All-round Tongue stars for England in second Test against Pakistan

LONDON: Josh Tongue shone with both bat and ball to put England on top of the second Test against Pakistan at Lord’s on Friday.

The fast bowler dismissed Abdullah Shafique on the stroke of lunch to leave Pakistan 16-2 on the second day, 274 runs behind England’s first-innings 290.

Tongue has yet to concede a run, with figures of one for none in 2.1 overs.

The No 11 batsman had earlier made 30 not out, his highest Test score, while sharing a last-wicket stand of 47 with fellow paceman Gus Atkinson.

Jofra Archer made the initial breakthrough with the ball for England when he had a flat-footed Shan Masood, opening in place of Imam-ul-Haq who was injured while fielding Thursday, edging a 91 mph delivery (146 km/h) to wicket-keeper Jamie Smith for one.

The express fast bowler had Azan Awais given out caught behind off a fearsome, rising delivery. But the batsman’s review confirmed the ball had flicked the shoulder on its way through to Smith.

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Awais, should have been out for eight when he edged an extravagant drive off Atkinson only for second slip Harry Brook, reaching down to his right, to drop a two-handed catch.

But England did have a second wicket before lunch when Shafique, who tried to guts it out with five off 32 balls, was caught behind off Tongue after a review by the umpires confirmed the delivery was not a bump-ball.

Earlier Atkinson, who has a Test century at Lord’s to his credit, was England’s last man out for a near run-a-ball 45.

Mohammad Abbas led Pakistan’s attack with 4-73 in 20 overs as they looked to level this three-match series.

England had been in dire straits at 36-3 on Thursday, with veteran seamer Abbas taking three wickets for four runs in 16 balls after Pakistan won the toss.

But fifties from Smith (61) and Jordan Cox (55) helped England recover to 248-9 when bad light ended play for the day.

The match resumed Friday beneath sunny skies with Atkinson 34 not out and Tongue unbeaten on one.

Tongue expertly glanced Mohammad Ali for four down to fine leg and drilled Abbas through the covers for another boundary.

Pakistan turned to left-arm spinner Ali Usman in the hope of ending the stubborn stand.

Atkinson drove his third ball for a four through long-on but holed out off the next to end a 46-ball innings featuring six fours.

Tongue’s undefeated 30, off 48 balls including four boundaries, surpassed his previous highest Test score of 19 against Australia three years ago.

Friday’s runs were all the more valuable given Pakistan had been dismissed for just 171 and 135 as England won last week’s first Test at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs.

Pakistan, however, were buoyed at Lord’s by the return of captain Babar Azam after the experienced batsman missed the first Test with a finger injury.