The first day of the first Test between England and Pakistan in Rawalpindi was electrifying, with four batsmen scoring hundreds as England piled on the huge score.
The fastest Test hundred by an English opener came from Zak Crawley’s 122, which included reaching three figures off 86 balls. Ben Duckett scored his first Test century in six years, scoring 107 as the openers combined for 233 runs for the opening wicket.
Then, Harry Brook stole the show by slamming England’s third-fastest hundred ever with 101 before Ollie Pope added 108 alongside him.
Even though only 75 overs could be bowled due to waning light, Brook struck his first Test century from just 80 balls to help England reach 506-4, the most runs any team has ever achieved on the opening day of a Test.
All of this comes after the match’s start was approved barely two and a half hours before the planned time due to an illness that ravaged the England camp on Wednesday.
Only Ben Foakes, the wicketkeeper, was ruled unable to play from the starting XI that was announced on Tuesday. Pope took over at the wickets, and Will Jacks and fellow spin-bowling all-rounder Liam Livingstone were able to enter the lineup for their Test debuts. (softlay.com)
England celebrates up historic day
If there were any doubts that England could replicate the flamboyant approach that brought them so much success in the home summer in away conditions, they were banished with some scintillating strokeplay. Regardless of the name assigned to this strategy—England dislikes the moniker “Bazball”—it was a flawless display of goodwill on even the flattest of fields.
Crawley and Duckett’s 100-run partnership in 13.5 overs was England’s quickest opening century stand. The 174 runs they scored before lunch set an English record for a Test’s first day. No team in history has ever achieved 300, 400, or 500 faster than the England team.
“It was an extraordinary display of batting,” said former England spinner Vic Marks on Test Match Special. “It wasn’t as if they went searching for big shots. It’s an extraordinary scorecard with all four centurions playing with such certainty.
“It takes an unusual state of mind to just go for it in strange conditions where they haven’t been in so long.”
England benefited from the hosts’ generosity. Pakistan’s team, which had four debutants, struggled on the pitch and had poor ball control. Given that Rawalpindi is a notoriously difficult venue to force a result on, England now has a fantastic opportunity to take the first match of the three-match series.
Openers leave Pakistan stunned
England never looked back after Crawley scored 14 runs in the opening over of the game.
This was a high-class payback of faith with lovely drives, clips, and pulls, supported by captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum despite a run of low scores in the summer.
Given out lbw on 99 to Naseem Shah, Crawley successfully reviewed and two balls later reached his third Test century.
Despite having trouble in the four Test matches he played in 2016, Nottinghamshire left-hander Duckett looked completely at home cutting fast bowlers and sweeping and reverse-sweeping spinners.
When he reached his first century, it was the first time since 2013 that both England’s openers had scored a hundred in a single Test inning.
Haris Rauf bowled Crawley, and Duckett was LBW on review after being reverse-swept by debutant leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood. Despite their dismissals, Pakistan remained unabated.
Pope and Brook kick on
Pope was slated to take over as captain when Stokes became one of the England players to become ill, but he is now the wicketkeeper.
He started off strong with a reverse sweep for four, slipping into Crawley and Duckett’s slipstream. The only exception was Joe Root, who misplayed a sweep at Mahmood and was lbw for 23.
Pope’s century from 90 balls appeared ordinary in comparison to what was happening around him, as Brook annihilated the worn-out Pakistani onslaught.
Like Pope, he played with his wrists, pulling sixes twice over mid-wicket and then hitting Saud Shakeel’s every delivery in an over for four.
He was on track to surpass Gilbert Jessop’s 120-year record for the quickest England century, made off 76 deliveries when he had 89 from 66 balls.
When the light started to wane, Brook drove Naseem for four to achieve his century, and there was still time for Stokes to slam 34 not out from only 15 balls. He slowed down around the time Pope was lbw on review to Mohammad Ali.
Jonathan Agnew, a cricket correspondent for the BBC, remarked, “It’s one of those days where it’s almost impossible to encapsulate what we’ve seen.”