England v Pakistan, 2nd Test, Day 1 – Rain reigns on Day 1 yet again
For the second time in two Test matches in England, rain curtailed and eventually forced an early end to the first day’s play between visitors Pakistan and England.
The visitors went into the game with an extra batsman; Fawad Alam, who has been absolutely phenomenal in the Pakistan domestic Cricket circuit over the years was rewarded with a spot in the playing XI after 9 long years in place of leg-spinner Shadab Khan.
England decided to add some more firepower to their batting line-up by including another all-rounder in Sam Curran in place of paceman Jofra Archer. Ben Stokes, who will miss out on the remainder of the Test series, was replaced by Kent’s Zak Crawley.
Having won the toss and decided upon batting first once again, the Pakistan batsmen were up against what seemed like a rejuvenated James Anderson, who was not at his best in the previous Test match. Shan Masood, who ground his way to a scintillating hundred in the first Test, received an absolute peach of a delivery from the Burnley-born pacer in the third over, which hit the pitch and seamed a foot back in and struck him plumb in front.
The Ali-duo, Abid and captain Azhar tried to play themselves in, despite having no clue of what was being delivered at them on quite a few occasions for the next few overs. England’s slip cordon, though, was not up to the task either. Dominic Sibley, standing at third slip, snatched at an edge from Abid Ali off Stuart Broad next over, right in front of Rory Burns at second slip, and emphatically spilt it.
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Despite erring by rushing into the shot with hard hands at times, when the two batsmen got their feet to the ball and their timing right, they were rewarded with boundaries.
Abid was given another life off Woakes in the 14th over, and this time it was the other England opener who was guilty of the error. Woakes got one to fly off a length, getting Abid to jab at it, in the process nicking it to second slip, where Burns could not hold on despite having two grasps at it.
The 50-run stand was brought up crunching square cut for four from Azhar in the 21st over, upon receiving a back of a length delivery from Anderson. Shortly afterwards, rain brought about an early lunch break.
After having done such a commendable job of surviving against arduous spells from Anderson, Broad and Woakes, the Ali-duo finally ran out of chances when Azhar, having timed the ball so well until then, went with hard hands to a length delivery from Anderson, in the process nicking off to Rory Burns at second slip, who did not err on that occasion. To be honest, the mistake from Azhar was on the cards as he hadn’t scored a run post-lunch.
Almost two further hours and several overs were lost due to another spell of showers. Upon resumption of play, Abid got to his fifty with… that’s right, another outside edge that bounced in front of the slip cordon.
It took yet another peach to get rid of the 32-year-old, and this time it was Sam Curran who produced it. The Surrey all-rounder got the fourth delivery of the 38th to bounce and seam away from Abid, who poked at it without moving his feet at all. Rory Burns, standing at second slip, took his second catch of the day.
Abid Ali lived a cat’s life in the middle today
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Sibley made up for his early error as well four overs later, taking a low, sharp catch to his right at fourth slip offered to him by Asad Shafiq off Broad.
The ploy of playing the extra batsman in Fawad Alam failed to work in the first innings. Woakes got to straighten one after pitching it just on the leg-stump line, which caught Alam stone dead. The only doubt umpire Richard Kettleborough probably had in mind, before adjudging the batsman not out, was where the ball had pitched. His doubt was cleared after a successful review from England, which enforced him to alter this decision, and Alam’s comeback to international Cricket after 9 years lasted only four deliveries.
A third spell of showers followed. Once the rain subsided, it was too dark to carry on, and therefore, the umpires had to pull the stumps out to signal the conclusion of day 1.
Brief scores:
Close of play, day 1
Pakistan 126/5 (45.4 Overs)
Abid Ali 60, Babar 25*, Anderson 2/35