Pakistan tail hangs on to reach 358-8 against England on 2nd day of 2nd cricket Test
Pakistan's long batting tail hung in against England's pace and spin to reach 358-8 at lunch on Day 2 of the second cricket Test on Wednesday.
Multan: Pakistan’s long batting tail hung in against England’s pace and spin to reach 358-8 at lunch on Day 2 of the second cricket Test on Wednesday.
The tailenders batted around all-rounder Aamer Jamal’s unbeaten 37 to frustrate England on a reused dry wicket where Pakistan lost the first test by an innings and 47 runs.
No. 10 batter Noman Ali, batting on 29, played confidently against the spinners, sweeping Jack Leach (3-114) for a couple of boundaries and then smashed fast bowler Brydon Carse (2-43) for two more fours in the penultimate over before the lunch break.
Pakistan lost the overnight pair of Mohammad Rizwan (41) and Salman Ali Agha (31) before Jamal chipped away by adding 49 runs with Ali.
Rizwan’s scrappy knock ended in the third over of the day when Jamie Smith made a spectacular diving catch as Carse squared up the batter with his pace.
Jamal and Noman defied England in the latter half of the first session as Pakistan added 99 runs to its overnight 259-5.
Debutant Kamran Ghulam made headlines on Day 1 with a resolute century as Pakistan looks for its first home win in 12 matches by packing its playing XI with three specialist spinners and only one fast bowler in Jamal.
Ghulam had been scoring well in Pakistan’s domestic seasons for the last four years, but got his chance after Pakistan rested its premier batter Babar Azam for the remaining two test matches of the series against England.
