14 wickets fall on a dramatic day 1 as England build a strong position in 3rd Test against Pakistan.
England gained the upper hand on a busy day of Test cricket at Edgbaston. As many as 14 wickets fell, with both teams struggling at different stages.
However, England finished the day in a much stronger position after dismissing Pakistan for just 133.
Pakistan started the day with hopes of building a competitive total. Instead, their innings quickly fell apart.
England reduced them to 100/7 during the morning session. The conditions offered some movement for the seamers, especially with cloud cover around.
Still, the pitch was not excessively difficult to bat on. Pakistan’s collapse once again highlighted their problems against quality pace bowling.
Saud Shakeel was the main exception. He played positively and found several attractive boundaries while wickets continued to tumble around him.
Pakistan eventually reached 133 on day 1 of 3rd Test against England. Mohammad Abbas and Ali Usman added 26 runs together. Their partnership provided Pakistan with a small lift, but England soon ended the resistance.
Josh Tongue, Jofra Archer and Ollie Robinson shared the damage. Their pace and accuracy kept Pakistan’s lower order under constant pressure.
As a result, Pakistan once again struggled to put together a substantial batting effort on day 1 of 3rd Test against England. England did not have everything their own way after coming out to bat.
Ben Duckett and Jordan Cox both departed cheaply. Pakistan’s bowlers, particularly Abbas and Ali, kept things tight and found a little assistance from the surface. Nevertheless, England had already made significant progress.
They cut Pakistan’s lead to below 100 runs while retaining plenty of wickets. That left them in control heading into the next phase. The day belonged largely to the bowlers.
The pitch slowed slightly as the game progressed, but the seamers still found enough movement to trouble the batters. Meanwhile, England made much better use of the conditions than Pakistan. Therefore, England ended the day with a valuable platform.
Pakistan must now find a way to produce a stronger batting display. Otherwise, England could turn their advantage into a decisive position in the Test.