Shonky fielding and a series of missed chances compounded Pakistan’s woes as Harry Brook, Joe Root and new No.3 Jordan Cox all profited
Harry Brook came agonisingly close to a first hometown hundred for the second year in a row but England’s revamped batting lineup still had too much for Pakistan on day two at Headingley.
Brook was dismissed for 99 against India in Leeds last summer and seemed certain to make amends as he raced to 91 at close to a run a ball in this first Test.
But just as the Yorkshire faithful were preparing to cheer him to three figures, he misread one of Ali Usman’s left-arm spinners and was bowled via a flick off the pad.
Brook, who has just reclaimed top spot in the world batting rankings, flung his head back in disbelief but England were already in a commanding position.
Despite Usman striking twice more before stumps to hurry to a five-for, the hosts still closed 195 ahead on 8-366 and look well set to push for victory.
Three other batters also failed to convert fifties but a 150-run stand between returning captain Joe Root and newly-installed No.3 Jordan Cox and another worth 120 from Brook and the recalled Dan Lawrence were more than enough.
Pakistan were willing prey, with an uninspired attack let down further by a horribly ragged fielding effort that included frequent botches in the deep and at least four wasted chances.
Khurram Shahzad put down off a simple caught and bowled chance from Cox, Brook was painfully dropped in the slips with just a single to his name and Lawrence was twice spared in bizarre fashion by wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan.
On 26 he could have been caught behind on the sweep but Rizwan was busy appealing for lbw as the ball looped past him. Eleven runs later he got lucky again, out of his ground when Salman Ali Agha’s attempt at the stumps hit Rizwan as he bounced around asking for another leg before decision from the umpire.
A total washout appeared possible early on but although the morning session was wiped out, a 2:45pm start still allowed for 58 overs as the game moved along. Root and Cox resumed on 2-112, clearing the remaining 59-run deficit and transforming it into a lead of 27.
Cox attacked in bursts, clattering four boundaries off Shahzad in the fifth over of the morning and later responding to the bowler’s drop by dispatching three of his next four deliveries to the ropes.
He beat Root to a half-century, his first in Test cricket at the third time of asking, but his skipper followed him to the landmark off the very next ball.
Cox posted 73 in exactly 100 deliveries, an encouraging calling card in his audition at No.3, before getting a thin edge on a sharp turner from Usman. Curiously, he appeared to admonish himself for the mistake before calling for a review anyway, summoning a replay that merely confirmed his fate.
That made it an all-Yorkshire affair in the middle as Brook joined Root at the crease, but a hardy crowd who had waited patiently in inhospitable conditions saw their local heroes parted almost immediately.
Root had been in complete control throughout his stay, strolling to 66 with a familiar array of back-foot steers, when he overbalanced and fell lbw to Shahzad.
Pakistan were hamstrung by another drop after their double breakthrough, Brook reprieved on one when he slashed Shahzad to Salman and saw the chance parried to the boundary, and paid a high price.
Having failed to take their chance before tea, they saw England run up another three-figure stand afterwards. Brook led the aggressive approach, taking just 55 balls to reach his own fifty and refusing to be silenced by a spell of bouncers from Mohammad Ali.
Brook has replaced Australia’s Travis Head as the world’s number one ranked Test batter and the reasons were there for all to see in powerful chops to third man, punishing straight hits and an eagerness to punish Usman when he missed his length.
Lawrence’s stay was more of a mixed bag, strong shots mixed with with moments of uncertainty, and he fell for 51 sweeping the spinner. Usman finished well, denying Brook his century and making short work of Gus Atkinson and Ollie Robinson, but the gap between the teams may already be decisive.
