02 June,2018 09:45 AM IST | Leeds | PA Sport
England pacers James Anderson (right) and Stuart Broad celebrate a Pakistan wicket on Day One of the Headingley Test yesterday. Pic/AFP
England answered the rallying call from captain Joe Root as they dominated Day One of the second Test against Pakistan yesterday. After Sarfraz Ahmed chose to bat under initially sunny skies at Headingley, England's three senior seamers shared nine wickets in humid conditions and Pakistan struggled to 174 all out against the swinging ball.
England's debutant left-arm seamer Sam Curran claimed one By stumps, despite the late departure of Alastair Cook, the hosts were 106 for two on a good batting surface as they seek to square this series at 1-1 and avoid a seventh defeat in their last nine Tests. It was no less than Root demanded, on the eve of this match, when he spelled out that England have been under-performing for far too long. Stuart Broad, James Anderson and the returning Chris Woakes proved they had been listening as the hosts overcame the injury-enforced absence of key all-rounder Ben Stokes to take the initiative. Shadab Khan (56) responded, after the loss of three wickets for one run, with spirited resistance to help Pakistan more than double their total from 79 for seven.
Cook (46) and Keaton Jennings (29) provided an initial platform, but little more, with only England's second half-century opening stand since the penultimate Test of last summer - at this same venue. Jennings, first of the 12 opening partners for Cook since 2012 to be given a second opportunity in the role, hinted he may be able to make a success of it until he fell to the last ball before mid-evening drinks. The nagging Ashraf found a thin, involuntary edge behind as Jennings tried to pull the bat inside the line on the back-foot defence. Cook and Root were then all set to close out the last hour-and-a-half until the opener's mistake gave nightwatchman Dom Bess a job which he completed successfully.
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