England vs. Pakistan: Lord’s horror show for Joe Root’s side

Another Test, another England batting
collapse as Pakistan bowlers Abbas and Ali star on day one

One-Minute Read

In reply the tourists reached 50 runs for the loss of just one
wicket at the close of a very satisfactory day for them.

After the debacle Down Under in the winter, England had hoped
for a fresh start this summer but once again they melted like an
ice cream under the sun with only four players reaching double
figures.

Had it not been for a fighting 70 by Alastair Cook – his
56th Test half-century – England would have been utterly
embarrassed on what were challenging overcast
conditions.

As it was, the 184 they totalled was their lowest score in
a home Test for nine years, although on a positive note it was 126
runs more than they managed against New Zealand in
March.

The pick of the Pakistan bowlers were Mohammad Abbas and
Hasan Ali, who shared eight of the English wickets, many of their
victims contributing to their own demise with poor shot
selection.

The performance of the England batsmen sent Geoffrey
Boycott ballistic. “That’s not good enough!” stormed the ex-player
turned pundit. “There were at least three poor England shots –
[Jos] Buttler, [Mark] Stoneman, [Joe] Root. Three of your top
seven, gone.”

Former England captain Michael Vaughan criticised the
naivety of England although he pointed out Pakistan deserved
recognition for the quality of their performance.

“Yes it [the ball] swung, but you expect swing in a Test
match,” he said. “Pakistan’s bowling and slip catching was
outstanding. It was 280 par, certainly not 184. It’s becoming too
much like deja vu.”

The last time England won the toss at Lord’s and posted
such a low total having chosen to bat first was 1955, and although
Cook said the ball did “more than we expected”, he conceded it had
not been an impressive display.

“It’s frustrating,” he said. “It did swing and nip all
day. But if bowlers missed lengths or lines, you could
score.”

The first day was neatly summed up by commentator David Lloyd on
Sky Sports. “Another Test match, another
England batting collapse,” he said. “The team are just unable to
cope with a hint of movement at the moment.” 

England vs. Pakistan Test series

What time does the Test match
start?

The first Test continues at Lord’s today until Monday 28
May. Each day’s play starts at 11am. The second Test is at
Headingley from 1 to 5 June.

How to watch England vs. Pakistan on
TV

The Lord’s and Headingley Test matches are shown live on Sky Sports.