Where were

BEFORE this Test began, England captain Joe Root praised Ben Stokes for setting the example the rest of his players should follow.

Unfortunately nobody apart from James Anderson appeared to have got the memo, as Stokes was left to try to turn this first Test around almost single-handedly on day two at Lord’s.

The irrepressible all-rounder is a true force of nature when he gets the bit between his teeth and yesterday was no different as he dug deep in an attempt to claw back the ground lost by England’s collapse to 184 all out on day one.

Two wickets during a brilliant spell of 2-9 in five overs before tea threatened to get England back into this match. He followed that up with the removal of Babar Azam, who was forced to retire hurt early in the final session after being struck on the left wrist, and the wicket of Shadab Khan, who made a doughty half-century, late in the day. Anderson also chipped in with three wickets as Pakistan closed on 350-8.

The tourists already have a firstinnings lead of 166 and now look almost certain to inflict a sixth defeat in eight Tests on Root’s demoralised team.

England were not helped by sloppiness in the field – with Alastair Cook dropping three catches at first slip. Yet, like their frail batting, profligacy in the field is an ongoing problem for this team.

Seamer Mark Wood said: “It was a hard day. You don’t want to go searching for wickets and you have a plan because you have one eye on the scoreboard – you don’t want to leak runs. It’s a difficult balance.

“It was hard toil from our point of view. They just kept getting scores. If we could have got two or three in a cluster that would have helped.”

Wood, who hit speeds of above 90mph but only got one wicket, also defended his own performance, saying: “People might be questioning the X-factor I bring to the team – they see I’ve only got one wicket today but it’s not for want of trying.” The tourists headed into this second day on 50-1 and with hopes of establishing a significant first-innings lead. With thick cloud over Lord’s, these were perfect conditions for England’s bowlers.

However, they were frustrated for much of a first session that ended with Pakistan heading into lunch on 136-3, a deficit of 48. Wood made the breakthrough just after the hour mark, a full-length delivery catching the edge of Haris Sohail’s bat. The only other joy Root’s men had in the morning session came when Anderson trapped the dangerous Azhar Ali lbw on 50.

Asad Shafiq reached his halfcentury after the hosts had wasted a review on him, wrongly thinking he had edged Wood behind. There were two drops to add to England’s