SOUTHAMPTON: Pakistan opener Abid Ali scored a half-century but England seam bowlers used the muggy conditions to their advantage to restrict the tourists to 126 for five at the close of a rain-hit opening day of the second Test at the Ageas Bowl on Thursday.

Babar Azam (25 not out) and Mohammad Rizwan (4 not out) will resume on the second morning, seeking to rescue the innings in their bid to rebound from a three-wicket loss in the first Test at Old Trafford last week.

Abid (60) rode his luck before falling to left-arm seamer Sam Curran while Asad Shafiq (5) was well taken by Dom Sibley off Stuart Broad.

Fawad Alam (0) had waited almost 11 years since his previous Test innings, but lasted only four balls before Chris Woakes trapped him lbw.

Pakistan were saved further loss of wickets with the conditions firmly in favour of the bowlers when the players left the field after more rain, with only 45.4 overs bowled in the day.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2020