LEEDS: Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue took three wickets each and propelled England to an innings and 103-run victory over Pakistan in the first Test of the three-match home series here at Headingley on Friday.
Set to neutralise a 238-run deficit after England piled up 409 all out in response to their 171 in the first innings, Pakistan’s batting unit also faltered in the second as it could muster 135 before being bundled out in 37.3 overs.
The Green Shirts resumed their second innings after the lunch break from 59/3 and lost all of their remaining seven wickets in the afternoon session of the third day for 76 runs despite wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Rizwan’s resilience, who remained their top-scorer with a 39-ball 41.
Besides Rizwan, only Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique and Saud Shakeel could amass double figures, making 29, 15 and 14, respectively.
The pace trio of Robinson, Archer and Tongue jointly led England’s bowling charge in the second innings with three wickets each, while fellow speedster Gus Atkinson chipped in with one.
At the lunch break on the third day, the Green Shirts were reeling at 59/3, trailing by a further 179 runs, with Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel in the middle.
After England finished their first innings at 409 all out and a 238-run advantage, Pakistan got off to a shaky start to their second innings as Archer dismissed experienced opener Imam-ul-Haq (zero) in the second over.
Archer struck again in his next over, dismissing another opener, Azan Awais (nine), as Pakistan slipped down to 13/2.
Following the early setbacks, in-form Abdullah Shafique (15) joined Masood in the middle, and the duo mustered 38 runs for the third wicket until the former fell victim to Robinson in the 14th over.
Earlier, at the commencement of the ongoing third day, England resumed their first innings from 364/8, added 45 runs to their overnight total and were thus bowled out for 409 in 89.5 overs.
Jamie Smith and Jofra Archer initially frustrated Pakistan with a 28-run partnership that took England beyond the 400-run mark and further extended their advantage.
Khurram Shahzad eventually broke the stand, claiming his second wicket of the innings by dismissing Smith for 25 off 52 balls. The batter struck two boundaries during his stay at the crease.
Archer continued to add valuable runs before Josh Tongue joined him, with the latter hitting Abbas straight down the ground for a boundary as England moved past 400.
Shahzad then claimed his third wicket to wrap up England’s innings, dismissing Tongue for eight off 10 deliveries, with the batter hitting two boundaries.
Ali Usman was Pakistan’s standout bowler, finishing with 5/95 in 24 overs to register his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket. Shahzad claimed three wickets, while Mohammad Abbas and Mohammad Ali took one wicket apiece.
