Shan Masood stars as Pakistan end second day in control

After Masood had fallen for 156, it was left to the visitors' bowlers to get to work, with wickets for Mohammad Abbas, Yasir Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi

Pakistan enjoyed a tremendous day at Emirates Old Trafford as the tourists, led by a terrific century from Shan Masood and backed up by their bowlers, asserted their control in the first Test of their three-match series.

Although England enjoyed a better morning in Manchester, with James Anderson dismissing Babar Azam, Stuart Broad accounting for Asad Shafiq and Chris Woakes forcing Mohammad Rizwan to edge behind, Azhar Ali’s side were soon in the ascendancy.

For, as excellent as the hosts were in the morning, they were ragged after lunch, allowing Masood and Shadab Khan to take control with an enterprising partnership. The pair took quick singles at will, punishing a bizarre passage of play ahead of the second new ball, when Joe Root and Dom Bess bowled five overs of expensive off-spin.

When Shadab finally fell for 45, slogging Bess only as far as mid-on, the partnership had put on 95 in just 25 overs. From there on in, England were reminded of a lengthy tail-end; Pakistan’s final five wickets fell for just 45 runs, with Jofra Archer doing for Yasir Shah and Mohammad Abbas in successive balls.

At the other end, however, Masood continued along his merry way. He reached three figures with a customary flick of his pads, before expanding the repertoire of his stroke-play as the wickets fell around him. He was dropped twice by Jos Buttler, who also missed a stumping chance on the first day, but the opener was otherwise untroubled in a fine resolute display.

When he was dismissed for 156 by Broad, who then had Naseem Shah caught behind without scoring, Pakistan had been bowled out for 326 – a more than useful first effort on a surface already offering turn and bounce.

England were then under pressure with the bat. First, Rory Burns was trapped in front by Shaheen Shah Afridi, before the metronomic Mohammad Abbas pinned Dom Sibley to leave the home side 12 for 2. Two overs later, Ben Stokes became the third wicket to fall, bowled by a rip-snorting delivery from Abbas that shaped in and moved away, clipping the top of his off-stump.

And while Root and Ollie Pope looked to mastermind a recovery, the England captain was unable to see his team through to stumps himself. He edged Yasir to Rizwan to end a challenging stay at the crease, leaving Pope and Buttler to take England to the close.

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