The third day of the first game of the England vs Pakistan Test series at Old Trafford (Manchester) was full of thrilling actions. While the visitors Pakistan managed to gain 100+ lead at the end of the hosts England’s first innings, England bowlers brought the hosts back into the game strongly with the dominant bowling performances.
Starting the day on their overnight score of 92/4, England managed to score 219 runs before losing their all wickets in their first innings. Beginning their second innings with the lead of 107 runs, Pakistan ended the day on 137/8 with the lead of 244 runs.
England innings: Ollie Pope scored 62 runs; Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah picked four wickets
Overnight English batsmen Ollie Pope and wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler started the day patiently. But after settling the 65 runs partnership for the fifth wicket, Pope was dismissed by the teenage Pakistan fast-bowler Naseem Shah with a superb delivery. While Pope completed his fifty in the early overs of the day, he was dismissed for 62 runs off 117 balls (8 fours).
Then, Buttler built up the 32 runs partnership with Chris Woakes, but the wicketkeeper-batsman was bowled by the leggie Yasir Shah after scoring 38 runs. At the very late moment, Stuart Broad once again played a crucial cameo knock of unbeaten 29 runs off 25 balls (4 fours and only six) but just failed to secure the trailing less than 100 runs.
Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah bagged four wickets as he finished with the bowling figures of 18-2-66-4. Also, pacer Mohammad Abbas (2/33) and another leg-spinner Shadab Khan (2/13) took two wickets each while the fast-bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi (1/51) and Naseem Shah (1/44) scalped one wicket each.
Pakistan innings: Batsmen failed to reach the 30s
In their second innings, Pakistan lost their wickets at the regular intervals as the visiting batsmen failed to reach the 30 runs mark in this innings yet. Only Asad Shafiq (29), wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan (27) and opener Abid Ali (20) have managed to score the 20-run mark in this innings. At the stumps of the day, Yasir Shah (12*) and Mohammad Abbas (0*) were not out at the crease.
England pacers Stuart Broad (2/23), Chris Woakes (2/11) and Ben Stokes (2/11) bagged two wickets each while the off-spinner Dom Bess (1/40) picked up one wicket.