, and some vigorous thrusting. Happy Days!”
14th over: England 51-0 (Cook 23, Jennings 27) Hasan Ali goes around the wicket to beat Cook with a gorgeous full-length delivery that zips away off the seam. He bowls some serious jaffas – but he also bowls a few four-balls, and Cook drives the next delivery through extra cover for four to bring up the fifty partnership. While I’ve been pencilling Keaton Jennings in for 20,000 Test runs, Cook has been playing beautifully. As at Lord’s, his driving has been terrific.
“Afternoon Rob,” chirps Phil Sawyer. “Cricket cocktails? A Sex on the Leach, and of course a Mai Mum Could Have Hit That With A Stick Of Rhubarb Tai.”
13th over: England 47-0 (Cook 19, Jennings 27) Jennings looks so relaxed between deliveries. It’s only a small thing, buT I’VE SAID HE’LL MAKE IT AT TEST LEVEL I’M GOING TO INVENT AS MUCH EVIDENCE AS POSSIBLE TO SUPPORT THE HYPOTHESIS, OKAY?
Faheem jags a fine delivery back into Jennings, who plays a beautiful Chinese cut just wide of leg stump for four. Superb technique. Faheem, who is a better bowler than he looks, then beats Jennings outside off with consecutive deliveries. Terrific over.
12th over: England 43-0 (Cook 19, Jennings 23) A dangerous inswinger from Hasan Ali is defended solidly by Cook, who back cuts the next delivery for four. Hasan has been a bit impatient so far; I suppose that’s human nature given the match situation.
“Afternoon, Smyth,” says Sean Clayton. “A World Cup month during England participation is no time to give up anything (5th over). I timed giving up cigs for the day after England went out of the 2002 World Cup as I knew I’d weaken during the inevitable penalty shoot-out\extra-time\90 minutes stress otherwise...”
11th over: England 39-0 (Cook 15, Jennings 23) A double bowling change, with Faheem Ashraf replacing Po’ Mo’ Amir, who bowled much better than figures of 5-0-24-0 would suggest. Jennings survives a biggish LBW shout from a ball that seemed to clearly pitch outside leg. No review from Pakistan, and rightly so.
“The way to test for swing potential at Headingley is to wave a ferret in the air before the toss,” says Kim Thonger. “If the ferret’s fur goes curly, like it’s had a perm, bowl. I’m told this works at all Northern cricket grounds.”
10th over: England 39-0 (Cook 15, Jennings 23) Pakistan need something to happen, which means it’s time for Hasan Ali. He starts with an absurd jaffa that beats Jennings, who smiles in acknowledgement of his futility and then larrups a square cut for four later in the over.
“The classic Wallbanger would use vodka rather than gin,” says Adrian Armstrong, “but I’m sure Fairbrothers’ Ruin would work. As long as it also contains the essential ingredient, Jason Galliano.”
9th over: England 32-0 (Cook 15, Jennings 17) Amir drifts onto the pads of Cook, who puts him through midwicket for four. These are good signs for England, both in the judgement of Cook and Jennings and the relative lack of movement for the Pakistan bowlers. Mind you, a good start against Pakistan at Headingley is never much of a guarantee. In 1992, England were 270 for one – and then 320 all out.
“Rob,” says Brian Withington. “Regarding Kim Thonger’s Drune™️ (Dry June) conundrum I think all will be well if England can make it to July (!) at which point Kim will be able to give it some Wely™️ as needed.”
8th over: England 28-0 (Cook 11, Jennings 17) Abbas moves around the wicket to Jennings, who gets another inside edge onto the pad. The pitch looks pretty flat, with little seam movement for either bowler, and that knowledge gives Jennings the confidence to chase a wide one and lash it through extra cover for four. Good shot. I may look like a moron if somebody dredges this up in 2027, but I do think Jennings has got something about him.
“Rob,” says John Starbuck. “It’s not that hard to judge if the ball will swing at Headingley. Just look at the sky. Granted, you do need a long history of doing it to get this right.”
7th over: England 24-0 (Cook 11, Jennings 13) Jennings fences the unlucky Amir just short of the man at gully. It’s an interesting battle of patience, this. Pakistan are trying to force the issue without forcing the issue. So far I think they’ve bowled really well.
“I seem to remember getting an hilarious OBO years ago about a cricket-themed beer called IPA Richards,” says Ant Pease. “With reference to Guy Hornsby’s impending insobriety, can we crowdfund an OBO gin called Fairbrothers’ Ruin?”
6th over: England 23-0 (Cook 11, Jennings 12) Discipline was the defining feature of Pakistan’s victory at Lord’s. It’ll be interesting to see how patient they are with the ball if England don’t lose early wickets. Amir and Abbas have started well, whatever the scoreboard might suggest, and Abbas’s third over is an accurate maiden to Cook.
5th over: England 23-0 (Cook 11, Jennings 12) Cook fiddles an exasperated Amir to third man for four more. This is Lord’s in reverse at the moment, with Pakistan’s bowlers desperate for wickets because of the failure of their batsmen. Amir produces another jaffa that beats Cook by a long way - that would barely have hit the outside edge of a second bat - and ends the over with a delicious outswinger that beats Jennings. Lovely bowling.
“Can you please ask Guy Hornsby to cease and desist the gin worship?” says Kim Thonger. “We’ve embarked on Drune™️ which is short for Dry June and it means I can’t even look at a bottle of the stuff on pain of tongue lashing from eldest daughter. It’s all terribly unfair, especially when the England batting is so fragile.”
4th over: England 18-0 (Cook 6, Jennings 12) Jennings inside-edges Abbas back onto the pad. He is batting out of his crease to reduce the late movement with which Philander undressed him last summer, and so far it is working well. When he gets a bit of width he belts a square drive for four. Well played. One thing’s for sure about Jennings: if he doesn’t make it Test level (though I reckon he will), he will score millions of runs for Lancashire in the next decade.
“Did Pakistan’s decision to bat first on this pitch draw criticism?” says Andrew Watson. “Should it? For extra credit, compare and contrast with England’s decision to bat first in the first Test.”
3rd over: England 14-0 (Cook 6, Jennings 8) Jennings steers Amir for three to get off the mark, and then thick-edges his first boundary. There’s a lot to like about Jennings, who is smart and mentally tough. Some quick singles make that an excellent over for England - ten from it.
“I know I’m basically Sir Geoffrey of Yorkshire saying this, but we don’t know what par is here until both sides have batted, and I can’t be the only one absolutely petrified of us actually getting nibbled out by this Pakistan attack soon?” says Guy Hornsby. “It’s ok though, I’ve got a new bottle of gin at home. Blessed gin.”
2nd over: England 4-0 (Cook 4, Jennings 0) Keaton Jennings had a lot of trouble with Vernon Philander last summer. Mohammad Abbas is a pretty similar bowler with his accuracy, full length and movement. After two balls, the square leg umpire walks in to have a chat with Jennings. “What’s he been told there then?” says Nasser Hussain. He’s batting outside his crease to Abbas, and apparently was told that his forward press was taking him into the danger area. That’s very strange. As Nasser says, what about when you charge a spinner? Anyway, Jennings shows good judgement to ignore a series of tempters from Abbas; it’s a maiden.
1st over: England 4-0 (Cook 4, Jennings 0) Mohammad Amir takes precisely two balls to find the outside edge. Cook pushed at an outswinger with sufficiently soft hands to edge it short of first slip. I bet he uses Fairy Liquid. It’s a beautiful first over from Amir, who swerves a belter past Cook’s outside edge and then finds a thick edge that scuttles away for four. This is a dodgy session for England, who could easily lose five or six wickets if the ball continues to swing.
“Do you not agree that all counties should encourage their young players to display good basic, defensive technique which they can fall back on when the going gets tough?” says Geoff Caldwell. “At the moment the majority of our ‘best’ – don’t all snort at once – batsmen don’t appear have a decent forward defensive stroke between the lot of them. They can do a very good bat waft outside the off stump with which to donate their wicket in double quick time; oh yes.”
So how will England do against the bowling attack that cleaned their clocks last week? Only one way to find out: stick around so Rob Smyth can tell you about it. Emails to him here.
That’s tea, by the way.
That partnership between Shadab and Hasan took the edge off a bit - England might be disappointed they didn’t get rid of the Pakistan batsmen for under 150, but it was still a brilliant bowling effort by Broad, Anderson and to a slightly lesser extent Woakes. Now, of course, we get to see what Amir and Abbas can do with conditions that England’s top men tucked into. You fear for Jennings, who quite possibly sees Vern Philander in his nightmares, in particular.
First Test wicket for the kid, as Shadab tries to launch one towards where the old pavilion was at Headingley, but gets nowhere near enough and Jennings takes a comfortable catch at deep mid-wicket.
48th over: Pakistan 174-9 (Shadab 56, Abbas 1) Broad is back to try tidying this innings up, only with three slips to Abbas. But it’s a bit of a wasted opportunity, too many balls outside off that are left alone. By the way, Shadab seems to have lost a run somewhere: not sure how that happened. Sorry.
47th over: Pakistan 174-9 (Shadab 57, Abbas 1) Curran continues, and nearly cleans out Abbas a couple of times. Abbas then surprisingly takes a single, after which Curran tries a bouncer which sits up like it was bowled into sponge, and Shadab flaps it over mid-wicket for four.
46th over: Pakistan 169-9 (Shadab 53, Abbas 0) Shadab turns down a single to deep backward square, then helps himself to four with a nice carve past a very wide third man. Then, his fifty, after Woakes drops short once more and a pull is nailed in front of mid-wicket. Terrific innings from Shadab this: he may just have saved his team’s skin.
45th over: Pakistan 161-9 (Shadab 45, Abbas 0) Curran has struggled today, alas. He goes short and wide to Shadab and it gets the appropriate treatment, leathered down to third man. That said, he nearly cleans out Abbas with a yorker, then beats him on the outside edge.
44th over: Pakistan 156-9 (Shadab 39, Abbas 0) Shadab punched the back of his bat in frustration after Hasan dollied that catch to Woakes. In a very “you had one job” sort of way.
More runs, and lovely ones too, as Shadab plays a lovely flick off his pads to the mid-wicket fence, then a short and wide one is cut with gusto to the other side of the field. Then a sharp single allows Woakes to go for the old one-two: a bouncer to Hasan, then a full one that he tries to whip across the line, but gets a leading edge straight back to the bowler.
43rd over: Pakistan 147-8 (Shadab 31, Hasan 24) Here’s Sam Curran with a bowl. Some singles, then Curran plays the part of ‘First Bowling Machine’ by floating up a driving practice ball that Shadab creams through the covers.
42nd over: Pakistan 140-8 (Shadab 25, Hasan 23) Runs coming quite quickly now. Singles for Shadab, Hasan gets three through the covers, four with a flick to fine leg then another four after a big edge that Root, at third slip, flies to his right to grab. He gets a fingertip to it, but if he’d held on it would have been the best catch you’ve ever seen. Hasan gets a bit giddy and misses with a big swipe that was aiming for Harrogate.
“Just put TMS on,” writes David Brown. “Turned off after 5 seconds. Boycott was moaning about the bowling. Where there is light, let there be darkness (is probably his family motto).”
41st over: Pakistan 127-8 (Shadab 23, Hasan 12) Hasan jabs at one from Anderson like he’s trying to unblock a toilet with a stick, but gets four from it, squirting through gully. Then he gets two more fours, with drives of increasing certainty, the second in particular a very nice one down the ground.
40th over: Pakistan 114-8 (Shadab 22, Hasan 0) Shadab digs out an attempted yorker from Woakes and takes a single, but such is his haste to cling onto the strike like a kid with its favourite teddy, nearly sets off on an absurd second which would have certainly resulted in a free wicket had they not come to their senses. Hasan just about survives the rest of the over, without much certainty.
39th over: Pakistan 113-8 (Shadab 21, Hasan 0) “I don’t want to be a bore,” says Frederick Simon. “But Glue by Bicep is breakbeat, not techno. It’s not entirely wrong, just very jarring. Like suggesting YJB should play as a specialist batsman.”
You were doing so well until that last sentence.
Amir finally nicks one. He threw his hands at a shorter delivery from Anderson and top- edged it to Bairstow, who took a comfortable catch.
38th over: Pakistan 113-7 (Shadab 21, Amir 13) Chris Woakes replaces Stuart Broad, who has excellent figures of 14-5-38-3. There’s a brief break in play when a beach ball lands on the pitch, and then Shadab clips a yorker through midwicket for three. He’s playing really nicely..
“Just had my first opportunity today to check the score,” says Simon Lea. “Delighted to see that all of England’s problems are resolved and no further improvements are required. Phew.”
37th over: Pakistan 106-7 (Shadab 17, Amir 10) England now have four slips and a gully for Amir, who is threatening to edge every ball. He must have played and missed five or six times already, and he’s only faced 20-odd balls. A quick single provides a bit of respite, and then Shadab slaps a wide ball up and over the cordon for four. After almost an hour of Branderson, it might be time for a bit of Coakes.
“I think you’d find Woakes’ stats abroad would improve markedly if he was given the new ball,” says Mike Daniels. “Overseas generally is a hard place to bowl with a Kookaburra when the openers haven’t made inroads - as has generally been the case the last couple of years. When he’s given the new ball in ODIs overseas he’s penetrative - see his two Man of the Series awards in the winter. Judge him when he’s had the opportunity to set the tone rather than try to drag back the situation with an older knacker.”
36th over: Pakistan 101-7 (Shadab 13, Amir 9) Amir may be a walking play-and-miss but Shadab is playing with soft-handed control and eases Broad through extra cover for four. Lovely shot.
“England in taking wickets by bowling at the stumps shock!” weeps Andy Bradshaw.
35th over: Pakistan 97-7 (Shadab 9, Amir 9) Amir is beaten again, this time by Anderson. It feels a like a matter of time before the eighth wicket falls, , just as it did when Sir Ian Botham and Graham Dilley were giving it some humpty on this ground 37 years ago.
34th over: Pakistan 96-7 (Shadab 8, Amir 9) Amir swings and misses again at Broad, prompting an exchange of words and a smile from both players. Broad ends an excellent maiden by beating the outside edge again. He clearly fancies a five-for here; it would be his first in a home Test since that surreal morning at Trent Bridge in 2015.
33rd over: Pakistan 96-7 (Shadab 8, Amir 9) Amir slashes Anderson just wide of Buttler, leaping to his right at fifth slip. It would have been a comfortable catch for fourth slip, had he existed. Shadab then gets four cheap runs, flicking a loose delivery to fine leg.
32nd over: Pakistan 88-7 (Shadab 2, Amir 8) Amir is beaten by an absurd jaffa from Broad. I’m sure if Sarfraz would have bowled first if he knew how much the ball was going to swing. It’s 32 overs old and still doing plenty. Amir has sensibly decided to have a dart – he slices booming drive over gully for four. Then he is beaten by another superb delivery.
“I’m looking forward to a big round of humble pie gobbling from everyone who was calling for Broad to be dropped earlier this week,” says Sam Jordison. “(Unless it was a clever tactic to get him on one...) Meanwhile, moving techno: Luke Slater - Love. Also, on the subject of Bicep, the video for Glue made me want to weep for my lost youth - for everyone’s lost youth. Moving techno is a beautiful thing.”
31st over: Pakistan 83-7 (Shadab 1, Amir 4) Pakistan should declare and stick England in before the ball shuts up. Also: mind games. Amir gets off the mark with an absurd shot, chipping a big inswinger back over Anderson’s head for four.
Faheem’s reprieve last two balls. He has fallen LBW to Anderson, plumb in front as he played around a nipbacker. A number of Pakistan batsmen have been dismissed playing across the line today.
30th over: Pakistan 78-6 (Shadab 0, Faheem 0) Faheem is dropped off Broad! It was a simple chance to Malan at second slip - or it would have been, had Root not put him off by diving across from third slip. Ach.Broad has bowled brilliantly today.
“That’s some incredible stats on Woakes,” says Guy Hornsby. “He’s basically Ars*nal last year, rampantly Wengery at home, staggeringly Brighton away. I know it’s not in vogue, but surely he’s as good an argument for squad rotation as anyone? Yes, he’s got to learn to play on wickets abroad, but if he’s half as effective away from home, then pick someone else until he’s stepped up. The problem being, of course, there’s few alternatives. Speaking of which, I hope Curran does well here, and not just because he’s a Surrey man. We need a good left-armer and he does seem to have a bit about him.”
If England bowl properly this should be over pretty quickly. There goes another one: Salahuddin plays around a big inswinger from Broad and is given out LBW. He reviewed, as most debutants would, hoping it was swinging past leg stump. It wasn’t: replays showed it was hitting the leg bail and Salahuddin has gone.
29th over: Pakistan 78-5 (Salahuddin 4, Shadab Khan 0) I bet there was a very small part of Anderson that begrudged himself that wicket, because it came from the kind of fuller delivery everyone has been telling him to bowl. Replays show that it moved quite sharply off the seam to hit the pad and deflect onto the stumps. At first I thought it had gone straight through him.
“After the first 17 away Tests of his career James Anderson averaged 45 and looked without a clue as to how to bowl without conducive movement,” says Eamonn Maloney. “I don’t see Woakes ever getting the knack.”
James Anderson gets his first wicket, slipping a full, straight delivery straight through Sarfraz. I don’t think the ball did much; Sarfraz just played all around it.
28th over: Pakistan 78-4 (Salahuddin 4, Sarfraz 14) Stuart Broad will bowl from the Nobody Ever Pays for a Pint Round Here, Ever End. He slips one wide to Sarfraz, who belts it through the covers for four with the minimum of fuss. He knows only one way, to counter-attack, and has raced to 14 from 12. It’s the way he plays!
27th over: Pakistan 72-4 (Salahuddin 3, Sarfraz 9) James Anderson returns to the attack after lunch. He bowled a stubborn length before lunch, in more ways than one, though he hints at something a bit fuller in that over. One ball swings sharply back into Salahuddin, who smothers it with bat and pad.
It’s worth updating those Chris Woakes stats
Lunchtime listening Who knew techno could be so moving?
Lunchtime reading (and a free cricket-writing masterclass)
Related: Could it be that Alastair Cook is a tricky co-pilot as a Test opener? | Tim de Lisle
Thanks Nick, hello everyone. On the face of it, Every Loser Wins by EastEnders heart-throb Nick Berry is an epic meditation on the value of perseverance in the face of life’s vicissitudes. In fact, it’s a subtle comment on the quirky nature of Test cricket, and why sometimes it’s a good thing to lose the toss. The Ashes of 2005 and 2015 turned England’s way when they lost a toss at Edgbaston, and they benefitted from something similar at Headingley this morning.
Pakistan didn’t necessarily make a mistake by batting first – as Nasser Hussain says on Sky, it was roughly a 50:50 call – but it’s easy to imagine the heap England might be in had they won the toss and batted first in tricky conditions. Instead, Stuart Broad and Blighty specialist Chris Woakes pitched the ball up and reduced Pakistan to 68 for four. England are back!
That’s it from me for the moment: Rob Smyth will take the first hour after lunch, then I’ll be back for the second bit of the afternoon. Direct your emails here until then.
Having asked you to sign up for the Spin, we should probably give you a sample of what you’re signing up for. Here’s the latest edition, by Tanya Aldred.
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Strong morning for England, and despite suggestions that they should have more wickets by this point, I’d wager they would have whipped your arm off like a hungry shark if you’d offered them this at the start of play. Of the three bowlers only Curran has looked a bit innocuous, and we’ll let him off that for now as he’s not old enough to rent a car.
26th over: Pakistan 68-4 (Usman 3, Sarfraz 6) Sarfraz spends a decent amount of time complaining about movement behind the bowler’s arm, which brings up two thoughts: 1) is it really that distracting if someone shifts a little bit near the sight screen and 2) the players’ balconies are right above said sight screen - isn’t that going to cause a few problems? Anyway, Sarfraz settles himself enough to drive Broad through the covers for four, despite a despairing dive from Curran, then flick another round the corner. And that’s lunch.
25th over: Pakistan 63-4 (Usman 3, Sarfraz 1) Skip’s in, and he gets off the mark straight away with a tuck off his hips. Good morning for England thus far. Another in what will probably be the last over before lunch would pop a little bow on it.
Usman is off the mark, flicking a full straight one from Woakes off his toes for three just wide of mid-on. But then he loses his partner, Shafiq edging a terrific ball from Woakes - your classic off-stump away ducker - which Cook juggles but catches at first slip.
24th over: Pakistan 59-3 (Shafiq 27, Usman 0) The old man is back to show the young shaver how it’s done: Broad returns and beats Shafiq’s edge twice, but then sends down a slightly laboured bouncer which Shafiq jumps all over, pulling just in front of mid-wicket and collects four.
23rd over: Pakistan 55-3 (Shafiq 23, Usman 0) Whoosh. Peach of a lifter from Woakes tickles Usman’s nose: there was a noise there, although there wasn’t really an appeal from bowler or keeper...and snicko suggests there was a tickle on the fingertip as it went through. Technically an opportunity missed for England, but it was such a small sound it seemed more like a flick of the shirt or something
22nd over: Pakistan 53-3 (Shafiq 22, Usman 0) Usman Salahuddin is the new man in, making his Test debut in what is also his 100th first class game, seven years after making his international bow. He watches from the other end as Shafiq blocks out most of an over from Curran, then plays a nice carve for four through gully.
21st over: Pakistan 49-3 (Shafiq 18, Usman 0) Wicket at a good time for England: those two batsmen were looking settled.
Haris had been looking good until then, playing a nothing shot to a ball on a decent line from Woakes, hanging his willow out there (as it were), catching the edge through to Malan at second slipper, where he takes a good low one.
20th over: Pakistan 46-2 (Haris 26, Shafiq 17) Good fielding from Buttler, chasing down a Haris push towards the ropes off Curran to save a run. They merely take three: at those points fielders must have some existential questions for themselves, wondering what on earth they’re doing with their lives, throwing themselves around like loons for the sake of a single.
19th over: Pakistan 42-2 (Haris 23, Shafiq 16) Woakes has an appeal of his own, otherwise a fairly uneventful over.
Tom Bowtell has been at the stats again. “Lovely to see Broad getting it to spit past the edge like old times. He’s currently 31 years and 342 days. Since he was that age, Jimmy has taken 180 wickets at 21.42, so there could be life in those ludicrously long legs yet...”
18th over: Pakistan 42-2 (Haris 23, Shafiq 16) For a cruel tiny moment, Curran thought he had snuck through Shafiq’s defences, but like a child having an ice cream whipped away from him, a pesky bat got in the way. Broad then comes over to offer some advice, and Curran does a decent enough job of looking respectful, but also like he wants to tell the old boy to eff off. Haris times a push rather nicely just in front of point for a couple, then Curran has a big lbw shout, but it looked high and they don’t review on that basis. Decent pace though.
17th over: Pakistan 39-2 (Haris 21, Shafiq 15) Woakes goes across Haris, and Bairstow - but only Bairstow - screams for a caught behind. There was a noise but it was probably a hint of thigh. Decent enough over.
16th over: Pakistan 38-2 (Haris 21, Shafiq 14) And here is Curran. My colleague Rob Smyth, who’ll be on after lunch, sends me this list of teenagers who’ve played for England: 16 Test wickets taken by the under-20s. Curran goes full to Haris, with a hint of swing, but by the third over the batsman seems to have got it sussed: he drives once through the covers for two, then for a second time for four, holding the pose and showing off his excellent form, like a gymnast sticking their arms out to display they’ve nailed the landing.
15th over: Pakistan 32-2 (Haris 15, Shafiq 14) It’s Chris Woakes first change rather than Curran, replacing Anderson. Woakes sends down the loosener’s loosener which Shafiq plays a slightly odd shot at, a cut off his tip-toes that goes over the covers and to the ropes. Next is a much more convincing shot, from a over-compensating half-volley, Shafiq driving splendidly to pretty much the same spot on the boundary. The rest of the over is better, beating the bat a couple of times, including a big flash that Shafiq misses.
As they have a drink, here’s John Starbuck:
“I just caught TMS discussing Broad’s run-up, but I noticed myself that it now seems to be a few stutters, then 16 full paces. This is much longer than he used to do, which is a bit odd, as you’d imagine an older bowler would shorten it. It probably means he won’t be able to bowl quite so many overs, but if it means he gets more wickets, as he’s doing so far, perhaps that won’t matter too much. I recall lots of fast bowlers (West Indies and Australia mainly) in the old days would start from somewhere near the boundary. Presumably it helps to steady their accuracy in some way, or maybe just to irritate the batters?”
14th over: Pakistan 24-2 (Haris 15, Shafiq 6) Broad in again, sticks one down leg side then bowls the most perfect leg cutter, starting on middle-off and moving away. The sort of ball that Shafiq just had to stick his bat down, close his eyes and pray he didn’t nick it. After Shafiq gets away from strike, Broad repeats the trick to Haris. Great bowling.
@NickMiller79 Thoroughly enjoying Broad when he is in this form. An added bonus is that Vaughan (Mr Consistantly wrong) suggested he would have dropped him. Lovely stuff.
13th over: Pakistan 23-2 (Haris 15, Shafiq 5) Anderson continues, which is a bit of a surprise. This over looks a bit tired: a couple of excellent balls, but too many too wide. That will surely be his last of the spell.
12th over: Pakistan 23-2 (Haris 15, Shafiq 5) Curran is loosening, so we might see him next up. Meanwhile, Broad beats Haris with an absolute peach that moves away. He has a little grin on his face at the top of his run - think Broad is having a lovely time out there. Another one nearly gets through but Haris gets a single, jabbed into the covers.
11th over: Pakistan 22-2 (Haris 14, Shafiq 5) Possibly Pakistan’s first really convincing shot of the day comes as Shafiq plays an absolutely perfect cover drive to the ropes. Honestly, you could frame that and hang it above the fireplace. Beautiful.
10th over: Pakistan 18-2 (Haris 14, Shafiq 1) Shafiq goes positive straight away, and gets off the mark with a leading edge through the covers.
Azhar’s 40-minute nightmare comes to an end, as Broad gets one to dip in just enough to trap him in front. Brief suggestion of a review, but that looked stone dead.
9th over: Pakistan 17-1 (Azhar 2, Haris 14) Azhar still looks in some bother, beaten on the outside then the inside edge. Eventually he walks down the pitch to try smothering the swing, but the best he can manage from the over is a leg bye.
8th over: Pakistan 16-1 (Azhar 2, Haris 14) Azhar gets another single from an edge, that one an insider that saved him from a pretty certain lbw. Haris then drives without timing it that well through the covers, and they take two. Then four for Haris, a drive just in front of point that was in the air for a while, and was a bit outside-halfy. And then another four, with a proper edge that flew just - just - over the slips. Pakistan still haven’t really played a convincing shot, but Gary disagrees with me...
I disagree @NickMiller79. Test matches are decided in moments, seizing opportunities as they present themselves. Bowlers of the experience of Anderson and Broad should know that everything is unexpectedly in their favour and make every ball a threat. Malcolm Marshall would.
7th over: Pakistan 5-1 (Azhar 1, Haris 4) Pakistan’s first boundary comes from a peach of a ball from Anderson, on off stump and shaping away that Haris gets a thick outside edge on, and it zips through the slips to the third man fence. Anderson beats the edge with another couple, and despite the naysayers I reckon England are bowling pretty well here.
For those asking, here’s the TMS YouTube link for those reading/listening abroad.
6th over: Pakistan 1-1 (Azhar 1, Haris 0) Getting quite a few tweets and emails complaining about how England are bowling this morning, from who I think are England supporters. Sure, a few might have been a touch wide but these two batsman are just surviving at the moment. There are plenty of times to whinge about this England team, but I would say now isn’t one of them. Another maiden, Broad getting Azhar to play plenty.
5th over: Pakistan 1-1 (Azhar 1, Haris 0) A run! Azhar nudges into the leg side, and Pakistan are off the mark, to sarcastic cheers from what crowd can get in Headingley given that one end is being constructed. And no, I will not be letting this one go. Anderson’s last ball is very full from around the wicket and moves an outrageous amount, but started just to wide for the swing to hit Haris’s stumps. Not too far away though.
4th over: Pakistan 0-1 (Azhar 0, Haris 0) Broad sends a few far too wide, so tries coming round the wicket. Haris plays a big shot at the first one vaguely in his arc, lucky not to nick one that shifted significantly away. Another blank for the tourists. Not making them play enough though.
3rd over: Pakistan 0-1 (Azhar 0, Haris 0) Big hoop in from Anderson at Azhar, which he does well to keep out. The rest of the over is there or thereabouts, without Azhar being in much serious trouble, and is another maiden.
“I disagree with the mindset that you can only have a single ‘keeper in the side,” writes Christian Seller. “If a specialist ‘keeper is good enough to get in the side for his batting, then he should get the nod. I seem to recall the Kiwis going in to a test against England at this ground a few years ago with 4 of them* and winning the match. Indeed, all four of them scored at least a 50 in that match, if Statsguru is to be believed (which it always is).”
*Latham, McCullum, Watling and Ronchi, if you’re asking.
2nd over: Pakistan 0-1 (Azhar 0, Haris 0) Broad was getting movement both ways in that over, but looking at the reply of the wicket it didn’t look like it went that far, if at all.
The reprieve doesn’t last long. Broad throws one up, a lovely line and length for a drive but there may have been a touch of away movement and a thick edge goes high to Root at third slip. Good catch, good start for England.
And it was too high! A good inch or two as well. Imam survives, an excellent review, but he might worry that he was so easily beaten by the in-dip.
There was some talk that Broad might not get the new ball, but he does take it and traps Imam lbw first ball! The finger goes up, but it looks high enough to send it upstairs.
1st over: Pakistan 0-0 (Azhar 0, Imam 0) Bit of movement first up for Anderson, beating Azhar all ends with the opening and closing balls of the over. The rest of the over wasn’t quite pitched up enough, or too wide, but some encouragement at least for England’s bowlers.
The players are out. Anderson will have the new pill, bowling to Azhar.
Here’s a grumble of my own: how come we’re playing a Test at Headingley when it’s half a building site, when, say, Old Trafford doesn’t have a Test this summer?
“Why is Curran in, rather than a bit of continuity for Wood?” asks Jenny Newcombe. “Already churning. I don’t get it.”
I guess the theory is that Wood wasn’t much good at Lord’s so doesn’t necessarily deserve the continuity, plus Curran beefs up the batting a bit, plus it’s always handy to have a left-armer in there.
“Is it me or is the shape of the England team looking weirder and weirder?” grumbles Peter Salmon. “I grew up in an era of six batsmen, a wicketkeeper, four bowlers. If the number six was an all rounder that was great, and hopefully one of the bowlers was a spinner. Now we have two wicketkeepers who should just be batsmen, fast bowlers at number 7 and all sorts of nonsense. In football, goalkeepers are much better at passing nowadays, but you don’t play three of them in a side. I realise things have changed, but the old template lasted well over a hundred years and it feels like at least referring to it occasionally might be helpful.”
“If I remember right,” remembers Kevin Wilson, “in what will forever be known as the ‘Kerrigan Test’, Woakes batted at six. A demotion for the poor lad.”
You are quite correct. Also worth noting that Kerrigan only actually bowled eight overs in that Test, enough to scar a man for life. Poor bloke.
So the expected changes for England, and it’ll be very exciting to see how Curran does. Might he even take the new ball? Just one change for Pakistan, Babar Azam injured and Usman Salahuddin coming in.
Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Joe Root (c), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes, Sam Curran, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Jimmy Anderson
...will bat first.
“Given that England’s tail pretty much starts with the openers,” writes Sam Kelly, “does it matter where Woakes bats?”
Oof.
SCurran has been given his cap (by Graham Thorpe), which means he’ll be the first left-arm quick to play for England in a Test since...Ryan Sidebottom? Am I forgetting anyone there?
If Vish here is right - and he very often is - Stokes hasn’t made it, which means a debut for Sam Curran, plus Mark Wood is out in favour of Chris Woakes...who will...gulp...bat at 7. That’s...that’s a relatively lengthy tail.
Sam Curran about to have a net. Doesn't look like Wood's playing (a couple of consolation pats on the back from Waqar and Beefy). So...
Cook
Jennings
Root
Malan
Bairstow
Buttler
Woakes
Curran
Bess
Broad
Anderson#EngvPak
England are in a pickle. No wins in the last eight Tests, still to find an opening partner for Alastair Cook (who some people want dropped, as if it’s not hard enough to find one reliable opener, never mind two), still to really find a spinner, still to find a third fast bowler (or even a second, depending on what you think of Stuart Broad’s form), still a spot or two uncertain in the middle order, still to really work out what Trevor Bayliss does apart from peer out from under that hat at the end of a day’s play and run through exactly what went wrong.
Still, let’s focus on some good news. Jimmy Anderson is bowling better than ever, having taken 68 wickets at 19.36 in the last year (15 Tests), Jonny Bairstow is fit to play and Jos Buttler is back in the team. Plus they’re playing Pakistan, which is always pretty joyful. Because, among other things, they have Mohammad Amir.
Nick will be here shortly. In the meantime you can read Tim de Lisle’s thought-provoking piece about the difficulties of opening the batting alongside Alastair Cook …
Related: Could it be that Alastair Cook is a tricky co-pilot as a Test opener? | Tim de Lisle
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