Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Dan Lawrence produced a gritty unbeaten half-century in difficult conditions as England tightened their grip on the second Test against Pakistan at Lord’s, despite rain repeatedly disrupting play on day three. Pakistan’s Mohammad Abbas made the most of a tricky surface that offered uneven bounce and plenty of movement, picking up three wickets. But with England already holding a massive first-innings advantage and Lawrence standing firm, Pakistan were left facing an increasingly daunting task when play was called off for the day.
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ENG vs PAK, LORD’S TEST DAY 3 HIGHLIGHTS
Persistent rain meant the players did not take the field until 2.20pm. England resumed on 81 for 3, already 261 runs ahead after bowling Pakistan out for 110 on the second day. Emilio Gay, unbeaten on 30 overnight, was joined by Harry Brook, who had seven runs to his name.
Pakistan struck almost immediately after the delayed start. Gay was dismissed within the first 10 balls of the session when Abbas found one that stayed alarmingly low and struck him on the shin.
The pitch continued to pose serious problems for the batters. There was inconsistent carry and significant seam movement, while wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan also had a difficult time behind the stumps, taking a few blows on his hands and body as the ball moved unpredictably. A brief rain interruption only added to the stop-start nature of the day.
Abbas struck again when Brook edged a delivery that bounced more than he expected, with the ball catching the splice and carrying through to Rizwan. Jamie Smith, England’s leading scorer in the first innings, followed soon after when he failed to deal with another delivery that jagged back and sent a chance to square leg.
Lawrence, however, showed a combination of composure and attacking intent to keep England moving forward. He dealt impressively with the movement on offer while refusing to allow Pakistan’s bowlers to completely dictate terms.
He punished Khurram Shahzad with consecutive boundaries when the bowler missed his length, before taking on Mohammad Ali with a four and a six off successive deliveries. The six, a confident lofted drive over deep extra cover, underlined his willingness to counterattack despite the challenging conditions.
Another spell of rain brought an early tea break, with Lawrence unbeaten on 37 from 57 balls.
Pakistan struck soon after the resumption when Gus Atkinson was trapped low on the front pad by Mohammad Ali after playing across the line. Lawrence, though, continued to find ways to score and moved closer to his half-century with a slog-swept six off Ali Usman over deep midwicket.
He completed his sixth Test fifty shortly afterwards, pulling Mohammad Ali for a single to deep square leg.
There was barely time for the milestone to settle before the weather intervened again. Lawrence walked off during another rain delay just a couple of overs after the previous interruption, protecting his bat by tucking the handle inside his shirt.
Play eventually came to an end shortly after 6.30pm, with bad light given as the official reason for abandonment. The decision came despite the possibility of further play and patches of sunlight appearing on the horizon.
For Lawrence, the innings was another timely reminder of his value to England. The 29-year-old was brought back into the Test squad for the Pakistan series after two years away, having impressed in this season’s County Championship. Ben Stokes’ international retirement also created an opening for an all-rounder at No.6, with Lawrence’s off-spin adding another dimension to his case.
He had already made a half-century in England’s innings victory over Pakistan in the opening Test at Headingley. Before that match, Lawrence’s previous Test appearance had come as an opener against Sri Lanka at home in September 2024.
Now, with another composed half-century under his belt and England firmly in control at Lord’s, Lawrence is making the most of his second chance.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
