My role was to give support to fast bowlers, says Yasir Shah

Apr 6, 2019 at 2:16 PM

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My role was to give support to fast bowlers, says Yasir Shah

Pakistan’s leg-spinner Yasir Shah took five wickets for 64 against England. The English team reached stumps on the second day of the first Test on 253 for seven-86 runs behind Pakistan’s first-innings 339.

It was the first time a leg-spinner took five wickets in a Test innings at the ‘home of cricket’ since Shah’s fellow Pakistani Mushtaq Ahmed performed the feat 20 years ago.

Yasir Shah said varying his pace had been behind his return to Test cricket at Lord’s. Shah previously posed England problems by taking a combined 15 wickets against them in two Tests in the UAE. “I’ve played lots of cricket in the UAE where you have to bowl quicker. In England, the pitches have got some pace so you have to concentrate on varying your pace. My role was very clear, to give support to the fast bowlers, but luckily I got the five wickets and I’m glad for the team,” said Shah .

It was also his first Test since completing a three-month drugs ban after he tested positive for the masking agent chlortalidone. Shah told the International Cricket Council he had inadvertently taken his wife’s blood pressure medication and his suspension was lifted in March, making him eligible for the England tour.

Mushtaq Ahmed who took five for 57 in Pakistan’s 164-run win over England at Lord’s in 1996 saw Shah’s name on the honours board. He was glad to see this. “It’s a great honour for Yasir to take five wickets here too, at the home of cricket. When you turn up all the bowlers and batsmen go to see other Pakistani names on the honours board. When you see your name on there you feel so proud. All the credit must go to Yasir though, the players have to deliver and he did that brilliantly,” he said.

England all-rounder Chris Woakes taking six for 70 with his lively pace bowling. “It was a really nice moment personally, really nice to be able to hold the ball up here at Lord’s to the crowd,” said Woakes.

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