Misbah-ul Haq steers Pakistan in steady start against hosts
England keeper Johnny Bairstow and Alastair Cook celebrate the fall of a Pakistan wicket. (Photo: AP)
England keeper Johnny Bairstow and Alastair Cook celebrate the fall of a Pakistan wicket. (Photo: AP)
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq guided his team to 158/4 at tea on the opening day of the first Test against England at Lord’s on Thursday.
Misbah, who got a reprieve on 16 when Joe Root grassed a low catch, will resume on 48 after winning the toss and batting first on a slow wicket.
England also stuttered in the field early in the first session as James Vince couldn’t hold onto a sharp chance from Mohammad Hafeez (40).
Fast bowler Jake Ball had his first Test wicket when he had Azhar Ali lbw in the first over after lunch, and Younis Khan (33) played a reckless drive off Stuart Broad after adding 53 runs with Misbah.
The Test marks the return of fast bowler Mohammad Amir after serving a five-year ban for spot-fixing.
Amir bowled deliberate no-balls at Lord’s in 2010 and was banned along with teammates Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif.
Pakistan included three left-arm fast bowlers —Amir, Rahat Ali and Wahab Riaz — with legspinner Yasir Shah as the sole slow bowler.
Nottinghamshire fast bowler Jake Ball was awarded his test debut as the 25-year-old Englishman replaced injured James Anderson. Scoreboard (At tea) Pakistan (1st innings): M. Hafeez c Bairstow b Woakes 40, S. Masood c Bairstow b Woakes 7, A. Ali lbw b Ball 7, Younis Khan c Ali b Broad 33, Misbah-ul-Haq (batting ) 48, A. Shafiq (batting) 12. Extras (lb9, w2) 11. Total (for 4 wkts, in 52 overs) 158. FoW: 1-38, 2-51, 3-77, 4-134. Bowling: Broad 14-7-24-1, Ball 12-5-26-1, Woakes 12-3-33-2, Finn 12-2-52-0, Ali 2-0-14-0.