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England hit 823 to move to brink of incredible win over Pakistan in Multan first Test

Harry Brook scores 317 and England hit 823 to move to the brink of an incredible victory over Pakistan in the first Test in Multan.

England enjoy one of their most famous days in Test cricket, scoring an incredible 823-7 before moving to the brink of victory against Pakistan in Multan.

Harry Brook and Joe Root combined to record England’s greatest-ever Test partnership, putting on 454 for the fourth wicket to take the game away from their hosts who had scored 556 in their first innings.

The issue for stand-in captain Ollie Pope was deciding when was best to declare, with the flatness of the pitch needing to be taken into consideration.

However, Pope and the rest of the England team need not have worried as their bowling attack tore through the Pakistan top order, taking six wickets in just 24.2 overs.

Pakistan deserve credit for avoiding defeat before the game headed into its fifth day, but surviving from here would represent a more outstanding feat than England have achieved by putting themselves in this position.

What records have been set?

Brook will take the majority of the plaudits from Thursday’s play, his 317 from just 322 balls featuring 29 fours and three maximums.

The Yorkshireman’s knock is the fifth highest by an Englishman in Test cricket, while his 454-run stand with Root was the highest fourth-wicket partnership in the history of Test cricket.

Root had to settle for just the 262, the 33-year-old recording his highest-ever score in Test cricket having spent 10 hours and one minute at the crease.

England’s total of 823 was still just their fourth highest in history, yet the speed of compiling it in only 150 overs may stand the test of time.

Jamie Smith made 31, Chris Woakes 17 and Brydon Carse nine before the declaration, which gave Pakistan 20 minutes or so to bat before tea.

England attack dismantle Pakistan

The momentum was already with England before Woakes sensationally clean-bowled Abdullah Shafique with the first ball of the innings.

Although the ship was steadied, Shan Masood (11), Babar Azam (5) and Saim Ayub (25) were all back in the pavilion by 12.1 overs, Carse and Gus Atkinson doing the damage.

Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel were next to go for 10 and 29 respectively, England having just under 13 overs to force an historic victory with a day to spare.

However, they lived to fight another day through Salman Agha (41) and Aamer Jamal (27) seeing out a nervy final hour, with Pakistan still trailing by 115 runs.

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