Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature 12th over: Pakistan 46-2 (Shakeel 10, Imam-ul-Haq 23) target 343 Short, short and short again. A little pep talk from Ben Stokes. Thoughts are that all this wear and tear on the ball will encourage reverse swing more quickly than it might have done. Shakeel watches the last ball and pulls it sweetly for four. “Jimmy, first Test in Pakistan, we have a plan for you that’s a little different to the plan that’s worked for you for 20 years…” — Osman Samiuddin (@OsmanSamiuddin) December 4, 2022 This cannot be true: [email protected] puts milk in first when making tea. Isn’t it awful when your heroes turn out to be monsters? — David Cricket (@davidoncricket) December 4, 2022 11th over: Pakistan 42-2 (Shakeel 6, Imam-ul-Haq 23) target 343 Stokes turns to spin at the other end, as Jack Leach seven-steps to the crease. Imam is watchful, and that’s a maiden. Drinks come on, with half the ground now in shade. Updated at 11.15 GMT 10th over: Pakistan 42-2 (Shakeel 6, Imam-ul-Haq 23) Jimmy Anderson comes on first change, smoothing his hair away across his side parting. He sends down the short stuff, presumably as instructed, which looks more of an effort than from Robinson’s great height. A maiden. He takes his jumper with a poker face. Updated at 11.15 GMT 9th over: Pakistan 42-2 (Shakeel 6, Imam-ul-Haq 23) Imam has had enough of this waiting game, throwing himself at two short ones from Robinson and picking up a couple of boundaries. 8th over: Pakistan 32-2 (Shakeel 0, Imam-ul-Haq 15) Stokes again, as the camera moves 360 degrees round the crease in a way that my varifocals aren’t happy with. Shakeel off the mark with a neat back foot boundary, and Imam ducks the final delivery. Nearly time for Jimmy? A stern telling off from Andrew Benton “I fear you may have got reptiles and woodworking mixed up again – I do believe its a sliver of an edge, rather than a slither…!” Total mental block about that one. Hopefully. like Zac Crawley, I will eventually stop getting caught at slip. 7th over: Pakistan 26-2 (Shakeel 0, Imam-ul-Haq 14) Imam waves his big white gloves urgently, something is disturbing him behind the bowler’s arm. Robinson thuds his boots into the Rawalpindi turf, but Shakeel isn’t tempted. As long as they don’t do this in the Ashes then I’m all for a result one way or another @tjaldred. What exactly is the point of a draw in a test match? Think Pakistan will edge this one if they don’t throw their wickets away, mind. — John Allen 🦊 (@moist4life) December 4, 2022 The point of a draw John? There’s a 2000 word essay on that, tucked in a compendium, sitting unopened on an OBOer’s coffee table. 6th over: Pakistan 25-2 (Shakeel 0, Imam-ul-Haq 13) Stokes, right arm in a sleeve, left arm running free, runs in, lit by the flattering evening light, throws down a short one, Babar backs away, lifts his bat over the top and gets a slither of a bottom edge through to Pope. Almost an impossible task for Pakistan from here. “This is a very courageous declaration by Stokes based on the run rates in this Test. I sincerely hope that it pays off,” writes Mike Galvin before Babar falls.
WICKET! Babar c Pope b Stokes 4 (Pakistan 25-2)
Looks harmless enough on first viewing, but Pope roars an appeal behind the stumps, Stokes turns in some surprise, and sees the umpire raising his finger. Silence falls over Pindi like a collapsing tent. 5th over: Pakistan 24-1 (Babar 4, Imam-ul-Haq 12) New batter Azhar Ali is hit on the hand second ball by Robinson and there is a pause as various ointments are sprayed and applied. Keaton Jennings is on the field – onfer Livingstone, I presume. Oh, hang on, Azhar is walking off, retired hurt, I don’t think he can grip the bat properly. So that brings out Babar Azam, getting the full Tendulkar treatment from the delighted crowd. A huge chance for England here if they can winkle out the captain before stumps. But he’s not fazed, on his toes immediately viciously cut/chops a slightly wide ball from Robinson for four. Updated at 11.04 GMT
WICKET! Shafique c Brook b Robinson 6 (Pakistan 20-1)
Tactic works! Shafique pulls elegantly, but straight to deep square leg where Harry Brook is waiting, catching safely at awkward thigh height. 4th over: Pakistan 20-0 (Shafique 6, Imam-ul-Haq 12) A tasty pull in front of square by Imam that beats Anderson to the rope, but Stokes’ next ball nearly works, tempting him into a greedy swipe. They’re not going to die wondering are they @tjaldred? But we’re doing exactly what we said we’d do. Going for it. Setting up targets to try and win by giving teams a (big!) sniff. I’m surprised they didn’t set 30-40 more, but what do I know?! It’ll never be boring. — Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) December 4, 2022 Exactly! 3rd over: Pakistan 15-0 (Shafique 5, Imam-ul-Haq 8) A tall thin shadow stretches over the square, as Robinson runs in from the edge of the shade, enormously thick white wristband on his left wrist. Short stuff, cat and mouse. Hello Tim “Frindall” Lord. ”Just spotted that if Pakistan make 316 or more in the chase, this’ll be the second highest scoring Test ever (and the only one ahead of it was timeless). And that despite only having around 400 overs in the match. Incredible.” Great spot! 2nd over: Pakistan 13-0 (Shafique 4, Imam-ul-Haq 8) Enforcer Stokes is belted for four in consecutive balls by Imam, the next four fly harmlessly by. Apologies for not getting hold of your emails over the last hour – hopefully things will be a bit quieter now and I’ll get on to them. Updated at 10.24 GMT
Evening session – target 343
1st over: Pakistan 5-0 (Shafique 4, Imam-ul-Haq 0) Ollie Robinson gets the new ball and powers through an over of effort and grunt. Three tasty bouncers that Shafique ducks safely. Here come Pakistan!
England declare! Pakistan need 343 to win
Dreamable. Gettable. Game on.
Tea England 264-7 lead by 342 runs
35.5 overs: England 264-7 (Livingstone 7) Crazy days, crazy hitting, crazy runs. The umpires call tea with the fall of Brook whose scorching innings led the way and whose future looks assured. England lead by 342 – I guess they’ll try for another fifty in quick-time after the break?
WICKET! Brook b Naseem Shah 87 (England 264-7)
Gilbert Jessop smiles and turns over. Brook has a mighty swing, misses and hears the death rattle. Strides off, with 87 from 65 balls, 3 sixes and eleven fours. And 240 in the match from 181 balls. 35th over: England 260-6 ( Brook 85, Livingstone 6) Mohammad Ali returns, a run-up full of trepidation. But he does Harry Brook with a slower ball, who goes to scoop but ends up on his back like an overturned beetle. He grins to himself, and why not – with 85 off 62 balls he is closing in on Gilbert Jessop’s 1902 record of fastest century off 76 balls. Livingstone limps through a run. 34th over: England 253-6 ( Brook 84, Livingstone 1) Jack perils after two consecutive sixes, Livingstone swipes first ball for one, then Brook picks up another boundary as the ball slips through the fielder on the rope. The run rate approaches seven and a half an over and it all feels like a frenetic dream.
WICKET! Jacks c Imam ul Haq by Salman 24 (England 248-6)
Jacks loses a hand off the back, scrapes the moon, before the ball returns to extra cover where it is safely caught. Tasty, hasty, debut, 24 off 13 balls. 33rd over: England 229-5 ( Brook 79, Jacks 6) The fastest Test century by an Englishman now in grasping distance of Harry Brook as Liam Livingstone shadow-bats up in the dressing room – just the 17 off Mahmood’s over. A straight six for each batsman and a powerful cover drive by Brooks. 32nd over: England 218-5 ( Brook 68, Jacks 6) Salman gets more tap, a wham over long-off from Brook before bowler-of-the-moment Jacks joins in with a reverse-sweep. Updated at 09.37 GMT 31th over: England 209-5 ( Brook 63, Jacks 2) Brook gets in a twist advancing down the pitch and is nearly undone by a leaping Rizwan. He then unleashes two incredible shots – a charging slam over the on-side boundary for six, then a ferocious sweep. I’ve got a hunch Stokes didn’t tell him to play for the draw. Updated at 09.36 GMT
Fifty for Harry Brook!
30th over: England 198-5 ( Brook 52, Jacks 2) With a dab off his boots, Brook reaches fifty. Effortless. The most-assured looking England debutant since Root. Is that fair? Updated at 09.36 GMT 29th over: England 192-5 ( Brook 50, Jacks 0) A cheering double-wicket maiden for the long-suffering Zahid Mahmood as England suffer a pre-tea wobble. Updated at 09.36 GMT
WICKET! Stokes c Saud Shakeel b Zahid Mahmood 0 (England 192-5)
Stokes takes an age to leave, giving a slightly bewildered Brook two paragraphs of instructions, after an ugly third ball hoick to cover.
WICKET! Root c Imam ul-Haq b Zahid Mahmood 73 (England 192-4)
A sweep too many for Root who, out of nowhere, turns the ball round the corner into the hands of the waiting Imam who catches as he falls backwards. 28th over: England 192-3 (Root 73, Brook 49) Root and Brook finish the over with a chat after Brook sweeps Salman audaciously for four more. Updated at 09.36 GMT 27th over: England 185-3 (Root 71, Brook 44) Brook starts the over with a top-edge off Mahmood but finishes it with a smooth chocolatey straight-drive and a briskly-effective sweep. He’s not having a bad second Test. 26th over: England 175-3 (Root 70, Brook 35) Babar plumps for his fourth bowler, Salman Agha, who sends down some off-breaks round the wicket. Root keeping his conventional stance but reverse-sweeping with the nonchalance of someone wiping down the kitchen counter. The lead is 253. 25th over: England 168-3 (Root 65, Brook 33) Under blue skies, Mahmood whirls in, five singles are eased through. ”I am completely gobsmacked by what Eng are doing here,” writes Krishna.. “Its one thing to do this at home (as they did last summer) and its easier to go all out when you are chasing…
