Daily Times

LONDON: Pakistan on Sunday crushed England by nine wickets in the first Test at Lord’s to take 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

Mohammad Abbas, with match figures of 8-64, was named the man of the match. England captain Joe Root, speaking at the presentation, said his team was “outperformed in all three departments”.

This was England’s seventh loss in 10 Tests as their first match under new national selector Ed Smith ended in a resounding reverse. What made this loss – just England’s third defeat in a home Test starting in May – all the more galling for Joe Root’s side was that they were outplayed in classic English conditions by a youthful Pakistan side, who displayed far greater discipline with both bat and ball.

Pakistan were set a target of just 64 runs to win the first Test at Lord’s on Sunday following England’s latest batting collapse. The team finished on 66 for one before lunch to go 1-0 up in this two-match series ahead of next week’s second Test at Headingley. England, resuming on an overnight 235 for six, lost their last four second-innings wickets for a mere seven runs in 18 balls on the fourth morning to be bowled out for 242. But, in truth the damage had long been done by a pair of top-order slumps that saw England, so often dominant in early-season home conditions, dismissed for 184 in their first innings before declining to 110 for six second time around.

It took Pakistan, who came into this match on the back of a five-wicket win over Test debutants Ireland, just 12.4 overs to reach their victory target, with Sohail hitting a six and a four against off-spinner Bess to seal a commanding victory that left England facing some searching questions.

Pakistan have now gone up 1-0 in this two-match series, recording their fifth Test victory at Lord’s following wins at the “home of cricket” in 1982, 1992, 1996 and 2016.

Detailed story on Page A11

Published in Daily Times, May 28^th 2018.