The 42-year-old Misbah-ul-Haq scored an excellent century, and celebrated with 10 press-ups, as Pakistan ended a fascinating first day of the series on 282 for six
6.34pm BST
I’d say Pakistan are just on top, but only just, and England know they have a chance to knife through the lower order with the new ball tomorrow morning. Getting rid of the remarkable Misbah-ul-Haq would be a good start. He waves his bat to all corners of the ground as he walks off on 110 not out. Thanks for your company; night!
6.32pm BST
Woakes has a great chance of his first Test five-for, and maybe even his first Test four-for. He’s been excellent today, and his Test average has dropped from 64 at the start of the summer to 37. Make that 35, because he has bowled Rahat Ali with the last ball of the day! Woakes ends with figures of four for 45, the best of his Test career.
6.27pm BST
86th over: Pakistan 282-5 (Misbah 110, Rahat Ali 0) Misbah jerks out the way of a bouncer from Broad, who has changed ends for the penultimate over of the day. It’s a maiden.
6.23pm BST
85th over: Pakistan 282-5 (Misbah 110, Rahat Ali 0) The new batsman is the nightwatchman Rahat Ali.
6.20pm BST
Woakes, who has probably been England’s best bowler, replaces Broad and beats Shafiq first up with a nice outswinger. And he’s got him second ball! Shafiq felt for a wide outswinger, tried to pull the bat away but did so too late and got a bottom edge through to Bairstow. That’s a big wicket for England so late in the day.
6.17pm BST
84th over: Pakistan 282-4 (Misbah 110, Shafiq 73) Misbah lazily waves a short ball from Ball to third man for four more, although he is beaten outside off stump later in the over. A wicket now would be so valuable for England, especially after a pretty miserable session,
6.13pm BST
83rd over: Pakistan 278-4 (Misbah 106, Shafiq 73) Shafiq punishes Broad for consecutive boundaries with a cut and drive through mid-on. We’re having a few technical issues so apologies for any delayed updates.
6.11pm BST
82nd over: Pakistan 270-4 (Misbah 106, Shafiq 65) Jake Ball shares the new ball, but nothing much is happening for him either. England look tired. Pakistan have a fine chance of taking the lead in a series in England for the first time since 1996.
6.07pm BST
81st over: Pakistan 268-4 (Misbah 104, Shafiq 65) Having the new ball available after 80 overs usually makes for a fascinating end to the first day, such is the scope for a late twist. If Pakistan are four down at the close, it’s their day; if they are six or seven down, it’s England’s. Broad bowls the first over with the second new ball, and nothing of note happens.
“Glorious, beautiful stuff from Misbah,” says Gary Naylor. “He may not have the cache of Lara or a KP, but come 2033, I might just be boring the grandchildren about the day I saw the old man make a hundred at Lord’s.”
6.00pm BST
80th over: Pakistan 267-4 (Misbah 103, Shafiq 65) When I grow up, I want to be Misbah-ul-Haq. He is effortlessly cool and fascinating in ways I can barely understand, never mind articulate. The word ‘unique’ feels inadequate to describe him. He’s just celebrated a Lord’s century aged 42 by doing ten press-ups!
Anyway, it’s time for the second new ball.
5.56pm BST
79th over: Pakistan 262-4 (Misbah 101, Shafiq 62) Desperate times call for James Vince’s bowling. It’s acceptable stuff, wicket-to-wicket medium-pace, but nothing for Pakistan to worry about.
5.54pm BST
78th over: Pakistan 261-4 (Misbah 100, Shafiq 61) Misbah, on 99, fends Finn just short of short leg, but that’s his century! He pushes a single to third man, saunters up the pitch and waves his bat in celebration. Then he gets down on his knees to do 10 press-ups! What a man. If everyone in the world was like Misbah, the world would be a wonderful place. He’s 42 years old, playing his first Test in England, and he has batted beautifully. He’s the oldest Test centurion for 82 years. He is also the first man to celebrate a century at Lord’s with a Brian Jacks impersonation.
5.48pm BST
77th over: Pakistan 259-4 (Misbah 99, Shafiq 61) Moeen bowls a bizarre no-ball, which slips out of the hand and ends up as a very high full toss that goes straight through to Bairstow. Misbah reverse sweeps the last ball for four to move to 99; this has been a magnificent innings.
“You’re right about Moeen,” says James Debens. “I really don’t know what good it does a cricketer to be forced into a role that makes no great use of his gifts. Are you advocating the recall of Rashid? As for other spinning candidates, I don’t watch more than a couple of hours of county cricket a month, to be honest - I’m not the only one.”
5.45pm BST
76th over: Pakistan 253-4 (Misbah 95, Shafiq 60) Misbah gets away from Finn’s end with a single, and Shafiq is more comfortable against the leg-theory. So, Misbah is on 95, and Moeen is bowling the next over. What could possibly happen next?
5.41pm BST
75th over: Pakistan 251-4 (Misbah 94, Shafiq 58) We won’t get all 90 overs, even with the extra half-hour. Play will end at 6.30pm regardless of how many overs have been bowled. Moeen continues to Misbah, who blocks a few deliveries almost for effect in a manner that evokes Sir Ian Botham’s famous last over against John Emburey, and then sweeps three runs.
5.37pm BST
74th over: Pakistan 246-4 (Misbah 91, Shafiq 58) England appeal politely for caught behind when Misbah falls outside the line of a short one from around the wicket. It hit his elbow I think; certainly there was no bat involved. But these are good tactics from England at a time when nothing is happening. I wouldn’t say Misbah looks unsettled - he wouldn’t look unsettled if you dropped a marmot in the etc - but he does loo a little awkward.
5.34pm BST
73rd over: Pakistan 246-4 (Misbah 91, Shafiq 57) Since the India series of 2014, when he bowled beautifully at times, Moeen has played 20 Tests and taken 44 wickets at 48.68. If he was bowling as well as he did in that India series he’d be fine in this role, but he isn’t and he isn’t. The emergence of Stokes and Woakes since 2014 means England can and should pick their best spinner. And if that’s John Emburey, so be it.
5.30pm BST
72nd over: Pakistan 245-4 (Misbah 91, Shafiq 56) This is where England miss Stokes’s force of personality and ability to make things happen. They are really under the pump now and need to regain some control, never mind take wickets. Finn decides to go around the wicket and bomb Misbah, who flicks in the air but short of Vince at leg gully. A decent over from Finn though. I think England are heading for trouble in this match, certainly if Pakistan get over 400.
5.26pm BST
71st over: Pakistan 244-4 (Misbah 91, Shafiq 55) Misbah has total contempt for most spinners, not just Moeen, and he takes him apart in that over with four boundaries. All came from sweeps, two reverse and two orthodox. Wonderful batting. In his idiosyncrasies, his demeanour and so much more, this fellow Misbah is one of the most fascinating characters ever to play the game.
5.19pm BST
70th over: Pakistan 228-4 (Misbah 75, Shafiq 55) Misbah works a short one from Finn off the hip for four, and then Shafiq drives beautifully through extra cover for another boundary. Finn is having a dark day of the soul, and has figures of 16-2-75-0. I can’t believe we are back here so soon after his magnificent bowling in South Africa. England have a big decision when Anderson and Stokes are fit, because dropping Finn would risk sparking another period of introspection.
5.14pm BST
69th over: Pakistan 219-4 (Misbah 70, Shafiq 51) Moeen Ali is coming into the attack. He’s bowled just two overs today, and he is basically playing as a lower-order batsman who bowls a bit. That can’t be right. There is so much to love about Moeen, and he has been messed around a lot for the sake of the team, but I’m not really sure what he’s doing in this side anymore. I’d give him a break, knowing he’ll be back for India. His confidence with the ball must be through the floor, and a miserable long hop is slapped for four more by Shafiq. That brings him to a lovely half-century.
5.11pm BST
68th over: Pakistan 214-4 (Misbah 69, Shafiq 47) Here’s a peculiar stat. Misbah has made more Test fifties (32) than Younus Khan (30). But where Younus has made 31 hundreds, Misbah has made just nine. In other words, or rather just in words, he has a dreadful conversation rate. In ODIs he has famously made 42 fifties and no hundreds. In times of trouble, when the pitch is flat, the ball is old and the batsmen are set, stats can provide such comfort. Misbah’s conversion rate looks like England’s only ope of a wicket at the moment, especially as Shafiq is batting beautifully. Here he plays a storming front-foot cut for four off the struggling Finn. He looks a terrific player.
5.06pm BST
67th over: Pakistan 210-4 (Misbah 69, Shafiq 43) Hello boys! For the 48th time today, a Pakistan batsman - Shafiq this time - edges through the slips for four. There was a big gap between Cook at first slip and Root at
a sort of 3.5
third slip, and, with wearying inevitability, that’s where the ball went. Broad was the bowler.
5.03pm BST
66th over: Pakistan 204-4 (Misbah 68, Shafiq 38) Here comes Finn again, maybe running in a little harder, or maybe I’m staring too hard. And his second ball looks quicker too, Misbah slow to get the bat down on it; it seems to give Finn greater naches than it should. And then he gives Misbah just enough width, so he opens the face and guides it down to third man, Ballance dashing in pursuit - it’s tantalising, he dives, he gets there ... and it’s four anyways.
Here’s Rob Smyth!
4.57pm BST
65th over: Pakistan 199-4 (Misbah 63, Shafiq 38) Short and wide from Broad; Shafiq applies the semi-colon, then the hammer. Four to the meta little rascal. A silly-mid-on comes in, makes no difference, and that’s over.
4.52pm BST
64th over: Pakistan 195-4 (Misbah 63, Shafiq 34) Finn returns, and Shafiq knucks him through cover for three, then nurdles a single into the leg side; they’re going to struggle getting shot of him on this track.
Meanwhile, David Keech emails: “For me it’s a no brainer! Stokes and Anderson will clearly slot straight back into the side when fit – and the 4th seamer position should be just as obviously Woakes. Finn just doesn’t have it at the moment. Tough on Ball, who’s been impressive on debut, but Woakes has proven himself over multiple matches. The big benefit here is that with two genuine all-rounders in Stokes and Woakes we can dispense with the lately dubious services of Ali and get Rashid into the side. We shouldn’t need Ali to score big down the order, Rashid is the better bowler now and no mug with the bat either. I really like the idea of a tail that starts – and ends – with Anderson at #11.”
4.48pm BST
63rd over: Pakistan 190-4 (Misbah 62, Shafiq 30) Shafiq is seeing it now, and he has no trouble whatsoever bumping Broad back to him. He takes a single from the fifth ball when it comes back into him, which is very nicely done - it was easily the best delivery of the over.
4.44pm BST
62nd over: Pakistan 189-4 (Misbah 62, Shafiq 29) Misbah defends Ball, then glances his fifth delivery - how many times will he cause that elegant variation to be typed, the inconveniently-named ingrate - for four.
On telly, they’re laughing at that time Beefy got nutmegged playing a leg-side hoik. I can’t find it to ensure we’re not left out of the merrymaking, so let’s enjoy this instead.
4.40pm BST
61st over: Pakistan 185-4 (Misbah 58, Shafiq 29) Broad returns, curtains bouncing, and he finds some reverse, but Shafiq neutralises it and him fairly comfortably. He looks a very solid, sound player, as he did in the Middle East.
@DanielHarris a slightly more interesting version of Early One Morning https://t.co/AjlqlqQInG
4.35pm BST
60th over: Pakistan 185-4 (Misbah 58, Shafiq 29) Shafiq nudges into the off side and sets off, Misbah doesn’t, Shafiq turns back, Misbah sets off, and both turn up and the striker’s end; spectacular work! Ballance has the all, and could run to the stumps, or pass it, or roll it, or spirit it, but instead he shies, misses - though not by much - and the chance goes. England may rue that, and it’s the only run to come off the over.
4.31pm BST
59th over: Pakistan 184-4 (Misbah 58, Shafiq 28) Misbah turns Woakes down to cow corner for three and Shafiq then flicks two more - he’s really in control now - and to prove it, steps away and deflects to third man for a single one he might have left alone.
“Perhaps, like George Foreman whose sons were all called George, I should have called my two Gary!” says Gary Naylor. Or Barry and Harry.
4.26pm BST
58th over: Pakistan 178-4 (Misbah 55, Shafiq 25) We watch people licking ice creams, then return to them; that is what’s going on in the middle. But then Shafiq steps into one from Ball and caresses it down into the ground for four through mid-off. That was really, really nice. We’ll see what the’s got when the ball does something, but still, lovely timing.
4.23pm BST
57th over: Pakistan 174-4 (Misbah 55, Shafiq 21) A maiden.
4.19pm BST
56th over: Pakistan 174-4 (Misbah 55, Shafiq 21) Another slow over, then Shafiq sends its final ball off the edge for four, making the most of it while he still can.
“Is it too late to join the cabinet reshuffle discussion?” wonders Tom Morgan, perhaps overstating the oringial circumstance and ignorance of the ummutable law that it’s never too late for bad puns. “What about Donald Carr for transport? Chris Old for pensions? Garry Ballance for equality? Sigh.”
4.14pm BST
55th over: Pakistan 169-4 (Misbah 54, Shafiq 17) Woakes gives Shafiq some width, and he absolutely batters it to third man. But Woakes is quickly back at it, kicking one off length that diddles him all ends up. Otherwise, see below.
4.10pm BST
54th over: Pakistan 165-4 (Misbah 54, Shafiq 13) It’s Ball from the Pavilion End, and it really would be better if there was something in this pitch. There isn’t. Tangentially, Beefy was bemoaning the over-rate at tea - England are well behind. Tangentially to that tangent, perhaps this might’ve been a game for Rashid. Anyway, Misbah guides an edge for four more, and this is going to a long session.
4.06pm BST
53rd over: Pakistan 160-4 (Misbah 50, Shafiq 12) Misbah clips one off his toes to bring up a crucial fifty - in his first Test knock in England. During the break the commentary box debated who’s in the better position here, but seems pretty clear to me: it’s England. By the look of things, Pakistan will end up with a below-par total and have to rely on their bowlers. It’s quite dingy now, which might help the bowlers, and Woakes moves one off the seam away from the bat that’s edged - it doesn’t carry, on day 1. Mick Hunt has apparently been saying that he can’t recall a wetter June, and today is the first day with no rain at all in quite some time.
4.02pm BST
So, here we go - Woakes is rewarded for his efforts so far with the ball.
4.00pm BST
“Join Ross Kemp as he visits one of the most dangerous places on earth: Ross Kemp” (investigates Isis). I prefer my punctuated and abridged version.
3.48pm BST
FYI
There are afternoons when the mind just becomes 'obtunded': reduced to a level that sits between lethargy and stupor.
3.43pm BST
52nd over: Pakistan 158-4 (Misbah 48, Shafiq 12) Misbah takes a single off Finn’s first ball, and what follows is better - five dots, and that’s tea. So, England’s session and easily; see you shortly.
3.39pm BST
51st over: Pakistan 157-4 (Misbah 47, Shafiq 12) shafiq drops hands on a wide one from Woakes, edging four between the slips. It’s not a great shot, but the soft hands were well advised. But this is, four beautifully timed down the ground to long off, and he might just have the feel of it now.
3.34pm BST
50th over: Pakistan 149-4 (Misbah 47, Shafiq 4) Finn returns, and he serves Misbah a half-volley - he leans right in and punishes through cover for four. “The captain should say ok Steve, run in and bowl as fast as you can,” offers Botham; “I’m sure he’s trying,” counters Athers. Indeed. And then, after a single to each batter, a useless wide, short one that Misbah cuts to the fence with requite disdain.
3.29pm BST
49th over: Pakistan 139-4 (Misbah 38, Shafiq 3) It’s a curious day, now - quiet, then wicket, quiet, then wicket. And Woakes almost pushes through another, banging one into Shafiq then moving it away - he edges, but it’s wide of gully, and the bowler’s little face crumples in anguish. He’s so much better now than he was, well done to Cook and Bayliss for persevering. Why, it’s almost as though they know more than the internet! Cant it be? Surely not!
3.25pm BST
48th over: Pakistan 137-4 (Misbah 38, Shafiq 1) Single to Misbah off Broad, but off a lovely delivery - shorter, nipping in. He tries avoiding it, can’t, and edges. Then Shafiq edges and that’s him off the mark, before Misbah again drops the bat, again turning to check he’s not played on.
3.20pm BST
47th over: Pakistan 135-4 (Misbah 37, Shafiq 0) Another maiden, and I think we’ll see more of these. England won’t mind too much - at all, even - especially with Shafiq still on 0.
3.16pm BST
46th over: Pakistan 135-4 (Misbah 37, Shafiq 0) Presumably Pakistan will sit in now. They can’t afford to lose any more wickets, and would rather play shots later in the day when the bowlers are more tired. Misbah, upon whom this innings now more or less depends, plays out a maiden.
3.12pm BST
45th over: Pakistan 135-4 (Misbah 37, Shafiq 0) Wicket got, pace back - Woakes, who’s been England’s best bowler today, replaces Moeen. And he almost gets Misbah, who drops the bat on one late, it bounces behind him, and only just beats the bails. Then, another good delivery entices a leading edge, and the ball’s in the air - but only briefly. So, when Anderson returns at Old Trafford, is Woakes now ahead of Finn?
3.08pm BST
44th over: Pakistan 134-4 (Misbah 36, Shafiq 0) That’s a bonus wicket if ever there was one, though credit to England for keeping it tight, and actually finding the swing that wasnae there this morning.
3.05pm BST
Well whaddaya know! Broad’s in at 80mph, it swings a bit, but this is a lazy shot from Younis, crouching the flicking uppishly and directly to midwicket. That did not look on the cards, and Pakistan are in some now.
3.05pm BST
44th over: Pakistan 134-3 (Khan 33, Misbah 36) Broad returns, and, and, and....
3.01pm BST
43rd over: Pakistan 134-3 (Khan 33, Misbah 36) It’s tracks like this which remind you that England lack a pace option. It happened here last year too, when they got mitched, then by strange coincidence, the rest of the pitches were exactly suitable for their bowlers. Anyway, Misbah has had enough, so goes down on one knee and shmices Moeen over midwicket for four.
2.58pm BST
42nd over: Pakistan 129-3 (Khan 32, Misbah 32) Younis turns down a single, Moeen chucks anyway, hits the stumps, and cedes three overthrows; that’s the fifty partnership, and the receipt of some opinions from SJ Broad. No further runs from the over.
2.54pm BST
41st over: Pakistan 126-3 (Khan 29, Misbah 32) Moeen on at the Nursery End - he’d have wanted the Pavilion, reckons Gower. Misbah “be like”:
2.50pm BST
40th over: Pakistan 117-3 (Khan 24, Misbah 28) Woakes into the attack and on the money straight away, but I’d still ID him if if he came into my imaginary newsagent. Talking of which, whatever happened to those straw-like, long, hollow sweets with sour sugar on the outside. Had they a name? Bumble now interviews the mascot, with hilarious consequences, as the OBO plays the Leave/Remain parlour game with the Sky commentary crew. One off the over.
2.43pm BST
39th over: Pakistan 116-3 (Khan 28, Misbah 23) Nasser disagrees with Selve, saying that Finn need to flow towards slip, not fall away down the hill. Naturally, I think that they’re both right. Misbah clips a straight one to square-leg for two, and then strays to leg and disappears to the fine leg boundary - it’s not working for him at the moment. Drinks.
2.39pm BST
Been on at Cook for ages to bowl Finn from Nursery. I think he will hold his action better. Looking good so far.
2.38pm BST
38th over: Pakistan 110-3 (Khan 23, Misbah 22) Ball is back, and Misbah takes a single of his first delivery, which is all the action for the over.
2.35pm BST
37th over: Pakistan 109-3 (Khan 23, Misbah 21) Finn falls away down the slope and is just too straight to Misbah, who whips him away for four in a trice. This partnership is away now, and Ball won’t have many, if any overs left in this spell.
“Either I’m a grade A pedant or just sad, but why are a full member Zimbabwe being treated as if they don’t exist?” ” emails Krishnan Patel. “Atherton and Hussain told us that only 3 cricketers (Hafeez, Younus, Misbah) in this match have ‘played international cricket in Pakistan’. But this is blatantly false as upto 8 players in the playing XI have played cricket in Pakistan. Everyone except the two at the crease, Amir, Masood and Rahat were involved in the Zimbabwe series.”
2.31pm BST
36th over: Pakistan 103-3 (Khan 22, Misbah 16) Ball keeps at it - he looks a strong fellow - strong could wrestle a crocodile strong. And he brings one back down the slope to Misbah, crunching him on the pad - there’s a strangled appeal, because it was just too high.
2.27pm BST
35th over: Pakistan 102-3 (Khan 22, Misbah 16) If Theresa May, but Mark Wood, maybe we’ve got the wrong Prime Minister. Talking of whom, he’ll soon be back in contention for his Test place - Steven Finn, who’s not looked himself this summer, is on notice. Misbah takes one in the dress circle, so there’s a break, and Finn draws him across the stumps with a shorter one - they’re looking to get him ellbae. It thwacks the pad, and the bowler reckons it’s gone, but no one else does, though Cook feels his pain, and then two are run down the hill to the Tavern for two and three respectively. And then, after a single to Younis, Misbah somehow edges a full one with his bat jammed down - is it a bump ball? - no it’s not! But Root drops, one-handed? It wasn’t a dolly by any stretch, but he’s there because he’s good at getting it did; he’s not wringing his wrist, presumably contemplating the horror that might no be wrought.
2.18pm BST
34rd over: Pakistan 96-3 (Khan 21, Misbah 11) Ball continues, and with his first ball, tempts Misbah across his stumps, to miss with an attempted turn to leg. There’s a rejected shout, but Cook reckons there was an edge; Hotspot says not, Snicko identifies a sound. So Ball powers back in and jags one back in - Misbah offers it the pad, but had no choice really, and is saved by height, though only just. And then comes a bouncer, which is too good for Younis - it’s a good over, this - and it looks to brush the glove on its way to the fence, but four byes are signalled.
2.13pm BST
33rd over: Pakistan 91-3 (Khan 21, Misbah 11) Broad in and extracts some extra bounce; it’s going over his shoulder,so he hooks, gloving four to fine leg. That’s the first boundary of the afternoon, and it’s quickly followed by another: he hangs back in the crease, waits for it, and presents the full face to punch a four that says I’m better than you. He adds a single next ball, and that’s a good over for Pakistan, though Broad has Younis hopping with a yorker - and then a length ball!
2.08pm BST
32nd over: Pakistan 82-3 (Khan 21, Misbah 2) Question for the fashionistas: at what point of recession does dignity bind one to remove all hair? We have just enjoyed a chap in a box who had a full head, if full head begins behind the crown. Younis is jigging about at the crease, and nips one into the covers for a single, then Misbah does similarly and they dash through with conviction.
2.05pm BST
31st over: Pakistan 80-3 (Khan 20, Misbah 1) You fancy that England might struggle to extract Younis on this track. But it’s Misbah facing, and Broad bangs one in a little shorter which he takes in the midriff. The camera shows us a man with two kids - a toddler and a baby - and that is a remarkable show of cojones, or at least, the OBO would not. Maiden.
2.01pm BST
30th over: Pakistan 80-3 (Khan 20, Misbah 1) Ball has excellent control, and he sends down another tight over, which yields just a leg-bye. He does give Younis some width with the last ball, and he drives but doesn’t time it, Ballance diving to intercept at point.
1.58pm BST
29th over: Pakistan 79-3 (Khan 20, Misbah 1) So, if England can remove even one of these, Pakistan have a problem. Younis nudges a single into the off side, giving Broad five balls at Misbah. And the last is a pearler, reversing - or swinging, but I think the former - into the batsman, clipping the glove and not far from the stumps.
“Bit selfish of him to deny Woakesy the ten-for,” chides Gareth Fitzgerald, but it’s not like that; he’s the ultimate team-man.
1.53pm BST
28th over: Pakistan 77-3 (Khan 19, Misbah 0) Ball bowled nicely this morning, so earned that. “Going forward”, I wonder what kind of role they expect him to take, but for the meantime, he’s done well.
1.50pm BST
I wonder if DRS delay ruins the expected buzz of such a moment, or given that you’ve been waiting a lifetime for it, it just doesn’t matter.
1.49pm BST
Might just have been going down...
1.49pm BST
He hurls a full one that draws Azhar forward, pushes him back as he loses it in the flight, wallops his pad just after it pitches and knocks him off his feet ... but they review ...
1.48pm BST
28th over: Pakistan 76-2 (Ali 17, Khan 18) Ball back at his preferred Pavilion End - I wondered if they might have given Broad a run there, but fair play to Alastair Cook for sticking with him.
1.46pm BST
27th over: Pakistan 76-2 (Ali 17, Khan 18) Broad opens up fromm the Nursery End as Beefy talks about the gloriousness of the day, which tells us just how miserable the summer has been; it’s ok, but far from this, let alone that. At what date do you call a bust a bust and accept that it’s not happening for another year? Maiden.
“Good afternoon Daniel,” says Adam Horridge. “All this morning’s cut-throat cabinet reshuffling has (naturally) led me to reflect on cricketers that would be particularly suited to cabinet positions. Boycott for defence seems too obvious...”
1.42pm BST
And play.
1.42pm BST
If, by amazing chance, you were spending two of the next three days at Haitch-Cue guzzling everything in sight, what would your essentials be? (Asks someone who has just happened upon a little bottle of Jamaica rum cream).
1.39pm BST
Afternoon everyone. Well, it’s been fascinating so far, and we’re eyes back down for more of the same. Neither side has quite ignited yet, but they will.
1.03pm BST
26th over: Pakistan 76-2 (Ali 7, Khan 18) Finn bowls the last over before lunch, the seventh of his spell, and has two men back so that he can try to rough up the batsmen. Younus jumps outside the line of a short one, and then tries to steal a quick single to get off strike. Azhar invites him to talk to the glove, because he has no intention of facing any more deliveries before lunch. Younus wears one on the shoulder from the last ball, and that concludes an interesting morning session. Chris Woakes took both wickets, Jake Ball bowled nicely on debut, and Younus Khan looked in excellent touch.
Thanks for your company; Daniel Harris will be with you after lunch.
12.58pm BST
25th over: Pakistan 76-2 (Ali 7, Khan 18) A bit of inswing from Broad to Azhar, who watches it past his off stump. He is another expert in the dying art of batting time, and has seven from 34 balls.
“The best story of being ID’d I’ve heard is the one where my brother’s friend, on his 18th birthday (late 2004), went to purchase alcohol specifically to get asked to show ID,” says Ed Taylor. “He did get stopped, to his delight, and in celebration decided to open one of his beers outside the shop. It was at this point he realised he’d purchased non-alcoholic lager.” And they didn’t even have Brewdog Nanny State back then. Dark days.
12.55pm BST
24th over: Pakistan 76-2 (Ali 7, Khan 18) Younus again hustles Finn through mid-off for four, a really good shot. He looks ominously certain at the crease.
“One issue for Pakistan is while they may have a slight edge on England in the bowling ranks (Yasir Shah could run through England on a deteriorating surface), they have almost nothing from 8 down (Riaz more a useful number 10),” says Andrew Hurley. “Their middle order from 3 - 6 is as good as any in world cricket, but they need to score the vast majority of their runs...
12.51pm BST
23rd over: Pakistan 70-2 (Ali 7, Khan 12) Stuart Broad replaces Chris Woakes (6-2-18-2) and starts with a wide. The rest of the over is ignored or defended by Azhar. Broad’s pace is down at around 80mph; he’s probably keeping something in the tank for the more helpful Old Trafford surface next week.
“Stokes is undoubtedly a matchwinner but don’t you think that the media and public overlook the dud matches of exciting players?” says Keith Brown. “Look at Brendon McCullum, a feared slayer of bowlers supposedly, and yet only averages 30 with the bat in ODIs.”
12.45pm BST
22nd over: Pakistan 69-2 (Ali 7, Khan 12) Younus Khan looks in excellent touch and drives Finn through mid-off for four. We sometimes forget, because of Misbah, that Younus is 38 himself. He has an ugly technique, with his back foot flicking out to the off side after every stroke. It works.
“I agree about Rashid, I think he might be more effective in English conditions than as a second spinner in Asia,” says Tim Sanders. “In the UAE he seemed to get almost too much turn when he bowled a good ball, and the slow pitches exacerbated his tendency to slow pace. All spinners love a bit of bounce and carry, and he particularly benefits from it. His limited overs form isn’t necessarily a guide, because a risk-free 3-4 per over is poor for Test cricket, but he has been markedly more accurate and consistent recently.”
12.39pm BST
21st over: Pakistan 65-2 (Ali 7, Khan 8) Woakes continues; just two from a good over. I doubt we’ll see too much of Moeen today, although he’ll want to bowl in the second innings after Pakistan’s left-armers have created some rough.
12.37pm BST
20th over: Pakistan 63-2 (Ali 6, Khan 7) “Dan Lucas doesn’t know he’s born (13th over),” says Damian Walsh. “I queued to get into the Walkabout in Birmingham where Joe Root famously got clocked. The group of thirtysomethings in front of me all got IDed but when I got to the front and proffered my ID the bouncer chuckled patronisingly and told me, ‘You don’t need that sir’.
It’s just as bad when people make a joke of asking you for ID. That’s happened to me recently. If someone offers me a seat on the tube, I plan to go postal.
12.31pm BST
19th over: Pakistan 63-2 (Ali 6, Khan 7) Younus Khan has been busy at the start of his innings, stealing a few quick singles. Woakes has a really big shout for LBW against Azhar Ali, but Cook - because of that reluctant review earlier - can’t risk having another look and having no reviews for 61 overs. I don’t think it would have been overturned anyway.
“Here’s a fun ID card scheme/obscure 80s Indie band reference for you, Rob,” says Phil Sawyer. “My mates and I found the adverts of the recently introduced ID cards to use in pubs and offies in the 80s rather amusing as the example name they used on it was Guy Chadwick, also the name of the lead singer of seminal shoe gazers The House of Love. I lied. It wasn’t fun. Anyway, I’m off to spend all of my lunch hour humming Christine now.” You know they were Maggie’s favourite band, right?
12.26pm BST
18th over: Pakistan 58-2 (Ali 2, Khan 6) England fancy Younus Khan with the full, straight delivery early on. Finn tries one and is put away for four, but that’s a fair enough risk.
“On the Woakes point, I agree he has improved markedly, and deserves huge credit,” says Andrew Hurley. “For me, he should keep his place ahead of Stokes. Stokes fires in either discipline once in every 10/12 innings, and the plaudits he receives for those performances somehow last through all the average bowling and bone-headed batting performances he throws in. There’s nothing wrong with a player who fires now and again, but he doesn’t do it nearly often enough (to merit the media acclaim he gets). His averages are poor and Woakes deserves to stay in ahead of him (even if there is a slightly different beatnik/bowling balance between the two).”
12.22pm BST
17th over: Pakistan 53-2 (Ali 2, Khan 1) Younus Khan, who has more runs and a better average than any batsman in Pakistan’s history, is the new man.
12.19pm BST
Chris Woakes strikes again! Hafeez tried to flick-pull a short ball to leg and spooned it miles in the air. Bairstow scampered round towards gully and took an easy catch. That was a poor stroke in its conception, and an even worse one in its execution. But what a terrific start from Woakes, who has two for nine from 3.4 overs.
12.16pm BST
16th over: Pakistan 46-1 (Hafeez 36, Ali 0) Finn beats Hafeez’s attempted hook with a sharp short ball. Bairstow half-appealed for caught behind and, although it seemed to beat the glove and top-edge, there was a little spike on Snicko. As Nasser says on Sky, it could have been anything. The follow-up delivery is full, straight and flicked deliciously through midwicket for four.
I doubt Theresa May's love of @GeoffreyBoycott & Tony Gray started at Abbeydale Park in 1985 but it should have done https://t.co/i8yVtMrKkC
12.10pm BST
15th over: Pakistan 42-1 (Hafeez 32, Ali 0) Woakes skids one past Azhar Ali’s indeterminate push and then tests him with a couple of yorkers, both of which are dug out. He looks a serious bowler at the moment, and his batting gives England so many options.
12.04pm BST
14th over: Pakistan 42-1 (Hafeez 32, Ali 0) Steven Finn replaces Jake Ball (6-2-22-0) and gets some encouraging swing in his first over. Finn is swinging it, Woakes is roughing people up; everything 2013 knew was wrong. When he does drop short, Hafeez works him for four. That’s drinks.
“Morning Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Just back from holiday (hipster town of Antibes on the Cote D’Azur since you don’t ask) and we’ve got Murray on the Open and Smyth on the OBO. I think that’s what called a dream ticket. If you two fancy politics, I’d vote for you.”
11.59am BST
13th over: Pakistan 38-1 (Hafeez 28, Ali 0) Actually, that was a good catch from Bairstow because the ball swung away from him at the last minute. The excellent Azhar Ali is the new batsman. Chris Woakes is having quite a summer. Whether he makes it or not as a Test cricketer in the long term, there is so much to admire about the way he has reinvented himself and improved despite constant criticism. There’s a moral in his story: STOP TWITTER.
“If it makes James Taylor (who is totally reading this) feel any better,” begins my colleague Dan Lucas, “I got refused service in a pub in Teignmouth last night as I didn’t have ID. I am 30, balding and have white in my beard.” Yeah, well, I got asked for ID at my own funeral.
11.55am BST
Chris Woakes strikes with a beauty. It zipped from just back of a length to take the edge as Masood flirted with a back-foot drive, and Jonny Bairstow claimed a comfortable catch to his left.
11.53am BST
12th over: Pakistan 38-0 (Hafeez 28, Masood 7) Hafeez tries to pull Ball and is almost bowled. He got in a bit of a tangle, with the ball deflecting off umpteen parts off his body before dribbling just wide of leg stump. This has been a decent first spell from Ball, with few discernible nerves and a decent rhythm. He has another strangled LBW shout when a huge off-cutter thuds into Hafeez’s pad. It did too much and might have missed leg. It was also too high.
“Morning Rob,” says Chris Drew. “Happy Bastille Day from France, country of the current Olympic cricket vice-champions.”
11.49am BST
11th over: Pakistan 37-0 (Hafeez 28, Masood 8) The new, improved, you-were-right-and-we-were-wrong Chris Woakes replaces Broad. His second ball draws an edge from Masood that dies before scuttling through the slips for four more. England are starting to get a little frustrated by all these edges.
11.46am BST
10th over: Pakistan 32-0 (Hafeez 28, Masood 3) This is a chip-away day for England. If Pakistan are, say, 270 for seven at the close, that’ll be a terrific day’s work. At the moment, the smarter money might be on 270 for four; Hafeez leans into a floaty outswinger from Ball and clatters it square for four. Ball’s response is a good one: the next ball beats the outside edge, and the delivery after that finds the outside edge before flying through the slips for four. It was a nothing shot from Hafeez outside off, but the ball went between third slip and gully at catchable height. Actually, Vince at third slip might have been able to dive for that.
Now then, that commute tonight. Instead of losing another bar on your will-to-live battery as some nugget talks ostentatiously on the phone about how many squat thrusts he does before 6am every morning, because “I want to give the girls a love they can’t handle”, listen to this excellent podcast from two of the world’s better young cricket writers.
Related: Freelance Cricket Club podcast: with fun-loving Kiwi all-rounder Jimmy Neesham
11.40am BST
9th over: Pakistan 24-0 (Hafeez 20, Masood 3) Hafeez gets the drive just right this time, punching Broad through the covers for four. He has looked good in this first over and is hogging the score and the strike.
“Morning Rob,” says Guy Hornsby. “With all the other turmoil and angst in the world, it’s great that we have Test cricket back here to give us its own blend of both of those things. This should be a great series, and not just because I’m going on Saturday to watch us
skittle Pakistan
flog our bowlers into the ground on a flat wicket. Still, Lord’s is a wonderful thing, and while we have play the rest of the world can bloody do one. Right, RIGHT?”
11.35am BST
8th over: Pakistan 17-0 (Hafeez 13, Masood 3) Ball has a strangled LBW shout against Masood, not dissimilar to the one in his first over. This time it was missing off. His opening partner Mohammad Hafeez has a terrific record against England and will be an important wicket in this series as he is very good at batting time.
11.30am BST
7th over: Pakistan 15-0 (Hafeez 12, Masood 3) Hafeez is dropped by Vince at third slip! He was tempted into the drive by a full delivery from Broad, bowled from wider on the crease, and edged it low to the left of Vince, who got down smartly but couldn’t hang on. It was a tough chance, although human nature is such that it will probably add to his worries after a disappointing maiden series. Broad has been excellent and has figures of 4-2-3-0.
I love getting ID'd for a plastic set of cutlery and then not having my ID, so they refused to serve me ! What is the world coming to #Mad
11.26am BST
6th over: Pakistan 14-0 (Hafeez 11, Masood 3) A good over from Ball, just one run from it. With every passing delivery, this looks a good toss to win. The variety of Pakistan’s bowling means they will be a real threat, even on this flat pitch, if they get a big score. That said, reverse swing may be hard to find because of the recent weather and the lush outfield.
11.22am BST
5th over: Pakistan 13-0 (Hafeez 10, Masood 3) Another maiden from Broad this time to Masood. There hasn’t been much movement off the pitch or in the air. Pakistan are constructing their innings in the old-fashioned manner: ignore as much as possible, defend the good balls and attack the bad ones.
“Is that ‘marmot-in-the-bath-test’ an early morning reference to The Big Lebowski?” says Donald. “God, I could murder a White Russian right now.” The value of capital letters, right there. Although not as memorable as the demonstration of the comma in the 22nd over of this OBO.
11.17am BST
4th over: Pakistan 13-0 (Hafeez 10, Masood 3) Masood drives Ball pleasantly through mid-on for a couple to get off the mark, and then Hafeez flicks nicely through midwicket for the first boundary. That was too straight from Ball, and his last ball is too wide - a nervous low full toss that is clunked through point for another boundary.
11.13am BST
3rd over: Pakistan 2-0 (Hafeez 2, Masood 0) That delivery in Broad’s first over was closer than close to Hafeez’s off stump, closer than you ever can imagine. As Beefy says on Sky, it’s a surprise the draught didn’t dislodge the bails. This is a good start from England, purposeful and with the requisite intensity. It’s going to be a fascinating game; for all the relative flatness of Lord’s pitches, they usually provide a result.
“Funny how age befuddles the mind,” says Dave Brown, laughing at something or other, he can’t remember what. “I thought Emburey and Edmonds were awesome when I was a kid but with bowling averages of 38 and 34 respectively I guess they weren’t the fearsome spin duo I once thought.” It was the eighties; those were decent averages for spinners. The other thing, and I know it’s cheating a bit, but Embers’ average was a lot better until his last few years when he was past it.
11.09am BST
2nd over: Pakistan 0-0 (Hafeez 0, Masood 0) Ball’s first over is a promising maiden. His pace was in the high 80s, with accuracy and good bounce. A lot of good judges are very excited about him.
“Since when, says Rob Sim, “did Bruce French (who presented Jake Ball with his cap earlier) morph into Leo Sayer?” They’ve just added that filter to Statsguru actually; let me check.
11.07am BST
This looks really close. The only thing is whether it pitched in line to the left-handed Masood. Yes, it did - it pitched well outside. I think Cook knew that, and had it not been a debutant in his first over I don’t think he would have reviewed it.
11.05am BST
Jake Ball is taking the new ball. I’m surprised but glad to see that. As Bumble might say, get ‘im in the game. And he has a huge LBW shout second ball against Masood! It’s turned down but Cook has reluctantly gone for the review.
11.03am BST
1st over: Pakistan 0-0 (Hafeez 0, Masood 0) It really is a gorgeous day at Lord’s. In the absence of Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad will bowl the first over. I assume he’ll share it with Chris Woakes, though you could make a case for Finn and Ball as well.
Broad’s fourth delivery is a gorgeous off-cutter that goes between Hafeez’s bat and pad and misses off stump by this much. His last ball beats the outside edge, and that’s a good start. The grass on the pitch should encourage England for the morning session at least. The yakka will harden quickly after that.
10.55am BST
“Re your intro about elderly cricketers,” begins Phil Sawyer, “I would contend that John Emburey could be pretty much considered a non-spinner as well.” Arf. That was an extraordinary selection. I do think Embers is a bit underrated, but by that stage he was 42 and possibly the first specialist maiden bowler.
10.36am BST
Gary Naylor considers ... Misbah-ul-Haq
“Misbah?” writes Gary. “The only man in the ground with a resting heartbeat lower than his age.”
10.34am BST
Jake Ball makes his debut for England after an exceptional 18 months. Alastair Cook effectively confirms that he wanted Jimmy Anderson in the squad and was overruled. Pakistan have picked three left-arm quicks, with Rahat Ali edging out Imran Khan.
England Cook (capt), Hales, Root, Vince, Ballance, Bairstow (wk), Ali, Woakes, Broad, Ball, Finn.
10.31am BST
It was a pretty easy decision for Misbah, who looks even cooler than usual with a rich beard. He is a wonderful character, the Dude of international cricket. Alastair Cook says he would have batted, although there is a green tinge to the pitch.
10.28am BST
Lord’s + sunshine = batting day. This looks like a good toss to win.
10.22am BST
Mohammad Amir was pretty good then, and he looks pretty good now. I cannot wait to see him bowl.
11.44am BST
The future of Test cricket is dependent on giving context to bilateral series. If only they were all like England v Pakistan. You want context? How about 60 years of enmity, a genius returning to Test cricket after a six-year ban, and a rivalry that is incapable of dullness.
It doesn’t even need to be especially competitive to be exhilarating. In the last five series, going back to 2005-06, the away team has won only one Test out of 15, yet the series have been much closer than scores of 2-0, 3-0, 3-1, 3-0 and 2-0 would suggest. And there have been so many extraordinary moments in that time.
Related: Mohammad Amir’s return adds edge as Pakistan take on England | Mike Selvey
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