A review of the second day of the first Test between Engl;and and Pakistan at Old Trafford.

England ended day two of the first Test against Pakistan at the Emirates, Old Trafford, very much on the back foot.

At stumps after three fascinating sessions of cricket, England were 92-4 still 234 runs short of the Pakistan first innings score.

Just after 5pm the scoreboard showed England being 12-3 after the dismissals of Rory Burns (4), Dom Sibley (8) and Ben Stokes (0) with two wickets falling to Mohammad Abbas and one to Shaheen Afridi.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan had begun the first session on their overnight score of 139-2, but they lost Babar Azam in the very first over of the day when he was caught by Joe Root off the bowling of Jimmy Anderson without adding to his overnight score of 69. It was soon 150-4 with Ben Stokes holding a catch to give Stuart Broad his first wicket of the match wicket and, at 176-5 with Joss Buttler holding a catch behind off Chris Woakes, England were ‘on top’.

However, the start of the day’s second session belonged to the touring side as Shadab Khan joined Shan Masood and the pair put bat to ball with great effect.

Indeed, they added 105 in just 24.2 overs before Somerset’s Dom Bess found the top edge of Shadab’s bat and Joe Root held another catch.

That left Pakistan on 281-6 and, while the tail wagged, it only got as far as 326 with Broad claiming the last two wickets including that of Pakistan opener Shan Masood who had batted for 470 minutes and faced 319 deliveries, scoring 18 fours and two sixes in a superb knock of 156.

So, with a sub 350 score, perhaps the game was back ‘in the balance’?

However, the first half hour of the England innings saw them rocked back as the Pakistan openers took charge. At 12-3 Ollie Pope joined his skipper Joe Root and they added 50 before leg spinner Yashi Shah claimed the wicket of Joe Root, having the England skipper caught behind for 14 to leave England 62-4.

Joss Buttler took over and he and Pope saw their side to the close with no further wickets lost.

Ollie Pope faced the first ball of the final over the day, bowled by leg spinner Yasir. Buttler survived a review for a run-out after the delivery of the fourth ball of the final over. Pope took a single off the fifth delivery and the final ball of the day was ‘left’ by Butler as England topped off with their score 92-4.

Ollie Pope, who came to the wicket at 12-3, was not out 45 and Buttler was not out 15 and both will be back in the morning to continue the fight with England set to start day three trailing by 234 runs.