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England left scrambling as Pakistan move into strong position to win second Test

England are left with an uphill task to win the second Test against Pakistan after losing two wickets during the early stages of their run chase in Multan.

Pakistan have laid the foundations to defeat England in the second Test, leaving the tourists on 36-2 at stumps on day three in Multan.

When England were 211-2 in reply to Pakistan’s first innings total of 366 on Wednesday, Ben Stokes‘ side appeared to be in control.

However, fast-track to just over 24 hours later and England are scrambling to stop Pakistan from levelling the series at one victory apiece, still requiring 261 runs with eight wickets left.

With no sign of bad weather, the game will reach a conclusion on Friday with England needing to reassess how they go about their run chase on a heavily-turning pitch.

Leach impresses with bat and ball

Of England’s final seven batsman, it was Jack Leach who would top-score with 25, adding potentially-vital runs in a 29-run last-wicket partnership with Shoaib Bashir to take the visitors to 291.

The pair were equally impressive with the ball, albeit assisted by the pitch, as wickets fell at regular intervals with Pakistan being reduced to 77-4.

When that became 114-5, England were in the ascendancy, but a magnificent 63 from 89 deliveries from Salman Agha turned the tide in Pakistan’s favour.

With Sajid Khan also adding 22 at the bottom of the order, Pakistan would make a credible 221, setting England a target of 297 at a time when they would have been encouraged by Leach and Bashir’s combined figures being 7-133.

Pakistan seize advantage

Although the game was finely in the balance, spin bowler Sajid put Pakistan firmly in control by taking the wicket of Ben Duckett (0) with the third ball of their chase.

Zak Crawley followed shortly for three, being stumped off the bowling of Noman Ali, and it left Ollie Pope and Joe Root needing to survive the final 30 minutes to give England a realistic chance of victory.

The experienced pair did just that, adding 25 runs from the remaining 7.4 overs to take England to 36-2, with Pope unbeaten on 21 and Root having made 12.

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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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