Summary

  • England end day two with 261-run lead - report

  • Gay battles to unbeaten 30; Root lbw for 24

  • Azan (46) only Pakistan batter to show resistance in tourists' 110

  • Four wickets for Robinson, three for Archer & two for Tongue

  • Archer bowls his fastest new-ball spell in Tests

  • Opener Imam-ul-Haq does not bat because of calf strain

Have your say on England men this summer

Live Reporting

by Mike Peter, Ffion Wynne & George Booth

  1. How stat?!

    Srinivas Vijaykumar
    CricViz analyst

    The ball was still nibbling around this morning as much as it did yesterday. With the sun out, England's pace bowlers will be glad to see that the change in weather hasn't affected the surface much so far today.

    Average seam movement - this Test:

    • Day One, Session One - 0.88°
    • Day One, Session Two - 0.84°
    • Day One, Session Three - 0.81°
    • Day Two, Session One - 0.87°

  2. For those of you wondering about whether the pitch has become easier for batting...

  3. Get Involved

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    Everyone is fighting about who gets the number three spot, I say give it to Josh Tongue.

    Alexander, Watford

  4. Job done for England this morning, pretty much. Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson added 47 for the last wicket and that will have annoyed Pakistan's bowlers immensely.

    Tongue finished unbeaten on 30, his highest Test score.

    And to dent Pakistan's confidence further, they will need to find a new opening combination as Imam-ul-Haq suffered a calf injury yesterday and couldn't take the field this morning.

  5. Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on Test Match Special

    Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue could have got a lot more with the way they were playing.

    Tongue looked rock solid. It was a solid partnership, which gave England momentum.

  6. wicket

    WICKET

    Atkinson c Ali b Usman 45 (Eng 290)

    Ah! The last-wicket fun comes to an end as the spinner does the trick for Pakistan. England are bowled out for 290.

    Gus Atkinson was keen to take on Usman Ali, as he launched the previous ball down the ground for four, but picks out long-off while trying to repeat the shot.

    Atkinson is caught to end England's 'entertaining' innings

  7. Get Involved

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    England’s tailenders are far better at batting than I think they consider themselves. Under the previous regime, they were guilty of chucking away their wicket in these situations when runs were on offer.

    Ben, south London

    After literally years of watching England struggle to knock over the last wicket partnership this is most refreshing!

    David, Blackpool

    That’s exactly how you want your tailenders to bat when the team needs them most. What a fight from Josh and Gus. Brilliant batting, lads!

    Asif

  8. Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on Test Match Special

    Now this partnership is really becoming significant...

  9. Eng 285-9

    He goes again!

    Josh Tongue continues his brilliant cameo, absolutely crunching one through the covers for four off Muhammad Abbas, who hasn't been able to match yesterday's consistency.

  10. Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on Test Match Special

    England have added 30 already today.

    I wonder if Gus Atkinson will try to improvise as the senior batter, or just play.

    He needs to play himself in again as he's hardly had a strike.

  11. Eng 278-9

    Definitely.

    There's something so fun about watching a number 11 bat, as Josh Tongue misses a drive and then rehearses the shot afterwards like a top-order player. It works, too - he lofts the next ball nicely over mid-on for three.

    He has now moved to 23, which is his highest Test score.

  12. Get Involved

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    I love watching Tongue bat, not for how good he is but for the joy he evidently feels whilst doing so. Would we could each feel that joy in something we do.

    Nikki, London

  13. Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on Test Match Special

    Gus Atkinson hit it pretty hard.

    Muhammad Abbas hardly had time to spot it.

  14. Isa Guha
    Former England bowler on Test Match Special

    Muhammad Abbas got his hands in the right place, but you would have not expected him to catch it.

  15. dropped catch

    Atkinson dropped on 38

    Eng 272-9

    AbbasGetty Images

    A very tough one, but Gus Atkinson gets a life.

    He hammers the ball back towards Muhammad Abbas in his follow through, who has hardly any time to react. He just about manages to get his hands to it, but it bursts through.

  16. How stat?!

    Srinivas Vijaykumar
    CricViz analyst

    AliPA Media

    England's tailenders have put up a stiff fight in this series. The ninth and 10th-wicket partnerships added 45 runs in the first Test at Headingley (364-8 to 409-10).

    In this innings so far, they've added 48 runs with the team at 222 at the fall of the eighth wicket.

    In the last 10 years in Tests, Lord's and Headingley have the been toughest grounds in England for the tailenders - averaging 13.3 and 13.4 respectively for the last two partnerships, the lowest of all venues in England.

  17. Eng 270-9

    England have been on the receiving end of many annoying last-wicket partnerships in the recent past, so it's quite fun to finally see them doing the same.

    Josh Tongue has surprisingly been the protagonist of this stand, as he flicks Mohammad Ali effortlessly for four more.

  18. Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on Test Match Special

    TongueReuters

    Gus Atkinson looks perfectly happy to let Josh Tongue have the strike. It makes it much easier.

  19. Eng 266-9

    Change of tactic for Pakistan as Muhammad Rizwan comes up to the stumps to Muhammad Abbas, but with little effect. This partnership is now worth a very useful 23.

  20. Ramiz Raja
    Former Pakistan captain on Test Match Special

    A great partnership.

    Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue are teasing Pakistan because the sun is out.

    I feel this could be a good day for Pakistan.