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Oct 19, 2024

England spun out by Pakistan in crushing 152-run defeat as hosts level series in Multan to set up thrilling decider next week - with Harry Brook and Ben Stokes found wanting

By Lawrence Booth 08:05 18 Oct 2024, updated 20:57 18 Oct 2024 Comments Comments England slumped to a crushing 152-run defeat against Pakistan’s spinners on the fourth morning of the second Test,

By Lawrence Booth 08:05 18 Oct 2024, updated 20:57 18 Oct 2024

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England slumped to a crushing 152-run defeat against Pakistan’s spinners on the fourth morning of the second Test, setting up a potentially thrilling decider next week in Rawalpindi.

Resuming on 36 for two in pursuit of an unlikely 297 for victory, they lost Ollie Pope to the eighth ball of the day, and never threatened to pull off what would have been a remarkable chase on a pitch in its ninth day of use.

Ben Stokes made liberal use of the reverse-sweep while wickets fell around him, but his 37 was the top score in a total of 144.

And his dismissal summed up England’s haplessness: advancing at left-arm spinner Noman Ali, he swung with such force that his bat flew high behind square leg even as Mohammad Rizwan completed a simple stumping.

That left England 125 for seven going into the mid-morning drinks break, but the respite proved fleeting. If the pitch in Rawalpindi is anything other than an old-fashioned bunsen burner, it will come as a major surprise.

It all meant Sajid Khan and Ali, who took seven of the eight wickets to fall this morning, became the first pair of bowlers to share all 20 in a Test since Australian quicks Bob Massie and Dennis Lillee at Lord’s in 1972 – and the first spinners since Jim Laker took 19 (and Tony Lock one) against Australia at Old Trafford in 1956.

By Lawrence Booth

Noman Ali and Sajid Khan became the first pair of spinners to take all 20 wickets in a Test since Jim Laker (19) and Tony Lock (one) for England against Australia at Old Trafford in 1956.

Noman’s figures of eight for 46 were the fifth-best in Pakistan’s Test history, and the second-best against England, behind Abdul Qadir’s nine for 56 at Lahore in 1987-88.

This was Shan Masood’s first win as Pakistan Test captain after six successive defeats – and their first at home in 12 matches stretching back to February 2021 against South Africa.

England’s chances going into the fourth day were already slim to none on a surface that has helped the slow bowlers from the second evening, and any optimism harboured by their small group of supporters at the Multan International Stadium evaporated almost instantly in the morning heat.

Pope drove the second ball of the second over back to Sajid, who celebrated with his trademark jig, borrowed from the Asian sport of kabaddi.

Three overs later, Joe Root missed a sweep at Noman, and was a touch unlucky to be given leg-before by Chris Gaffaney for 18: DRS showed up the faintest of impacts in line with off stump, and England were 55 for four.

Harry Brook was next to go, leg-before to Noman for 16 as he went back to pull a ball that stayed slightly low and, according to the technology, would have hit leg stump. Regal on a flat one in the first Test, when he made 317, he has not been the only England batsman to struggle in the second.

And it was 88 for six when Jamie Smith’s attempted heave settled in the hands of Shan Masood at mid-on.

Stokes briefly flourished with a series of horizontal-bat shots, while Brydon Carse hammered Sajid for three sixes, including two in succession down the ground.

But when he edged Noman to slip for 27, giving the left-arm spinner his sixth wicket, the end was nigh. Jack Leach was caught at short leg off Noman’s slower one, and it was all over at 11.43am when Shoaib Bashir followed suit first ball.

Noman’s figures of eight for 46 were the fifth-best in Pakistan’s Test history, and the second-best against England, behind Abdul Qadir’s nine for 56 at Lahore in 1987-88.

England will tell themselves they faced a near-impossible task from the moment Stokes called wrongly at the toss, but this was a hammering in anyone’s language.

7.5 Ben Duckett His fourth Test century was a brilliant effort in testing conditions, but he undid some of the good work with an optimistic shot in the first over of the chase.

4 Zak Crawley After batting so fluently against the seamers in the first Test, he was all at sea against the spinners.

5 Ollie Pope Twice made it into the twenties, twice failed to go on. Has now passed 30 only once in his last 10 innings.

5.5 Joe Root His 262 felt an age away as he fell twice on the sweep. Dropped Salman at slip, and might have bowled more than 10 overs on a helpful surface.

3 Harry Brook A triple-century one week, two failures the next. Twice, Brook stayed back to the spinners; twice it proved his undoing.

4 Ben Stokes Bowled 10 wicketless overs and was part of England’s match-turning collapse on the second evening. His second-innings 37 was in vain, though his captaincy was as astute as ever.

4 Jamie Smith A difficult game for England’s young wicketkeeper. Held some sharp catches, but dropped a sitter to reprieve Salman and struggled with the bat against spin.

8.5 Brydon Carse Match figures of five for 59 could have been even better with more support from the fielders. Fast, hostile and tireless, he has been a revelation.

7 Matthew Potts A willing and skilful workhorse in his first overseas Test. His 31 overs went for just 85.

8 Jack Leach Became England’s most prolific spinner in Asia with seven wickets, and batted well in the first innings for 25 not out.

7 Shoaib Bashir Erratic in the first innings, and still bowls too many bad balls, but found his rhythm in the second, especially to Pakistan’s left-handers.

Pakistan

2 Abdullah Shafique, 7 Saim Ayub, 3 Shan Masood, 9 Kamran Ghulam, 5 Saud Shakeel, 6.5 Mohammad Rizwan, 7 Salman Agha, 6 Aamir Jamal, 9 Noman Ali, 7.5 Sajid Khan, 3 Zahid Mehmood.

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