By The Telegraph (World News) | Created at 2024-10-25 04:20:39 | Updated at 2024-10-25 06:33:40
2 hours ago
Welcome to our coverage of day two of the third Test between Pakistan and England in Rawalpindi.
It was a stuttering start in England’s series decider against Pakistan. The visitors were at risk of throwing the game away on day one, slipping to 118 for six after electing to bat first, but Jamie Smith’s counter-attacking innings from No 7 put them back in the game.
On a spicy turning surface that saw spinners take 12 of the 13 wickets to fall, Smith found a way to return fire as he made a dashing 89.
The England wicketkeeper rained down six sixes and five fours as he launched a crucial counter-attack in the afternoon session, lifting England to 267 all out before Pakistan managed 73 for three in response.
He admitted England were surprised by how much assistance there was from a pitch in the first innings of this third Test but enjoyed the challenge of putting pressure back on the bowlers.
“People didn’t quite know what to expect from that surface. A lot of people have been saying it never spins in Rawalpindi but we weren’t quite sure,” Smith said.
“It’s quite good to face alien conditions, that’s why you like coming away to places like this and experiencing different things. You ask yourself, ‘how can we change something?’, how can we try to change the momentum of the game and dictate terms a little bit going into the back end of our innings.
“It was more luck than judgement on some of those sixes. On another day one of those goes to hand, but thankfully it was my day. That’s the way I like to play my cricket.”
England’s bowlers made good on Smith’s recovery job on day one, Shoaib Bashir and Jack Leach taking care of the Pakistan openers before Gus Atkinson landed a belated blow for the seamers’ union with another late breakthrough – leaving Pakistan 194 runs adrift.
With the occasional ball shooting through at shin height, cracks in evidence and puffs of dust appearing regularly, Smith believes batting could get even harder as the game wears on.
“Every first-innings run was vital,” he said. “Those runs are important when you bat first in an innings like that and you feel the pitch is going to deteriorate as the game goes on.
“I can only see it getting a little bit worse from here, especially with the low bounce and a little bit of turn. The bounce will only make it harder as the game goes on, it’s only going to get lower.”
Pakistan captain Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel, both on 16, will resume this morning hoping to regain some of the ground they conceded after a brilliant start to the match. Play resumes at 6am UK time.
