LEEDS: Persistent rain delayed the start of the second day of the first Test between England and Pakistan at Headingley on Thursday, with an early lunch called as showers prevented any play.
The opening session was completely washed out as heavy rain continued to fall, leaving no possibility of play and no ball bowled.
England ended the opening day at 112/2, with Jordan Cox unbeaten on 37 and captain Joe Root on 23, leaving the hosts 59 runs behind Pakistan’s first-innings total of 171.
The hosts made a brisk start to their reply as openers Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay added 36 runs before Pakistan’s pace spearhead Mohammad Abbas dismissed Duckett leg before wicket (lbw) in the 10th over.
Gay followed in the next over, falling to Mohammad Ali after scoring 33 off 31 balls, including seven boundaries.
Earlier, Pakistan were bowled out for 171 in 48.1 overs, with England pacers Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue claiming five wickets apiece.
Pakistan suffered an early setback when opener Azan Awais was dismissed by Robinson off the first ball of the match after being given out lbw.
The visitors lost another wicket in the fifth over when Robinson removed former captain Shan Masood for five off 20 balls, leaving Pakistan struggling at 6/2.
Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique then showed resilience, putting together a 17-run partnership before rain brought play to a halt.
When the second session began, the experienced Imam and in-form Shafique resumed Pakistan’s innings and produced a crucial 91-run partnership for the third wicket.
Tongue eventually broke the threatening stand in the 29th over by dismissing Imam for 42 off 74 balls, with the opener falling eight runs short of his half-century after hitting six fours.
Shafique then added 20 runs with Saud Shakeel before Robinson struck twice in successive overs to dismiss both batters.
Shakeel managed five off 25 balls, while Shafique top-scored for Pakistan with a fighting 61 off 104 deliveries, including eight fours.
Following the back-to-back dismissals, Mohammad Rizwan and stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha added 32 runs for the sixth wicket before Tongue dismissed Salman for 21 in the final over of the session.
Tongue struck again off the following delivery, trapping Ali Usman lbw for a duck to reduce Pakistan to 150/7.
Pakistan resumed at 150/7 after the interval but added only 21 runs before losing their final three wickets and being bowled out for 171 in 48.1 overs.
Tongue made an immediate impact after the break, dismissing Pakistan’s last recognised batter Rizwan for 12 in the second over of the final session to expose the tail.
Tailenders Khurram Shahzad and Abbas added 12 runs for the 10th wicket before Robinson dismissed Shahzad for 14 to complete his fifth five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
Tongue then wrapped up the innings in the following over, bowling Abbas for two to claim his fourth five-wicket haul in Tests.
