08/19/26 02:21:00
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08/19 14:20 CDT England dominates Pakistan on Day 1 of first test as Robinson
makes history in 5-wicket haul
England dominates Pakistan on Day 1 of first test as Robinson makes history in
5-wicket haul
LEEDS, England (AP) --- England's post-Bazball era got off to an encouraging
start Thursday on a dominant Day 1 of the first test against Pakistan, with
pacers Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue each taking five wickets to rip through
the tourists' batting lineup at Headingley.
After Pakistan collapsed from 117-3 to 171 all out, England made inroads in the
evening session to reach the close on 112-2 and was trailing by just 59 runs.
It could hardly have gone any better for Joe Root, who was beginning his second
stint as captain following the retirement of Ben Stokes and was there at stumps
on 37 not out alongside Jordan Cox (23 not out) after winning the toss under an
overcast sky.
Off the first ball of the three-match series, Robinson pinned Azan Awais with a
delivery that nipped back from around the wicket. In his third over, Robinson
went over the wicket and trapped Shan Masood (5) trying to drive and Pakistan
was 6-2.
Following a two-hour rain delay and a 91-run partnership for the third wicket
between Imam-ul-Haq (42) and Abdullah Shafique (61), Robinson and Tongue ran
through the Pakistan batters and had figures of 5-51 and 5-46, respectively.
Asked which of the bowlers was keeping the match ball, Tongue revealed after
the close of play that it was being shared --- literally.
"The groundsman has kindly split the ball in half so I'm sure I'll be able to
get that mounted somewhere at home," said Tongue, who claimed his fourth
five-wicket haul in his 13th test. "It's crazy --- it's the first time I've
seen that happen."
For Robinson, it was another dramatic return. He was playing his first test
since June at Lord's, where he took a match-winning 7-77 against New Zealand in
his first test in two years. A knee injury and doubts about his fitness
prevented his return in that series that England lost 2-1, leading to the
retirement of Stokes and the firing of Brendon McCullum as test coach.
Pakistan, with just two wins in its last seven tests and missing captain Babar
Azam (finger injury), provided ideal opponents for the start of England's
latest reset and lost its last five wickets for 21 runs in 22 balls.
"They bowled very well, we have to give credit to the England bowlers. They
were decent with their length and they were hitting the right spots," Imam said.
"Obviously we have to work hard now but I always believe that it's a long game
... things change very quickly. Get two wickets and the game's going to change."
In England's reply, Mohammad Abbas trapped Ben Duckett for 15 and Emilio Gay
departed for 33, nicking Mohammad Ali to second slip, but Root and Cox settled
the home side.
Root, in particular, looked in prime form and has already hit six fours in his
53-ball knock early in his chase for a 42nd test century.
Pakistan, which hasn't won a test series in England since 1996, had Salman Agha
deputizing as skipper with Babar not recovering from a finger injury.
Dan Lawrence --- a batter but also a spin option --- was in at No. 6 for
England in his first test in two years.
Robinson makes history with first-ball wicket
According to the BBC, it is the first time a team has taken a wicket off the
first ball of a test series in England, which has been hosting matches since
1880.
It has only previously happened 11 times in the history of test cricket. Jimmy
Anderson was the other English player to do it, when he removed Dean Elgar in a
series in South Africa in 2019-20.
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