Daily Times

LONDON: Pakistan wrapped up a crushing nine-wicket victory over England on Sunday to inflict the hosts’ first defeat in a May Test match at Lord’s. England’s last four wickets tumbled in 27 minutes and Pakistan knocked off the 64 runs they needed in less than an hour on the fourth day to put the touring side 1-0 up in the two-match series. “We were not good enough if I’m being brutally honest, we have been outplayed in all three departments,” England captain Joe Root said at the presentation ceremony. “Pakistan’s bowlers exploited the conditions well but we played some poor shots and you can’t afford to do that.” England resumed on 235 for six after Jos Buttler and debutant Dom Bess had shared an unbroken partnership of 125 in the final session on Saturday to save their team from a humiliating innings defeat. Buttler fell in the second over, trapped lbw by man-of-the-match Mohammad Abbas for 67 and failing to get the decision overturned on review.

Mark Wood hit one four before he nicked Mohammad Amir, bowling with the second new ball, to wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed. Stuart Broad edged Abbas to Sarfraz without scoring and Amir comprehensively bowled the 20-year-old Bess for 57 to dismiss the hosts for 242 as England lost their last four wickets for the addition of six runs. James Anderson bowled Azhar Ali for four with a fine delivery that knocked out his off stump before Imam-ul-Haq (18 not out) and Haris Sohail (39 not out) shared an unbroken second-wicket partnership of 54 to see Pakistan to their target. The second Test at Headingley starts on Friday.

Published in Daily Times, May 28^th 2018.