JOS: WE ARE STILL IN IT Miracle man Buttler won’t admit defeat
JOS BUTTLER insists England can pull off a miraculous comeback after his brave rearguard stand with debutant Dom Bess put the brakes on Pakistan’s victory bid at Lord’s.
The seventh-wicket pair put on an unbroken partnership of 125 to give their side a 56-run lead and revive hopes of an unlikely win in this First Test.
When Buttler and Bess came together shortly before tea, Joe Root’s men were wobbling on 110-6, still 69 runs behind Pakistan on first innings and looking likely to implode to defeat inside three days.
To add to England’s misery earlier in the day, there was yet another unconverted halfcentury from Root.
The skipper’s score of 68 was the eighth time he has passed 50 without going on to reach three figures in as many Tests.
Root’s last hundred came against West Indies at Edgbaston last August and overall he has only managed to convert two of 15 half-centuries since assuming the captaincy last summer. Only twice before in 140 years of Test cricket have England lost a home Test as early as May. Now, though, Buttler, who stands unbeaten on 66 overnight in his first Test in 18 months, believes a miracle victory is on. He said: “We wanted to scrap hard and try to get ourselves back in the game. Any lead and you never know. “Of course there is belief. In the ground the atmosphere was great at end and also in the dressing room as well. “Fourth innings scores are never easy to chase and if we can set a challenging total we can put them under pressure. I think 150 would be great but we’re thinking 200 would be tough.” Buttler, who like Bess came through the Somerset academy, heaped praise on the 20-year-old debutant, even comparing him to Root. “With Dom Bess, it was like Joe Root walked back out,” said Buttler. “With his back-foot punches and cover drives. He’s got a great character and he really showed that.
“I’ve not seen much of his batting but I have heard a lot about it from the guys down at Somerset. He was great to watch.”
Once England had taken the final Pakistan wicket they needed in the morning, this was always going to be a day for testing the resolve of this flimsy batting line-up.
Both openers went cheaply before lunch, Alastair Cook trapped lbw by Mohammad Abbas and Mark Stoneman bowled by leg-spinner Shadab Khan.
Carnage then ensued in the afternoon as Root’s men imploded, losing 4-19 in just 37 balls. Mohammad Amir, seen celebrating the wicket of Jonny Bairstow (left), started things by getting rid of Dawid Malan and the England wicket keeper in the space of three balls.
Ben Stokes followed after a kamikaze shot to Shadab before Root was trapped lbw by Abbas.
Pakistan would have expected to wrap things up quickly in the final session but they were frustrated by the stand between Buttler and Bess that is threatening to turn the tide.
By the time Bess struck his maiden Test half-century late in the day, England’s lead had stretched to 42.
Is the miracle on for Root and his men? Probably not. But at least what was descending into a one-sided contest now appears interesting once again.