England fought back to take three cheap wickets and limit Pakistan to 187-5 at lunch on day two of the first test at Old Trafford on Thursday.
Seamers James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes probed incessantly and earned edges to share the wickets. They could look forward to the new ball in five more overs.
Shan Masood was 77 not out, playing defense impressively in the longest innings in terms of balls by a Pakistan opener in England in 24 years.
England's James Anderson, left, celebrates the dismissal of Pakistan's Babar Azam during the second day of the first cricket Test match between England and Pakistan at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. (Dan MullanPool via AP)
Masood's caution was underlined after watching Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq and Mohammad Rizwan succumb for the addition of only 48 runs in the session.
Babar was the biggest blow. Pakistan's best batsman was out in the first over of the day without adding to his overnight score of 69. Babar went after Anderson and gave a thick edge to Joe Root at first slip.
Shafiq made only 7 when he swiped at a fuller length delivery by Broad and Ben Stokes at second slip dived in front of Root for the catch.
England's Stuart Broad, left, celebrates the dismissal of Pakistan's Asad Shafiq during the second day of the first cricket Test match between England and Pakistan at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. (Lee SmithPool via AP)
Rizwan went for 9, drawn forward by Woakes and nicking behind 20 minutes before lunch. Woakes had 2-28.
Masood, meanwhile, moved from 46 overnight to 50 off 156 balls in the day’s second over. He progressed to 77 off 225 balls, not far now from the 264 Saeed Anwar faced in 1996 at the Oval in a score of 176.
With Masood at the crease was bowling allrounder Shadab Khan on 1 after 14 balls.
Pakistan's Shan Masood, left, bats during the second day of the first cricket Test match between England and Pakistan at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. (Dan MullanPool via AP)
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Pakistan's Shan Masood plays a shot during the second day of the first cricket Test match between England and Pakistan at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. (Dan MullanPool via AP)