Ali Martin’s day four report:
Righto, that’s a wrap for the Test match and us here on the OBO. Thanks for tuning in. Ali’s report will be along any moment and we’ll be back for the women’s ODIs this week and the third and final Test at Edgbaston the week following. For now, goodnight!
Pakistan captain Babar Azam:
It’s very disappointing. I think in the first innings we had a very good start but we did not get a good score.
I think the way Abbas bowled was outstanding and then the second innings again we were not up to the mark with the opening batsman and then collapsed. I think the way Saud played was good.
He then mentions England’s pace attack:
They are a very decent bowling line-up because they have three quick bowlers and momentum. With the new ball and the conditions, Robinson was using his skills and the rest are quality fast bowlers.”
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Lovely to see a smiling Joe Root at the presentation:
It does feel good and the way we won was convincing. It was difficult conditions, especially with the bat.
The batters found a good tempo and with the bowling we have three guys who bowl at 90mph and Ollie Robinson.
The guys are growing - me as captain and them as players. I think regardless of the conditions, the mentality of the batters was outstanding. Dan Lawrence and Emilio Gay made significant contributions.
There’s a lot of really good things to build on. I would like to see more of the same (in the final Test match at Edgbaston next week) with bat and ball.
If we can keep adapting and evolving, we’re going to be a pretty hard team to break.”
Ollie Robinson is Man of the Match – he took 8 for 35 and was pretty much unplayable across the Test match. He’s on 99 Test wickets and will surely bring up his ton at Edgbaston next week.
I think the (Lord’s) slope always has something to offer, even when it goes a little bit flatter there’s always something there. It was a great pitch to just keep the stumps in play and nibble it either way, and always nice to contribute to a win.
I’ve had a few starts, a few injuries but playing back-to-back Tests - it’s nice for the body to come through that. I’ve just tried to hone in on my skills and be as consistent as possible. It helps when you’ve got three guys bowling 90mph as well, it allows me to just dot up at one end and build the pressure. The four-man attack we’ve got, I think it’s going to be very successful.
My role doesn’t change, it allows me to be a bit more defensive if anything. I can just hold and be patient and not try to punch through the batters. Jofra and the other guys can then bowl rapid and break it up at the other end. It’s quite a nice pairing to open the bowling with, someone bowling that quickly and swinging the ball the other way from me. Long may it continue.”
England win by 194 runs
That’s it! Josh Tongue nicks off Ali and a smart catch is held by Harry Brook in the slips. England take the series 2-0 and have their first series win since December 2024.
The players shake hands out in the middle, Joe Root’s return to the captaincy gets off to a series winning start, it’s over 2000 days (you do the maths) since Root’s last series win as Test captain. He’ll be looking for nothing less than a clean sweep with the third Test at Edgbaston starting next Wednesday.
Pretty clinical from England, though Saud made them work a little today.
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50th over: Pakistan 189-8 (Abbas 12, M Ali 4) Abbas gets a top edge to an Archer short ball and it flies over the keeper and away for SIX! Archer can’t believe it and chunters for the rest of the over. Lewk in the bewk.
49th over: Pakistan 180-8 (Abbas 3, M Ali 4) Tongue greets Mohammad Ali with a rasping bouncer at 90MPH that is somehow poked safe and away for four. Joe Root doesn’t call for Ollie Robinson to come and and attempt to get his fifth in the innings and 100th in Test cricket. Archer is continuing for now.
WICKET! Khurram Shahzad b Tongue 9 (Pakistan 176-8)
Bowled him! Josh Tongue gets his mop out in the shape of an off cutter that does for Shahzad. England on the brink of taking the series.
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48th over: Pakistan 176-7 (Shazhad 5, Abbas 3) The Pakistan tail are having a proper waft, runs/wickets incoming!
47th over: Pakistan 169-7 (Shazhad 1, Abbas 0) We might not be here much longer now, Mohammad Abbas arrives and attempts a couple of swishes to Tongue but connects only with fresh air. The Saud dismissal reminded me a bit of Australia’s Ashton Agar at Trent Bridge in the Ashes a few years back, I’m sure he’s over it too…
WICKET! Saud Shakeel c Brook b Tongue 97 (Paistan 169-7)
Nooooooooo! He deserved a century for his sparkling resistance and lone hand but Saud pulls a short ball straight down Harry Broo’s throat at deep square leg!
He departs with a pained smile and the crowd rise to him but they and him are deprived a special moment.
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46th over: Pakistan 169-6 (Saud 97, Shazhad 1) Saud Shakeel goes to 97 and Archer throws his head back theatrically as Shazhad inside edges for four past his stumps! Great theatre at Lord’s, Shakeel will be on strike to Tongue with three runs to get his name on the honours board. The Pakistan fans have something tho cheer about finally and are willing their man to get there…
45th over: Pakistan 162-6 (Saud 96, Shazhad 0) You bet he will! Saud smashes Josh Tongue for sixteen runs including two nailed sixes over square leg and a pull for four! He goes to 96 and is just one blow away from a fifth Test century! Enthralling cricket.
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44th over: Pakistan 146-6 (Saud 80, Shazhad 0) England are into the bowlers now, will Saud Shakheel put his foot down in the quest for a Test century at Lord’s?
WICKET! Ali Usman b Archer 16 (Pakistan 146-6)
Archer cleans up Ali Usman with a zippy delivery that pitches and straightens to hit the off peg via deflection off the bottom of the thigh pad.
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Apologies for the delay in the updates after tea – some ghosts in the OBO machine. I can report that there has been a wicket…
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Tea - Pakistan 140-5
That’s the session complete with England needing five (but likely four) more wickets to win the match and Pakistan a notional 249 more runs. Saud Shakeel is unbeaten on 78 off 110 balls and has led the resistance.
Time for a cucumber sarnie, back in a few.
41st over: Pakistan 140-5 (Saud 78, Usman 12) Tongue does indeed come on for a burst and his fourth ball is a *Timothy Dalton voice* very nasty bouncer that clatters into Saud Shakeel’s helmet. He’s good to go after the requisite concussion tests and attempts to pull the final ball from Tongue through the leg side but gets a cue end on it and it flies through mid off for four. Tongue offers up a stare and then a smile. Lovely stuff.
40th over: Pakistan 136-5 (Saud 74, Usman 12) Tongue is warming up – give me that blue blazer right now! Ahem. Atkinson completes a maiden, his hunt for a wicket continues.
“How would the Ashes have gone with Ollie Robinson opening in place of Brydon Carse?”
James Brough is emailing what plenty of people are thinking.
39th over: Pakistan 136-5 (Saud 74, Usman 12) Robinson is into his seventh over on the spin, I wonder if they should give Josh Tongue a two over burst before tea? The strapping Notts man has only bowled three overs so far in this innings and his awkward angles will give the batters yet another challenge. Go on Joe…
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38th over: Pakistan 135-5 (Saud 74, Usman 11) Stuart Broad thinks that Gus Atkinson is perhaps feeling the lack of wickets a little and searching a bit too hard. I’m not really sure I understand but I’m happy to believe the big fella. Four off the over, Saud has been becalmed but he’s still there chipping away with a Test century just beginning to peak/peek on the horizon.
37th over: Pakistan 131-5 (Saud 71, Usman 10) Ollie Robinson’s Test bowling average is now better than Jasprit Bumrah’s. There’s more than one way to skin a Test cricket cat, you could say. It’s cloudy at Lord’s and the lights are on, not very nice batting conditions.
36th over: Pakistan 126-5 (Saud 70, Usman 6) Oh, forgot to say - they will play until 4.40pm with tea from then until 5pm. The final session can go til 7pm should England need it. A couple off Atkinson who still looks good for no reward. Yet.
35th over: Pakistan 124-5 (Saud 69, Usman 5) Robinson is made to wait a little longer for his milestone but he won’t mind that, there will have been times in the last few years when he probably thought he wouldn’t play for England ever again. Ali Usman knocks a single into the leg side to keep strike, England won’t mind that with Saud locked in at the other end.
34th over: Pakistan 122-5 (Saud 68, Usman 4) Atkinson is up into the 90s on the speed gun and has Ali hopping at the crease. A waft outside off nearly goes to Dan Lawrence in the gully but he palms it around the post for four. Robinson will continue on the hunt for his ton of Test wickets.
33rd over: Pakistan 115-5 (Saud 66, Usman 0) Robinson completes a wicket maiden and gets a huge hand from an appreciative crowd when returning to fine leg. What a summer he is having. England are in a hurry now with an end open, Ali Usman is the new man.
WICKET! Mohammad Rizwan lbw b Robinson 1 (Pakistan 115-5)
Urgh! Rizwan plays another hack across the line but this time he misses and Robinson has him LBW! Not a good way to go after the resistance that went before but Robinson doesn’t care on bit – he goes to 99 Test wickets and has 8-28 in the match - and counting.
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32nd over: Pakistan 115-4 (Saud 66, Rizwan 1) Top over from Atkinson who looks much more comfortable from the Pavilion End, he’s up at 89 MPH and he darts two unplayable balls past Saud’s groping outside edge.
31st over: Pakistan 113-4 (Saud 64, Rizwan 1) Rizwan is the new man in the middle with Lord’s looking a little gloomy once more, not unlike Pakistan’s fortunes. Eeeesht! Rizwan tries a huge hack at his third ball and is lucky to squirt a single into the leg side to get off the mark. Saud keeps ticking with a controlled pull for one.
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WICKET! Shan Masood lbw b Robinson 26 (Pakistan 111-4)
That man Ollie Robinson gets the breakthrough! Masood goes too far across his stumps and the ball pins him on the knee roll in front of middle. A huge appeal but the umpire is unmoved. England send it upstairs and sure enough Robinson is hitting the stumps again.
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30th over: Pakistan 111-3 (Masood 26, Saud 63) Atkinson beats Masood twice in succession with balls angled in that nip away sharply at the last. Top bowling but no reward for Gus Gus. Masood guides two past point and then keeps strike for the next with a scampered leg bye.
29th over: Pakistan 108-3 (Masood 24, Saud 63) Rinse and repeat. Ollie Robinson stitches together his fourth maiden with another Woody Woodpecker over on a postage stamp outside off stump. You’d hate to face it.
Now then, Root is taking Archer off and summoning the currently wicketless Mr Lord’s – Gus Atkinson.
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28th over: Pakistan 108-3 (Masood 24, Saud 63) A purr of appreciation around Lord’s as Saud plays a beautiful square drive off Archer that skims across the turf for four. Nasser Hussain wants Archer to try some short stuff for a few overs with Robinson banging it in relentlessly on the top of off stump from the other end.
Nasser knows his onions, the next ball Saud flaps at a short one in at the armpit and is very lucky that it loops over Dan Lawrence at square leg.
27th over: Pakistan 101-3 (Masood 23, Saud 57) Ollie Robinson from the Nursery End, he is devilishly hard to play on this pitch, wobbling it into the pads and away from the outside edge. He beats Masood twice in the over and Jamie Smith showcases some nifty work with the gloves to make two sharp takes. A ripple and a cheer as Pakistan goes to three figures with a glide past the cordon for two from Masood.
26th over: Pakistan 99-3 (Masood 21, Saud 57) Archer gets one to lift and it jams Masood’s fingers onto the bat handle. Ouch. There’s a break in play while the physio brings on some magic spray and Shan is good to continue, the odd grimace notwithstanding.
England only have one review left and they wisely decide not to use it on an lbw shout to Saud who then swivel pulls the next ball for four with something approaching disdain. Good to see this from Pakistan, I feared we might be all done by now when Babar departed at 14-3 this morning.
Out come the players, Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel will resume their burgeoning stand of 80 runs and Jofra Archer is the man who till try and break it first up for England. Play!
Thanks Tom and hello everyone. I bring good news too – the rain has cleared off, the sun is out again and the official word is that we’ll be back underway in five minutes.
The sun’s out again at Lord’s, but a fair bit of mopping up is needed. So during this break, I’ll ease my way out of the chair and usher in James Wallace. And who knows – if the weather continues to prove erratic and this Pakistan pair continue to be much less so, he might even see us into an improbable fifth day. Thanks for your emails and for following. Bye.
News from elsewhere: forgotten man Ben Foakes has got a 50 for Surrey against Essex, and could help them avert defeat. More here …
And in other sports, BlueCo’s lead revenue generator have been doing some goals:
Rain stops play
And suddenly – a short sharp shower. Nasser Hussain on comms seems confident it won’t last, and who am I to argue? They’re off for now though.
In the meantime … why not sign up for The Spin, our weekly cricket newsletter:
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25th over: Pakistan 94-3 (Masood 20, Saud 53), target 389. Lawrence again, with his extravagantly twirly action, just getting a bit of grip and turn away from the left-hander, and he’s managing to stem the run-flow – a maiden.
24th over: Pakistan 94-3 (Masood 20, Saud 53), target 389. A controlled pull from Saud in front of square brings him two more off Archer. He tries one again later in the over, forcing Emilio Gay at square leg to duck only for the ball to dob back to the bowler. A single completes the over.
23rd over: Pakistan 91-3 (Masood 20, Saud 50), target 389. Actual spin klaxon! Dan Lawrence comes on to bowl his tweakers for England’s first spin of the match. He starts with, erm, a loosener, round the wicket at the left-handed Masood that strays down leg for four byes. He finds some revs and turn later in the over though, forcing Masood to be cautious and respectful, which he has been for his whole innings to be honest.
22nd over: Pakistan 87-3 (Masood 20, Saud 50), target 389. England are bothered by the state of the ball, which Root has twice referred to the umpire Paul Reiffel. No dice currently though. However comfortable Saud has looked, Archer serves a reminder of his threat by banging one into the batter’s forearm. In comes short leg but Saud can still find the gaps for a leg-bye in that region. Archer’s still finding pace and bounce but hasn’t been anywhere near as accurate since lunch.
Fifty for Saud Shakeel!
21st over: Pakistan 84-3 (Masood 19, Saud 50), target 389. Saud goes after Atkinson’s short ball, and hoiks off the top edge over the keeper for four. He adds two more before a punch down the ground for four takes Saud to a damn fine 50, his first in England, and he’s looked properly classy today.
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20th over: Pakistan 74-3 (Masood 19, Saud 40), target 389. Masood flicks Archer for a single before the bowler keeps Saud on the alert with a sharp bouncer. When Jofra then goes fuller, Saud drives pleasingly for three then Masood nudges a two as the runs continue to flow
This stand has probably been as good as Pakistan have batted on this tour, but it’s depressing that their support level in the crowd has been nowhere near what it used to be. High prices? Disillusionment with the team? Would be interested in the reasons.
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19th over: Pakistan 68-3 (Masood 16, Saud 37), target 389. Atkinson continues at the nursery end, and whisper it but batting is beginning to look a little easier now, as it can with settled batters and a less new ball. A single for anchor-man Masood brings up the 50 partnership, which Saud celebrates with a nice square cut for four off a loose delivery.
18th over: Pakistan 63-3 (Masood 15, Saud 33), target 389. Jofra Archer, suitably rested, returns at the Pavilion End, and concedes four straight away as Saud sends an unconvincing leading edge through backward point for four. Two more ensue before Saud helps himself to four more down to fine leg, a rare buffet offering from Archer.
Out they come again, the rain still holding off.
An email from Bob O’Hara who reminds us that West Indies’ 84 heroics might have produced the highest successful Test run chase at Lord’s, but not the highest overall one:
The Windies (or West Indies as they were known in those days) don’t hold the record for the highest run chase. That belongs to Middlesex, who chased 472 to beat Yorkshire in 2014. Yorkshire were famously craptained by one Joe Root. Hopefully he’s learned a thing or two since then.
Happier times for Middlesex all round really. Talking of which, they and Derbyshire are trying to force a result in their rain-ravaged match at Derby. Tanya has all the latest from around the grounds …
Lunch: Pakistan 53-3
17th over: Pakistan 53-3 (Masood 15, Saud 23), target 389. Masood pushes Atkinson round the corner for a single to bring the 50 up, and three more behind square on the offside end the session, one that hasn’t altered the picture of England dominance, but this Pakistan pair have shown some intelligent resistance after a stunning new-ball salvo from Archer and Robinson. Again.
Anyway, off for my own lunch now. Back soon.
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16th over: Pakistan 49-3 (Masood 14, Saud 20), target 389. Shot of the morning from Saud Shakeel, unfurling a gorgeous cover drive for four from the first ball of Tongue’s over. This partnership is now worth 36, which is decent by the standards of this match, and Pakistan’s highest of it.
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15th over: Pakistan 45-3 (Masood 14, Saud 16), target 389. Atkinson, with only one wicket to his name this series, replaces Robinson and sees his first ball dabbed low past the slips for four by Saud, who then picks up a single with a rather less elegant hacked inside edge. But Atkinson serves warning of his unrewarded talents by brilliantly inducing a play and miss to end the over.
14th over: Pakistan 40-3 (Masood 14, Saud 11), target 389. Some rare runs for Masood, twice square cutting Tongue for four with relish. Then it goes all manic again as a muffled lbw appeal from Tongue is followed by the batters running two, but they run them so complacently that Saud has to dive to make his ground after Root throws to Smith. The umpires review but that dive proves decisive. He survives.
12th over: Pakistan 30-3 (Masood 4, Saud 11), target 389. This has been a long spell from Robinson but he’s still mostly getting it just where he wants, at that nagging offside line and length. One from the over.
12th over: Pakistan 29-3 (Masood 4, Saud 11), target 389. Archer has his standard five-overs breather but there’s more pace coming down the track at Pakistan in the form of Josh Tongue. Saud nudges a single before England review another lbw denial after Tongue brings one in to Masood, but he’s outside the line. Pakistan are at least looking for singles now though, and grab a couple of scurried ones here.
On the subject of West Indies 84 and all that, this summer’s lamentations over Pakistan’s decline do share something in common with those of A Certain Age’s Windies nostalgia. For Marshall, Richards, Holding etc read Wasim, Waqar, Inzy et al. We need more than nostalgia though damn it – we need a properly competitive Test cricket ecosystem.
11th over: Pakistan 27-3 (Masood 3, Saud 10), target 389. England opt to review a not-out lbw call as Robinson raps Saud on his back leg but it’s pitching outside off. Bit of an indulgent review, that. Then Saud squirts an edged drive beyond third slip for four.
Talk of West Indies 1984 always encourages nostalgic reverie from cricket fans of a certain age, and Anthony Bradley’s memories are duly stirred: “That test was one of my favourite memories. We’d just finished our entrance exams, so we had nothing to at prep school except build tree houses, race bicycles down the hill and (for me) choose a spot of grass in the walled garden and stare at the blue sky and clouds, excited at the prospect of beating the almighty Windies while glued to TMS. The joy of being young and free was shattered by Greenidge and Haynes that day, and life was never the same again.”
Yeah that was the only Test that year that England were competitive in for more than a day, Botham at his best etc, before it was emphatically snatched away by what for our generation was the Brazil 1970 of cricketing behemoths.
10th over: Pakistan 22-3 (Masood 3, Suad 5), target 389. Masood dabs a single – a rare example of Pakistan being able to handle a short-pitched Archer delivery – but Jof’s not just here for the chin music, as he whistles an outswinger down the slope past Saud’s edge.
9th over: Pakistan 19-3 (Masood 2, Suad 4), target 389. Masood flicks a single, as Robinson’s field is adjusted with a more legside bias, including a leg slip. Saud responds with due caution.
“It’s such a shame that this opening pair of bowlers are so (comparitively) long in the tooth,” writes Dean Kinsella. “Jof’s speed and Ollie’s precision could really have been an opening pairing for the ages. Let’s hope for a final hurrah next summer.”
8th over: Pakistan 18-3 (Masood 1, Suad 4), target 389. The capitulation continues, as the once-prized scalp of Babar is claimed by Archer, whose searing short one is looped up to slip. Saud Shakeel, another decent batter due a score, comes to the crease, and has a wild swish first up at one outside off, failing to connect, but Archer is continuing to send down the snorters. You’d really want to see Archer doing this against a more in-form side … though he’s fallible, Saud hammering a lovely shot through point for four.
Wicket! Babar c b Archer 6, Pakistan 14-3
That was almost unplayable, Archer ripping one in towards Babar’s grill, he gets an uncoordinated edge and it loops up into the hands of Jordan Cox at third slip.
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7th over: Pakistan 14-2 (Masood 1, Babar 6), target 389. It clearly helps England that their two opening bowlers are at their absolute favourite ends of their (possibly) absolute favourite venue, and Robinson continues to torment Pakistan outside off. A rare stray one, however, is punished by Babar with an easy fine glance for four.
6th over: Pakistan 9-2 (Masood 1, Babar 1), target 389. Masood is finally off the mark with a single off Archer. Babar Azam needs a decent innings here, and he’s up and running with a single off his hips. Only 380 more needed.
5th over: Pakistan 7-2 (Masood 0). And so it begins. The scoreboard is finally set whirring again as Awais nudges Robinson through square leg for two, but I’d clearly jinxed Awais by bigging up his first-innings knock as he is promptly pinned in front by Robinson. And there’s promptly a review against the new man in, Shafique, for a stumping no less – the pressure-advantage of having the keeper up – but the batter is safely in. But not for long, as he is bowled by a delicious ripper next ball. We may not be detained long here.
Wicket! Shafique b Robinson 0, Pakistan 7-2
And another! Shafique is done by an absolute beauty from Robinson, angled in, pitching middle, ripping into the top of off.
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Wicket! Awais lbw b Robinson 6, Pakistan 7-1
Robinson spears one in and it hits Awais on the back leg, it looks plumb but the batter reviews, to no avail. Robinson is cooking again.
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4th over: Pakistan 5-0 (Masood 0, Awais 4). Archer has found pace and bounce in this match that has eluded lesser mortals, and he has Masood swishing and missing at a 90+mph one outside off. All the batter can do is try to see it out – another maiden.
3rd over: Pakistan 5-0 (Masood 0, Awais 4). Jamie Smith is up to the stumps, 1.1 overs into Robinson’s spell. Awais is cautiously defensive against Robinson’s probing round-the-wicket length, and plays out a maiden.
2nd over: Pakistan 5-0 (Masood 0, Awais 4). Archer steams in from his favoured Pavilion End, and Awais gets the chase under way with a pleasing chipped clip through midwicket for four. Jofra responds with some snorting chin music but it’s a good leave from Awais, who looked really good in the first innings in the circs. A leg-bye is followed by another menacing short one, this time at Masood, who needs a score here.
1st over: Pakistan 0-0 (Masood 0, Awais 0), target 389. Ollie Robinson opens up from the nursery end, four slips and a short leg in place. He gets some predictably encouraging movement without getting Masood to play at much. An uneventful maiden.
Your reminder that the highest successful fourth-innings run chase at Lord’s remains that brutal, majestic Gordon Greenidge-inspired West Indies’ 344 for 1 in 1984.
England are back out on the field and raring, presumably, to go. Ten – or more likely nine – wickets from victory.
Pakistan need 389 to win
Pakistan will be pleased at how they polished off England’s tail this morning, as Abbas gets the acclaim from the three-quarters full ground that he deserves. The target is surely beyond them, but they can test themselves chasing it. Back in a tic.
Wicket! Tongue run out 12, England 208 all out
54.2 overs: England 208 (Archer 2*). Archer takes one in the calf, and winces accordingly, even if it brought him two runs, before, next ball, Tongue is run out chasing a quick single – he’s no match for Babar Azam’s sharp throw and that’s the end of the innings.
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54th over: England 206-9 (Archer 2, Tongue 12) Abbas continues, and the perils of the keeper standing up are demonstrated when Archer’s agricultural swing and miss eludes Rizwan too and runs away for four byes. Jofra then clobbers a low attempted yorker down to long-on for one more. Tongue scoops up a mistimed shot that lands between mid-on and mid-off as the tailenders decide to give it some welly. England’s lead nudges towards 400.
53rd over: England 199-9 (Archer 0, Tongue 11) Tongue top-edges Ali over mid-off for two before the bowler bellows an extravagantly optimistic lbw appeal after a yorker is speared into Tongue’s shins. Going down leg surely but the bowler persuades his captain to review it. And it’s missing by miles, burning Pakistan’s remaining review. Tongue square drives for four, then belts a full toss down the ground for four more, to round off the over.
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52nd over: England 188-9 (Archer 0, Tongue 1) Abbas gets Robinson straight away to get that elusive Lord’s five-fer – a word for Rizwan’s sharp keeping too – and suddenly England’s last pair are at the crease. Tongue gets off the mark with a square drive for one but he’ll be thinking of his imminent bowling duties now.
Wicket! Robinson c Rizwan b Abbas 8, England 187-9
Abbas has five! The Lord’s five-fer he deserved in a winning cause in 2018 has finally arrived in a likely losing one here, seaming one beautifully away from Robinson who edges to Rizwan standing up behind the stumps.
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51st over: England 187-8 (Robinson 8, Archer 0) Robinson drives Ali to mid-off for one. There remains plenty of nibble and movement but Ali’s radar is awry, straying repeatedly down the legside.
50th over: England 186-8 (Robinson 7, Archer 0) As discussed, Rizwan is up to the stumps for Abbas v Lawrence, and it works just fine, as Lawrence is promptly castled, driving on the up at a nip-backer. Archer wants to get off the mark straight away but wisely thinks better of a quick single, and a wicket maiden is played out, Abbas tantalisingly close to finally getting on that honours board.
Wicket! Lawrence b Abbas 54, England 186-8
Abbas has four! He skilfully nips one back down the slope, and Lawrence can only inside-edge it on to his stumps, and his fine innings ends swiftly this morning.
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49th over: England 186-7 (Lawrence 54, Robinson 7) Ali gets some movement outside off against Robinson, which will please the England bowler, who clatters a soft bouncer next ball through midwicket for two. At Ali’s pace, these are easy pickings.
Here’s our old mate John Starbuck: “Good morning. One thing I’ve noticed lately, particularly as we’re playing Pakistan, that the raging debates are still changing. I recall a time when every one was talking about reverse swing (a Pakistan invention, pretty much), but then it moved on to other techniques, such as wobble seam, and is now all about the keeper standing up for seamers to intimidate batters to stay in their crease. There must be some sort of law which states that, for instance, every third Test series brings innovation. What do you reckon?”
I think tactical language in all sports goes through phases – who in football talked of transitions, high presses and low blocks three decades ago? – and it’s the same in cricket, without the game changing that much. And I think keepers standing up may be quite an England-specific thing.
48th over: England 182-7 (Lawrence 54, Robinson 3) Mohammad Abbas, who has performed well here and remains a fine bowler to watch, starts us off at the Pavilion End. After four dots, Robinson nudges one off his hips for the day’s first single. It brings Lawrence to the strike and he promptly crunches a square cut to the ropes at the Grandstand for four.
47th over: England 177-7 (Lawrence 50, Robinson 2) Mohammad Ali bowls the remaining ball of his over to Lawrence, who plays an orthodox forward defensive. No run.
Out they come. England bat on. A better day for batting is the overall vibe, England not bothering with the roller.
A shimmer of light for Pakistan is that Imam Ul-Haq has been seen taking some throwdowns, albeit that he’s still hobbling and his left calf is strapped. So we might yet see him doing a Chris Woakes in the closing stages of the Test.
Our first email of the day, and it’s more stance-talk, from Alisdair Gould:
I think Joe Root is too side on. Vic Marks - a good observer - suggests he change his guard to middle stump. Dan Lawrence is an obvious example of opening wide almost too far. What do you/other good observers think?
I can’t see myself going up to one of England’s greatest ever batters and saying, “mate, you don’t wanna do it like that,” after the career he’s had. Root’s success has always struck me as rooted (ha!) in the skilful and dextrous way he uses his hands. Though you could see Lawrence’s approach being used against him by more aggressive attacks than Pakistan’s.
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Today's timings
Here’s today’s attempt at a timetable. Good luck with that:
Lunch 1.15-1.55pm; tea 4.10-4.30pm. Close will be 6.30pm (for which read 7pm) and 98 overs are planned.
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Interesting bit of tactical chat on Sky between Michael Atherton and Dan Lawrence, who explains how changing to a more mobile, almost antsy, back-and-across trigger movement has actually helped him keep his head still and opened up more shots. And he’s happier batting at No 6 than higher up, though No 5 is his ultimate fave, which is obviously currently locked down bt Harry Brook. Lawrence can do a job in South Africa this winter, nonetheless.
News from elsewhere: it’s been a frustrating, rain-flecked few days in the County Championship too, leaving all matches still live going into today’s final day, including an only-in-cricket close of play situation at Chester-le-Street, where Durham’s players went off for an early night (we trust) needing only four runs to polish off Gloucestershire. Tanya Aldred will be calling that match home, and all the others, through the day. Join her here.
Here’s Ali Martin’s day three report:
It was one of those days at Lord’s. Rain meant just 24.5 overs were bowled and England’s already dominant position in this second Test meant overall jeopardy was in short supply. The spectators got a 50% refund but this only mildly offset their general frustration of following a sport that is so weather-dependent.
Yet for all this, it may in time prove a significant one for Dan Lawrence. During the two hours of play that were possible, and in hugely challenging conditions for the batters, Lawrence delivered an unbeaten 50 off 66 balls that cut through the gloom and showed his desire to make this latest stab at Test cricket count.
When the umpires eventually abandoned play at 6.32pm – bad light the official reason, despite arguably the best viewing conditions of the day – England had reached 177 for seven and their lead had swelled to 357 runs. Pakistan’s head coach, Sarfaraz Ahmed, hoped to keep the target under 350 after his side’s blowout on day two and Joe Root’s refreshed attack will be licking their lips.
And a bit of Dan Lawrence’s reaction, when he admits taking a risk with some “whooshka” first up, before settling into a nice groove. And how his mentality has changed since returning to the England setup:
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“Thoughts creep into your head and I’m desperate along with all the other boys to establish myself in an England shirt. It’s just about trying to take every opportunity you get instead of feeling nervous about the occasion, just have fun and play the cricket that’s got me here this summer …
“I got wrapped up in a lot of things [when he was previously in the team, against Sri Lanka two years ago] and I was thinking about my position and what I needed to do to stay in the team, instead of just enjoying it and realising how lucky I am to play for England,” he said.
“My mentality since coming back has been completely different. Hopefully, we get a good series win and then we’ll see what happens in the coming months and years.”
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Preamble
Morning everyone. And after a day savoured by my parched lawn much more than those who’d paid top dollar for Lord’s tickets, England remain primed, accompanied by a slightly better weather forecast than yesterday’s, to wrap up that first Test series win for 20 months against a bedraggled Pakistan.
Let’s face it, they’ve got enough runs in the bank already, leading by 357, and Joe Root will have been pondering an overnight declaration. All will be revealed shortly. If the England captain does call his batters in, that will be a slight shame for Dan Lawrence, who batted with great authority yesterday in difficult conditions to reach his second half-century of the series, another Bazball discard reasserting himself in the new era. (And the only England cricketer as far as I know to have gone to the same school as me – some years apart I hasten to add.)
Anyway, according to the weather boffins there’s only a 3% chance of rain at 11am, though it does trend up a little after that. So let’s wrap our cagoules around our waists and hope for the best.
Play starts: 11am BST.
