Buttler and Bess keep England alive at Lord’s
Jos Buttler and Dom Bess shared a spirited century stand to save England from a humiliating innings defeat by Pakistan in the first Test at Lord’s yesterday.
The pair came together with the hosts reeling at 110-6, 69 runs behind the touring side and heading for their first loss in a May Test at the home of cricket inside three days.
Buttler, recalled to the side, and debutant Bess calmly added 125 runs in the evening sunshine to put England 56 runs ahead and take the match into a fourth day, although Pakistan should still complete a deserved victory today.
They added 13 runs to their overnight 350-8 to extend their lead to 179 and quickly started running through England’s brittle batting line-up.
Alastair Cook, who top-scored with 70 in the first innings, was trapped lbw by Mohammad Abbas for one and Mark Stoneman, under severe pressure for his place in the team, made a scratchy nine before he was bowled by leg-spinner Shadab Khan before England limped to lunch at 37-2.
Captain Joe Root batted patiently, content to defend and take advantage of the rare loose balls served up by a disciplined Pakistan attack. He reached his 50 before Mohammad Amir took centre stage with two wickets in one over.
Pakistan’s left-arm seamer found the edge of Dawid Malan’s bat to dismiss him for 12 and two balls later Amir produced a brilliant inswinging delivery to bowl Jonny Bairstow and leave England in deep trouble at 91-4.
Ben Stokes hit two boundaries, but was caught at short mid-wicket for nine.
Soon after Buttler walked out to the middle, the packed crowd was stunned into silence when Root was next to go, snared lbw by Abbas for 68 and failing to get the decision overturned on review.
It was the 10th time in a row that Root has failed to convert a Test fifty into a century.
Buttler and Bess clung on till tea, however, and played sensibly in the final session.
Buttler struck five fours in reaching his half-century and 20-year-old off-spinner Bess, who failed to take a wicket, showed great maturity in a supporting role.
His fifty was greeted by warm applause from the packed crowd. It was probably too little too late for England, who were desperate to make a strong start to the two-Test series following their heavy Ashes defeat in Australia and a rare loss to New Zealand.