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England’s first innings lead crossed 100-run lead on the rain-hit second day of their second Test against Pakistan.
At the time of going into print, England were 285 for seven in their first innings as they had built a crucial lead of 111 with three wickets in hand.
The first session of the second day’s play was washed out as rain threatened to play spoilsport throughout the day. When play resumed with England slowly gnawing away at the overnight 68-run deficit – they were 106/2 against Pakistan’s 174. It was Mohammed Amir who provided the breakthrough getting captain Joe Root caught behind for 45 with England still 36 runs short.
Dawid Malan and Dom Bess then added 62 for the fourth wicket to take England past the Pakistan total before Amir returned to remove Malan caught at slip. Dom Bess then followed soon after caught at slip off the bowling of leg-spinner Shadab Khan.
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However, Jos Buttler, who returned from a successful trip at the Indian Premier League, carried England forward first with Jonny Bairstow and then with Chris Woakes. He added 48 with the wicketkeeper and then collected 25 important runs with the pace bowler. Buttler was unbeaten on 33.
Earlier, Root had looked in fine form after a frustrating morning when persistent rain prevented play until 2.45pm.
Resuming on 106 for two, England showed their aggressive intentions by taking off in the first three overs, a flow of runs helped by some sloppy fielding from the visitors.
While batting was seldom easy in overcast conditions, the pitch had few terrors and England, still smarting from their nine-wicket first test defeat, looked set to build a big lead in their bid to square the two-Test series.
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After a quiet start, Bess began to show more adventure, flashing one excellent square drive to the boundary off Faheem Ashraf to the boundary.
The 20-year-old had already excelled with the bat in his first Test at Lord’s with a gutsy 57 and, after coming in just before the close on Friday, continued to show his potential.
Pakistan had won the first Test.
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