By Dwayne Ferreira.
Scores at Stumps on Day 1
Pakistan 171 all out
Abdullah Shafique 61, Imam-ul-Haq 42
Josh Tongue 5/46, Ollie Robinson 5/51
England 112/2 (25 overs)
Joe Root 37*, Emilio Gay 33, Jordan Cox 23*, Ben Duckett 15
England trail Pakistan by 59 runs with eight wickets remaining.
LEEDS, England — Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue shared all 10 wickets as England tore through Pakistan for 171 before strengthening their grip on the first Test at Headingley on Wednesday.
England closed Day 1 on 112 for 2 from 25 overs, trailing by only 59 runs, with captain Joe Root unbeaten on 37 and Jordan Cox on 23.
Root, beginning his second full-time spell as England Test captain, won the toss and chose to bowl. Ollie Robinson immediately justified that call by striking with the first delivery of the match, trapping Azan Awais lbw.
Pakistan were soon in trouble at 6 for 2, but Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq steadied the innings with a 91-run partnership.
Shafique led the resistance with 61, while Imam contributed 42. Their stand briefly gave Pakistan hope of building a competitive first-innings total before England’s seamers regained control.
Once the partnership was broken, the tourists struggled to contain the pressure.
Robinson and Tongue worked through the remainder of the batting order as Pakistan lost their final eight wickets for 74 runs. Robinson finished with 5 for 51, while Tongue returned 5 for 46.
Their performances also produced a piece of England Test history. Robinson and Tongue became the first England pace pair to claim five-wicket hauls in the same innings against Pakistan and the first English seam combination to achieve twin five-fors in a Test innings since 1998.
England Make Strong Start With the Bat
Pakistan needed early wickets to drag themselves back into the contest and managed two before stumps.
Ben Duckett fell for 15, while Emilio Gay made 33 before departing with England on 48 for 2.
Root and Cox then shut the door on Pakistan’s hopes of a late revival.
The pair added an unbeaten 64 runs for the third wicket, guiding England to 112 for 2 by the close. Root struck six fours in his 37 not out from 53 balls, while Cox finished unbeaten on 23 from 38 deliveries.
England will begin Day 2 with an opportunity to move quickly beyond Pakistan’s total and establish a substantial first-innings advantage.
Pakistan, meanwhile, need early wickets if they are to prevent the opening Test from slipping further away.
