England begin Test summer where they left off as Pakistan take control at Lord’s

This was meant to be a fresh start for Joe Root’s England following a winter of discontent. Instead, this was more of the same from a team whose confidence and belief still appears shattered by their chastening experiences in Australia and New Zealand.

Perhaps it was the fact Root, entering his second summer as captain, opted to bat first after winning the toss under dark skies at Lord’s. Maybe we should also give credit to Pakistan’s excellent seam attack, who utilised fine bowling conditions to the full – literally in this case as they reaped the rewards for pitching the ball up.

However, the one fact that England cannot escape is they were made to look every bit the poor side their ranking of fifth in the world suggests they are as they were bundled out for 184 on the opening day of this first Test of the summer.

Entirely in keeping with a winter that was pock-marked with feeble collapses, the hosts even included an implosion of 5-16 in 27 balls that concluded their innings early in the evening session.

Stuart Broad did hit back early in Pakistan’s reply, dismissing Imam-ul-Haq lbw on review. The truth is, though, that Pakistan, 50 for one at the close, are in complete control of this Test.

With just one more game to go at Headingley next week, this young Pakistan team can dream of capturing their country’s first series win in England since 1996. They need to win here at Lord’s first but they are in a strong position to do so.

England’s plight would be even more desperate had Alastair Cook not reminded everyone of his talents, England’s all-time leading runscorer overcoming a lean winter with a composed knock of 70.

The opener came into this summer with fresh questions over his future, as he scored just 23 runs in the two most recent Tests played in New Zealand.

But on a day that saw him equal Australian great Allan Border’s record of 153 consecutive Test appearances, he showed his class.

Cook had one just one real scare, on 23 when he survived a tight Pakistan review for lbw on umpire’s call, before he was dismissed 20 minutes before the tea interval.

At that stage England were 165 for five. Without Cook, they simply surrendered in the fashion that saw them dismissed for just 58 in the Auckland Test back in March.

But rather than Trent Boult and Tim Southee, the New Zealanders who shared all ten England wickets at Eden Park, it was the inexperienced figures of Hasan Ali and Mohammad Abbas who did the damage here.

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The pair had played just eight Tests between them before this. And that’s the number of wickets they shared here as they tormented England’s batsmen with an unerring line and length.

Those batting weaknesses displayed in the winter were meant to have been addressed with the changes made before this match.

Out went James Vince at No3, with Root stepping up to take on the pivotal No3 position on a long-term basis. Jonny Bairstow was moved up to five and Jos Buttler, who even the player himself admitted was a luxury pick, came in at No7 after being recalled for his first Test in 18 months.

The inclusion of Dom Bess, the 20-year-old Somerset off-spinner, also added a touch of youth to this team, while Mark Wood’s out-and-out pace was a welcome addition to the bowling attack. But for all the changes, nothing has really changed on the evidence of this first day of the summer.

Mark Stoneman, lucky to have been retained as an opener after an unconvincing winter and a summer that has not seen him reach even 30 for Surrey, started with another poor return when he was bowled by Abbas for four in the fourth over of the day.

Root’s summer also stalled early on, the captain caught behind on four chasing a wide delivery from Hasan Ali.

Dawid Malan, who proved he can play on flat pitches during an encouraging Ashes campaign in Australia, also failed as his weakness against the moving ball, exposed during his debut summer last year, was shown up when he was caught behind off Hasan.

England, 72 for three at lunch, fought back in the afternoon session as Cook reached his 56th Test half-century during a stand of 57 with Bairstow. Both went before tea, though, as Bairstow was bowled by Faheem Ashraf and Cook by Mohammad Amir, his former Essex team-mate dismissing him for the sixth time in Tests.

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Then came the collapse as Ben Stokes, well set on 38, and Buttler, looking every inch the white-ball specialist as he made 14 from 15 balls, fell within three deliveries of each other.

Stokes was unlucky to fall to a brilliant Pakistan lbw review after he was rapped on the pads by Abbas. Buttler fell victim to a good catch at second slip after he played a poor shot to Hasan.

Abbas and Hasan then mopped up the tail, Bess, Stuart Broad and Wood all falling in quick succession as England were forced to endure Groundhog Day.