Pakistan’s Misbah-ul-Haq said it was “satisfying” to hit a century on day one of the first Investec Test against England at Lord’s.
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Chris Woakes admitted England will have to “go back to the drawing board” when considering their plans for batting against Yasir Shah during the remainder of the series with Pakistan following the leg-spinner’s five-wicket haul on the second day at Lord’s.
Six years ago, during a Lord’s Test against England, Amir and Pakistan new-ball partner Mohammad Asif deliberately bowled no-balls on the instructions of captain Salman Butt as part of a sting operation carried out by a tabloid newspaper.
But there were only a handful of boos compared to the approximately 29,000 spectators at Lord’s and the crowd were soon more interested in cheering on Woakes than jeering Amir.
Pakistan and England will also play five one day internationals (ODIS) and a T20 match following the four-match Test series.
Woakes, heroic with the ball, was once again assured and ensured firstly that England will come back on Saturday with work to do with the bat and the ball, as opposed to only the latter, and secondly that when Jimmy Anderson and Ben Stokes return, there will be some hard decisions to make.
Cook would not have broken Gavaskar’s record on Friday if Mohammad Hafeez had held on to a regulation catch off the Englishman’s bat.
Although it seemed to be a good day for bowl with Pakistanis as Alex Hales was departed just on the second over of the match by Rahat Ali.
“He’s got wicket-taking balls in him, the ability to get good players out on flat wickets, and he puts the ball in good areas with good pace”.
It was the first time Woakes took six wickets in a Test innings.
But with the partnership on 110, Root mowed Yasir straight up in the air to trigger a collapse with which England fans are now familiar.
Amir is far from the only threat in a Pakistan bowling line-up also featuring fellow left-armer Wahab Riaz and leg-spinner Yasir Shah.
What made the fact it was Cook who was twice reprived off his bowling all the more poignant, was that the England skipper had said that if it was down to him, all fixers, including Amir, would be banned for life.
Sarfraz had been advancing to Woakes and Stuart Broad (three for 71), and picking them off, but he fell to a soft shot – a cut to point which gave Woakes a treasured fifth wicket.
Pakistan had earlier resumed on 282 for six – and after losing two late wickets to Woakes the previous evening, their last six spanning both days were to go for the addition of only 57.
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The England bowler then enticed Amir, who was greeted with a ripple of applause as he came out to bat, to edge the ball to Joe Root at slip on 12.
