England v Pakistan: Press-ups & Joe Root’s Test-best highlights of 2016
Written by News on 21/05/2018
Two years after their 2-2 Test series draw in England, Pakistan are back for a two-match contest this summer, starting at Lord’s on Thursday.
Much has changed since 2016, principally the captains, with England’s Alastair Cook returning to the ranks under Joe Root and Misbah-ul-Haq quitting international cricket entirely, with Sarfraz Ahmed now at the helm.
Misbah played a key role for Pakistan last time around, pressing up – literally – and steering his side to the top of the Test rankings for the first time, while Chris Woakes proved a wicket-taking machine for the home team.
Here is the story of an absorbing 2016 stalemate…
First Test (Lord’s) – Pakistan won by 75 runs
Misbah became the oldest captain to score a Test century when, at the ripe old age of 42 years and 47 days, he struck 114 to help lift Pakistan from 77-3 to 339 all out, the veteran celebrating with a series of press-ups to detail he was in no way past it. Sky Sports’ David Lloyd proved likewise with 10 of his own the following day under Misbah’s watchful eye.
Chris Woakes claimed his Test-best 6-70 en route to a 10-for in the match but England were in arrears after the first innings with Mohammad Amir – back at the scene of his spot-fixing crime in 2010 – picking up his first Test scalps in six years, including top-scorer Alastair Cook (81), plus leg-spinner Yasir Shah equalling Woakes’ six-wicket haul.
Woakes made it 11 wickets in the game with 5-32 as England dismissed Pakistan for 219 second time around – Yasir frustrating the hosts with his then-highest Test score of 30 from the No 8 berth – meaning Cook’s men needed 283 to win the series opener.
They were bundled out for 207 – Rahat Ali (3-47) accounting for the top three, Yasir (4-69) ousting the middle order and Amir (2-39) polishing off proceedings by bowling debutant Jake Ball. Jonny Bairstow (48) was the pick of the England batsmen before he was castled by Yasir (10-141), who became the first Asian player to take a 10-wicket haul in a Test at Lord’s. How did Pakistan mark their victory? With press-ups, of course!
Second Test (Old Trafford) – England won by 330 runs
England turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead across the next two Tests, with their whopping success in Manchester followed by a 141-run triumph in Birmingham. Changes were made after the Lord’s loss, with fit-again Ben Stokes and James Anderson returning in place of Ball and Steve Finn but Root was the difference-maker at Old Trafford.
Root (254) scored a career-best “daddy” hundred from No 3 – the spot he will occupy in the upcoming series – topping the 200 he hit against Sri Lanka at Lord’s in 2014, to propel England to 598-8 declared. Cook, in his 50th Test as skipper, chipped in with 105 during a second-wicket stand of 185 with Root – it wouldn’t be their last alliance in the match.
After Woakes (4-67) helped the home side dismiss the visitors for just 198, Root (71no) and Cook (76no) hit rapid knocks, Root’s coming from just 48 balls and featuring 10 fours, as England declared on 173-1 to set Pakistan a mammoth 565 to win. They made just 234.
Third Test (Edgbaston) – England won by 141 runs
The third fixture was, initially, a more even affair with Pakistan actually ahead by 103 on first innings after replying to England’s 297 all out – in which seamer Sohail Khan snared a maiden five-for in Tests – with 400. Azhar Ali struck 139 against a side shorn of Stokes yet again, with the all-rounder having torn his calf at Old Trafford.
Many players contributed in England’s second dig but when Gary Ballance departed for 28, the hosts were 282-5 with an overall lead of just 179. Step forward Moeen Ali (86no) and Bairstow (83no). Their sixth-wicket stand of 152 in under 30 overs changing the complexion of the match and allowing England to declare on 445, with a lead of 342 runs.
For the second game running, Pakistan folded batting last, losing four wickets for one run having reached 124-3, with Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed bagging ducks – Shafiq’s earning him a pair. Misbah made just 10 and top-scorer Sami Aslam was bowled by Finn for 70. England, therefore, celebrated their 500th Test at home with a win. No, 501 didn’t go so well…
Fourth Test (The Oval) – Pakistan won by 10 wickets
Moeen continued his fine form, with his 108 in England’s first knock supplemented by Bairstow (55) and Woakes (45), pushing Cook’s side from 110-5 to 328 all out. Fielding would then cost England dear, though.
Shafiq, having had a torrid time at Edgbaston, would have gone for seven in south London had Anderson held on at slip. He didn’t and the middle-order man went on to hit 109, while Younis Khan (218) ended a run of fallow form by compiling his sixth 200-plus score in Test cricket as Pakistan racked up 542 to lead by 214.
Yasir (5-71) then proved England’s nemesis – only Wokes (26) bagged more wickets in the series than the leggie’s 19 – as England slumped to 253 all out, Bairstow (81) was the only man to offer resistance and Pakistan soon knocked off their nominal target of 40 to triumph on Pakistan Independence Day.
Watch England take on Pakistan, Australia and India this summer on Sky Sports Cricket, starting with the first Test against Pakistan from 10am on Thursday. For our full schedule click here.
(c) Sky News 2018: England v Pakistan: Press-ups & Joe Root’s Test-best highlights of 2016
