Test report
May 24–27, Lord’s
England v Pakistan, 1st Test
Potent Pakistan signal ‘May day’ for England
Tourists’ seamers on top at Lord’s as
Bayliss and Root come under pressure
in the first Test, reports Huw TurbervillA wholly inadequate first innings,
followed by a determined, diligent
Pakistan reply; then an improved
second that hinted at a miraculous
victory... but ultimately to no avail.
But enough about Ireland. How did
England fare?
Well, if anything, worse as it
happens – the tourists needed 160 to
win at Malahide (losing five wickets
in the process), and 64 at Lord’s
(achieved with one wicket down).
Pakistan dominated this first
NatWest Test, controlling nine
out of 10 sessions. Apart from
half-centuries by Alastair Cook
and Joe Root, one in each innings,
and a rousing stand between Jos
Buttler and debutant Dominic Bess
on Saturday evening, the tourists
were masterly.The usual suspects were in the
frame: a wet spring and early
summer hindering preparations;
green pitches (easing quicks
and spinners even further on
to the endangered species list);
players arriving back late from
the IPL; T20 traits filtering into
Test techniques... and some of
this is true. Pakistan’s players
cumulatively had a more rigorous
run-in to the Test than England’s
(wet weather aside), and of course
their players were not at the IPL.
But the simple fact is that Pakistan
played much better long-form
cricket, inflicting a first defeat in the
first Test of the summer on England
since 1995. England’s proud record
in May now reads P34 W24 D6 L4.
Pakistan’s impressive quicks
looked more like good, English-type
seamers than the home side’s did;
their batsmen played themselves in
and built innings (fancy that!). ThereAbove
Mohammad Amir
celebrates the
wicket of Jonny
Bairstow in the
second inningsRight
Babar Azam’s
pursuit of a
century was
cruelly ended Gareth Copley/Julian Finney/Getty imaGeswere no centuries on either side, but
England’s four half-centuries came
over two innings, Pakistan’s four
came, crucially, in their first innings.
And first-innings runs win games.
Joe Root came in for some stick
for fielding after winning the toss
(undeservedly in my opinion) and
his decision-making (some of which
was harder to defend, including
‘funky’ field placings and dodgy
DRS calls). He played a poor shot on
day one after his elevation to No.3,
as did the recalled Jos Buttler, but
Pakistan bowled extremely well,
especially Mohammad Abbas and
Hasan Ali, who took 4 for 23 and
4 for 51 respectively. Rather than
being hindered by the slope, they
used it, to deadly effect. Pakistan’s
catching was also excellent.
It was reassuring to see Alastair
Cook bat well for his 70, in his 153rd
successive Test appearance, drawing
him level with Allan Border’s record.
He made a double-century at the
MCG, but in 10 other Test innings
last winter he failed to top 39. His
old mentor Graham Gooch liked
what he saw, praising Cook’s feet
movement and solid defence. It
really would feel strange without
Cook, 33, around. In some ways he
feels like a last bridge between the
old (Test cricket as sovereign) and
the new, the undiscovered country...
of ‘The 100’, four-day Tests and the
like. He did his usual thing, but82 | thecricketer.com