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PIX: Smith, bowlers rally England after early wobble

Last updated on: October 24, 2024 19:13 IST

Jamie Smith

IMAGE: Jamie Smith top-scored for England with an attacking knock of 89, which included six sixes and five fours. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters

Jamie Smith smashed a counter-attacking 89 before England's bowlers made early inroads into the Pakistan line-up to drag the touring side back into the deciding third and final Test in Rawalpindi on Thursday.

England captain Ben Stokes's decision to bat first appeared to have backfired as his team lost the top half of their batting order in the morning session of the opening day.

They were reeling at 118/6 when Smith combined in a 105-run stand with Gus Atkinson (39) to revive their fortunes and help England to a competitive 267 all out.

Kamran Ghulam is bowled by Gus Atkinson

IMAGE: Pakistan's Kamran Ghulam is bowled by Gus Atkinson. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters

Pakistan suffered a top-order meltdown of their own and finished the day on 73/3, still 194 behind.

Home captain Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel, both on 16, will resume on Friday hoping to regain some of the ground they conceded after a brilliant start to the match.

 Pakistan's Sajid Khan celebrates

IMAGE: Pakistan's Sajid Khan celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of England's Ollie Pope during Day 1 of the first Test in Rawalpindi on Thursday. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters

The hosts were indebted to their frontline spinners -- off-spinner Sajid Khan (6/128) and left-arm spinner Noman Ali (3/88) who wrecked England's top order after openers Ben Duckett (52) and Zak Crawley had shared a 56-run opening stand.

Pakistan attacked with spin from both ends via Sajid and Noman, who shared all 20 England wickets in their series-levelling victory in Multan and bowled a combined 42 consecutive overs together.

Ben Duckett bats

IMAGE: England's Ben Duckett plays the reverse sweep. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters

Pakistan did not use a third bowler in the morning session and Aamer Jamal, their lone seamer, did not bowl in the England innings in a fair indication of how spin-friendly the wicket is.

Left-arm spinner Noman drew first blood when he tempted Crawley (29) into a false drive and England vice captain Ollie Pope (three) fell to Sajid for the third time in three innings after fluffing a sweep shot.

Salman Ali Agha takes the catch to dismiss Ben Stokes off the bowling of Sajid Khan

IMAGE: Salman Ali Agha takes the catch to dismiss Ben Stokes off the bowling of Sajid Khan. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters

Sajid delivered a body blow when he trapped Joe Root, currently the top-ranked Test batter, leg before wicket for five with a sharply turning ball.

Duckett got a reprieve when Noman spilled a return catch but the spinner dismissed the left-hander leg before in the same over with a delivery that kept low.

Sajid's trademark thigh-slap celebration was on display again when he bowled Harry Brook (five) who looked ill at ease against the turning ball.

Pakistan's Noman Ali celebrates with teammates

IMAGE: Pakistan's Noman Ali celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Ben Duckett. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters

England risked folding for under 150 after Stokes's dismissal but Smith counter-attacked and Atkinson proved a perfect foil.

 

Smith, who smashed six sixes in his belligerent knock, fell short of his second Test hundred after failing to execute a slog sweep in the final over before tea.

Pakistan began cautiously but England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir dismissed Abdullah Shafique for 14, while Jack Leach accounted for Saim Ayub.

England got another boost in the final session when Atkinson bowled Kamran Ghulam who made a hundred on his Test debut in Multan.

Source: REUTERS
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