Right, that’s all from here. What a thriller we’ve got in prospect tomorrow. Firstly, it’ll be interesting to see how Pakistan approach things. Bat time or swing for the fences? Tune in tomorrow to find out!
“We wanted 275 in the dressing room,” said Micky Arthur. “But you get greedy, don’t you. Now it’s about 300.”
Yasir Shah just went over to shake Chris Woakes' hand. It’s almost a personal shootout between them two of them this Test.
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) July 16, 2016
“Is it time for a number of followers to publicly apologise to Chris Woakes?” asks Matthew Valentine. Followers, coaches and some pundits, too.
STUMPS - Pakistan lead by 281
77th over: Pakistan 214-8 (Shah 30, Amir 0)_Woakes does it again – now five in the innings and 11 in the match. Mohammad Amir comes up to a cacophony of boos from the crowd, who have been well sauced today. Woakes moves to around the wicket to the left hander and seams one sharply past the edge, before beating the bottom of his bat with a ball that dies through to the keeper. And that is that. What a special day of Test cricket that was.
WICKET! Riaz c Bairstow b Woakes 0 (Pakistan 214-8)
Woakes has 11! Riaz ducks a short ball that doesn’t get up as much as he thinks. It wraps his glove and balloons to the keeper. That’s also five in the innings for the Warwickshire seamer.
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76th over: Pakistan 214-7 (Shah 30, Riaz 0) An array of short balls pushes Shah back. But when Finn opts for something fuller, Shah swings him away to the leg side for four! No idea where that came from, but this is now Shah’s best Test innings...
GREAT STAT: Chris Woakes now has a lower Test bowling average than Mohammad Amir.
— George Dobell (@GeorgeDobell1) July 16, 2016
75th over: Pakistan 208-7 (Shah 24, Riaz 0) Excellent from Chris Woakes. Hard to think there was actually a time before him. Gets movement with an old ball, from a naff pitch, to remove Sarfraz. Pakistan lead by 275...
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WICKET! Ahmed c Bairstow b Woakes 45 (Pakistan 208-7)
Typical from Woakes this summer: he comes on and takes a wicket in his first over. Squared up by a bit of movement, Ahmed edges through to Bairstow, who takes a simple catch. That’s 10 in the match for Woakes – currently 10-101.
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74th over: Pakistan 207-6 (Ahmed 45, Shah 23) More anguish for Finn as Sarfraz chops down next to his stumps for two. Someone give the man a hug.
73rd over: Pakistan 205-6 (Ahmed 43, Shah 23) Good work from these two to bunt four runs from the over, utilising the gaps to third man.
Yasir Shah, who looks a complete natural in Test cricket, was 28 before he made his debut. Pakistan don't blood them all young! @Vitu_E
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) July 16, 2016
72nd over: Pakistan 201-6 (Ahmed 40, Shah 22) Finn to continue. And rightly so. He’s done exactly what he’s needed to do. Another solid over passes without luck as Shah plays and misses and Sarfraz survives an LBW appeal (outside the line, me thinks).
71st over: Pakistan 199-6 (Ahmed 39, Shah 21) Just to compound England’s misery, another four races away off the outside edge of Shah’s bat.
70th over: Pakistan 192-6 (Ahmed 37, Shah 16) Sarfraz Ahmed is dropped by Bairstow on 36. Steven Finn, who had Shah dropped earlier, finds the outside edge but Jonny Bairstow, sticking out his right hand first, gets nothing but wrist on the ball, which squirts out into the leg side for a single. Shah finishes the over with back to back fours – one through midwicket, the other through the slips – as Finn turns the air blue. It’s not just the opportunity that Bairstow has spurned, but a good chunk of Finn’s confidence, too.
Surely Jonny Bairstow doesn't keep for England again. His earlier shockers this summer didn't cost them. That should. Just bat. #ENGvPAK
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) July 16, 2016
69th over: Pakistan 183-6 (Amhed 36, Shah 8) Shah plays out a maiden, refusing to go at anything short and thus leaving the man out at deep square leg to find his own amusement. Sensible from him, truth be told.
68th over: Pakistan 183-6 (Sarfraz 36, Shah 8) Steven Finn immersing himself in the atmosphere. A full delivery that swings away at the last moment takes the outside edge and races through a gap for four. The lead is now 250.
67th over: Pakistan 178-6 (Ahmed 36, Shah 3) The noise spills over into Broad’s over, dulled temporarily by a guided from Sarfraz that brings two. “It’s coming fellas”. Feels like it.
The Lord's crowd realise how important the overs are between now stumps. Roaring before each ball. This is brilliant. #ENGvPAK
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) July 16, 2016
66th over: Pakistan 174-6 (Ahmed 33, Shah 2) Steven Finn returns for a late dash and is bang on the money. Yasir Shah is tempted into an array of loose drives. The final delivery sees Shah chip a leading edge to Stuart Broad, who does well to get to the ball at cover but can’t quite gets his fingers under the ball. Good crowd involvement, too, who have been excellent throughout today. They’re gagging for a wicket as cheers ring around Lord’s as Stuart Broad returns to the Pavilion End.
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65th over: Pakistan 174-6 (Sarfraz 33, Shah 2) Fair play to England’s intensity. Sarfraz’s run down to third man has been blocked well by fielders already on the move, reading his tells. The last ball of the over is timed nicely down the ground but Broad does excellently to stop the ball and even keep Shah in check, who dives back into his crease after over-committing at the nonstriker’s end.
64th over: Pakistan 174-6 (Ahmed 33, Shah 2) The usual from these two: single for Sarfraz, bulk of the over for Shah. No drama aside from one play and miss elicited by a delivery from Woakes that holds its line.
63rd over: Pakistan 173-6 (Ahmed 32, Shah 2) An appeal for caught behind, as Shah misses a drive, gets louder as it goes on. Not out is the call: there’s a little something on Snicko, but it doesn’t actually look like the ball has carried to Bairstow. By the way, how freaky is this?? Afridi resigned as captain after the match, too...
#Afridi and #Misbah got out in same style in their last #LordsTest innings!#EngvsPak #ENGvPAK #PAKvENG #Lords pic.twitter.com/3LgxbjaIXg
— Aliee. ❣ علینہ (@Anmol_Aleena) July 16, 2016
62nd over: Pakistan 172-6 (Sarfraz 31, Shah 2) It seems Ahmed has a lot of faith in Shah. Another single off the first ball and Shah bats out the over again. He finds two around the corner when he clamps down on a full ball on leg stump. The run out is checked as Shah leaves the ground after running his bat in. Not out.
61st over: Pakistan 169-6 (Ahmed 30, Shah 0) So, does Sarfraz take this into his own hands? Shah looked solid if stout in the first innings but, with an average of just 11.30, it might be worth the keeper-batsman farming strike. That being said, he’s happy to let Shah face the last five balls of this over, which he does well.
60th over: Pakistan 168-6 (Ahmed 29, Shah 0) Cracking bowling from Chris Woakes to remove Shafiq for an excellent 49. Not entirely sure where that delivery came from but Woakes deserves that after trying to make things happen.
WATCH: Impressive from Woakes to leave Pakistan 168-6, still 235 ahead though. #EngvPak https://t.co/ce6Msn9sjC
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 16, 2016
Updated
WICKET! Shafiq b Woakes 49 (Pakistan 168-6)
Woakes goes wider on the crease and gets one to nip back and through Shafiq’s defence to hit the top of off stump. On a dull deck, with a ball that’s 60 overs old, that’s a hell of a nut to a bloke well set on 49.
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59th over: Pakistan 165-5 (Shafiq 49, Ahmed 26) A couple of tucks and tips bring three from the over. Slow and steady for now, from both batsman. Still plenty of time left and Pakistan plan on using as much of it as possible.
58th over: Pakistan 162-5 (Shafiq 48, Ahmed 24) A pigeon comes in at extra cover for the whole over, only veering from its position as Sarfraz Ahmed jogs by to take a single off the final ball of the over.
57th over: Pakistan 161-5 (Shafiq 48, Ahmed 24) That’s it for Moeen, too. Jake Ball to pick up things from the Pavilion End. Just as I was about to type about how his extra carry could keep the slips interested, Shafiq’s soft hands ensure an edge drops well short of Joe Root.
56th over: Pakistan 160-5 (Shafiq 48, Ahmed 23) Finally, Chris Woakes is brought on. His third ball is short and wide and smashed to the fence for four. Get him off!
55th over: Pakistan 153-5 (Shafiq 43, Ahmed 21) Not for the first time, Pakistan get a boundary off the first ball of a Moeen Ali over. Ahmed gets to the pitch of the ball and threads it through midwicket, down the hill for four. He’s moving as much as Younus Khan, only Sarfraz’s are more deliberate and are upsetting Ali’s line. Quality batting from him – he’s 21 from 15.
54th over: Pakistan 144-5 (Shafiq 42, Ahmed 13) Broad continues, conceding one from the over as Sarfraz guides one to third man.
53rd over: Pakistan 143-5 (Shafiq 42, Sarfraz 12) Sarfraz manages to get four with a wide nick before Moeen Ali has him stumped off a beamer. Yes, really. A lovely cover drive for a second boundary: Sarfraz gets a good stride in and stays leg side of the ball. That’s more like it. 12 from the over...
52nd over: Pakistan 131-5 (Shafiq 42, Ahmed 1) Interesting point from Bumble, as Broad finishes off a maiden. His pace is down, but is that because he’s trying to bowl cutters? The surface is being disturbed, so it’s certainly a tactic worth exploring. Nothing to show for it so far though.
51st over: Pakistan 131-5 (Shafiq 42, Ahmed 1) After imploring a few in the Pavilion to sit down, Khan goes dead straight and risk free back over Moeen’s head. Two balls later, he’s walking in same direction as Ali does him with a lack of flight. Right, in comes Sarfraz Ahmed. Expect things to move on a bit now. He’s immediately off the mark with sweep for one.
WICKET! Khan b Ali 25 (Pakistan 129-5)
Finally, Younus’ Happy Feet innings comes to an end – Ali slips in a flatter delivery that turns and has Younus chopping on.
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50th over: Pakistan 125-4 (Shafiq 41, Younus 21) Can’t imagine Broad will get another over. He’s been pretty innocuous since the break and, as Gary Naylor points out on Twitter, the game is slowly slipping away from Alastair Cook. He also notes that Chris Woakes hasn’t bowled since the 30th over.
49th over: Pakistan 125-4 (Shafiq 41, Younus 21) Very smart from Shafiq as he dances down to the first ball of the over, ensures he’s to the pitch of the ball and flays over midwicket for four.
Poor Younis. This has been the scratchiest ordeal for a Pakistan player since Shoaib Akhtar missed the 2009 World T20. #ENGvPAK
— Pavilion Opinions (@pavilionopinion) July 16, 2016
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48th over: Pakistan 118-4 (Shafiq 35, Younus 20) Broad not getting much carry, allowing Shafiq to plonk himself on the front foot. What should have been a maiden sees one taken off the fifth ball, as James Vince gets in a muddle at cover and Joe Harts a tame push into the side netting.
47th over: Pakistan 117-4 (Khan 20, Shafiq 34) Both Shafiq and Younus fetch Ali from outside off stump for singles behind square on the leg side. Shafiq goes for the hard sweep. If Ali can summon a bit of extra bounce, a top edge could interest that man around the corner.
46th over: Pakistan 115-4 (Shafiq 33, Younus 19) The session like no other starts with a gentle full toss that is bunted to cover. No run. A strong guided shot from Shafiq goes for four down to third man. Broad drops the man back immediately. Not particularly threatening from Broad. Low eighties, if that.
Right, what a session of cricket this could be. Pakistan in the lead, on the board, up the flag pole, cat nipping at their bits. England desperate for wickets – “two till the tail” they kept reminding each other in the field. Strap in...
TEA
45th over: Pakistan 111-4 (Shafiq 29, Younus 19) Flashy from Shafiq, as he holds the pose after cutting Finn in front of point for four. A drop to the leg side brings up the 50 partnership off 88 balls. A tuck in front of square from Shafiq takes Pakistan to Nelson at tea. Their lead is 178. Let’s blue sky it – is 260 an even money chase? I think so, even with Yasir Shah doing his thing. Still, you’d rather be in Pakistan’s position going into the break.
44th over: Pakistan 104-4 (Younus 18, Shafiq 23) Moeen Ali replaces Jake Ball. He’s got a deep point for insurance, which Younus uses for a single. Shafiq then skips down and is done in the flight. Luckily, his skew down the ground is wide of Ally Cook at mid on. Loose but effective.
Shafiq has become the 9th player to score 2500 Test runs batting at No.6. https://t.co/wqWbuAt3ka Steve Waugh tops the list, with 3165.
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) July 16, 2016
43rd over: Pakistan 100-4 (Shafiq 20, Younus 17) Crisp from Shafiq, as Finn goes searching for a loose shot but is timed down the ground, inside mid on, for four. Hmmmm was that a chance? The ball nicks something down the leg side and bounces just short of Jonny Bairstow. Umpire signals leg bye. Ah well, as you were. “Two till Wahab,” reminds Bairstow during the change of overs.
42nd over: Pakistan 93-4 (Younus 16, Shafiq 15) Khan gets hold of one, pouncing on some width from Ball to punch through cover point for four. A jump tuck around the corner means he’ll keep the strike.
41st over: Pakistan 88-4 (Shafiq 15, Younus 11) Shafiq’s relatively motionless technique of a steady head and keeping his feet on the ground won’t ever catch on. It is a slight on the truly great Pakistani batsmen who don’t just regard Tigger as Pooh’s bestie but also as a guide for pure batsmanship.
40th over: Pakistan 88-4 (Shafiq 15, Younus 11) “Noooooooooo!” yells Jake Ball, as if he’s just found out that Darth Vader is his dad. Shafiq plays forward and away from himself to edge through a vacant fourth slip, right between James Vince (third) and Alex Hales (gully). The very next ball is flayed through point for another boundary.
39th over: Pakistan 79-4 (Shafiq 6, Khan 11) A fourth maiden in a row, as Khan bumps up the stats on his fit bit with an array of hops and tuck jumps in defence. Steven Finn gives nothing away.
Oh Finny, thought you had one finally. He's been much better today, it's such fine margins but he's in a groove @Vitu_E positivity klaxon!
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) July 16, 2016
38th over: Pakistan 79-4 (Shafiq 6, Younus 11) Runs to Pakistan come as Ball conks Shafiq on the noggin and the ball races away to the fine leg boundary. Four leg byes through evasive action. Pakistan 146 ahead...
Pakistan has never lost a Test match when Misbah-ul-Haq makes a century, but has never won a Test when Misbah-ul-Haq makes a duck!#EngvPak
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) July 16, 2016
37th over: Pakistan 75-4 (Shafiq 6, Younus 11) A good start from Broad, who catches Khan in front, mid two-step. While the decision went against Finn and England on review, it may just give Khan something to think about. The lead is 142.
NOT OUT
Rod Tucker’s review took less time than Wilson’s initial decision. Turns out that the ball would have passed high and wide past leg stump. Not considerably, mind.
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REVIEW
Joel Wilson is a man who knows the value of suspense. Steven Finn wraps Younus Khan on the pad and, after an age, Wilson raises the finger. Khan reviews...
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36th over: Pakistan 75-4 (Shafiq 6, Younus 11) Jake Ball has been unlucky today. More beating of the bat off a good length that he has started to call home. A fourth maiden of the innings for him.
35th over: Pakistan 75-4 (Younis 11, Shafiq 6) More of the right questions from Moeen – four of those runs were byes. Are England back in front now? I would say not quite, but Pakistan are doing their best to help. And here comes Vish... Thanks for reading.
34th over: Pakistan 68-4 (Younis 10, Shafiq 4) Good stuff from Ball, who looks like a handy addition to the squad. Rod Tucker got the decision right, as usual, but Ball has beaten the bat a few times and been far from overawed. And here comes Vish... Thanks for reading.
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Not out! Younis is saved by a thin inside edge. And England are out of reviews.
REVIEW!
For LBW, off Ball...
33rd over: Pakistan 64-4 (Younis 6, Shafiq 4) Asad Shafiq gets off the mark nicely with a cut for four. Pakistan are, in effect, 131-4, with a longish tail. The game could not be more beautifully poised. Unless you have a ticket for Monday.
32nd over: Pakistan 60-4 (Younis 6, Shafiq 0) A maiden from Jake Ball on his return. Time to take in this bizarre situation. You could be forgiven for wondering if either team wants to win this match.
31st over: Pakistan 60-4 (Younis 6, Shafiq 0) That was a brainstorm from Misbah, much like Joe Root’s 24 hours ago. And a triumph for Moeen, who was treated with some contempt on Thursday. Woakes is finally coming off.
Pakistan 60-4 now. Misbah may be 42 but he played the shot of a small boy on the beach, and Alex Hales took a lovely running catch at deep midwicket. Game more than on.
WICKET!
Misbah! Caught in the deep off Moeen.
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30th over: Pakistan 60-3 (Younis 6, Misbah 0) Another maiden from the admirable Woakes. Misbah is back at the crease after his delicious first-innings hundred. The man is 42. People who are younger than him include Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan, Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Flintoff, Paul Collingwood, and the new leader of the House of Lords.
29th over: Pakistan 60-3 (Younis 6, Misbah 0) Solid support from Moeen. Woakes now has 8 for 85 in the match. Broad has 4 for 88, so that’s 12 for 173 from England’s next opening pair. The other bowlers have 1 for 204, and that, plus the artfulness of Yasir Shah, is why Pakistan are on top.
28th over: Pakistan 59-3 (Younis 5, Misbah 0)
Woakes, willing as well as able, wants to carry on and he gets his reward as Azhar, after surviving some awayswingers, plays round an in-ducker. Game on. A wicket maiden: Woakes has been immense.
It turns out there is a physicist in the house (see 25th over). “I’m at Lords with a physicist,” says Paul Simmons. Cool. “In answer to your question - he denies that Woakes can be swinging it. But then he also denies that reverse swing exists, or that humidity influences thingy. It’s possible he’s an idiot.” Or sitting side-on?
WICKET! Azhar lbw b Woakes 23 (Pakistan 59-3)
Just brushing leg stump, so it’s umpire’s call and Azhar is on his way.
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REVIEW!
Woakes gets an LBW, but Azhar is questioning it...
27th over: Pakistan 59-2 (Azhar 23, Younis 5) Moeen returns, and Azar gets the first run off him with a crisp lap-sweep. The field is defensive, but Moeen hasn’t got the memo – he’s on the attack, getting an LBW shout against Younis. Mo has been twice the bowler today that he was on Thursday.
26th over: Pakistan 58-2 (Azhar 22, Younis 5) Woakes lures Younis into a tailender’s play-and-miss, way outside off. This is a man who has played 105 Tests and scored 9000 runs. Fooneh game, creekit.
25th over: Pakistan 58-2 (Azhar 22, Younis 5) A maiden from Broad. He seems to be getting some swing, jagging into the right-hander, while Woakes does it the old-fashioned way, shaping it towards the slips. Can that be right? Is there a physicist in the house?
24th over: Pakistan 58-2 (Azhar 22, Younis 5) The ever-present possibility is that Pakistan will self-destruct. Azhar and Younis almost conjure a run-out, turning an easy two to long leg into a drama, but England send the ball to the wrong end. Woakes goes up for a catch behind, as Younis misses a full one, and then elicits a leading edge. Excellent pressure. With this pair, Broad and Woakes, we are seeing the future when Anderson bows out, and it works.
23rd over: Pakistan 57-2 (Azhar 21, Younis 5) Tidy from Broad, but this passage of play is all about whether England can do what Geoffrey Boycott is always advising, and add two wickets to the total.
Vish, who will be with you shortly, is busy riffing on the rather shocking question David Gower asked Michael Holding at lunchtime.
Which was worse – apartheid or substitutes in ODIs?
— Vithushan (@Vitu_E) July 16, 2016
22nd over: Pakistan 55-2 (Azhar 21, Younis 3) Shane Warne wants some attacking field placings from Cook and he wants them now. Cook prefers to see defence as the best form of attack, posting only two slips. Woakes fits in with a maiden. Pakistan’s lead is 122.
21st over: Pakistan 55-2 (Azhar 21, Younis 3) Younis carries on jumping around. He’s like a crab on a hot tin roof.
20th over: Pakistan 49-2 (Azhar 18, Younis 2) Woakes continues to find life easier than any other England player, inducing an edge from Azhar which drops short of Root at second slip. At the other end, Younis is making one of his ungainly starts, which may be misleading. He’s apt to be the guy at the party who seems really awkward and ends up being the last to leave.
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19th over: Pakistan 46-2 (Azhar 18, Younis 1) Cook, seeing half a chance here, brings back Broad, who asks all the right questions.
Meanwhile, another pun has landed.
@TimdeLisle Lunchtime on Sky. #MichaelHolding on relative evils of Packer and apartheid, speaking truth to Gower
— Nick Carter (@NikuKata) July 16, 2016
18th over: Pakistan 44-2 (Azhar 17, Younis 0) Great stuff from Woakes. He gets some orthodox swing, has a decent LBW appeal against Masood, then pushes one across him to draw the edge, and Cook takes a smart low catch.
WICKET! Masood c Cook b Woakes 24 (Pakistan 44-2)
A regulation edge, well earned by Woakes.
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Alastair Cook needs two wickets, fast. And even then, he may find himself dealing with two old wizards. His best hope lies in Moeen delivering on those promising first two overs, so he can use Broad and Woakes in short fiery bursts at the other end. “Pakistan just have their noses ahead,” says Shane Warne. Just?
Theresa May isn’t famous for her sense of humour, but this is nice from the person described as her political brain.
That is out. St Paul seems to have been a trigger-happy umpire. #propercricket pic.twitter.com/KhzkVLAjYt
— Nick Timothy (@NickJTimothy) June 18, 2016
In British politics, it’s suddenly 1973. In English cricket, it’s 1996: Pakistan have arrived bearing leg-breaks and toe-crushers, and England’s batsmen have hardly put a foot right.
“Staring at 1-0 down the barrel in a 3-test series,” says Tapan. Four actually, but point taken. “Hoping England selectors will wake up regarding the ‘ballance’ of the squad now!” As puns go, that one is well worth a James Wince.
LUNCH: Pakistan 40-1
The morning belongs to Pakistan. The match is rattling along, and England are being left behind.
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17th over: Pakistan 40-1 (Masood 20, Azhar 17) A second maiden from Mo, but Pakistan make it safely to lunch, and England are in trouble.
Not out! Rod Tucker takes little time to find that there was no bat in there. But at least some turn and bounce and encouragement for Moeen.
REVIEW!
England think they’ve got Azhar caught at short leg off Moeen...
16th over: Pakistan 39-1 (Masood 20, Azhar 17) Woakes keeps the batsmen honest, but England need a breakthrough. At the bookies, you can get 11/2 on Pakistan for the series, which looks like a gift.
15th over: Pakistan 39-1 (Masood 20, Azhar 16) Cook makes yet another change, turning to Moeen, which is good captaincy. He responds with a maiden to Masood. The rapid rise of Woakes, as Rob Smyth spotted on here yesterday, means that England can now afford to pick a full-time spinner. Keep your phone on, Gareth Batty.
14th over: Pakistan 39-1 (Masood 20, Azhar 16) Woakes continues to exude class, beating Azhar with an outswinger that Jimmy Anderson would have been proud of. It’s a maiden. The lead is over 100.
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13th over: Pakistan 39-1 (Masood 20, Azhar 16) Steve Finn is one of sport’s good guys. Yesterday, when Chris Woakes walked off with a six-wicket haul, Finn had his arm around him, even though it had all but evicted him from the next Test. He is in the last-chance saloon and he knows it. He tries a toe-crusher (all the rage today). This is meant to make the batsman fall over, but instead it’s Finn who ends up on the floor.
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12th over: Pakistan 36-1 (Masood 20, Azhar 15) It’s a double change as Broad gives way to Woakes, England’s man of this match by far. He has an LBW appeal against Masood, perfectly straight but too high. A couple of balls are too leg-stump-ish, and Masood picks them off.
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11th over: Pakistan 30-1 (Masood 14, Azhar 15) Cook turns to Finn, who finds the edge of Azhar’s bat, but it goes through the vacant third slip for four. That’s as good as it has got for Finn in this match.
“Hoping you can repost this message from yesterday?” asks Joe Neate. “Trying to gather players from the OBO for a charity match in Brighton... The OBOccasionals are playing in a charity tournament in Brighton on Sunday 14th August, but we are a few players short. Looking for players of any ability for an awesome, fun, friendly day in the sun. We played in it last year and it was a terrific day out. If anyone is interested, they can drop me a mail on joe.neate@gmail.com or just search out the OBOccasionals Facebook group. We are also playing on an island called Vis in Croatia at the end of September...”
10th over: Pakistan 26-1 (Masood 14, Azhar 11) Ball has an appeal for LBW against Masood, which looks high and pitched outside leg anyway. Cook takes third slip out and moves him to midwicket, without consulting Ball. If Cook was Mike Brearley, you might think he was trying to fire him up by pissing him off.
9th over: Pakistan 22-1 (Masood 11, Azhar 10) Broad is keeping it tidy, but England need more – they need his 8-for-15 mode.
The cameras find an MCC member in a leopardskin jacket.
“Rrrrrr,” says David Lloyd. “Tiger!”
“Leopard, dear,” says David Gower.
8th over: Pakistan 19-1 (Masood 10, Azhar 8) Cook keeps Ball on, and his faith is almost repaid as Azhar misses another toe-crusher (going down, again) and then plays an air-shot outside off. Azhar recovers with a nonchalant lick for four through midwicket.
The Sky commentators have some prediction mechanism which says England are favourites, with a 49% chance of a win, to Pakistan’s 45%. Which just shows that even when you have a machine to do it, prediction remains a mug’s game.
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7th over: Pakistan 14-1 (Masood 9, Azhar 4) Broad concedes a few: Masood clips a four through square leg as if his name was Cook, then plays a nicely controlled hook for two and a nudge for a single. The lead is 81. Time for Woakes, surely.
6th over: Pakistan 7-1 (Masood 2, Azhar 4) Another maiden, ending with Ball going Pakistani and firing in a toe-crusher. Azhar misses it, but it was going down.
@TimdeLisle Enjoying the cricket here in Islamabad, with a glass of cognac, superb commentary by the @guardian team, setup nicely. #PAKvENG.
— Horus ⭐ (@_HO_RUs_) July 16, 2016
5th over: Pakistan 7-1 (Masood 2, Azhar 4) Another maiden from Broad, to Masood. Cook has given him a short cover. It feels like those hi-vis panels on Theresa May’s navy-blue outfit when she went to see the Queen: an unconvincing attempt to be funky by a stolid citizen.
@TimdeLisle Surely Shane Warne has ALWAYS just arrived from Las Vegas?
— Mr D Johns (@MrJohnsEnglish) July 16, 2016
4th over: Pakistan 7-1 (Masood 2, Azhar 4) Masood almost follows his mate back into the pavilion, jabbing at Ball and not evading short leg by much. Azhar then gets off the mark with a lovely decisive off push. Ball is at least trying to pitch it up now.
3rd over: Pakistan 2-1 (Masood 1, Azhar 0) The first run off the bat is a poke into the covers from Masood. And then he loses his partner, as Broad gets some lift and Hafeez gives Root some catching practice. The next ball keeps low. This pitch, widely described as flat, is turning out to be, by Lord’s standards, a minefield.
WICKET! Hafeez c Root b Broad 0 (Pakistan 2-1)
A waft from Hafeez, a high smart catch for Root. Are England back in business?
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2nd over: Pakistan 1-0 (Hafeez 0, Masood 0) Jake Ball shares the new namesake, much to the annoyance of Ian Botham, who would have preferred Woakes – “Go with your two best bowlers”. Ball’s first over is accurate but too short to trouble Hafeez. Another maiden.
1st over: Pakistan 1-0 (Hafeez 0, Masood 0) Broad opens up from the Pavilion end, finds his line immediately and draws the edge from Shan Masood, but it drops well short of Joe Root at second slip. A maiden, with just a leg bye to trouble the scorers.
England have paid the price for turning up with half a team. Vince and Ballance are a shaky middle order; Finn is right out of form; Ball is promising but a novice; Moeen is meat and drink to good players of spin; Anderson and Stokes could both have played.
“Hey,” says Qasim in Islamabad. “I love the Guardian’s witty live coverage be it cricket or football. I just wanted to correct you and your colleagues on one point, Yasir Shah didn’t ‘kiss the turf’ when he got his five-for, nor did Misbah when he completed his century, both of them actually performed sujood which is basically bowing down before God and reciting, ‘Oh God glory be to you, the most high.’ In Muslim tradition it is a way of expressing gratitude towards God. Keep up the good work!”
So England have been spun out, Yasir-ee as our tabloid friends would say. Yasir Shah finishes with 6 for 72, and Pakistan have a lead of 67. With the pitch already decidedly fickle, they are well on top. All they need to do is not collapse.
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WICKET! Ball run out 4 (England 272 all out)
England’s innings ends bathetically, as Woakes tries too hard to keep the strike and Ball fails to dive at the non-striker’s end. Out by a street.
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79th over: England 271-9 (Woakes 34, Ball 4) It was just a straight ball, hitting leg, and Finn played outside it, as tailenders do. Jake Ball comes out for his first bat in Test cricket and swats a handsome four to third man, before missing a now. Yasir now has 82 wickets in his first 13 Tests, the most by anyone since the 19th century. And he has made a great big statement here.
WICKET! Finn lbw Yasir 5 (England 267-9)
Finn is pinned. back when he should have been forward. England have no reviews. Yasir’s reign continues.
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78th over: England 267-8 (Woakes 34, Finn 5) Finn, fed up with squirting singles, tucks neatly for two. Then he ducks neatly for a tall man, and he even nicks the strike with a flick to fine leg. The deficit is 72.
An email arrives from John Starbuck. “Stuart Broad was, I think, the only England batsman to wear an arm-guard in this innings. Much good it did him.” Well, he did get 17 and stick around for an hour, which seems perfectly respectable for a No.9.
77th over: England 264-8 (Woakes 34, Finn 2) Finn finds another gap with another poke: so far, he has batted better than he has bowled in this match. Woakes plays a lovely deft paddle for two. While he is there, England are still in the game.
“Morning Tim, morning everyone,” says Guy Hornsby, “from a sweltering seat in the lower Grand Stand at the home of cricket. A cracking day’s play in store, with the hope of optimistically passing Pakistan’s total before lunch, just as Broad is castled. Gah! Had the immense pleasure of a half hour with OBO titan Gary Naylor before play, and I’m off to see LCD Soundsystem after stumps. This may be the most middle class and wonderful summer day of my life.”
76th over: England 261-8 (Woakes 32, Finn 1) Wahab softened Broad up with a couple of lifters, then gave him the toe ball. Finn manages to get bat on ball and squeezes out a single. But now he has to face some leg spin...
WICKET! Broad b Wahab 17 (England 260-8)
Wahab yorks Broad, superbly. Like Waqar Younis to Hick, 20 years ago.
@TimdeLisle Buffon and Misbah should do an album together, shouldn't they? https://t.co/igzcymhuVG
— Cruithneach (@Cruithneach) July 16, 2016
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75th over: England 260-7 (Woakes 32, Broad 17) Broad gets a grubber from Yasir and squirts a single round the corner. Woakes sees off the rest.
“Morning Tim,” says Tom Bowtell, also known as Botwell. “I see that Woakes’ batting average just went ahead of his bowling average AND above Stokes’ batting average with one single. He’s on 33.25 & 33.18, while Stokes is on 33.21 with bat and 37.84 with ball.” Thank you, Bearders.
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74th over: England 259-7 (Woakes 32, Broad 16) Riaz decides to bounce Broad, much to the delight of Shane Warne, who has just arrived from Las Vegas. Broad plays a shaky upper cut which might have been his downfall had the short third man Misbah put there for this very shot been in the right place. If Pakistan were properly organised, England would be all out already.
The grand old ground looks a picture, the cricket is compelling and the world can just stand still for a few hours please @TimdeLisle.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) July 16, 2016
73rd over: England 258-7 (Woakes 32, Broad 15) Yasir Shah, the man who owned yesterday, starts with a maiden. Woakes defends, crisply, getting well forward. He could get out now and still be having a wonderful summer.
72nd over: England 258-7 (Woakes 32, Broad 15) Wahab Riaz gets things started from the Nursery End, but England have the better of the over. Woakes tucks a single away like the old pro he has suddenly become, and Broad cracks a cover drive for four like the near-allrounder he used to be. One ball keeps low on him; the draw is a very long shot here.
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Some of the punters are in danger of missing the rest of the England innings.
Huge queues down the Wellington Road to get into Lord's - unusual with only 20 minutes to go before the start
— Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) July 16, 2016
Morning everyone. It’s the Saturday of the Lord’s Test, and it couldn’t be better set up. The day is sunny with some cloud and a touch of mugginess in the air. The match is racing along like a news story after 11 wickets fell yesterday. The underdogs are on top, but not by much; one session could swing it. Half of this Pakistan team are unfamiliar, but their brand remains unmistakable: sheer electricity.
Three men are on the honours board, all with outstanding performances, and all three look like being central to this morning. Chris Woakes, still aching after bending his back and taking a six-for, has to shepherd the England tail. He has already lasted as long as Joe Root did. Misbah-ul-Haq, who made a resplendent century, has to marshal his left-armers, defend his lead and somehow hide himself and about three other liabilities in the field. And Yasir Shah, who took a lovely five-for on an unhelpful surface, could make it eight, if the pacemen don’t blow away the tail first. It’s almost too mouthwatering.
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Tim will be along shortly. In the meantime, here is Vic Marks’ take on Mohammad Amir yesterday:
Thanks to the inability of those behind the stumps to catch the edges, the return of Mohammad Amir to centre stage did not start with a bang. Initially it was no more noteworthy than the comebacks routinely delivered by the majority of rock stars.
Amir had in his sights the England captain who had some stern words to say about fixers before the series began. Twice he found the edge of Alastair Cook’s bat; but twice the ball thudded from the hands – or the gloves – of the culprits on to the green carpet of Lord’s.
Did the keeper and first slip possess no sense of theatre? Was there extra tension behind the stumps as Amir sought his first Test wicket for six years? Or were they surprised by the extra pace Amir generates? So far, despite his slender frame he has been the fastest bowler on view.
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