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Key events
14th over: Pakistan 40-3 (Masood 14, Saud 11), target 389. Some rare runs for Masood, twice square cutting Tongue for four with relish. Then it goes all manic again as a muffled lbw appeal from Tongue is followed by the batters running two, but they run them so complacently that Saud has to dive to make his ground after Root throws to Smith. The umpires review but that dive proves decisive. He survives.
12th over: Pakistan 30-3 (Masood 4, Saud 11), target 389. This has been a long spell from Robinson but he’s still mostly getting it just where he wants, at that nagging offside line and length. One from the over.
12th over: Pakistan 29-3 (Masood 4, Saud 11), target 389. Archer has his standard five-overs breather but there’s more pace coming down the track at Pakistan in the form of Josh Tongue. Saud nudges a single before England review another lbw denial after Tongue brings one in to Masood, but he’s outside the line. Pakistan are at least looking for singles now though, and grab a couple of scurried ones here.
On the subject of West Indies 84 and all that, this summer’s lamentations over Pakistan’s decline do share something in common with those of A Certain Age’s Windies nostalgia. For Marshall, Richards, Holding etc read Wasim, Waqar, Inzy et al. We need more than nostalgia though damn it – we need a properly competitive Test cricket ecosystem.
11th over: Pakistan 27-3 (Masood 3, Saud 10), target 389. England opt to review a not-out lbw call as Robinson raps Saud on his back leg but it’s pitching outside off. Bit of an indulgent review, that. Then Saud squirts an edged drive beyond third slip for four.
Talk of West Indies 1984 always encourages nostalgic reverie from cricket fans of a certain age, and Anthony Bradley’s memories are duly stirred: “That test was one of my favourite memories. We’d just finished our entrance exams, so we had nothing to at prep school except build tree houses, race bicycles down the hill and (for me) choose a spot of grass in the walled garden and stare at the blue sky and clouds, excited at the prospect of beating the almighty Windies while glued to TMS. The joy of being young and free was shattered by Greenidge and Haynes that day, and life was never the same again.”
Yeah that was the only Test that year that England were competitive in for more than a day, Botham at his best etc, before it was emphatically snatched away by what for our generation was the Brazil 1970 of cricketing behemoths.
10th over: Pakistan 22-3 (Masood 3, Suad 5), target 389. Masood dabs a single – a rare example of Pakistan being able to handle a short-pitched Archer delivery – but Jof’s not just here for the chin music, as he whistles an outswinger down the slope past Saud’s edge.
9th over: Pakistan 19-3 (Masood 2, Suad 4), target 389. Masood flicks a single, as Robinson’s field is adjusted with a more legside bias, including a leg slip. Saud responds with due caution.
“It’s such a shame that this opening pair of bowlers are so (comparitively) long in the tooth,” writes Dean Kinsella. “Jof’s speed and Ollie’s precision could really have been an opening pairing for the ages. Let’s hope for a final hurrah next summer.”
8th over: Pakistan 18-3 (Masood 1, Suad 4), target 389. The capitulation continues, as the once-prized scalp of Babar is claimed by Archer, whose searing short one is looped up to slip. Saud Shakeel, another decent batter due a score, comes to the crease, and has a wild swish first up at one outside off, failing to connect, but Archer is continuing to send down the snorters. You’d really want to see Archer doing this against a more in-form side … though he’s fallible, Saud hammering a lovely shot through point for four.
Wicket! Babar c b Archer 6, Pakistan 14-3
That was almost unplayable, Archer ripping one in towards Babar’s grill, he gets an uncoordinated edge and it loops up into the hands of Jordan Cox at third slip.
7th over: Pakistan 14-2 (Masood 1, Babar 6), target 389. It clearly helps England that their two opening bowlers are at their absolute favourite ends of their (possibly) absolute favourite venue, and Robinson continues to torment Pakistan outside off. A rare stray one, however, is punished by Babar with an easy fine glance for four.
6th over: Pakistan 9-2 (Masood 1, Babar 1), target 389. Masood is finally off the mark with a single off Archer. Babar Azam needs a decent innings here, and he’s up and running with a single off his hips. Only 380 more needed.
5th over: Pakistan 7-2 (Masood 0). And so it begins. The scoreboard is finally set whirring again as Awais nudges Robinson through square leg for two, but I’d clearly jinxed Awais by bigging up his first-innings knock as he is promptly pinned in front by Robinson. And there’s promptly a review against the new man in, Shafique, for a stumping no less – the pressure-advantage of having the keeper up – but the batter is safely in. But not for long, as he is bowled by a delicious ripper next ball. We may not be detained long here.
Wicket! Shafique b Robinson 0, Pakistan 7-2
And another! Shafique is done by an absolute beauty from Robinson, angled in, pitching middle, ripping into the top of off.
Wicket! Awais lbw b Robinson 6, Pakistan 7-1
Robinson spears one in and it hits Awais on the back leg, it looks plumb but the batter reviews, to no avail. Robinson is cooking again.
4th over: Pakistan 5-0 (Masood 0, Awais 4). Archer has found pace and bounce in this match that has eluded lesser mortals, and he has Masood swishing and missing at a 90+mph one outside off. All the batter can do is try to see it out – another maiden.
3rd over: Pakistan 5-0 (Masood 0, Awais 4). Jamie Smith is up to the stumps, 1.1 overs into Robinson’s spell. Awais is cautiously defensive against Robinson’s probing round-the-wicket length, and plays out a maiden.
2nd over: Pakistan 5-0 (Masood 0, Awais 4). Archer steams in from his favoured Pavilion End, and Awais gets the chase under way with a pleasing chipped clip through midwicket for four. Jofra responds with some snorting chin music but it’s a good leave from Awais, who looked really good in the first innings in the circs. A leg-bye is followed by another menacing short one, this time at Masood, who needs a score here.
1st over: Pakistan 0-0 (Masood 0, Awais 0), target 389. Ollie Robinson opens up from the nursery end, four slips and a short leg in place. He gets some predictably encouraging movement without getting Masood to play at much. An uneventful maiden.
Your reminder that the highest successful fourth-innings run chase at Lord’s remains that brutal, majestic Gordon Greenidge-inspired West Indies’ 344 for 1 in 1984.
England are back out on the field and raring, presumably, to go. Ten – or more likely nine – wickets from victory.
Pakistan need 389 to win
Pakistan will be pleased at how they polished off England’s tail this morning, as Abbas gets the acclaim from the three-quarters full ground that he deserves. The target is surely beyond them, but they can test themselves chasing it. Back in a tic.
Wicket! Tongue run out 12, England 208 all out
54.2 overs: England 208 (Archer 2*). Archer takes one in the calf, and winces accordingly, even if it brought him two runs, before, next ball, Tongue is run out chasing a quick single – he’s no match for Babar Azam’s sharp throw and that’s the end of the innings.
54th over: England 206-9 (Archer 2, Tongue 12) Abbas continues, and the perils of the keeper standing up are demonstrated when Archer’s agricultural swing and miss eludes Rizwan too and runs away for four byes. Jofra then clobbers a low attempted yorker down to long-on for one more. Tongue scoops up a mistimed shot that lands between mid-on and mid-off as the tailenders decide to give it some welly. England’s lead nudges towards 400.
53rd over: England 199-9 (Archer 0, Tongue 11) Tongue top-edges Ali over mid-off for two before the bowler bellows an extravagantly optimistic lbw appeal after a yorker is speared into Tongue’s shins. Going down leg surely but the bowler persuades his captain to review it. And it’s missing by miles, burning Pakistan’s remaining review. Tongue square drives for four, then belts a full toss down the ground for four more, to round off the over.
52nd over: England 188-9 (Archer 0, Tongue 1) Abbas gets Robinson straight away to get that elusive Lord’s five-fer – a word for Rizwan’s sharp keeping too – and suddenly England’s last pair are at the crease. Tongue gets off the mark with a square drive for one but he’ll be thinking of his imminent bowling duties now.
Wicket! Robinson c Rizwan b Abbas 8, England 187-9
Abbas has five! The Lord’s five-fer he deserved in a winning cause in 2018 has finally arrived in a likely losing one here, seaming one beautifully away from Robinson who edges to Rizwan standing up behind the stumps.
51st over: England 187-8 (Robinson 8, Archer 0) Robinson drives Ali to mid-off for one. There remains plenty of nibble and movement but Ali’s radar is awry, straying repeatedly down the legside.
50th over: England 186-8 (Robinson 7, Archer 0) As discussed, Rizwan is up to the stumps for Abbas v Lawrence, and it works just fine, as Lawrence is promptly castled, driving on the up at a nip-backer. Archer wants to get off the mark straight away but wisely thinks better of a quick single, and a wicket maiden is played out, Abbas tantalisingly close to finally getting on that honours board.
Wicket! Lawrence b Abbas 54, England 186-8
Abbas has four! He skilfully nips one back down the slope, and Lawrence can only inside-edge it on to his stumps, and his fine innings ends swiftly this morning.
49th over: England 186-7 (Lawrence 54, Robinson 7) Ali gets some movement outside off against Robinson, which will please the England bowler, who clatters a soft bouncer next ball through midwicket for two. At Ali’s pace, these are easy pickings.
Here’s our old mate John Starbuck: “Good morning. One thing I’ve noticed lately, particularly as we’re playing Pakistan, that the raging debates are still changing. I recall a time when every one was talking about reverse swing (a Pakistan invention, pretty much), but then it moved on to other techniques, such as wobble seam, and is now all about the keeper standing up for seamers to intimidate batters to stay in their crease. There must be some sort of law which states that, for instance, every third Test series brings innovation. What do you reckon?”
I think tactical language in all sports goes through phases – who in football talked of transitions, high presses and low blocks three decades ago? – and it’s the same in cricket, without the game changing that much. And I think keepers standing up may be quite an England-specific thing.
48th over: England 182-7 (Lawrence 54, Robinson 3) Mohammad Abbas, who has performed well here and remains a fine bowler to watch, starts us off at the Pavilion End. After four dots, Robinson nudges one off his hips for the day’s first single. It brings Lawrence to the strike and he promptly crunches a square cut to the ropes at the Grandstand for four.
47th over: England 177-7 (Lawrence 50, Robinson 2) Mohammad Ali bowls the remaining ball of his over to Lawrence, who plays an orthodox forward defensive. No run.
Out they come. England bat on. A better day for batting is the overall vibe, England not bothering with the roller.
A shimmer of light for Pakistan is that Imam Ul-Haq has been seen taking some throwdowns, albeit that he’s still hobbling and his left calf is strapped. So we might yet see him doing a Chris Woakes in the closing stages of the Test.
Our first email of the day, and it’s more stance-talk, from Alisdair Gould:
I think Joe Root is too side on. Vic Marks – a good observer – suggests he change his guard to middle stump. Dan Lawrence is an obvious example of opening wide almost too far. What do you/other good observers think?
I can’t see myself going up to one of England’s greatest ever batters and saying, “mate, you don’t wanna do it like that,” after the career he’s had. Root’s success has always struck me as rooted (ha!) in the skilful and dextrous way he uses his hands. Though you could see Lawrence’s approach being used against him by more aggressive attacks than Pakistan’s.
Today’s timings
Here’s today’s attempt at a timetable. Good luck with that:
Lunch 1.15-1.55pm; tea 4.10-4.30pm. Close will be 6.30pm (for which read 7pm) and 98 overs are planned.
Interesting bit of tactical chat on Sky between Michael Atherton and Dan Lawrence, who explains how changing to a more mobile, almost antsy, back-and-across trigger movement has actually helped him keep his head still and opened up more shots. And he’s happier batting at No 6 than higher up, though No 5 is his ultimate fave, which is obviously currently locked down bt Harry Brook. Lawrence can do a job in South Africa this winter, nonetheless.
News from elsewhere: it’s been a frustrating, rain-flecked few days in the County Championship too, leaving all matches still live going into today’s final day, including an only-in-cricket close of play situation at Chester-le-Street, where Durham’s players went off for an early night (we trust) needing only four runs to polish off Gloucestershire. Tanya Aldred will be calling that match home, and all the others, through the day. Join her here.
Here’s Ali Martin’s day three report:
It was one of those days at Lord’s. Rain meant just 24.5 overs were bowled and England’s already dominant position in this second Test meant overall jeopardy was in short supply. The spectators got a 50% refund but this only mildly offset their general frustration of following a sport that is so weather-dependent.
Yet for all this, it may in time prove a significant one for Dan Lawrence. During the two hours of play that were possible, and in hugely challenging conditions for the batters, Lawrence delivered an unbeaten 50 off 66 balls that cut through the gloom and showed his desire to make this latest stab at Test cricket count.
When the umpires eventually abandoned play at 6.32pm – bad light the official reason, despite arguably the best viewing conditions of the day – England had reached 177 for seven and their lead had swelled to 357 runs. Pakistan’s head coach, Sarfaraz Ahmed, hoped to keep the target under 350 after his side’s blowout on day two and Joe Root’s refreshed attack will be licking their lips.
And a bit of Dan Lawrence’s reaction, when he admits taking a risk with some “whooshka” first up, before settling into a nice groove. And how his mentality has changed since returning to the England setup:
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“Thoughts creep into your head and I’m desperate along with all the other boys to establish myself in an England shirt. It’s just about trying to take every opportunity you get instead of feeling nervous about the occasion, just have fun and play the cricket that’s got me here this summer …
“I got wrapped up in a lot of things [when he was previously in the team, against Sri Lanka two years ago] and I was thinking about my position and what I needed to do to stay in the team, instead of just enjoying it and realising how lucky I am to play for England,” he said.
“My mentality since coming back has been completely different. Hopefully, we get a good series win and then we’ll see what happens in the coming months and years.”
Preamble
Morning everyone. And after a day savoured by my parched lawn much more than those who’d paid top dollar for Lord’s tickets, England remain primed, accompanied by a slightly better weather forecast than yesterday’s, to wrap up that first Test series win for 20 months against a bedraggled Pakistan.
Let’s face it, they’ve got enough runs in the bank already, leading by 357, and Joe Root will have been pondering an overnight declaration. All will be revealed shortly. If the England captain does call his batters in, that will be a slight shame for Dan Lawrence, who batted with great authority yesterday in difficult conditions to reach his second half-century of the series, another Bazball discard reasserting himself in the new era. (And the only England cricketer as far as I know to have gone to the same school as me – some years apart I hasten to add.)
Anyway, according to the weather boffins there’s only a 3% chance of rain at 11am, though it does trend up a little after that. So let’s wrap our cagoules around our waists and hope for the best.
Play starts: 11am BST.
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