Pakistan reduces England to 80-4 at lunch as Abbas takes 3 at Lord’s

LONDON (AP) — Pakistan reduced England to 80-4 at lunch on the first morning of the Lord’s test on Thursday.

New ball bowler Mohammad Abbas removed the opening batters and captain Joe Root in the first hour but England’s Jordan Cox survived to lunch as the hosts seek a series-clinching second win with a match to spare.

Heavy morning rain delayed the start for 80 minutes and returning Pakistan captain Babar Azam had no hesitation in muggy conditions forcing England to bat first on a green-tinged pitch.

The decision paid off.

In the fifth over, Emilio Gay glanced Abbas down the leg side but wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan flung out his right glove in a dive and took a stunning catch.

Two overs later, the other opener, Ben Duckett, was out, leg before on 17 at 26-2. Pakistan had to overturn a not out decision to give Abbas his 900th first-class wicket.

Pakistan’s determination to get the prize wicket of Root wasted a review before he scored. Then Imam-ul-Haq at third slip failed to catch out Root on 1 in Mohammad Ali’s first over.

The damage was minimal. Root was pinned on his back leg in the crease by Abbas on 4 and walked. Abbas had 3-17 in 33 deliveries and finished his first spell after eight overs without further success.

But Ali, the most expensive bowler in the morning, surprisingly claimed Brook seven minutes before lunch. Brook, the highest scorer in the first test win last week, left his gate open and Ali bowled him with a nip-backer on 15.

Cox was 27 not out at lunch with Dan Lawrence for company.

England has the same the lineup which won the first test in Leeds last Friday by an innings in three days.

Babar was Pakistan’s only change, replacing Salman Ali Agha, who led the team in Babar’s absence at Headingley. Babar missed the first test because of a finger injury. Pakistan has a good test record at Lord’s, winning its last two matches there in 2016 and 2018.

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