England have started their post-Bazball era by winning with two days and a session to spare in Leeds
England have steamrollered Pakistan inside three days as Joe Root celebrated his captaincy comeback with victory by an innings and 103 runs on his home ground of Headingley.
With the ‘Bazball’ era now consigned to the history books, and former skipper Ben Stokes plying his trade for Durham 80 miles away in a County Championship Division Two clash against Derbyshire, England’s fresh start began with a flourish in this first Test.
Having bowled the tourists out for 171 on Wednesday, England blew them away with even greater ease 48 hours later, Pakistan surrendering for 135 in less than 38 overs.
The calibre of the opposition left a lot to be desired – weighed down by a flimsy batting unit, a pedestrian attack and a worryingly disinterested fielding performance – but England’s recent record means they can take nothing for granted.
This was their third Test match victory in 11 attempts and they last won a series in December 2024. On the available evidence, it would be a huge shock if that streak does not end at Lord’s or Edgbaston in the coming weeks.
England started the day by squeezing 43 runs from their last two wickets, finishing 409 all out to earn their seamers a luxurious lead of 238.
That was more than enough as they took it in turns to hammer nails into the Pakistan coffin.
Jofra Archer, who had earlier hit the only six of the match as he warmed up with an unbeaten 25 from number 10, got things going when he took out both openers with the new ball.
Josh Tongue took over after lunch with a flurry of three wickets in six deliveries to gut the middle order, Ollie Robinson took his match haul to eight as he kept the momentum moving and Gus Atkinson finally opened his account by taking out experienced Mohammad Rizwan for 41.
Archer, wicketless in the first innings as he struggled for length, ended things with the tea break still half-an-hour away, completing a one-sided success for the home side.
Earlier he had needed five deliveries to get the better of Imam-ul-Haq for a duck, following up with the wicket of Azan Awais, who at least avoided a pair.
He was taken caught by Root at leg slip. It was Root’s 219th catch in Test cricket, moving him above Steve Smith for the most Test catches by a non-wicketkeeper.
Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique added 38 but after Robinson snared the latter, taken low by Harry Brook at second slip.
After that it was a just a matter of whether Pakistan could bat out the day but a three-wicket burst from Tongue soon after lunch made it clear they would not.
