England lost their first wicket at 21 when Emily Guy was dismissed for 8 by Mohammad Abbas, with wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan taking the catch. Ben Duckett then fell for 17, also to Abbas, leaving England 26 for two.
Captain Joe Root was dismissed for just 4 at 36, giving Abbas his third wicket. Harry Brook and Jordan Cox then rebuilt the innings with an attacking 41-run partnership. Brook scored 15 before being bowled by Mohammad Ali at 77, leaving England four wickets down.
Jordan Cox and Dan Lawrence steadied the innings further, adding 43 runs for the fifth wicket. Lawrence was eventually run out for 17 at 120. Cox then continued to anchor the innings alongside Jamie Smith, taking England to 180 for five by the tea interval.
Mohammad Abbas has taken three wickets for Pakistan, while Mohammad Ali has claimed one. Babar Azam returned to Pakistan’s playing XI for the second Test, with Salman Ali Agha dropped. Babar said Pakistan would look to take advantage of the grass on the pitch under overcast conditions.
England captain Joe Root said his side had also wanted to bowl first and would look to post a big total. Pakistan’s playing XI: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Azan Owais, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali and Mohammad Abbas.
England’s playing XI: Joe Root, Emily Guy, Ben Duckett, Jordan Cox, Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue.
England lead the three-match series 1-0 after defeating Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs in the first Test in Leeds. Pakistan last won a Test series in England in 1996 under Wasim Akram, securing a 2-1 victory.
