England vs Pakistan | 2nd Test | Headingley, Leeds | June 1-5, 2018 | Day 1 | Match Thread

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England v Pakistan
Headingley, Leeds
2nd Test
Friday 1 June – Tuesday 5 May; 11:00 local (10:00 GMT)

England have it all to do when they take on Pakistan in the second Test at Headingley, starting on Friday, 1 June.

Their loss in the first Test at Lord’s came as something of a shock. This was a young Pakistan side, their batsmen were expected to be troubled by the veteran duo of Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad.

Instead, it was the England batsmen who suffered, dismissed for 184 and 242 as Pakistan won by nine wickets, taking an unassailable 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

It was Pakistan’s second win in a row on tour – they saw off Ireland earlier in May – and they have all the confidence heading into the second Test.

England, meanwhile, have had to take a long, hard look at themselves. "It's very disappointing," Trevor Bayliss, the coach, said after the defeat. "Especially from a batting point of view. It was nowhere near good enough for Test level. Pakistan bowled well but we have to be better.”

Their batsmen stepped up in patches. Alistair Cook scored a half-century in the first innings, while all of Joe Root, Jos Buttler and Dom Bess, the debutant, scored fifty in the second.

However, for the most part, the Pakistan pacemen troubled them, with Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Abbas claiming 13 wickets between them in the match.

Stokes sustained a hamstring injury during England's training session on Wednesday Stokes sustained a hamstring injury during England's training session on Wednesday

The England duo of Broad and Anderson managed just five wickets between them, and the latter found himself having to defend their performance. “Stuart and I have 950 Test wickets between us," Anderson said. "We're doing the best we can for this team.

“I didn't have my best game, I know that. But I'm aware of what lengths that need to be bowled on certain pitches.”

Adding to England’s worries is the fact that Ben Stokes has injury worries. The all-rounder sustained a hamstring problem while fielding during practice, and England have drafted in 19-year-old Sam Curran as standby. Stokes is yet to be ruled out, though, and could take the field as a specialist batsman as they look to mend their batting troubles.

While England look to block out all the scrutiny, the atmosphere in the Pakistan camp couldn’t be more different. Their young side have shown themselves more than capable at the highest level, and Amir said it had buoyed the side to do more in the second.

Jos Buttler and Dominic Bess scored half-centuries in the first Test Jos Buttler and Dominic Bess scored half-centuries in the first Test

“The Lord's victory is a motivation for us, it does give us confidence,” he said. “But we want to do better than that. We can't relax. We want to enjoy that but the attitude and confidence and discipline, it has to be double that of the last game.”

The fractured forearm suffered by Babar Azam – it ruled him out of the tour – means one of Fakhar Zaman, Usman Salahuddin and Sami Aslam is likely to step in. Pakistan have no real worry apart from that.

Key players
Jimmy Anderson (England): The veteran paceman, along with Broad, couldn’t quite lay into Pakistan’s inexperienced batting line-up at Lord’s, and the visitors made the most of it. He has since, rather vehemently, hit back at the critics, one of whom was former captain Michael Vaughan, who suggested one of the Broad or Anderson be dropped for the second Test to “ruffle some feathers” within the squad. Suffice to say Anderson didn’t take kindly to that, and will be determined to hit back on the field.

Jimmy Anderson has a point to prove in the second Test Jimmy Anderson has a point to prove in the second Test

Mohammad Amir (Pakistan): A return of ten wickets in four innings might not sound like much, but Amir has bowled exceptionally so far on this tour. He credited Azhar Mahmood, the Pakistan bowling coach, for that, and said his fuller length was the key to his improved performance. “I'm still learning about how well I can do by pushing the ball up,” he says, and he’s likely to learn more at Leeds.

Conditions
Rain is expected in Leeds for the first two days of the Test, and match will quite likely be interrupted a few times. The conditions are typically English, though, and the pace bowlers are likely to have a fine outing when the rain stays away.


Squads
England: Joe Root (c), Mark Stoneman, Alastair Cook, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Dom Bess, Mark Wood, Sam Curran

Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (c/wk), Azhar Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Sami Aslam, Haris Sohail, Fakhar Zaman, Saad Ali, Asad Shafiq, Usman Salahuddin, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Abbas, Hasan Ali, Rahat Ali, Faheem Ashraf

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/695092
 
Just arrived at Leeds, dry overcast conditions and seems like the sun is trying to peek through.
 
Damn, another advantage for England :mv

Not necessarily - our bowlers could get more out of the conditions. England haven't bowled well on flat pitches lately.

We need to bat well and start converting fifties into big hundreds.
 
Bahiyon Ajao Match Thread per [MENTION=139982]Sarfarazian92[/MENTION] [MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION] Scene on honay wala hay :ma :shafiq2
 
Pakistan should not get complacent , a series win in england after 22 years is on the cards.
 
I guess a good toss to lose for both sarf and root. It could be a bat first wicket and going by last game I expect both captains would like to bowl first
 
Guys don’t get fooled by the pitch.

Headingley is about the overhead conditions - if that happens the ball will def move off the wicket and in the air.

It will be a tricky day for batting today as it always does more than a bit on day one. And the forecast says cloudy for next 5 days so likely the ball will move throughout the match.
 
Guys don’t get fooled by the pitch.

Headingley is about the overhead conditions - if that happens the ball will def move off the wicket and in the air.

It will be a tricky day for batting today as it always does more than a bit on day one. And the forecast says cloudy for next 5 days so likely the ball will move throughout the match.

Could be a pitch that can offer runs if you don’t lose many in first session
 
The pitch doesn’t matter at Headingley: it is cloud cover that causes the swing.

Less grass on the pitch actually benefits Shadab potentially in the Fourth Innings.

The big question is whether Stokes plays. He has an ability to make a huge innings which Curran doesn’t.

Curran adds a left-arm dimension but he’s short and medium-paced, and batsmen who have been facing Amir and Rahat in the nets should handle him with ease.
 
Pakistan has not won at Leeds, Headingley since 1987. It is the same ground where Pakistan beat Australia in group stage of 1999 world cup.
 
My immediate worry is Sam Curran or Chris Woakes, thee 2 bowlers remind me of Colin De Grandhomme. Generally Pakistan make these kind of bowlers German blitzkreig.
 
Could be a pitch that can offer runs if you don’t lose many in first session

Yes, especially days 2 and 3. But again this could be determined by the coulds and if the bowler can swing it.

Someone like Woakes wil make it talk whereas Wood the ball might no do anything.
 
Curran just received his cap.

So Stokes must be out!!!!!
 
Sam Curran is playing, he performed very well against Australia in one day series.
 
Beefy is adamant this time it’s a bat first wicket.
 
Looks like stokes is out & sam Curran will debut today. Woakes comes back for wood.
 
Pakistan has not won at Leeds, Headingley since 1987. It is the same ground where Pakistan beat Australia in group stage of 1999 world cup.

Didn't we roll over Australia in Headingley in 2010??
 
Sam Curran is playing, he performed very well against Australia in one day series.

It was tom Curran his brother who performed well against Australia.
Sam is his younger brother & genuine allrounder.
 
England have lost their last three Tests at Leeds - to Sri Lanka, New Zealand and West Indies who chased 320 last year.

Didn't we roll over Australia in Headingley in 2010??

Yes. Bowled them out for 88.
 
I really would love another fluke! Fluke will be on it's way hopefully
 
Pakistan batting first.

They have be very careful first session.
 
Pakistan batting first.Same side except for Usman in for Babar

Sam Curran debuts,Stokes unfit.Mark Wood,Stoneman dropped
 
Good toss to win by Sarfraz Nawaz...

Bright sunshine, flat pitch, bat first is the right decision.
 
Waqar saying that he is confused as to why England has prepared a dry and flat pitch with cracks already as it should favour Pakistan. Big game for Shadab then...
 
Pakistan should bowl first. Chances of Pak batting collapse is high. England sensed Pak batter's short ball vulnerabilities only in the later part of the innings. Hope they will mix it up early on. A meek surrender by either sides is a boring watch. Wish it is a thriller.
 
Rashid Latif on TV said that a good thing ECB always does is it prepares pitches that favour their opponents
 
Suns out so pakistan openers need to see off the new ball and then try and put up a decent 1st inns total here.
 
Bold decision and critical first session

We need at least 250-300 in 1st innings

Hopefully not a sub 100 score
 
Woakes will be the danger here. terrific bowler and great record v Pakistan,in England.
 
Bold decision and critical first session

We need at least 250-300 in 1st innings

Hopefully not a sub 100 score

250-300 would be way below par.

This is a 400+ pitch. We scored 538 here in 2006.
 
Waqar saying that he is confused as to why England has prepared a dry and flat pitch with cracks already as it should favour Pakistan. Big game for Shadab then...

Lets hope he can be consistent with his line and length and doens't give a hit me ball every over.
 
Waqar saying that he is confused as to why England has prepared a dry and flat pitch with cracks already as it should favour Pakistan. Big game for Shadab then...

Let the game start and see what happens.

Also imagine a green track and PAK winning the toss and bowling 1st...
 
Welcome everyone then to God's Own County of Yorkshire.

About bloody time we had a Test match too.
 
Sarfraz humble and selfless as always :) Never seen him giving test cap to a debutant. Let others to do this. Today Asad gave the cap to Usman. Against Ireland it was Sethi. Against SL it was Azhar.
 
Good to see Michael Holding back in the commentary box..
 
Yar I have to go and buy Iftari but I also don't want to miss the game :sanga
 
it's azhar time! azhar time is fun time.Wow the way he is leaving the ball! wonderful
 
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