BESS MAN FOR THE JOB

Dom and Buttler sparkle in rout

NOBODY in England colours needed telling that yesterday’s innings and 55 runs second Test win over Pakistan was a bandage and not the full cure.

Broad and Anderson the standout pair.

And recalled one-day specialist Jos Buttler – who sparkled yesterday with an unbeaten 80 – and 20-year-old spinner Dom Bess who took 3-33, his first Test scalps, were also big bonuses.

Skipper Joe Root insisted the win must not be used to “paper over the cracks”.

But in Bess, England look to have discovered a spinner who refuses to back down from a fight with the bat and he posed a constant threat with the ball.

Dropped

And in Buttler they have rediscovered a potent counterpuncher some 18 months after he was mothballed after the last of his three Tests in India.

Resuming yesterday morning on

34 with England 302-7 and Sam Curran for company, the former wicketkeeper made Pakistan pay for dropping him when he had made only four.

He was dropped again on 66 but both before and after he was a one-man wrecking ball.

After losing Curran to a brilliant catch low to the ground at second slip by Asad Shafiq off the bowling of Mohammad Abbas, Buttler went through the gears as the faces changed at the other end.

His 101-ball stay brought him 80 but his last 11 balls went for 35.

Pakistan needed a miracle just to make England bat again and Broad

(3-28), Anderson (2-35) and then Bess made sure they didn’t get it.