LONDON: Pakistan consolidated the good work of their bowlers in the first Test against England at Lord’s on Thursday by reaching 50 for the loss of just Imam-ul-Haq at stumps in reply to the home side’s 184.

Azhar Ali was 18 not out and Haris Sohail, missed in the slips when Ben Stokes dived across Dawid Malan, unbeaten on 21.

Pakistan made a cautious start, especially Azhar Ali who consumed 72 balls to score 18. But he and Haris negotiated the new ball with a composure that must have soothed nerves in the dressing room.

Although England’s pacers bowled with fire, only one managed to take a wicket. Stuart Broad trapped Imam-ul-Haq in front of the stumps for four in the sixth over.

They missed an opportunity to put Pakistan in trouble when Haris Sohail offered the catch. But all said and done, the day belonged to Pakistan.

Earlier, Pakistan pacemen Mohammad Abbas and Hasan Ali took four wickets apiece as England suffered yet another top-order collapse, dashing hopes that the advantage of a home series and a rejigged top-order would help rid the side of the batting slumps that plagued them during a run of seven straight Tests without a victory in Australia and New Zealand.

Abbas, in his first match at ‘the home of cricket’, finished with excellent figures of four for 23 in 14 overs. The recalled Hasan, who did not play in Pakistan’s win over Test debutants Ireland in Dublin last week, took four for 51 in 15.2 overs.

Alastair Cook in his 153rd consecutive Test, which equalled Australian legend Allan Border’s record for consecutive appearances in Tests, fought a lonely battle to play a characteristic rescue knock of 70.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN 1st innings
Azhar Ali not out 18
Imam-ul-Haq lbw b Broad 4
Haris Sohail not out 21

EXTRAS: (lb7) 7
TOTAL: (1 wicket, 23 overs) 50
TO BAT: Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Sarfraz Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-12 (Imam)
BOWLING: Anderson 5-2-11-0; Broad 7-4-10-1; Wood 6-3-9-0; Stokes 4-2-9-0; Bess 1-0-4-0.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2018