Abbas's treble strike rocks England in second Test / Photo: Glyn KIRK - AFP
Abbas's treble strike rocks England in second Test
Mohammad Abbas took three wickets, including the prize scalp of Joe Root, as Pakistan reduced England to 80-4 at lunch on Thursday's first day of the second Test at Lord's.
Veteran seamer Abbas did the bulk of the damage in a superb burst of three wickets for four runs in 16 balls as England collapsed to 36-3, with captain Root out for just four.
And at lunch Abbas had figures of 3-34 in eight overs as England were granted little on-field relief from the latest of several drinking incidents after fast bowler Brydon Carse was handcuffed outside a nightclub over the weekend and subsequently dropped from the Test squad.
Pakistan were woeful in all departments during an innings and 103-run defeat in the first of a three-Test series at Headingley last week.
They did, however, have the worst of the conditions, after losing the toss.
It was a different story in London, with returning Pakistan captain Babar Azam, the only change to either side after he missed the first Test with a finger injury, calling correctly to give the tourists first-use of a green-tinged pitch under grey skies that also promised to aid his seamers.
The 36-year-old Abbas, well used to playing in England following spells with several counties, was soon into his stride on a Lord's ground where he was named player of the match after taking eight wickets in Pakistan's last Test at the 'Home of Cricket' -- a nine-wicket success in 2018.
After rain delayed the start of play by over an hour, Abbas struck with one of his worst deliveries of the session when Emilio Gay glanced a legside ball only for diving wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan to hold an excellent one-handed catch.
Ben Duckett, the hosts' other left-handed opener, fell for 17 when lbw on a Pakistan review to an Abbas nip-back ball.
Root was dropped in the slips off Mohammad Ali in another example of the fallible fielding that had contributed to Pakistan tumbling to the bottom of the World Test Championship table in Leeds.
England managing director Rob Key, speaking before the team's dire 4-1 Ashes series loss in Australia in 2025/26 had suggested that medium-pace bowling with the wicket-keeper stood up to the stumps was unlikely to be effective at Test level.
It is a style of bowling that has plagued England ever since and Rizwan was up to the wicket when Abbas pinned Root, who had made just four, on the back leg.
Root was so clearly lbw he opted against a review.
Jordan Cox and Harry Brook briefly staunched the flow of wickets.
But shortly before lunch, Brook was clean bowled for 15 by a superb Ali delivery that jagged back sharply.
L.MacDonald--EWJ
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