Ollie Robinson showcased his exceptional form by taking two wickets in his opening over, propelling England closer to a potential whitewash against Pakistan in the third Test at Edgbaston. According to Gulf Today, Robinson’s early strikes left Pakistan reeling at 52-2 before rain curtailed play on day two, with the visitors needing 268 runs to force England to bat again.
Robinson, who has been a standout performer throughout the series, has taken 21 wickets at an impressive average of under seven runs each. In Birmingham, he dismissed Saim Ayub for a duck and followed up by removing Abdullah Shafique, finishing the day with figures of 2-10 from six overs.
Pakistan’s batting coach, Mike Smith, acknowledged Robinson’s consistency, noting that he poses a significant challenge for their batsmen. Smith remarked on Robinson’s exceptional bowling and highlighted the need for Pakistan to find ways to counter his effectiveness.
As play concluded for the day, Shan Masood was at the crease with 21 runs, alongside opener Azan Awais, who scored 29. However, the situation appeared dire for Pakistan, who trailed by 320 runs after England’s first innings total of 453.
England’s innings was bolstered by contributions from Harry Brook and Dan Lawrence, who extended their fifth-wicket partnership to 86 runs. Brook scored 75 runs before being run out, while Lawrence added 65 runs before falling to Mohammad Imran, marking his third consecutive half-century since returning to the Test side after a two-year absence.
Jamie Smith also made a significant contribution, scoring 69 runs, his highest Test score since last year. Robinson added a quickfire 50 runs, including a massive six, before becoming Razaullah’s fourth victim.
Despite the challenges, Pakistan found a silver lining in the performance of 21-year-old Razaullah, who, despite conceding 148 runs in his 23 overs, displayed promise with his pace and aggression. However, the team’s current form remains concerning, having lost 15 of their last 20 Tests.
Teams:
- England: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox, Joe Root (capt), Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith (wkt), Gus Atkinson, Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue
- Pakistan: Azan Awais, Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (capt), Saud Shakeel, Ghazi Ghori (wkt), Mohammad Imran Randhawa, Razaullah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Abbas
Umpires: Chris Gaffaney (NZL), Paul Reiffel (AUS)
TV umpire: Allahudien Paleker (RSA)
Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)
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