England in bold declaration to force win over Pakistan

Rampant England continued trying to force a result against Pakistan, declaring their second innings on the fourth day of the first test and setting the hosts a target of 343 yesterday.

England, who earlier held a first-innings lead of 78 runs, declared on 264-7 at tea, with a maximum of 130 overs of play left in their first test in Pakistan for 17 years.

Pakistan’s lower order dug in to reduce England’s first-innings lead before getting dismissed for 579.

Joe Root smashed 73 and Harry Brook followed his belligerent century in the first innings with 87 off 65 balls before being bowled by fast bowler Naseem Shah (2-66) at the stroke of the tea interval.

Captain Ben Stokes declared a short time later.

England added a brisk 218 runs in the second session to finish the innings with a belligerent run rate of 7.4 an over, which matched their first-innings aggression that saw the visitors rack up an electrifying total of 657.

England lost first-innings century-makers Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope to reach 46-2 in seven overs before lunch to underline their plans of setting up a target for Pakistan.

Pakistan’s inexperienced bowling resources were further reduced when debutant fast bowler Haris Rauf could not recover from his strained right quad and was unable to bowl in the second innings.

Root survived soon after completing his half-century when Naseem failed to hold on to a reverse sweep in the covers before leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood (2-84) dismissed Root and then Stokes for a duck in a single over.

Earlier, off-spinner Will Jacks, who was given his test debut at the last minute after Ben Foakes had to sit out due to a viral infection, picked up 6-161 on a wicket doing few favours for the bowlers before Pakistan were eventually bowled out.

Pakistan’s tail-enders frustrated England for nearly 90 minutes, with Agha Salman scoring 53 off 67 balls after the home team resumed on 499-7.

Salman shared a 57-run stand with Mahmood (17), who did not play a false shot despite being surrounded by at least six England fielders close to the bat for much of his time at the crease.

Salman successfully overturned on-field umpire Joe Wilson’s leg-before decision through a television referral just before reaching his battling half-century.

TV replays suggested Jacks had pitched the ball outside the line of leg stump when the batter attempted a reverse sweep but missed the line of the ball and was struck on the front pad.

Salman reached his second test half-century by chipping leftarm spinner Jack Leach over covers before edging Jacks to the lone slip. Leach bowled the bulk of the overs with Jacks and finished with 2-190.

Injured Rauf (12) hung in with Mahmood and added a further 22 runs before Jacks finally wrapped up the innings by dismissing both batters.