Robinson double rocks Pakistan in first Test before rain stops play

AFP-- England bowler Ollie Robinson took a wicket with the first ball of the match as his double strike left Pakistan reeling before rain stopped play in the first Test at Headingley on Wednesday.

Robinson celebrated his recall in style in England’s first Test since the exits of Ben Stokes, their former captain, and Brendon McCullum, sacked as red-ball coach.

By the time rain halted play after 50 minutes, Pakistan — without injured captain Babar Azam for the start of the three-Test series — were stumbling at 23-2.

Imam-ul-Haq was five not out and Abdullah Shafique unbeaten on 12Robinson had figures of 2-12 in five overs, with the umpires later announcing lunch would be taken 30 minutes early at 12:30pm (4:30pm PKT).

Joe Root, in his second stint as full-time England captain, explained his decision to field first after winning the toss by saying: “We feel there’s some overheads to work with, and a bit of top moisture that our lads can exploit.” But not even Root, all-rounder Stokes’s predecessor as skipper, could have forecast what happened next.

Robinson, recalled in place of off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, was on target with the first ball of the match, trapping left-hander Azan Awais lbw.

Awais reviewed but umpire Chris Gaffaney’s decision was upheld, with replays indicating the ball would have hit the top of middle stump.

It was a fine way for the 32-year-old Robinson to take his 500th first-class wicket at an impressively low average of 21.

Shan Masood had managed just five when he too fell lbw to Robinson, bowling over the wicket at the left-hander and moving the ball back into the batsman’s pads.

Shafique drove Gus Atkinson for four before he survived a confident caught behind appeal, with umpire Allahuddien Paleker correctly ruling the rising ball had flicked the batsman’s leg instead.

Pakistan, bidding for their first series win in England in 30 years, suffered a setback before the three-match contest when captain Babar Azam was ruled out with a hand injury.

All-rounder Salman Ali Agha leads Pakistan for the first time in a Test.

Top-order batsman Shan Masood has been passed fit, with Saud Shakeel returning to the side.

“It was last minute I find out I’m captaining,” said Agha.

“Babar’s absence is unfortunate.

“We’ve been playing a lot of red-ball cricket. We’re well prepared,” he added, with England, by contrast, coming into this game following several weeks of the limited-overs Hundred domestic competition.

This is the first match of Root’s second stint as full-time England Test captain following former skipper Ben Stokes’ retirement from all international cricket.

England are also without the other architect of their aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach to red-ball cricket after Brendon McCullum was sacked as Test coach following a 2-1 series loss against New Zealand in June.

The hosts, who have won just two of their last 10 Tests, made three changes to their side.

Jordan Cox replaced the injured Jacob Bethell at number three, and Dan Lawrence filled the gap in the middle order left by Stokes at number six.

Playing for Pakistan are Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafiq, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wkt), Salman Ali Agha (capt), Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali and Mohammad Abbas.

The England lineup consists of Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox, Joe Root (capt), Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith (wkt), Gus Atkinson, Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue.