Jamie Smith and Jordan Cox both scored fifties as England recovered from a top-order collapse against Pakistan to 248-9 when bad light ended Thursday’s opening day of the second Test at Lord’s. Veteran paceman Mohammad Abbas took three wickets for four runs in 16 balls, including the prize scalp of England captain Joe Root for just four, as the hosts slumped to 36-3 after Pakistan won the toss in helpful conditions for seam bowling. But Smith’s 61 and 55 from Cox — his second fifty in successive Test innings — got England back into the game and turned attention away from the late-night drinking incident that saw fast bowler Brydon Carse dropped from their squad. Abbas had fine figures of 4-56 in 15 overs and fellow seamer Mohammad Ali 3-67 in 17 when the umpires ruled it was unsafe to continue despite the floodlights illuminating the ground.
Babar Azam Returns as Pakistan Opts to Bowl First in London
In London, Pakistan captain Babar Azam made his return from a finger injury, replacing stand-in skipper Salman Ali Agha. On a green-tinged pitch, and with grey skies overhead following a rain delay, Azam chose to field after winning the toss.
Abbas, who has had stints with several English counties, was soon into his stride on a ground where he was named player of the match after taking eight wickets in Pakistan’s victory in their last Test at Lord’s in 2018.
His partnership of 67 with Smith ended when substitute fielder Agha, belying Pakistan’s deserved reputation as a poor fielding side, held a superb slip catch off Khurram Shahzad. Pakistan’s fielding was also poor as they tumbled to the bottom of the World Test Championship table with defeat in Leeds.
