Mohammad Amir took his first Test wicket since 2010 and the legspinner Yasir Shah claimed a lovely five-for to put Pakistan on top at Lord’s
7.03pm BST
Related: Joe Root’s No3 performance suggests bold move may pay off for England
7.03pm BST
Related: Fiery but frustrated Mohammad Amir let down by fumbling fielders | Vic Marks
6.30pm BST
71st over: England 253-7 (Woakes 31, Broad 11) Yasir has an LBW appeal against Broad turned down, but Misbah is going to review. This looks quite good actually. Broad plonked his front leg and missed a sweep, with the ball hitting him on the pad. The big issue might be height.
In fact it was line – Hawkeye showed it was umpire’s call on point of contact with the off stump, so Kumar Dharmasena’s original decision stands. The time taken for the review means that it’s the final over of the day, and the players walk off with Pakistan on top. They lead by 86 thanks to a lovely five-for from the legspinner Yasir Shah. Thanks for your company; night!
6.24pm BST
70th over: England 251-7 (Woakes 30, Broad 10) Wahab replaces Yasir, who may be switching ends again, and rips a good short ball past the biceps of Broad. Then he zips another past the outside edge. It’s meandering towards the close now, with probably two overs remaining.
6.19pm BST
69th over: England 250-7 (Woakes 30, Broad 9) The light has improved so we should get the remaining 15 minutes. We won’t get the full 90 overs though, despite the extra half-hour. I’m mad as hell about that.
“2016?” says James Debens. “No, the worst year has to be 2008 - What Happens in Vegas hit the cinemas like slurry and Coldplay topped the charts with Vida La Loca, which is basically the aural equivalent of a chronic asthma attack. And the banking crisis started.” Yeah but there was the Stanford Super Ser- oh yeah.
6.15pm BST
68th over: England 248-7 (Woakes 28, Broad 9) Broad has decided to sweep Yasir at every opportunity, a shot that brings him three in that over. Yasir, the happy legspinner, spends most of the over smiling. He’s spent most of the day smiling. He knows that England don’t know.
“After a grimly busy Paris day, I turn for some relief and succour to the cricket,” says Robert Wilson. “Do you mean to tell me I missed a leggie five-fer into the bargain? I could pout and cry. How good was it? Where oh where oh where is Rashid?” Quite. Moeen is such a likeable cricketer but I can’t think of a single reason for him to be in this team at the moment, never mind when Stokes comes back.
6.11pm BST
67th over: England 244-7 (Woakes 27, Broad 6) Broad trips to whip a straight one from Amir to leg, misses and somehow gets away without being bowled or caught off a leading edge.
“Rob, Didn’t you get it?” says John Starbuck. “Barbie Girl was meant to be a send-up. Like an umpire forgetting his light meter, it had to be a joke.”
6.07pm BST
66th over: England 243-7 (Woakes 27, Broad 5) The umpires are looking at the light meter, though we are going to continue.
6.04pm BST
65th over: England 239-7 (Woakes 24, Broad 3) Amir continues, which is a slight surprise but presumably approved by the umpires. Broad does well to go top of a nasty short ball, and there are three runs from the over. Despite that very slow start to his Test career, Woakes now averages 32 with the bat and 33 with the ball.
“To answer your question about not being mad as hell, Rob, I rely heavily on yoga and meditation practice,” says Robert Wolf Petersen “They give me the fortitude to withstand the myriad clownish depredations of 2016. Also, working for a US-based company and getting paid in dollars.”
5.56pm BST
64th over: England 236-7 (Woakes 24, Broad 1) The light is such that Pakistan might have to bowl Azhar Ali at Amir’s end if they want to carry on. For now it’s Yasir Shah, with Woakes pushing a single and rejecting the chance of a second after a shy at the stumps was misfielded by
Misbah
someone in the covers.
5.53pm BST
63rd over: England 233-7 (Woakes 22, Broad 0) Mohammad Amir returns for one last spell. Broad is beaten, wafting loosely outside off stump. It’s pretty dark now, with the lights on, so we might not be on much longer.
“Hey Rob,” says Joe Neate. “The OBOccasionals are due to be playing in a charity tournament in Brighton on Sunday 14th August, but we are looking a few players short. We are looking for players of any ability for an awesome, fun, friendly day in the sun. We played in it last year and it was a terrific day out. If anyone is interested, they can drop me a mail on joe.neate@gmail.com or just search out the OBOccasionals Facebook group. We are also playing on an island called Vis in Croatia at the end of September if people are interested in that as an alternative. Also, aren’t you due an appearance?”
5.49pm BST
62nd over: England 232-7 (Woakes 21, Broad 0) That only just hit Moeen in line, maybe around five per cent of the ball, but that’s enough. That’s the first five-for at Lord’s by a legspinner since Mushtaq Ahmed thrillingly ended England’s last-day rearguard in 1996.
“Bit harsh, David Keech,” says Robert Wolf Petersen. “How about being madder than hell at Vince, Ballance, or even Bairstow? I don’t see how Root is to blame for the fact that our middle order currently has all the endurance of a wet paper bag in a wind tunnel. Alternatively, don’t be mad as hell at anyone. It’s better for the blood pressure.”
5.47pm BST
It was a big sweep from Moeen, with the ball hitting him on the front pad. He was well forward, around the line of off stump, and eventually it was given out LBW. After a long delay to see if there was an underedge, Hawkeye showed it was umpire’s call on point of contact with both the pad and the leg stump. So that’s Yasir’s fifth wicket, and he kissed the turf in celebration. On a day-two pitch, from a man playing his first Test outside the subcontinent, this is an exceptional and potentially match-winning performance.
5.43pm BST
Moeen misses a sweep at Yasir and is given out LBW. He’s reviewed it but this looks like umpire’s call at worst.
5.41pm BST
61st over: England 232-6 (Ali 23, Woakes 21) Woakes is beaten by a grubber from Rahat that is mercifully wide of off stump. I doubt England will want to chase much more than 200 in the last innings. The mood of these medium-scoring Tests can change so quickly, though. If these two get to, say, 270 for six at the close, England will feel they can put real pressure on Pakistan in the third innings at some stage tomorrow.
5.37pm BST
60th over: England 232-6 (Ali 23, Woakes 21) Yasir is going around the wicket to Woakes, with a slip and silly point. One from the over.
“I know the Amir stuff has been raked over a lot recently but I didn’t realise he’d actually served time,” says Niall Mullen. “I don’t know whether that was right or wrong and whether I’d have any opinion if he wasn’t such an exciting cricketer. Nonetheless it seems a little harsh when the still quite popular Matt Le Tissier admitted to attempting pretty much the same thing in his autobiography. I guess what I’m saying is welcome back Mo, keep it clean and keep making the ball talk like a garrulous supergrass.”
5.33pm BST
59th over: England 231-6 (Ali 23, Woakes 19) Some hot Ali-on-Ali action, with Moeen pulling Rahat superbly for four. England trail by 108. This could become a classic Test.
5.30pm BST
58th over: England 223-6 (Ali 16, Woakes 19) Yasir has switched to the Nursery End, so the slope will accentuate his leg-break to Woakes. England have done well since the loss of Bairstow, with both men batting very calmly.
“I’ve seen this movie so many times before!” says David Keech. “England going really well, 100 partnership, luck going their way and then a batsman plays a really stupid shot, completely throws away his wicket needlessly and then the flood gates open. I’m madder than hell at Root. Our brittle middle order exposed, Shah buoyed by a bonus wicket getting him going and now bowling really well looking like blowing England away.”
5.26pm BST
57th over: England 223-6 (Ali 16, Woakes 19)
5.17pm BST
56th over: England 219-6 (Ali 14, Woakes 17) Wahab will sleep well tonight. He’s putting so much into this spell, from over and now around the wicket. Woakes again leans into a reverse outswinger and drives sweetly through point for four. He is undroppable at the moment. That means England can pick their best spinner as Moeen’s runs are not essential. Anyhow, that’s drinks, and you’re probably already having yours.
5.13pm BST
55th over: England 214-6 (Ali 13, Woakes 13) Moeen sweeps Yasir in the air but safely for four to fine leg, then gets another thanks to Misbah’s 42nd fielding error of the day. He even makes misfields charming.
5.11pm BST
54th over: England 209-6 (Ali 8, Woakes 13) Wahab is steaming in, knowing that one more wicket gives Pakistan the chance to run through the tail. Woakes defends comfortably enough and then waves a classy drive through extra cover for four. He’s a significant asset at No8.
5.05pm BST
53rd over: England 203-6 (Ali 7, Woakes 9) Yasir tosses one up and beats the driving Woakes. I never thought George Lohmann’s record of reaching 100 wickets in 16 Tests would be broken, but Yasir has 80 from 12 and a half. He should enjoy Old Trafford next week too.
“Our good friend Peter Starkings, one of the beamiest bowlers in north London, is getting married tomorrow,” says Mat Thomas. “I’m sure nothing would please him more than a shout out from your good self as he enjoys his precious last few hours - he still considers himself a published author on account of his single line contribution to the Pulitzer deserving Is It Cowardly to Pray For Rain. Love from all the mighty Highgate Taverners.” Have a great day Mr and Mrs Peter! If you scroll down this link, there’s a special message from Russell Crowe too.
5.01pm BST
52nd over: England 203-6 (Ali 7, Woakes 8) Play is held up while a pigeon saunters across the middle of the pitch and has a feed. Two from the over. In other news, here’s some good news for England.
Related: Jimmy Anderson back for Lancashire in bid to prove England fitness
4.57pm BST
51st over: England 201-6 (Ali 6, Woakes 8) I don’t know whether it was the flipper, but it was certainly too close to cut. Woakes steers his first ball for four, and cuts four more to take England past 200. In his first Test outside the subcontinent, Yasir has wonderful wickets of four for 45. He has single-handedly taken care of England’s middle order.
4.54pm BST
In a surprising development, Jonny Bairstow has fallen to Yasir Shah. He tried to cut what looked like a flipper, and the ball skidded on to hit the stumps. It was a really poor stroke in truth, reminiscent of Shane Warne’s dismissal of Alec Stewart at the Gabba in 1994-95.
4.46pm BST
49th over: England 192-5 (Bairstow 28, Ali 6) A lot has been made of England’s batting depth. It’s not comparable to the one-day side, which has four No8s. Chris Woakes is a terrific No8 in the Test team but Stuart Broad is hit-and-miss and the others are No10s at best. A partnership here would thus be of some use.
“As tempting as Henry Joy’s offer sounds, this seems as good a time as any to remember that your website is already on the front page of Google, Yahoo! and Bing,” says Ant Pease. “Henry sounds like his heart might not be in this gig.” But maybe his email was sent from the future???
4.44pm BST
48th over: England 190-5 (Bairstow 27, Ali 5) Amir tempts Bairstow with a full, wide delivery; Bairstow slaughters it through the covers for four. Next! Amir moves around the wicket as a consequence, hoping to replicate the famous success enjoyed by Ryan Sidebottom from that angle. Bairstow punches a drive to mid-off, where Misbah’s misfield turns nought into four.
4.38pm BST
47th over: England 181-5 (Bairstow 19, Ali 4) Moeen uses his feet to Yasir a couple of times, albeit in defence rather than attack. This will be a good battle. And it’s a good battle with Bairstow, whose increasing confidence manifests itself in a lusty swipe back over Yasir’s head for a one-bounce four.
“Hi,” writes Henry Joy. “Hope you are doing great. We can get your website on page one of Google, yahoo, Bing. Please reply on this e-mail for more info.”
4.34pm BST
46th over: England 176-5 (Bairstow 15, Ali 3) That was a very wide delivery from Amir, which tempted Cook into the drive, and it came back off the seam just enough to take the inside edge. Anyway, this would be a good time for Moeen Ali to demonstrate what he’s actually doing in this side. He starts with a gorgeous cover-drive for three off his first ball. If teams were picked on aesthetics, he’d walk into a world XI.
“After a decade or so of spinners morphing into slow-medium bowlers to adjust to the primacy of limited overs cricket, Yasir Shah is so refreshing to watch,” says Christopher Dale. “Flight, bounce, drift, genuine variations, and not a dubious elbow extension to be found.”
4.31pm BST
Welcome back Mohammad Amir! He had Cook dropped twice in the earlier in the day, but now he has bowled him via the inside-edge. It’s his first Test wicket since 2010, and he greets it with a familiar aeroplane celebration. Cook has missed out on a Lord’s century for the third time in the last 12 months, and England are in the malodorous stuff.
4.29pm BST
45th over: England 173-4 (Cook 81, Bairstow 15) Bairstow is looking a bit better against Yasir, though it is and will probably remain an uneasy peace. A maiden.
“I find England’s insistence on batting Jonny Bairstow down the order when he keeps endlessly frustrating, when he is so clearly a much better bet to score heavily than Vince or Ballance (or Stokes,” says Rich. “Is there also not an argument that coming in at 4 or 5 as a keeper is better, in terms of often being more evenly spread between the two bowling innings? Also, at this point in time with all recent depressing political developments etc. the Chris Woakes success story is the lift we all really needed!”
4.26pm BST
44th over: England 173-4 (Cook 81, Bairstow 15) Cook is constructing a proper innings now; none of that vulgar run-a-ball nonsense. Since he ended his century drought last year he’s averaging 54 from 19 Tests.
4.22pm BST
43rd over: England 173-4 (Cook 81, Bairstow 15) “Sitting at my (windowless) desk in Cayman pining for Lord’s after cancelling our England trip,” says Adam Roberts, turning the rest of us into Livia Soprano. “Where do you stand on Ballance? I posted something on FB last week: “Gary Ballance forces his way into the England team with an average of 33.64 in the County Championship this season” while later noting that (according to the BBC) “ The 26-year old (Borthwick) has scored 1,141 first-class runs in 2016 - the second most for any batsman in the world behind England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow. I am sorry to say my scepticism was justified.”
I was really surprised he was recalled. He’s got something, but it felt like too little had changed from last year. Bugger all, in fact. Apparently he was picked for his experience, which I find a bit odd. Borthwick has barely made a run since he was first touted, which is presumably why he wasn’t picked. I’d have played Stokes as a specialist batsman for a variety of reasons I don’t have time to go into here as Yasir has just rushed through an over. Gah!
4.16pm BST
42nd over: England 169-4 (Cook 78, Bairstow 14) Apologies that the score in the previous over’s entry turned into a rejected Aphex Twin song title; that was my fault. Bairstow gives me good reason to update the score by panelling Rahat through backward point for four and driving three more through extra cover. He looks far more comfortable at that end.
4.13pm BST
41st over: England 161=2-4 (Cook 78, Bairstow 7) A rare piece of filth from Yasir is heaved through midwicket for four by Bairstow. But he doesn’t look comfortable against Yasir, and two balls later he is beaten on the inside by one that skids past off stump. This chap is a beautiful bowler, a worthy carrier of the torch of Pakistan leg-spin that was once held by Abdul Qadir and Mushtaq Ahmed.
4.10pm BST
40th over: England 157-4 (Cook 78, Bairstow 2) Rahat replaces Wahab. Bairstow picks up his bat “ike he’s about to take on a horde of zombies”, to use Dan Brigham’s lovely description in All Out Cricket, and throws it into a drive that is edged just short of the falling Younus Khan at second slip.
Cook, meanwhile, has enjoyed Lord’s recently, with scores of 162, 96, 11, 85, 49* and 76* in the last 15 months. Yes, yes, I did cut that sequence off halfway through the New Zealand Test last summer to fit the narrative. What are you gonna do, tweet me?
4.05pm BST
39th over: England 153-4 (Cook 75, Bairstow 1) Jonny Bairstow has lorded over Test cricket in 2016, and is miles clear on the tables of leading runscorer and most catches. But I’m not sure I fancy him so much starting an innings against Yasir. If he gets in he should be okay. He gets through that over without too many alarm, just one inside-edge from an unread googly.
“I have a plea to the OBO faithful,” says Guy Hornsby. “I have a spare ticket for the Test tomorrow (a long, hipsterish story, but a late dropout basically) so I’m trying to see if anyone’s up for it. It’s £80 (Grand Stand, Row 7), and the downside is it’s next to me, so for that reason more than any I’ll happily let it go for less than that if someone’s willing.”
4.00pm BST
Never give Pakistan an even break. Joe Root did with a poor stroke, at a time when England were cruising, and the game changed completely in the next eight overs as Yasir Shah went about his mischievous business. England, who were 118 for one, will resume on 153 for four and in a bit of trouble in what is becoming an excellent Test match. There are still 37 overs to be bowled, so this game will have progressed significantly by the close.
3.51pm BST
So, England behind by 186. Four down. The (ever so lucky) skipper and Jonny Bairstow at the crease. Not quite to plan when considering about 45 minutes ago Joe Root was largely doing as he pleased.
Noting that Cook has been put down twice behind the wicket, and two shockers, by any measure, this is game on. The chances keep coming.
3.43pm BST
38th over: England 153-4 (Cook 75, Bairstow 1) Wahab doesn’t get through the over quick enough for Yasir to have another jam roll before the shorter break. Bairstow is underway with a clip to midwicket for one, while Cook ignores the clock when pinging the penultimate ball to the backward point fence. What it deserved, short and wide. That is tea.
3.39pm BST
37th over: England 147-4 (Cook 70, Bairstow 0) Jonny Bairstow to the rescue, again? This was the pattern during the Sri Lankan series, largely overlooked due to the comprehensive scorelines: England’s repeated top order drama. An over (or maybe two?) until Tea. Rush through it and get Yasir on again, I say. He’s on .
Richard “Super” Han(d)s wants us to keep peddling. We will. I promise.
3.37pm BST
Yasir Shah is a gem, this time beating Ballance, caught on the crease with enough spin to deceive the bat. No review! Surprised by that in the circumstance. Huge play. It’s All Happening as WM Lawry would surely say. Test Match Cricket: Wouldn’t want it any other way.
3.34pm BST
36th over: England 146-3 (Cook 69, Ballance 6) Gazza jumps across his woodwork and clips Wahab’s first ball to him through the onside for four. That’s bold. We like bold. Naturally, a very fast bowler comes next. We have two left handers out there now, both taking single to conclude the over.
Jim Baxter is our Spanish corro, it would seem: “Sat in the shade in a playground near San Sebastian, keeping a vague eye on my child while keeping up with the OBO is #thelife. Much better than reading the news. You can pretend your country isn’t falling apart and fight the feeling that you constantly have to apologise to fellow Europeans for the existence of Boris Johnson. This is what people who don’t like sport don’t understand - sweet sweet distraction.”
Nice spray. I was in Madrid last week. I left my passport in London after covering the England women’s game in Essex the night before. Utter shambles. Made the flight by 30 seconds, after a connecting train by 45. Would my girlfriend have given me the flick had I missed the flight? We will never know. Thankfully.
3.30pm BST
35th over: England 140-3 (Cook 68, Ballance 1) Ballance off the mark with a single to complete that Yasir over. Australia’s pace was too much for him last summer, how will be contend with Pakistan’s trump card twirler?
The Fish Peter Salmon (let’s hope his mates call him that) likes the Kim pic but says it should “always be accompanied by footage of THAT six, surely.”
Why not.
3.26pm BST
And it is! About a third of the ball hitting leg stump according to DRS, Vince fails again. The ball before he played back and made contact, albeit just out of short leg’s reach. Very clever from Yasir to repeat the dose but spit that ball straight on. Vince was so late on it, he had no chance. This is why he is the best leg spinner on the planet, my friends. Superb bowling. Pakistan are up and about.
3.23pm BST
Review! Vince has been given but they are going upstairs. Deep in his crease, top spinner, Yasir hits him fair adjacent does he not? Cook gave him the go-ahead for the review. Not sure about this. We will see...
3.22pm BST
34th over: England 135-2 (Cook 68, Vince 12) Wahab works his way into it that over with Vince unable to profit from a ball on his pads early in the set, the left-armer building his pace, throwing in one of those pacy bouncers he’s known for. A single taken to mid on last ball of the over, requiring both batsmen to move at a decent clip.
It’s all rather quiet. Hit me up. You want my number? I’ll give you my number.
3.17pm BST
33rd over: England 133-2 (Cook 67, Vince 11) Vince gets a legit (and rare) long hop from Yasir to start the over and clobbers it away to the midwicket rope. The leggie is back to his probing best thereafter, forcing the batsman to make a decision each delivery.
This graph shows how Yasir is getting considerable drift and turn. #EngvPak pic.twitter.com/CVEq2cltRe
3.14pm BST
32nd over: England 129-2 (Cook 67, Vince 7) Wahab is back, giving Amir a spell. He must be knackered, as there’s no other reason the Pakistani talisman would be having a breather. Both Cook and Vince benefit from the left arm quick floating the ball too wide, turning the board over without going to the rope. When he gets his line right it’s sufficient to beat Vince outside the off stump. But then he’s back on his pads. Far from his best today, Wahab. Not wanting to sound like everyone-who-has-ever-given-Steve-Finn-advice-ever, but I reckon Wahab is the type who just needs to go back to his mark and bowl fast.
3.11pm BST
31st over: England 125-2 (Cook 66, Vince 4) Yasir has started giving it a rip now, trying to go through Cook’s gate. Unsuccessfully, the captain getting off strike through another gate, the one between Misbah’s hands at midwicket. Sloppy.
James Gordon makes a fair point: “Cleaver batting from Joe- he won’t be adding to that bad 50 to 100 conversion rate.” #RootMaths... remember that, trendsetters?
You can write me too. Adam.Collins.Freelance@theguardian.com or on the nonsense-machine at @collinsadam.
3.07pm BST
30th over: England 124-2 (Cook 65, Vince 4) Pretty Jimmy Vince gets off the mark with a glooooorious cover drive. Right from the MCC Manual, that one. Back knee on the floor like Kim Hughes on this ground some 36 years ago. Except he used both hands. By the way: that’s my favourite cricket book.
3.04pm BST
29th over: England 120-2 (Cook 65, Vince 0) Right, this game looks fundamentally different with Root back in the sheds, doesn’t it? Vince hasn’t made a run since joining the England XI, and Gary Ballance is next up who hasn’t played a Test in a year. Pakistan have already thrown away a couple of chances; it’s vital they make the next one count.
Tom Hill has dropped us a line. “Thanks very much for pointing out the American Life podcast on your MBM, really fascinating.” Was really good. I went into a deep dive on youtube watching the art of the underhand free throw after. Highly recommended. Also quite gloomy about how you marry someone. If this is your jive.
2.58pm BST
Root’s bat drops out of his hands in despair, he’s filthy; much like the shot that brought his demise. Across the line, the ball after taking a lovely swept boundary. High risk/relatively low reward, you’d think. The 110 partnership between the skipper and his deputy comes to an end.
2.55pm BST
28th over: England 114-1 (Cook 63, Root 44) Outstanding from Amir, good enough to beat Cook’s bat twice in two balls to start the over with a ball thudding into his thigh pad between times. He’s barely had a break so far this innings, now coming from the Nursery End. But the moment he’s short, Cook’s immediately on it, four scored to point. A further two to end the over means six comes from it. Compelling cricket.
And the Chef has overtaken Sunny. Sunny and Chef. Nearly.
Most runs as an opener in Tests -
A Cook - 9610*
S Gavaskar - 9607
G Smith - 9030
M Hayden - 8425
2.51pm BST
27th over: England 108-1 (Cook 57, Root 44) Afternoon, all. Adam Collins back in the chair for the next hour. And it’ll be a joy to bring you whatever Yasir does. He’s been spun around to the Pavilion End as predicted by Rob Smyth, so he’ll be spinning it up the slope. Saying that, he’s relying increasingly on his overspin of late, and that’s the story again this over. The 100 stand between these two is brought up through a Cook single to square leg. They have to race, but home comfortably. 147 balls all told it has taken, the second 50 taking about twice as long as the first. Helped along by those two howlers behind the wicket, mind.
2.44pm BST
26th over: England 107-1 (Cook 56, Root 44) Mohammad Amir replaces Yasir Shah, who may be changing ends - and he’s had Cook dropped again! Oh madon. It was a beautiful delivery, full and moving away just enough. Cook lunged into the drive and snicked it low to the left of the keeper Sarfraz, who made an almighty mess of a relatively simple chance. He almost dived past the ball and ended up shoveling it up onto his forehead in the comedy style.
So that’s twice Amir has had Cook put down in the cordon. Maybe Mother Cricket hasn’t forgiven him just yet. Right, that’s drinks; Adam Collins will be with you until tea. Bye!
2.39pm BST
25th over: England 106-1 (Cook 55, Root 44) Cook drives Rahat for two and then works him for another, which moves him to within three runs of Sunil Gavaskar’s record.
2.35pm BST
24th over: England 101-1 (Cook 52, Root 42) After that flying start to his innings, Cook has now enquired whether there are any rooms for the night. Meanwhile, there’s some terrific analysis on Sky which shows a) how most of Root’s dismissals to left-arm quicks in recent times have been snicking full, wide deliveries and b) how he has resisted the temptation to chase such deliveries today.
2.31pm BST
23rd over: England 100-1 (Cook 51, Root 42) It’s weird that something so familiar should be so encouraging, but that’s the case with this Root innings. It’s exactly the same as all his other innings in the last few years. Given his apparent reluctance to bat No3, his first few innings in this position were always going to be unusually important. If he can gets a ton here, he’ll have settled instantly in the position and can get on with the job of breaking every single batting record in English cricket history.
2.27pm BST
22nd over: England 98-1 (Cook 50, Root 41) No significant turn for Yasir Shah as yet, and I shall make no further comment on the subject. Meanwhile, Kieron Shaw has spared Will Riddington from having to read any more of this rubbish: “Here’s the link to listen to TMS on YouTube while overseas.” Cheers Kieron.
2.24pm BST
21st over: England 98-1 (Cook 50, Root 40) Cook reaches a breezy 60-ball fifty with another savage cut stroke for four off Rahat. That’s his second fastest fifty in Tests, according to Mike Atherton on Sky. This is a good spell for England, but you should never get too comfortable in the box seat against Pakistan. My England side were having a good spell when they were 270 for one against Pakistan at Headingley in 1992. Two hours later we were 320 all out. In other words: it’s quiet, too darned quiet.
Related: Pakistan’s weapon in waiting could put England in reverse gear | Mike Selvey
2.20pm BST
20th over: England 93-1 (Cook 46, Root 40) Here’s the legspinner Yasir Shah, to replace Wahab Riaz. He is a lovely bowler, and could yet break George Lohmann’s 120-year-old record for the fastest man to 100 Test wickets. He has 76 from 12 Tests; I think Lohmann got there in 16. Two runs from an exploratory opening over.
“Any chance you could ask the OBO hive mind if anyone knows how to get TMS overseas these days?” asks Will Riddington. “I know you used to be able to get it on the ECB’s YouTube page, but I can’t seem to find it anymore.”
2.15pm BST
19th over: England 91-1 (Cook 45, Root 39) Cook is beaten by another beautiful outswinger from Rahat Ali, and then slams a cut stroke for four to move to 45. England might have a few big second-wicket partnerships in the next three or four years. So far Cook and Root have added 83 in 17 overs.
2.11pm BST
18th over: England 86-1 (Cook 41, Root 38) Root crunches Wahab into the legside for a couple. I suspect we’ll see the legspinner Yasir Shah very soon, as England are fairly comfortable at the moment.
2.07pm BST
17th over: England 83-1 (Cook 41, Root 35) Rahat replaces Mohammad Amir and swerves a lovely delivery past Cook’s reverse curtain rail. That’s all.
2.03pm BST
16th over: England 82-1 (Cook 41, Root 33) Pakistan will feel that they are only one wicket away from, if not the tail, then at least the rump, such are the doubts surrounding Ballance, Vince and Moeen. In other news, thanks to Michael Meagher for pointing out that Cook is 22 runs away from overtaking Sunil Gavaskar as the most productive Test opener of all time. Make that 18, because he heas just dragged Wahab through mid-on for four. Cook has 9590 runs, Gavaskar is on 9607.
1.58pm BST
15th over: England 77-1 (Cook 37, Root 33) Amir almost sneaks one back into Root, who gets a late inside-edge and then steals a single as well. He has 33 from 37 balls; when he batted No3 in Australia, it took him 100 balls to make 33. From Root to Woakes to Cook, this England team is full of really impressive self-improvement.
“Cook doesn’t often get significantly outscored these days does he?” says Gary Naylor. “And his captaincy has come on leaps and bounds since... well, we all know since what. His ‘performance’ is beginning to catch up with his numbers and maybe his reputation will follow in tow soon.” Let’s hope so; he certainly deserves it, especially after all that despicable abuse in 2014. It’ll be interesting to see how long he stays as captain; I assume until after the next Ashes. He could easily have five years as a batsman after that, which is quite unusual for a former captain.
1.52pm BST
14th over: England 74-1 (Cook 36, Root 32) I wasn’t sold on the Root move, and in truth was a bit affronted that Trevor Bayliss did not consult me, but the early signs have been really good. Wahab is trying to rip him from his bubble, following a sharp bouncer with a stare and then a tempting full delivery, the sort that has often led to Root’s downfall in recent years. Root ignores it, not once but twice. Then, when Wahab goes short again, Root uppercuts brilliantly for four more.
1.48pm BST
13th over: England 70-1 (Cook 36, Root 28) Mohammad Amir continues at the other end, the name of which
we must withhold for legal reason
s I’ve forgotten. He had Cook dropped before lunch, a simple chance to Hafeez at first slip, and he finds the edge again with his third delivery. This time Cook softens his hands sufficiently for the ball to fall short of Younus Khan at second slip. Cook doesn’t need to play at much else in that over, so he doesn’t.
1.44pm BST
12th over: England 70-1 (Cook 36, Root 28) Wahab Riaz starts after lunch to Joe Root, who opens the face to steer the first delivery to third man for three. He has rattled along to 28 from 27 balls; he’s batting just as he did at No4. When he played at No3 in Australia in 2013-14 he was a completely different batsman, who at times struggled to get it off the square. From memory his strike-rate at No3 on that tour was a Tavareian 33.88; thus far in this innings it is over 100.
1.39pm BST
Sherry, Niles? Hello all and welcome to over-by-over coverage of the afternoon session at Lord’s. Mohammad Amir’s opening spell before lunch was a slight anti-climax. It’s not him, it’s us; we had such stratospheric expectations that the reality - a good if occasionally overexcited spell that was better than figures of 6-0-33-0 suggest - could never match up. Well, unless he took four wickets in three overs as he did in his opening spell on Friday morning back in 2010.
The picture is bigger than Amir, and the match is fascinatingly poised: England are 64 for one, from 11 overs, in reply to Pakistan’s 339.
1.13pm BST
Lunch - what do we make of that?
Pakistan will be stinging a bit at the lunch break, both for what they couldn’t complete with the bat and what they missed the chance to do with the ball.
1.03pm BST
11th over: England 64-1 (Cook 35, Root 23) Amir has the final over before the interval, having bowled considerably better than his 0/28 suggests so far. And it’s another boundary soon enough, Root not getting the full face of the bat to a ball outside the off stump but the edge through the gully is along the ground and four. Again. Cook is happy enough to run down the clock to lunch before briefly considering a swing at the final, shorter ball. Good move not getting out like that on the cusp of lunch, skip.
These two have put on 56 in 54 balls. And it’s lunch.
1.00pm BST
10th over: England 59-1 (Cook 35, Root 18) Wahab, as predicted, into the attack for the first time from the Nursery End, running away from us in the box. Hard not to love Wahab, flings it down at pace and talks fast. He begins with the ball far enough outside the offstump that Cook fancies his chances to drive before changing his mind. It’s what Guardian Australian deputy sports tsar Russell Jackson calls a “pleave”, and through the cordon safely enough for four. Wahab stays with a line well outside the offstump, but he’s quick enough. One to watch after lunch.
Phil White is with me with Root at three. “On same logic should not Bairstow be at 4?” Yes! For mine, definitely. All predicated on him giving away the gloves, but the case is strong. Matchwinner.
12.51pm BST
9th over: England 55-1 (Cook 31, Root 18) For all the talk about Pakistan’s fitness and fielding, they have been dreadful so far. The Hafeez dropped catch in the previous Amir over is followed by a Cook edge this time around that goes between second and third slips, albeit along the ground this time at least. It looks like Younis Khan is the man at fault. These bowlers need more.
Related: Freelance Cricket Club podcast: with fun-loving Kiwi all-rounder Jimmy Neesham
12.48pm BST
8th over: England 50-1 (Cook 26, Root 18) Misbah made a mistake here leaving Rahat on, who missed badly twice to Root. Initially he was too full, Root only needing to lean into a drive to score a boundary to long off. Next ball he drifted a half volley onto his pads, which the new number three put away in textbook fashion. In the process, the England 50 is up from just the 45 balls. Ten boundaries gives a sense that Pakistan have been very hit and miss.
12.45pm BST
12.43pm BST
7th over: England 42-1 (Cook 26, Root 10) Oh no! Awful dropped catch from Hafeez at first slip, giving Cook an early life. Knee height, no excuse. Amir built the pressure with a series of penetrative dots before bringing one away from the captain. “You get the feeling we’ll spend a lot of time talking about that missed chance,” says Michael Vaughan on the TMS coverage. It certainly feels that way when Cook pumped the next Amir delivery on his pads to the rope.
I’m with Chuck on his Root analysis. Granted, my place of birth means I am inclined to say this (likewise Trevor Bayliss), but you gotta bat your top dog at three. Let him own it. For a decade or more. Imagine a world where Root, Smith, Kohli and Williamson are all batting three for their respective nations.
Given England made so much of wanting players who score quickly in the top three it seems strange it’s taken so long to move Root there.
12.38pm BST
6th over: England 38-1 (Cook 22, Root 10) Shooooot. Root on the back foot, high in his stance, perfectly timing Rahat to the cover boundary. Both batsmen look comfortable in this match up. I fancy we’ll see Wahab pretty soon.
12.35pm BST
5th over: England 33-1 (Cook 21, Root 5) Amir to Root. This is what Test cricket is all about, two of the most gifted players on the planet up against each other at a packed Lord’s. Root leaves, leaves, leaves, leaves. In the channel; a test of patience. The fifth time he plays, through point, and the bowler is badly let down by Yasir at backward point, spilling away to the boundary. Deserved better. A quick single ends the over, a throw at Root’s end missing. He looked safe. But make no mistake: everyone took a deep breath anyway.
Phil on point early with some world record watch.
Alastair Cook on 21 from 10 balls. Watch out, B-Mac. #EngvsPak
12.30pm BST
4th over: England 27-1 (Cook 21, Root 0) Rahat lets himself down here after striking with the final ball of his first over. Granted, the first of three boundaries taken by Cook is through the cordon and unconvincing. But then he drops into the captain’s sweet spot twice, clipped off the pads to the boundary on both occasions. Cop that.
12.28pm BST
3rd over: England 15-1 (Cook 9, Root 0) A small victory to Amir to begin the over, Cook’s outside edge struck, but it flies to the right of gully, the skipper getting a boundary. He’s too straight next time around though, it goes without saying you can’t bowl on Cook’s pads. Three taken with the minimum of risk. But he’s spot on to Root; good pace, probing length. This could be the battle of the day.
We have a ticket for tomorrow available via Guy Hornsby. Who wouldn’t want it? Drop me a line and I’ll play matchmaker if you fancy. “I have a plea to the OBO faithful. I have a spare ticket for the Test tomorrow (a long, hipsterish story, but a late dropout basically) so I’m trying to see if anyone’s up for it. It’s £80 (Grand Stand, Row 7), and the downside is it’s next to me, so for that reason more than any I’ll happily let it go for less than that if someone’s willing.”
12.23pm BST
2nd over: England 8-1 (Cook 2, Root 0) What Gary Naylor says. Every eye trained on the middle. The left armers slinging it down at the England top order, with the quickest of the trio Wahab to come on first change. Absorbing cricket as Joe Root enters, elevated to the number three position.
This is a 600 pitch and a 200 atmosphere @collinsadam
12.21pm BST
The man with the rockstar looks gives it the rockstar opening, Rahat Ali gets Hales caught in the cordon. It’s a delightful little delivery tailing into the right hander, convincing him to play, and no mistake made at third slip by Azhar Ali. Pakistan up and about in the huddle. They know how vital early breakthroughs are on this strip. Here we go.
12.16pm BST
1st over: England 7-0 (Cook 1, Hales 6) Mohammad Amir gets the first over, from the Pavilion End. So much has been said about this first moment. In the end, it’s uneventful - widish and without venom, patted away by Captain Cook for a single into the offside. Then Hales dines out when the second ball he faces angles towards his mums and dads, four of the easiest runs.
A handful of [redacted, redacted] in the crowd shout no-ball when Amir delivers his first ball. Boycott on the radio says they should go home. Don’t say this all the time, but I’m with him. Beat it.
12.11pm BST
Stephen Brown is back on Finny:
“I know Finn seems out of sorts. But I can’t remember a series where he has consistently been in sorts. And yet he still has the best strike rate of any bowler to take 100 wickets for England in the last 25 years. Only Simon Jones beats him out of front line bowlers in that time frame. And his average is only 1 above Jimmy and Broad.”
12.06pm BST
Music chat in the break? Yes.
Chris Yates says my plugging of The Lucksmiths earlier was genius. No, they are. A band bigger in England than they ever were in Australia, don’t you know.
12.03pm BST
You’ve been generous in your correspondence so let’s keep this going through the ten minute change of innings.
First up: Guardian colleague Dan Lucas has a good cause. In the spirit of doing nice things, let’s give it a plug and throw it a couple of bob if you fancy:
12.01pm BST
Conventional horizontal edge to second slip, Root makes no mistake. A nice little cameo from Amir with the bat. In ten minutes he’ll be back with the ball. And won’t that be something. Meanwhile, Woakes is leading the England XI off, racing up the steps to take a look at the spot on the honours board where his name will now sit. 6/70 from his 24 overs. Undroppable.
11.59am BST
99th over: Pakistan 338-9 (Amir 12, Yasir 10) I think this now constitutes an annoying little last wicket stand, these two now good for an unbeaten 22 after Yasir guided Woakes down to third man for a boundary. Woakes does plenty right to earn the edge earlier in the over, but as it is so often the case when bowling to the tail, it’s too good to hit. A relatively cheeky quick single and an Amir attempt to smash the bowler onto the Nursery Ground ends the over. I admire their pluck.
Mahendra Killedar has dropped us a line regarding the aforementioned England schedule. “With reference to just announced IND vs ENG winter schedule....I recon it takes 30d Tests foreplay before getting into 3d ODI action to finally reach 3d T20 climax...Whoa!!!”
11.53am BST
98th over: Pakistan 333-9 (Amir 12, Yasir 5) Broad can’t get the last one either. Yasir shows he has some touch about him to with an on-drive for a couple. They’ve put on 16 fairly quickly the last two. That’s not for nothing.
Here, have some #content.
Anything you can do Misbah... #EngvPak https://t.co/jCUBHqCOgN
11.50am BST
97th over: Pakistan 330-9 (Amir 12, Yasir 2) Woakes on the hunt for a seventh tries any number of tricks, but Amir is up to the task as well with an entirely acceptable cover drive followed by an excellent off drive. More impressive after copping one to the helmet in the previous over. Give that man a promotion. 13 off it due to four byes over Bairstow’s head when Woakes went upstairs.
Reception for Amir felt a bit like when a naughty toddler gets let back into a birthday party... Do come back, but make sure you behave.
11.46am BST
96th over: Pakistan 316-9 (Amir 4, Yasir 1) A Misbah single from the first ball of that Broad over exposed Amir initially. He got off the mark with a boundary first ball. Well there you go. He didn’t want any of it, a big inside edge. Next ball he whacks him on the head with a short one. Oh that’s nasty. Ultimately the leg bye they took enabled Broad to get another crack at Misbah, and you already know how that ended.
Michael Butler and Daniel Harris pulled together a nice little Joy of Six on England v Pakistan contests. Bookmark it for the innings break.
Related: The Joy of Six: England v Pakistan
11.43am BST
Too good from Broad, straight through Misbah who plays all around it. There’s a marvellous reception for the captain, who struggled this morning only adding four to his overnight 110. But what an innings it was. Moreover: what a crucial couple of overs for England. Three wickets in eight balls. Could very well define the day.
11.39am BST
95th over: Pakistan 310-8 (Misbah 113, Amir 0) Yeah, it was a pretty good over. My colleague Gary Naylor informs me that there was “not a single boo” when Amir walked out to the crease. We’ll see if that repeats when he has the rock in his hand. That may very well be in about 20 mins.
11.37am BST
Oh that’s genius bowling from Woakes. First ball to the number nine is a picture-perfect outswinger. Far too good, it beat everything. Next ball? The big off-cutter, up the slope again, the stumps splattered. Six or Woakes now with a couple left on the shelf. What a delight.
11.35am BST
Poor batting! Sarfraz is gutted in a slow trudge from the field after picking out Vince at gully. There was nothing in that delivery, just a failure of execution. What it does mean is Woakes has his first career five wicket bag! Thoroughly deserved, he’s been outstanding since coming back into this England XI three Tests ago.
11.32am BST
94th over: Pakistan 306-6 (Misbah 113, Sarfraz 21) Broad persists with a shorter length, Sarfraz hoiking him away to backward square. Misbah also picks up a run. Naturally enough: behind point, just to keep fans of his wagonwheel satisfied.
Michael Avery on my poser about Vince in the grippers:
11.27am BST
93rd over: Pakistan 303-6 (Misbah 112, Sarfraz 19) An ambitious leg before shout begins the over, but it wouldn’t hit the proverbial second set, I’m afraid Christopher. The board ticks over with a couple of singles. Nice little contest emerging here.
I’m getting a few tweets in based on my earlier reference to Finny’s struggles with the #FinnsforFinn hashtag. Much like the Pokemon game (is that happening in England too? In Australian-internet people are LOSING THEIR MINDS), I don’t understand it and maybe I never will.
11.22am BST
92nd over: Pakistan 301-6 (Misbah 111, Sarfraz 18) Sarfraz’s third boundary is his best so far, waiting on a Broad off-cutter to play off the front foot behind point. He’s making it look an awful lot easier than it is for Misbah so far. But there was a lot of that yesterday when Shafiq was out there too. Yet who is still batting? Yep.
Broad finishes the other with his second searing bumper of the morning. Sarfraz has both feet off the ground as the ball passes his grill. And the 300 is up during the over also. 100 short of where Misbah demands they be. And fair enough too considering no one has taken 20 wickets at Lord’s this season.
11.19am BST
91st over: Pakistan 295-6 (Misbah 111, Sarfraz 12) Oh my, Woakes has delivered an legit unplayable to Misbah. After a raft of away-swingers, this comes back up the slope. How did he do that? Mad skillz, Woaksey. Mad skillz. It didn’t hit the off stump, by the way. I probably should have mentioned that. A maiden, the day’s first, is registered.
Reliable contributor John Starbuck is with us nice and early. G’day John. “Given what we’ve been hearing about Pakistan’s preparations for this tour, maybe she shall find out today how fit they really are in the field. Could they be the fittest outfit around? If not, who? Certainly England looked as if they could do with some refinement, either standing closer to the wicket to pick up the barely-carrying chances, or further back in order to see the ball in time. Or just getting more practice.” Pakistan the best