Abbas takes three wickets as Pakistan on top against England

LONDON: Pakistan enjoyed a profitable first session as they reduced England to 80-4 on the opening day of the second Test at Lord’s after a delayed start on Thursday.

Long-overdue rain in the capital put back the start and created muggy conditions that Pakistan’s Muhammad Abbas capitalised on to shatter England’s top order.

Abbas took three wickets for 34 runs with Mohammad Ali also chipping in with one shortly before the lunch interval.

Abbas made the breakthrough with the last ball of the third over with Muhammad Rizwan taking a superb diving catch behind the stumps as Emilio Gay glanced down the leg side.

Ben Duckett was Abbas’s next victim by jagging a ball back that trapped him on his back foot and, despite not being given out on the field, Pakistan successfully reviewed.

Abbas then took the wicket of captain Joe Root, pinning him in front of his stumps to send England’s talisman back to the pavilion for four.

Jordan Cox counter-attacked for the hosts to reach 27 not out at lunch from 29 balls.

But when Harry Brook was bowled by an inswinger from Ali for 15 it was emphatically Pakistan’s session.

England named an unchanged team from the side that cantered to victory in the first Test at Headingley.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam returned for Salman Ali Agha, who deputised for him at Leeds.