Pakistan on top after knocking over England at Lord’s

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Pakistan ended day one of the first Test against England at Lord’s well on top having bowled the hosts out for 184 and worked their way to 50/1 at stumps.

England had earlier won the toss and elected to bat first a decision we incorrectly lauded on social media.

England found themselves with their backs to the wall early on as Mark Stoneman (4) was cleaned up by Mohammad Abbas with a top delivery that dislodged his bails to leave them 12 for 1.

Joe Root (4) just about gift-wrapped his wicket for Hasan Ali who started erratically but was nonetheless rewarded as the skipper stretched to reach a delivery destined to fly at first slip which wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed ultimately gathered well.

Dawid Malan (6) was undone by a more accurate delivery from Hasan who broke out his trademark ‘explosive’ celebration having found the outside edge with a ball just outside the batsman’s off-stump.

England would at least steady before lunch with Alastair Cook holding firm and reaching 46 not out at the first break with Jonny Bairstow on ten with him for company.

After tea it looked like England might get back in to the game with Cook and Bairstow (27) getting the home side to 100 before Faheem Ashraf slid through the keepers defenses.

Then Ben Stokes and Cook would add 49 for the fifth wicket, a partnership that might have given England hope of restoring parity on day one by Mohammad Amir produced a jaffer to bowl the opener for 70.

England went to tea on 165 for 5 but things went from bad to worse just after the break as Abbas (4/23) and Hasan (4/51) tore through the England lower order.

Jos Buttler’s return to the England Test team did little to disprove the belief that he is a better white ball player as he hit 14 off 15 balls before nicking off to Abbas shortly after Stokes (38) had been trapped leg before on review.

Dom Bess (5), Mark Wood (7) and Stuart Broad (0) would contribute little to the cause.

Pakistan’s reply started off shakily and Imam-ul-Haq (4) would become the second man dismissed leg before on review on day one to leave the tourists 12 for 1.

Azhar Ali (18*) and Haris Sohail (21*) dug in to grind towards the close.

Sohail would offer a late chance off Wood but Stokes couldn’t hang on in the slips and Pakistan survived until the close and put fifty on the board.

Pakistan trail by 134 runs but still have nine first innings wickets in hand.

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