England faltered to a 75-run defeat against Pakistan as Yasir Shah had the final say in an epic first Test at Lord's here yesterday
Pacer Mohammad Amir celebrates Pakistan's win after dismissing Englandu00c3u00a2u00c2u0080u00c2u0099s No 11 batsman Jake Ball at Lordu00c3u00a2u00c2u0080u00c2u0099s yesterday. Pics/Getty Images, AFP
London: England faltered to a 75-run defeat against Pakistan as Yasir Shah had the final say in an epic first Test at Lord's here yesterday.
Pacer Mohammad Amir celebrates Pakistan's win after dismissing England's No 11 batsman Jake Ball at Lord's yesterday. Pics/Getty Images, AFP
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Yasir took his match haul to a Pakistan ground-record 10 for 141 to help bowl England out for 207 late on the fourth evening, in pursuit of 283 — their highest chase at this venue.
Misbah-ul-Haq's tourists are therefore 1-0 up, with three to play, having profited most from their captain's first-innings century and then Yasir's expertise — defying unfamiliar climes, in his first Test outside Asia.
Three 40s in England's middle order were not enough, after they had bowled Pakistan out for 215 and set off to make some history of their own — with almost two full days at their disposal.
Pakistan spinner Yasir Shah (centre) celebrates the wicket of England's Jonny Bairstow with teammates. He finished the Test with 10-141
Rahat Ali took three top-order wickets; then Yasir (four for 69) had his predictable say too, and Mohammad Amir appropriately helped finish the job as a succession of batsmen failed to decide between attack and defence and struggled for a winning tempo.
In a match billed for months as the Test return of Amir after his five-year ban for spot fixing here, and all that might entail in terms of crowd and opposition reaction, it has been intrigue of the right kind which has taken over from the outset.
Wise heads had predicted England's best chance of success lay with a substantial score from either Alastair Cook or Joe Root. There was none forthcoming, though, as Rahat did the early damage.
Cook got a thin edge behind, and Root (nine) mistimed a pull straight to one of the two men positioned in the leg-side deep for just that errant possibility. — PA Sport
Brief scores
Pakistan 339 & 215 (A Shafiq 49; C Woakes 5-32) beat England 272 & 207 (J Bairstow 48; Y Shah 4-69, R Ali 3-47, M Amir 2-39) by 75 runs
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