Tea England 351 for 3 (Root 119*, Duckett 84, Crawley 78, Brook 64*, Jamal 1-56) path Pakistan 556 by 205 runs
The hundred, Root’s first in opposition to Pakistan, arrived in a center session comprising of 119 largely untroubled runs within the house of 25 overs, following a morning session of 136 from simply as many. England are nonetheless 205 behind Pakistan’s first innings of 556, however it’s clear the intention is to wipe that deficit by shut of play in the present day.
Very similar to the final 12 years of England cricket, Root was a relentless all through. He resumed after lunch on 72, and cashed in for 3 figures by reverse-sweeping a single off his 167th supply for his fifth century in 2024 – the third time he has struck as many in a calendar yr, after 2021 and 2022. Solely Ricky Ponting (4) and Matthew Hayden (4) scored 5 or extra Check centuries in additional calendar years.
The undoubted statistical spotlight arrived quarter-hour earlier than the tip of the primary session, when Root, on 67, leaned into one other compact drive for 4 to march alongside to 12,473 profession runs, overtaking Sir Alastair Cook dinner as England’s most prolific Check batter, and the fifth total, behind solely Sachin Tendulkar, Ponting, Jacques Kallis and Rahul Dravid.
It was a powerful displaying from Duckett, whose 75-ball 84 was the spine of a brisk 136-run stand with Root. Duckett’s participation on this innings had been in some doubt when he left the sector clutching his thumb in agony after taking the ultimate catch of Pakistan’s innings late on the second night. However, after receiving remedy in a single day, he strode out at No. 4 to rattle by means of to a 45-ball half-century, his fourth in opposition to Pakistan.
Both approach, Crawley was gone for 78 from 85 balls – his sixth rating between 60 and 80 this yr – and at 113 for two, Pakistan had a glimmer of a gap, till Duckett took over, displaying no ill-effects from his thumb damage. He had one life on 37, when Naseem Shah discovered his outdoors edge just for the ball to bisect keeper and a large first slip. Alas, he was responsible as Crawley for lacking out on what appeared a nailed-on century, dismissed for the fourth time between 70 and 90 since his third Check hundred again in February, in opposition to India in Rajkot.
Brook, nonetheless, picked up the mantle of aggressor with aplomb instantly upon his arrival with the rating 249 for 3.
It was on the earlier Pakistan tour that Brook had introduced himself to the world with a Participant-of-the-Collection flip of 468 runs at 93.60, with centuries in all three Checks. Two years on, a guided 4 to 3rd from his second supply confirmed he was again to inflict extra upon the hosts.
Regardless of a touch of reverse swing on provide – first with Jamal, then for Afridi – Brook’s velocity out of the blocks couldn’t be tempered. Afridi felt the total pressure of that when a brief supply was smashed again down the bottom like a tennis forehand for the primary of consecutive boundaries. Brook made it to his half-century in 49 deliveries, his fifth 50-plus rating in six innings in opposition to Pakistan.
Abrar, in the meantime, continued to be a goal of England’s ire within the afternoon session, which noticed him carry up three figures of his personal. At one level, Root opted to bat left-handed in opposition to the legspinner, who was hiding the ball outdoors leg stump on an unresponsive observe.
That Abrar was in a position to sew collectively some boundary-less overs was purely all the way down to Root and Brook deciding to exploit singles with the sector unfold. He’s at present nursing unflattering figures of 0 for 123 from 24 overs. A cursory over of Saim Ayub’s part-time spin earlier than tea spoke of skipper Shan Masood’s desperation for a breakthrough.
Vithushan Ehantharajah is an affiliate editor at ESPNcricinfo
