01/12Result
1st Test, England tour of Pakistan at Rawalpindi, Dec 1-5 2022
England won by 74 runs
Player of the Match
Ollie Robinson
Ollie RobinsonEngland
01/12Result
1st Test, England tour of Pakistan at Rawalpindi, Dec 1-5 2022
England won by 74 runs
Player of the Match
Ollie Robinson
Ollie RobinsonEngland

England have declared! If there are 100 overs left in the Test (what with light issues etc), then that's probably about the right balance to keep Pakistan interested. In fact, I refer you to my mental calculations at lunch... that is in fact confirmed. Sound the bugle, we're into the end-game! Alan will be on deck imminently for the chase.

And with the wicket, the umpires have decided enough is enough. England lead by 342... but what's the runs/overs ratio looking like? I think England need to get their calculators out in the interval. It's not a dereliction of their attacking outlook to think they probably need a few more runs on the board... even after clattering along at 7.36 an over! What a stunning performance from Brook though... not even Joe Root batting as a left-hander was enough to steal the limelight from that knock. 87 from 65 to go with 153 from 116 in the first innings ... 240 from 181 runs all told, in his second Test!

Ben: "Whether it's old or new England, they still know how to throw a game away. Entertainment is great but you need to win. Time management no one seems to mention and they need to use up some time. Pakistan can win from here if they play properly, theirs to lose" I fear you're missing the point of this whole enterprise, England are living the Shane Warne dream, you've got to be prepared to lose in order to win...

Richard Holroyd: "England are in trouble. 342 is eminently gettable on that track. They need another 60 at least." Possibly true. They've got the resources to get them...

35.5
W
Naseem Shah to Brook, OUT, it's not to be! Gilbert Jessop lives to fight another day, a length ball from Naseem, quick and straight, he lined up the launch over deep midwicket, and has his stumps splattered!

HC Brook b Naseem Shah 87 (96m 65b 11x4 3x6) SR: 133.84

35.4
1
Naseem Shah to Livingstone, 1 run, back of a length, into the pitch again, and under-edged on the pull. Another single to build the lead

Steve: "Nutmeg comes from rhyming slang - through the legs/through the nutmegs" How obvious... I'm slightly underwhelmed!

35.3
1
Naseem Shah to Brook, 1 run, tight line, back of a length, open face and nudged down to deep third
35.2
1lb
Naseem Shah to Livingstone, 1 leg bye, slower ball, deceives Livingstone's swing to leg, and hits him amidships as it pops from a length
35.1
1
Naseem Shah to Brook, 1 run, swung away, high into the leg side, but picked up in the deep

Right, tea is round the corner. Is the declaration around the corner too? These two overs could decide it

END OF OVER:
35 | 7 Runs | ENG: 260/6

  • Liam Livingstone6 (6b)
  • Harry Brook85 (62b)
  • Mohammad Ali10-0-64-2
  • Salman Agha5-0-47-1
34.6
0
Mohammad Ali to Livingstone, no run, length delivery, wide of off stump with the pace off. Livingstone aims an air-shot to leg. As T20 overs go, that was an excellent one
34.6
1nb
Mohammad Ali to Livingstone, 1 no ball, slower ball, and does enough to scupper Livingstone's attacking intentions, but it's a no-ball

Doosra : "Please Andrew before you sign off can you explain the etymology of the expression 'nutmegged'. Always wondered....." I wish I knew... I want to find out now...

34.5
1
Mohammad Ali to Brook, 1 run, pace on this time, a yorker into the toes, cunning combo, and Brook settles for a squeezed single to the on-side
34.4
0
Mohammad Ali to Brook, no run, attempted ramp, but the slower ball confounds him. Out of the back of the hand with no pace as Brook topples over with his momentum across the crease

CharlieJ: "I am afraid I put money on Pakistan at 14/1 yesterday as felt it was still an option, I still think it is very possible for them to win" Yep, and I think that is crucial. England need them to want to win, or else there's no beating the pitch

34.3
1
Mohammad Ali to Livingstone, 1 run, low full toss, belted hard into the covers, straight at the man in the deep
34.2
2
Mohammad Ali to Livingstone, 2 runs, back of a length, slower ball into the pitch, like the middle overs of a T20, Livingstone cuffs a pull into space at deep midwicket again
34.1
2
Mohammad Ali to Livingstone, 2 runs, length delivery, Livingstone swings through the line and picks off two to deep midwicket. He's not moving very freely, I have to say

END OF OVER:
34 | 18 Runs 1 Wkt | ENG: 253/6

  • Harry Brook84 (60b)
  • Liam Livingstone1 (1b)
  • Salman Agha5-0-47-1
  • Zahid Mahmood11-1-84-2
33.6
4
Agha Salman to Brook, FOUR, hoisted out to deep midwicket, and Masood misfields! Nutmegged on the half-volley and another boundary... whisper it, but he's on course to crush England's fastest hundred, having just missed out in the first innings. Madness!
33.5
1
Agha Salman to Livingstone, 1 run, yanked off a length, out to the leg side

Liam Livingstone, not fully fit, but he's out there for a swing

33.4
W
Agha Salman to Jacks, OUT, one swipe too many! Jacks' fun ends just as it was getting started, just got underneath this one too much, and Imam at long-off was well set to swallow it. It's extraordinary action out there... and the lead, crucially, is 326 and climbing

WG Jacks c Imam-ul-Haq b Agha Salman 24 (21m 13b 1x4 3x6) SR: 184.61

33.3
6
Agha Salman to Jacks, SIX, clean and messy at the same time! Blatted with a huge swipe over midwicket once more!
33.2
6
Agha Salman to Jacks, SIX, short, and yoinked into the stands again! Sits up in the pitch, and gets right underneath a fabulous strike!
33.1
1
Agha Salman to Brook, 1 run, back to round the wicket, into the leg-side, Brook makes room and cuffs a cut to point

END OF OVER:
33 | 17 Runs | ENG: 235/5

  • Will Jacks12 (10b)
  • Harry Brook79 (58b)
  • Zahid Mahmood11-1-84-2
  • Salman Agha4-0-29-0
32.6
6
Zahid Mahmood to Jacks, SIX, Jacks gets in on the act! Tossed up, tempted, nailed! Hard and flat over long-off, with a pleasingly backside-walloping followthrough, like Darren Gough in his Sydney '95 pomp! Hits the sponge on the full
32.5
1
Zahid Mahmood to Brook, 1 run, back of a length, hauled to the on-side for another single

Match Coverage

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Pakistan 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st20Imam-ul-HaqAbdullah Shafique
2nd?Azhar AliImam-ul-Haq
2nd5Babar AzamImam-ul-Haq
3rd64Imam-ul-HaqSaud Shakeel
4th87Mohammad RizwanSaud Shakeel
5th22Azhar AliSaud Shakeel
6th61Azhar AliAgha Salman
7th1Azhar AliNaseem Shah
8th4Zahid MahmoodNaseem Shah
9th0Naseem ShahHaris Rauf
10th4Naseem ShahMohammad Ali