England in control after Brook fifty

By Shafaat Khan
Pakistan’s batting problems continued as England’s pace attack ripped through the visitors’ line-up, bowling them out for just 133 in their first innings on the opening day of the third and final Test at Edgbaston on Wednesday.
England reached 156-4 at stumps, for a lead of 23 runs.
After England won the toss and elected to field, Pakistan’s batting collapsed once again, with the visitors dismissed in just 33.5 overs.
Josh Tongue spearheaded England’s attack with 4-42, while Ollie Robinson claimed 3-15 and Jofra Archer took 3-25 as the hosts made the most of favourable bowling conditions.
Saud Shakeel was Pakistan’s only batsman to offer meaningful resistance, scoring 43 from 47 balls. He struck seven fours as he attempted to hold the innings together while wickets fell regularly at the other end.
Mohammad Abbas scored 21 and debutant Razaullah made 11, with Abbas hitting four fours from 36 deliveries and Razaullah striking two boundaries in his run-a-ball knock.
The latest batting collapse underlined Pakistan’s continuing problems against England’s pace attack, with their top and middle order again unable to withstand sustained pressure.
Already 2-0 down in the three-match series, Pakistan made four changes to the side that suffered a heavy 194-run defeat in the second Test at Lord’s, after which head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed was sacked.
But the visitors again had few answers to Robinson and Archer with the new ball before Tongue joined the attack, as England’s quicks exploited the overcast conditions after captain Joe Root won the toss.
Pakistan were in deep trouble at 26-4 inside 10 overs, with Robinson making the initial breakthrough in a miserly spell.
Recalled opener Saim Ayub was dismissed for a duck, trapped lbw by a typical Robinson nip-backer as the 32-year-old claimed his 100th Test wicket.
Archer then removed Azan Awais with a short delivery that the opener could only lob towards midwicket, where Tongue completed a diving catch.
Abdullah Shafique nicked Robinson to gully before Shan Masood holed out while attempting to pull Archer, leaving Pakistan four wickets down.
Captain Babar Azam, who had gone nearly four years without a Test century, was dismissed for seven when an excellent Tongue delivery jagged back off the seam and bowled him.
Pakistan had now lost five wickets in 15 overs and were 64-6 when wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori, one of three debutants alongside Imran Randhawa and Razaullah, was trapped lbw by Tongue for four.
Tongue then produced another fine delivery to bowl Imran for five, his yorker breaking a stump and leaving Pakistan seven down.
Razaullah struck the final ball of the session from Tongue over cover for four to take Pakistan to 100, but the visitors could not build on the recovery.
Robinson dismissed Razaullah, Tongue removed Saud and Archer ended Abbas’s resistance to wrap up Pakistan’s innings for 133.
Earlier, Pakistan handed Test debuts to fast bowlers Razaullah and Imran Randhawa and wicketkeeper Mohammad Ghazi Ghori, while also bringing left-handed opener Saim Ayub into the side.
In response Harry Brook struck a fluent unbeaten half-century to put England in the driver’s seat.
The hosts faced an early wobble, collapsing to 39 for three after Pakistan’s seamers struck quickly, including the cheap dismissal of captain Joe Root for eight.
However, opener Emilio Gay repaired the damage with a steady 60, anchoring the innings alongside Brook. The pair combined for a vital 104-run partnership for the fourth wicket to blunt the visitors’ attack.
Pakistan paceman Razaullah, who made his debut, eventually broke the stand, bowling Gay for 60, but Brook (52 not out) reached his fifty off 70 balls to ensure England seized control by stumps. Brook struck four fours in his 76-ball knock.
Razaullah, who belongs to Mardan, took 2-42 in nine overs while Mohammad Abbas and Mohammad Ali claimed one wicket each.