| 1.6 : 1.6: S Broad to Imam, OUT! First blow for Pakistan and just the start the Lions wanted. Stuart Broad is the man with the breakthrough. He was unlucky earlier in the over but gets his man this time. Serves it full outside off, Imam stays in his crease and reaches out for this one. Gets a thick outside edge and the ball flies to third slip where Root takes a good high catch. |
| 6.3 : 6.3: J Anderson to Sohail, FOUR! First one of the day but not the way Pakistan would have liked it. Anderson teases Sohail with a good ball around off, Haris plays at it with soft hands and gets an outside edge. The ball sneaks through the gap between the slip cordon and gully for a boundary. Buttler did put in a dive from the latter position but failed to prevent the run flow. |
| 7.5 : 7.5: S Broad to Sohail, FOUR! Second one for Sohail. Broad comes running in from round the wicket and hurls in full around off. Haris gets forward and it goes from outside edge through backward point to the fence. |
| 7.6 : 7.6: S Broad to H Sohail, FOUR! Half a chance for England but Buttler cannot hold onto it. Broad gets the edge of Sohail by bowling one wide outside off. Sohail looks to play this with a straight bat and gets a fat edge towards third slip. Buttler there, jumps high but can only get his fingers to it. The ball races away to the fence. |
| 9.1 : 9.1: S Broad to Ali, OUT! Broad gets another one in his first spell and is asking the Pakistani batsmen question. Comes in from over the wicket and bowls it fuller outside off. The ball nibs back in, Ali is beaten for pace and he strides out to block this. Misses the ball as it hits him on his leg. Broad is in celebration as he continues his celebration. The umpire raises his finger and England are jubilant. Ali thinks of a review but decides against it as he takes the long walk back. |
| 10.5 : 10.5: J Anderson to Shafiq, FOUR! Shot of the day and Shafiq in total control of it. Pitched up ball from Anderson around off, Shafiq gets low and drives it superbly through covers. Boundary. |
| 14.2 : 14.2: C Woakes to Shafiq, FOUR! Short, wide and put away! Back of a length outside off, there's enough room on offer. Shafiq doesn't waste the opportunity to pick up a boundary. He hops and slaps it in front of square on the off side. Gets it well over the infield and the ball goes away to the fence. |
| 14.3 : 14.3: C Woakes to Shafiq, FOUR! Delightful! Full and outside off, overcorrection to the previous one. Shafiq gets his front foot to the pitch of the ball and plays a lovely cover drive. Talk about looking elegant, getting his front foot moving and that high elbow position... |
| 15.6 : 15.6: Sam Curran to H Sohail, FOUR! Delectable! The joy of seeing a southpaw bat against someone who can swing the cherry is immense. This is overpitched outside off, Sohail gets a stride forward and drives it superbly through covers. Nobody in the field stood a chance of cutting that off. Decent start from the newbie, apart from this last delivery. |
| 20.6: C Woakes to Sohail, OUT! Talk about the commentator's curse or anything. A phase of no wickets (70 balls) has now ended. Woakes delivers the goods. This is a crucial one, reckons Wasim Akram on air. It lands on a length and angles away. All this while, it seemed as if Sohail had figured out which ones he needs to play and which he needn't. Misjudges one and that proves fatal. He had his sticks covered and then feels for this delivery. The outside edge is taken and the ball goes straight to |
| 21.6: Sam Curran to A Shafiq, FOUR! Streaky yet effective. Shafiq looks to punch this one off the back foot but ends up getting it off the outside edge. The ball beats gully to his left and goes away to the fence. |
| 23.4 : 23.4: S Broad to A Shafiq, FOUR! Authoritative! Shafiq has carried on his form from Lord's. This is banged short, he goes back and pulls it through mid-wicket for a boundary. |
| 24.3 : 24.3: C Woakes to Shafiq, OUT! Oh dear! Pakistan doing as Pakistan does! Shafiq gets walking and the tourists go deeper into trouble. Woakes delivers it on a length around off, Shafiq HAD TO play at this. Looks to defend it and ends up getting a thick outside edge. The ball goes to Alastair Cook at first slip at a comfortable height. But with the kind of catching form that he is in, he juggles once before ensuring that he doesn't drop it. Second wicket for Chris, he's having a good comeback to t |
| 25.2 : 25.2: S Broad to Ahmed, FOUR! Overpitched outside off, Ahmed gets a stride forward and drives it through covers. Bess gives it a valiant chase and slides, but fails to keep the ball in play. |
| 27.4 : 27.4: S Broad to Ahmed, FOUR! Over-corrects his line there, bowls it full and wide outside off, Ahmed nicely gets on the front foot and drives it confidently through covers. |
| 28.1 : 28.1: Anderson to Ahmed, OUT! Stumps shattered! Anderson finally gets a wicket to his name and is all smiles. A lovely inswinging delivery, it's angled on middle and Sarfraz without covering the line has played all over it. Probably tries to work it away on the leg side but it sneaks past him to destroy the stumps after brushing his back pad. A short stay at the crease for the captain where he almost scored run a ball. Five down now with not even 100 on the board. |
| 29.2 : 29.2: Broad to Salahuddin, OUT! No involvement of bat and it's clipping the leg stump. Salahuddin will have to go back to the pavilion. This is quality stuff from Broad. Bowls it a bit wide of the crease and slants in a length ball around off. It moves back in sharply after landing and catches Salahuddin on the pads as he falls over a bit in his bid to keep it out. They appeal and the finger has gone up. Salahuddin wants this to be reviewed. The bowler is just fine with his landing and the Ultra |
| 30.2: Anderson to Ashraf, OUT! Another one bites the dust! England seem to have had a sumptuous meal and it is showing in the way they've come out all guns blazing since then. Anderson steams in from over the wicket and lands it on a length around middle and leg. It shapes a wee bit inwards after pitching, beating the defensive bat of Ashraf. He is pinged in front of the stumps and the umpire has no hesitation in upholding the appeal. So the dropped chance in the previous over doesn't come back |
| 30.6 : 30.6: Anderson to Amir, FOUR! A proud way to get going for Amir. He just nonchalantly lofts this pitched up delivery over the bowler's head for a boundary. End of a successful over from Jimmy. |
| 31.4 : 31.4: S Broad to M Amir, FOUR! Lucky boundary! Amir chances his arms to a delivery outside off and edges it over gully for a boundary. |
| 32.6 : 32.6: J Anderson to Khan, FOUR! Anderson errs in his line and serves a full ball down the leg side. Khan just picks it off his pads and neatly deflects it down to fine leg for a boundary. |
| 35.4 : 35.4: S Broad to S Khan, FOUR! Nice looking shot by Shadab. He leans forward to a full ball outside off and drives it through the line. Not quite from the middle of his blade but still it races through the gap between short cover and mid off. Curran gives it the chase but fails to pull it back. |
| 36.6 : 36.6: J Anderson to Khan, FOUR! Short and wide outside off, Khan chances his arms and tries to slap it over the point region. But it takes the top edge and flies over gully for a boundary. |
| 38.5 : 38.5: J Anderson to Amir, OUT! Gone this time! Amir was pushing his luck way too much and finally edges one behind. Anderson keeps his composure and continues to bowl in the region outside off. The seam is pointing a bit towards first slip and as a result, the ball follows that route after pitching. Out of habit, Amir throws his bat at it and gets a faint edge behind to Bairstow. He makes no mistake and Pakistan lose their eighth wicket. Interestingly, four catches have been taken in this match |
| 40.3 : 40.3: J Anderson to H Ali, FOUR. Fuller this time around off, Hasan cuts it uppishly over gully and the ball touches the ropes. |
| 40.4 : 40.4: J Anderson to Ali, FOUR! More in control this time and Hasan will add four more to his name. Outside off, Ali carves this along the surface through backward point for a boundary. |
| 40.6 : 40.6: J Anderson to Ali, FOUR! SHOT! Just a gentle push. Fuller ball on off, Ali leans forward and pushes this through mid off for the third boundary of the over. |
| 41.4 : 41.4: C Woakes to Ali, FOUR! Strays this down leg and Ali just helps it on its way for another boundary. More than handy runs these. |
| 41.5 : 41.5: C Woakes to H Ali, FOUR! Too tough to call that dropped. Fuller ball outside off, Ali slashes hard at it and the ball goes just over the third slip fielder who managed to get finger tips to it. Not enough to stop the ball from meeting the fence. |
| 42.4 : 42.4: Sam Curran to Khan, FOUR! Superb. This partnership is starting to get annoying for the English. Curran hurls this wide outside off, Khan drives this crisply through covers. |
| 43.1 : 43.1: C Woakes to Khan, FOUR! And a boundary to start the over. This is now the highest partnership in this innings. Woakes bowls this on leg, Khan flicks this through square leg and the ball continues to flirt with the ropes. |
| 43.2 : 43.2: C Woakes to Khan, FOUR! Drags this length back on off and Shadab punches this through cover-point for back-to-back boundaries. Partnership worth 42 now. |
| 43.6 : 43.6: Woakes to Ali, OUT! Finally England get the breakthrough they needed. The full ball ploy has worked for them and Hasan is the one to depart. Serves this full on middle and leg, Ali is early in closing the bat face and ends up getting a leading edge back to the bowler. Woakes takes it above his head and walks back in no celebration. These two have added 43 runs and it could prove to be fatal in the course of the match. |
| 44.3 : 44.3: Sam Curran to Khan, FOUR! Short and wide outside off, Shadab cuts hard at it over gully. The fielder at deep backward point had no clue about it and the ball runs away to the boundary. |
| 45.2 : 45.2: C Woakes to Khan, FOUR! Short and wide outside off, Khan deliberately lofts it over the slip region for another boundary. The ball has crossed the ropes. The umpire signals four runs. |
| 45.4 : 45.4: C Woakes to Khan, FOUR! Fifty for Shadab! His third in three games and what an important knock this is. Short ball from Woakes, Shadab waits for it and pulls it through mid-wicket for a boundary. Takes his helmet off and kneels down to touch his forehead onto the ground, as a gesture to the Almighty. Well played, lad! |
| 46.6 : 46.6: Sam Curran to Khan, FOUR! Effort ball from Curran on off, Khan pulls but doesn't get hold of it. Gets just enough though as the ball trickles away to the deep mid-wicket fence. |
| 48.1 : 48.1: Sam Curran to Khan, OUT! Pakistan are all out for 174. Curran gets his first international wicket and gets a big hug from Root. Bowls this full on middle and leg, Khan looks to hoick this over mid-wicket. Doesn't get it off the meat and finds Jennings in the deep, who takes a simple catch. Actually the shot was on, with the angle from round the wicket enabling it. But since the ball moved in after pitching, Shadab ended up dragging it straight to the man in the deep. |
| 0.6 : 0.6: M Amir to A Cook, FOUR! That's the length and Cook gets an edge through the slip cordon. Full and outside off, Cook looks to defend it but gets an outside edge as the ball flies past third slip. So the former skipper gets going with a streaky boundary. |
| 2.5 : 2.5: M Amir to K Jennings, FOUR! Fuller ball outside off, Jennings guides it wide of gully and the ball has enough legs to get get to the rope. |
| 3.6 : 3.6: M Abbas to Jennings, FOUR! Elegantly done! A tad full from Abbas and Jennings drives it crisply through covers to get his first boundary. A steady start so far from the home team. |
| 4.2 : 4.2: M Amir to Cook, FOUR! Playing with the field is Cook. Amir hurls this on a good length outside off, Cook opens the bat face and guides it past the fourth slip for another boundary. They are really looking good. |
| 7.6 : 7.6: M Abbas to Jennings, FOUR! SHOT! Beautifully played and does not bother running for it. Overpitched from Abbas and Keaton leans ahead and drives it in the gap through covers. This partnership has now equaled their best for the year. |
| 8.2 : 8.2: M Amir to Cook, FOUR! Makes it look so easy. Third one for Cook. Amir drifts this down leg and Cook flicks it away through mid-wicket. A boundary results. |
| 9.3 : 9.3: H Ali to K Jennings, FOUR! A bit short but outside off, Jennings who is well in control cuts it in the gap through backward point for his fourth boundary. |
| 11.3: H Ali to Cook, FOUR! Misses his line and duly gets punished. Bowls this wide outside off, Cook has enough time to free his arms and cuts it through point for a boundary. |
| 12.4 : 12.4: F Ashraf to K Jennings, FOUR! STREAKY! Inside edge and away to the fence. Back of a length ball on middle and leg, Jennings plays a chinese cut and the ball goes over the leg pole to the fine leg boundary. The partnership now moves to 47. |
| 13.5 : 13.5: H Ali to Cook, FOUR! Authoritative! Brings up the fifty partnership for these two and are really looking in good nick. This has come after 12 innings. Ali pitches it up outside off, Cook strides forward and creams it through covers. Incidentally, the last 100-run stand too was stitched by these two. Can they do it again? |
| 16.6 : 16.6: F Ashraf to Jennings, OUT! Pakistan finally get their man. A resolute opening partnership from Jennings and Cook is broken. For England, this is the best they have seen in a long time. Ashraf comes in from over the wicket and lands it just outside off. Jennings looks to defend it but gets an outside edge straight to Sarfraz who takes a simple catch. |
| 18.3 : 18.3: F Ashraf to Root, FOUR! Lovely way to open your account. Ashraf yet again delivers it in a straight line. Root just flicks it away easily through mid-wicket. The ball speeds away to the fence. |
| 19.6 : 19.6: H Ali to Root, FOUR! Wow! This guy can hit boundaries to all parts of the ground without being unorthodox. This time, he uses the room on offer outside off to guide it well past gully for a boundary. |
| 21.3 : 21.3: M Abbas to Root, FOUR! That's twice now that Root has looked in the direction towards gully. He was standing outside the crease to negate any movement on offer. On getting the width that he desired, he just steered this one to the third man fence for a boundary. Good batting this. |
| 22.2 : 22.2: F Ashraf to Cook, FOUR! Cook's balance for England in this summer has been excellent, quips Nasser Hussain on air, before Wasim Akram continues to lavish more praise on that. Such a beautiful stroke that. Ashraf lets out a full length ball slanting across the southpaw, Alastair gets his front foot nicely forward and drives it wonderfully through covers for a boundary. Moves to 30 with that. |
| 27.2: M Abbas to Cook, FOUR! Some days your bad balls get you wickets while on others, your good ones go for boundaries. Abbas bowls it on a length around middle and leg, Cook gets into a bit of a tangle as he looks to block it. But he ends up getting an inside onto the pads and the ball trickles away to the fine leg fence. The bowler is on his knees in disbelief. |
| 28.3 : 28.3: M Amir to Root, FOUR! Pure timing. Pitched up around off, Root gets down his bat at an angle. The open-face shot makes the ball beat gully to the left and goes away to the third man fence. |
| 29.5 : 29.5: M Abbas to Root, FOUR! A bottom hand whip, says David Lloyd on air. This is hurled fuller on middle and leg, Root flicks it nonchalantly through mid-wicket. A boundary results. |
| 34.5: H Ali to Cook, OUT! Oh man! Another Test match fifty is not to be for Alastair Cook. Of all the ways of getting dismissed, the former skipper chooses the tamest of modes to go back. Hasan Ali bangs this short down the leg side. The southpaw looks at this as an opportunity to get some runs under his belt. He ends up being a bit early into the shot as a result of which, the faintest part of his gloves is taken. Sarfraz Ahmed behind doesn't miss taking that one, even as the umpire raises the |
| 37.6 : 37.6: M Amir to Joe Root, FOUR! First one of the day. Not intentional but effective. Fuller ball from Amir on off, Root gets a soft outside edge and the ball flies past third slip. No thirdman and the ball runs away. The crow goes...Roooooooot!!! |
| 39.4 : 39.4: M Amir to D Bess, FOUR! Shot of the day! England are scoring quickly already. Pitched up ball from Amir on off, Bess gets low and drives it in the gap for a beautiful boundary. |
| 40.4: H Ali to Bess, FOUR! Beautifully done from Bess! Short and wide from Ali, Bess waits for it and cuts it over backward point. No fielder in the deep and the ball meets the ropes. |
| 43.3 : 43.3: M Amir to Root, OUT! Amir gets his man! Huge, huge wicket for Pakistan. Root was looking good out in the middle but consistent bowling in the same channel has brought the demise of English skipper. Coming to the delivery, Amir bowls it touch full, angling away from the batsman and straightens after pitching. Root goes for the widish delivery in search of quick runs but edges this one to the keeper, who takes an easy catch. Some drama in an otherwise dull day. |
| 46.1 : 46.1: H Ali to Bess, FOUR! Beautiful! How good is that from Bess? No half measures with his short making. Ali bowls it on a short of a length, angling in to the body of the batsman. Bess gets on his toes and punches the ball from the middle of the bat through covers. He got a half century in his last match. Can he better his best? |
| 46.6 : 46.6: H Ali to D Malan, FOUR! Too full from Ali and Malan makes full use of it. This is bowled full outside off and Malan flashes his bat from the crease. The ball races between the cover-point fielder but no chance of stopping it. |
| 51.3 : 51.3: M Abbas to Bess, FOUR! Lovely balance and sweetly timed! Abbas goes full again, Bess gets under the ball and pushes it gently along the surface down the ground. Even with the rain today, the outfield shows no sign of being slow. |
| 52.6 : 52.6: F Ashraf to Bess, FOUR! Gets one from the middle! Ashraf bowls this on a good length, Bess stays in his crease and punches it through covers. A boundary results. |
| 53.1 : 53.1: M Abbas to Malan, FOUR! Shot! Nice and easy. Width on offer from Abbas and Malan stretches forward to get to the pitch of the delivery, gets his bat in line and slashes it hard. The ball finds the middle of his willow and turned the fielders into audience as it races away between the cover-point region. Four more runs added to the total and now they trail by just two runs. |
| 56.6 : 56.6: S Khan to Malan, FOUR! Floated ball down leg, Malan paddles this fine to the fine leg region. No fielder there and the ball trickles away to the ropes. Deliberately done from Dawid. |
| 57.4 : 57.4: M Abbas to D Malan, FOUR! England in control now. Abbas is too full, on off this time, Malan drives it gloriously through covers. Four more to his name and it brings up the 50-run stand for these two. It's come in quick time too. |
| 59.5 : 59.5: F Ashraf to Malan, FOUR! Boom! Miss, miss and middled! Lead goes up to 20. Malan is feeling the ball nicely now. Faheem bowls it full outside off and Malan presents the face of the bat. Malan gets a big stride forward, middles the ball and it races to the mid off boundary. |
| 65.1 : 65.1: M Amir to D Malan, OUT! Easy peesy! Pakistan get the breakthrough right after the break. Amir's introduction bears fruit immediately. He goes wide of the crease and angles it in from outside off. Malan is struck in his crease with his bat hanging out. The ball does the needful of taking the outside edge and flying towards first slip. Haris Sohail there makes no mistake in gobbling that up. Perhaps there was some extra bounce, as the batter's action later suggests. The lead stays at 26. |
| 67.3 : 67.3: M Amir to Bess, FOUR! Yes, it was a double bluff! Amir delivers this one fuller and outside off. Bess has his weight on the back foot. Yet, he reaches out to this one and nails the cover drive. Gets a boundary that takes him to 44. |
| 68.3: S Khan to Bess, FOUR! Streaky yet effective. Takes Bess to one short of his second Test fifty. Khan tosses it outside off, Dominic takes it on the full. Looks to play the cover drive but ends up getting a thick outside edge past slip for a boundary. |
| 68.4 : 68.4: S Khan to D Bess, OUT! Well, well! Every run matters in cricket and every mark matters in academics. This would be a harsh realisation for Bess, who falls just one short of what would have been another half century for him. Shadab floats this one outside off, the length is a bit short. It rises a bit more than expected. Bess goes back to punch but fails to account for the extra bounce. The ball goes off the outside edge and lands in Asad Shafiq's hands at slip. Bess was brought into the si |
| 70.1 : 70.1: S Khan to Buttler, FOUR! Jos Buttler is a good player of spin. He showed that to the world in the Indian T20 League, he's showing it to us now. Khan floats this one generously outside off. Buttler reaches out to that and smashes it through covers. Neither the man at covers nor did the one at mid off stood a chance of cutting that off. |
| 70.3 : 70.3: S Khan to Buttler, FOUR! Put down by Ali! Not someone you would want to give another chance, specially in the mood that he is in currently. Buttler clears his front leg and looks to hoick it over mid-wicket. Ends up getting it off the inner half of his bat to Ali there, who stretched to his right after kneeling down and gets a hand to it but fails to hold on. The power in that shot is evident from the fact that the ball has still gone to the fence. |
| 70.4 : 70.4: S Khan to Jos Buttler, FOUR! Clever this time. Quicker and flatter outside off, Jos goes back and steers it through gully for another boundary. Third boundary in the over. |
| 72.4: S Khan to Bairstow, FOUR! Full toss is a gift. And not many reject gifts just like that. Bairstow takes it and smashes it down the ground for a boundary. Shadab perhaps is losing his control now. |
| 75.2 : 75.2: H Ali to Jos Buttler, FOUR! And next up he plays a delightful stroke, Jos Buttler. Overpitched around middle and leg from Ali. Jos maintains his balance and pushes it down the ground past mid on. The timing is such that the ball goes to the fence in a trice. |
| 78.3 : 78.3: S Khan to Bairstow, FOUR! Floated full outside off, Bairstow gets around it and drives it crisply through covers. Hasan Ali sweeping in the deep tried to reach it but ended up being second best. |
| 79.4 : 79.4: F Ashraf to Bairstow, FOUR! Easily done. Length ball outside off, Bairstow hangs back and lets it come. After that he just opens the face of the bat to guide it past gully. Once that man is cleared, a boundary it is. |
| 79.5 : 79.5: F Ashraf to Bairstow, FOUR! Bairstow is just toying with the field now. A third man was in place as a response to the previous boundary. Jonny gets a length ball and he punches it through covers for another boundary. Wonderful. |
| 79.6 : 79.6: F Ashraf to Bairstow, OUT! Faheem Ashraf has the last laugh! He almost got him LBW in his previous over. Now after getting hit for a couple of boundaries, he sends the English wicketkeeper back to the pavilion. He goes wide of the crease and angles it in on a length. Bairstow stands tall and looks to block. But all he manages to do is edge it straight to the keeper, where Sarfraz Ahmed doesn't commit a folly. England's lead is 14 short of getting to the triple figure mark. Well, this wicke |
| 82.1 : 82.1: M Abbas to Woakes, FOUR! Full, on middle and leg, Woakes picks it and send it to mid-wicket boundary. Abbas hasn't bowled too well in this innings and he has started again with a loose one. |
| 82.5 : 82.5: M Abbas to C Woakes, FOUR! Outside off on a fullish length. Woakes goes hard at the ball and gets a thick outside edge. Once it goes past the gully fielder, there was no stopping it. Second boundary of the over. |
| 87.3 : 87.3: M Amir to Woakes, FOUR! Full and on middle and leg, Woakes goes at it with hard hands and manages to get a thick bottom edge. He gets enough on the ball as it races to the mid-wicket boundary. The fielder form short mid-wicket and square leg gave it a chase but they were never going to stop it. |
| 88.6 : 88.6: M Abbas to Woakes, OUT! Woakes looked edgy through his little cameo and finally managed to get one to the keeper. Abbas bowls it on a good length, angling it into the batsman and straightening it from middle and off. Woakes hangs his bats at it from the crease and gets a faint edge. Sarfraz takes an easy catch behind the wicket and England looses their seventh wicket. Can Pakistan finish the tail quickly? |
| 94.2 : 94.2: M Abbas to Sam Curran, FOUR! Streaky but these count. Bowls a good length delivery outside off, Curran goes for the booming drive from his crease. He gets an inside edge and the ball races away for a boundary behind the wicket. |
| 95.4 : 95.4: H Ali to Sam Curran, FOUR! This is some shot from the debutant! Ali won't be too happy. He bowls it short into the body and Curran gets on top of the bounce and pulls the trigger. The ball barely touches the ground as it zipped to the square leg boundary. The lead is getting dangerous for Pakistan now. |
| 95.5 : 95.5: H Ali to Curran, FOUR! He is no rookie, mind you! First, he tackles the short ball with some skill and now, he puts the full ball with another authoritative shot. Ali backs the short ball with the fuller one on the stumps but doesn't get the result he would have hoped for. Curran presents the full face of the bat and punches it through mid off, the fielder there had no chance of stopping it. The lead swells to 128 with just one ball remaining in the day. |
| 97.1 : 97.1: M Amir to Buttler, FOUR! Some swing right away for Amir. He strays on the pads with that and Buttler just tickles it away fine down the leg side for the first boundary of the day. Immediately after he delivered that, Amir clutches his left shoulder in pain. He's down on his knees writhing. Not sure if this is a new injury or something that he has carried on. He is good to go for now though. |
| 97.3 : 97.3: M Amir to Buttler, FOUR! One of the classiest fours you will see in the sport. Full and outside off, Jos takes a stride forward and caresses it through covers for a boundary. He's got moving quickly this morning, moves to 43. |
| 98.2 : 98.2: M Abbas to Curran, FOUR! It's my birthday and I'll have my own party, says Sam Curran. Gets a full delivery outside off, he gets forward and executes a beautiful looking cover drive. The ball rushes through cover-point and gets to the fence in a trice. This gets Nasser Hussain on air beaming about his batting, saying his highest score in First Class cricket is 96. |
| 100.1 : 100.1: M Abbas to Curran, OUT! End of the newbie's stay in the middle! Not a memorable birthday for Sam Curran with the bat. First up, it's a good ball. All through the previous over, Abbas was beating the outside edge of Curran's bat. Here yet again, he doles one full and slanting away. Sam cannot resist playing the drive. He ends up getting a thick outside edge that barely carries towards second slip. Asad Shafiq at that spot gets low to his left and takes it with a tumble. Even as his mates r |
| 102.3 : 102.3: M Abbas to Buttler, FOUR! Make Buttler's score as 49 in your records! This is as good a shot as he has played all throughout his stay. Gets a nice half-volley outside off, he walks into the stroke. Plays the drive and bisects the gap between mid off and covers. |
| 102.4 : 102.4: Abbas to Jos Buttler, SIX! What a way to get to a 8th Test fifty, his second consecutive one! Abbas bangs it short and that's enough for Jos. He swivels and pulls but ends up getting it off the top edge. The ball sails over fine leg for half a dozen. Gee, I envy how people manage to predict some things. Just before the over began, my colleague commented that Buttler will get to the 50-run mark with a biggie. He does. |
| 104.4: H Ali to Jos Buttler, FOUR! Despatched! Short in length around off and middle, Buttler hangs back and executes the pull. Rolls his wrists over that to ensure that it stays grounded and travels to the deep backward square leg fence. |
| 104.5 : 104.5: H Ali to Buttler, FOUR! Beautifully done. Fuller outside off, Buttler gets to the pitch of the ball and drives it just past mid off. He has done so off the meat of the blade. He's looking unstoppable at the moment, as he moves to 66. |
| 105.1 : 105.1: F Ashraf to Broad, OUT! Apple and knife - when they come together, the former has to get cut. In a similar vein, when a bouncer and Broad come face to face, the latter has to depart more often than not. Ashraf bangs this short, Stuart goes for the pull. Makes a decent-enough contact. Abbas from fine leg takes some steps to his right and takes a nice low catch getting forward. Remember, these aren't easy ones. The lead stands at 170 at the moment for a side that isn't Pakistan. |
| 105.4 : 105.4: F Ashraf to Buttler, FOUR! Chance gone down? Maybe half or just short. Buttler whips it from the crease off the inner half off his blade. It goes aerially towards deep square leg. Salahuddin gets to his right and then dives. But the ball lands just short and deflects it off his hands to the fence behind. |
| 105.5 : 105.5: F Ashraf to Buttler, SIX! Ho, ho, ho! It's a magnificent strike! Full length ball is all Buttler requires. He clears his front leg and banishes it straight over the bowler's head for half a dozen. 350 up for England. New ball please... |
| 105.6 : 105.6: F Ashraf to Buttler, FOUR! It's a boundary but Pakistan won't mind, one guesses. Buttler succeeds in finding the gap through covers and gets a boundary. Importantly for Pakistan, Anderson will face the first ball of the next over. 15 runs and a wicket off this one. |
| 106.1 : 106.1: H Ali to Anderson, FOUR! Who wants Buttler on strike when Anderson can accumulate runs! A low full toss outside off, Anderson just opens the face of the bat to slice it through point for a boundary. |
| 106.2 : 106.2: H Ali to Anderson, OUT! That's all! Now you know the value of having a proper batter on strike instead of a tailender. Angled across him on a length, Anderson can do nothing but edge it. He gets squared up in an ugly manner. The ball goes straight to Haris Sohail at first slip, who makes no mistake. England getting bundled out means that, after both the sides have batted once, ENGLAND HAVE A 189-RUN ADVANTAGE! |
| 0.1 : 0.1: J Anderson to Ali, FOUR! WOW! Perfect from Azhar Ali. No need for sighters, no need to check whether the ball is swinging. Nothing. Anderson pitches it up around off, Ali uses his feet, gets forward and creams it through covers for a boundary. This will give him a lot of confidence. |
| 2.1: J Anderson to Ali, FOUR! Ali is looking good. Pitched up ball on off, Ali stands tall and punches it down the ground. The mid off fielder chases it but comes second best. |
| 3.4 : 3.4: S Broad to Imam, FOUR! Confidence booster for Imam. Overpitched ball from Broad outside off, Imam waits for it and drives it crisply through mid off for a boundary. |
| 4.3 : 4.3: Anderson to A Ali, OUT! Knocked him over! What a delivery from the premier swing bowler from England. He bowls it full on off and middle and gets it to move in a touch. Ali looks to play the drive sans any feet movement. Misses the ball completely to find his woodwork shattered. Anderson is ecstatic and leaps to make it known. He was criticised in the first innings for not being full enough and not attacking the stumps. Here he has done both and that has borne fruit. Yet again Pakistan's op |
| 6.4 : 6.4: J Anderson to Sohail, FOUR! Easy runs for Pakistan. Anderson misses his line, angles it down leg and Sohail helps it on its way towards fine leg for a boundary. |
| 6.6 : 6.6: J Anderson to Sohail, OUT! Bess takes a beauty to send Sohail for an early shower! He has done it with the bat, now in the field. Only thing left for him is to get wickets. Anderson runs in from over the wicket and bowls it full outside off, Sohail is early in his drive and ends up chipping one towards mid off. Dominic there takes a couple of steps to his leg and dives to grab it with his weaker arm. The ball sticks and Haris stands there in disbelief. Anderson gets his second and Pakistan |
| 7.6: S Broad to Imam, NO BALL FOUR! Broad oversteps and serves it down leg, Imam flicks it upishly towards the fine leg region for a boundary. Five runs for Pakistan. |
| 8.2 : 8.2: J Anderson to A Shafiq, FOUR! Edged and through the slip cordon for a boundary. Shafiq edges one from outside his off stump. The ball falls short of second slip and runs away to the third man region. Boundary. |
| 9.2: S Broad to Shafiq, OUT! Three of the Pakistan batters are out to have an early Lunch at Leeds! England are on a roll here, courtesy an excellent use of the Decision Review System. Broad steams in from over the wicket and spears it down leg. Shafiq would have flicked these ones nine times out of ten to the boundary. This turns out to be the tenth occasion. The ball seems to have gone off something to Bairstow behind. He takes it forward and puts in an appeal. Seeing no response from the umpi |
| 10.1 : 10.1: Sam Curran to Imam, FOUR! Starts by bowling one very full. Had the same trouble in the first innings. Angles this down leg and it is an easy flick for Imam. He hits to the deep square leg region to get four to his name. |
| 11.6 : 11.6: S Broad to U Salahuddin, FOUR! Streaky! Full from Broad around off, Salahuddin pokes at it and gets a fat edge past the third slip. No third man and the ball rolls to the fence. |
| 14.1 : 14.1: J Anderson to Salahuddin, FOUR! Short and wide from Anderson. Salahuddin opens the bat face and cuts it over backward point. The ball runs away to the deep backward point fence. A bit of Mohammad Hafeez in that shot says my partner. |
| 19.5 : 19.5: C Woakes to Imam, FOUR! Overpitched ball around off, Imam drives it solidly along the turf towards mid off. A stiff looking Jimmy Anderson puts it a dive there but the ball goes through him. |
| 22.1 : 22.1: D Bess to Imam, FOUR! The batsman has taken him straightaway and does not allow the ball to spin. Bess gives this air on on middle, Usman dances down and hits it down the ground for a boundary. |
| 22.6 : 22.6: D Bess to Imam, OUT! YES! Dominic Bess gets his first Test wicket! Good work from Root, goes to his spinner and the young lad does not disappoint. Bowls a regular off spin on middle and off, gets good spin on it and wraps Imam on his pad as he misses his defense. A loud and confident appeal from the fielding side and the umpire takes no time in raising his finger. Imam has a word with his partner and decides to take the review. Replays roll and shows us that the ball would have gone to cli |
| 24.1 : 24.1: D Bess to Ahmed, FOUR! Use of the feet, that's something all the Asian batsman like to do. Sarfraz is to the pitch of the delivery in a flash as he drills it through the line. Woakes at mid off tries to stop it with a dive but fails in his attempt. |
| 27.5 : 27.5: Woakes to Ahmed, OUT! That's trapped in front! Sarfraz straightaway walks to the pavilion and didn't think about taking the review. He knows how dead he was in front of the sticks. Woakes gets a length ball to move back sharply into the batsman from around off. Ahmed has his weight on the back leg as he half-heartedly tries to play it across the line. Misses and is pinged on the pads. They appeal and the finger goes up immediately. Would have crashed middle and leg. Pakistan struggling big |
| 30.2 : 30.2: Sam Curran to S Khan, OUT! Edged and gone! Zero footwork shown by Shadab as he goes fishing at this delivery. It's angled away from him on a length and is leaving him after pitching. Needless poking by the batsman and he ends up edging it straight into the hands of Cook at first slip. This is one aspect of being in good form. You want to play every ball. This should have been left alone with ease but Shadab wanted to score off it. No heroics from him with the bat this time. Pakistan starin |
| 37.1 : 37.1: D Bess to Ashraf, OUT! Nelson strikes! Bess gets his second wicket. A poor shot attempted by Faheem. Tries slogging a full ball across the line but it spins away to catch the top edge. The ball balloons in the air and Dawid Malan at backward point takes the skier with ease. Going against the spin wasn't the smartest of choices by Faheem. England three away from a win now. |
| 40.2 : 40.2: D Bess to Salahuddin, OUT! Soft dismissal! Bess switching ends and picking wickets. He has three wickets, of which, two have come from this end and one from the other. Salahuddin after showing a lot of patience and resilience finally loses it. An inviting delivery, tossed up and around middle, Usman tries to pump it over the bowler's head but mistimes his shot straight into the hands of Root at mid on. All the hard work done goes down the drain. He lasted for 102 balls and should be credit |
| 40.3 : 40.3: D Bess to Ali, SIX! What was he doing in the dressing room! First ball he receives his half and he has dismissed it over mid-wicket. With the spin he goes and has cleared the fence with utmost ease. There was a fielder in the deep but he was a mere spectator. |
| 43.1 : 43.1: S Broad to Ali, OUT! That's a super grab, Chef! A good length ball is angled into the batsman from wide of the crease. It probably straightens a bit after hitting the deck as Hasan without any footwork has a tame push inside the line. Gets a thick outside edge which flies behind and Cook at first slip dives across to his left to take a brilliant catch. The keeper could have gone for the catch but Bairstow didn't move at all. Good for England and they are now one wicket away from leveling t |
| 44.3 : 44.3: D Bess to Amir, FOUR! A flighted ball landing just outside leg, Amir clears his front leg and heaves it over mid-wicket for a boundary. |
| 45.6 : 45.6: S Broad to Abbas, OUT! That will do! ENGLAND WIN BY AN INNINGS AND 55 RUNS! Broad slants in a back of a length ball on middle, Abbas sticks back inside the crease to fend it off but it takes the shoulder of the bat and flies straight to Root at third slip. The English skipper makes no mistake and the hosts finally taste some success in Test cricket, after 8 matches. Smiles all around, the players are shaking hands and thanking the crowd as well. A neat performance to end the series 1-1. |
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