Harry Brook posted England’s fifth-highest ever Test score as they racked up 823-7, before their bowlers reduced Pakistan to 152-6 in their second innings to still trail by 115 runs at the end of day four of the first Test in Multan.
Brook (317) hit England’s first triple hundred since 1990 – and only the sixth ever – off 322 balls as he shared an utterly exhausting yet brilliant 454-run partnership with fellow Yorkshireman Joe Root (262) – the highest-ever partnership for England, surpassing Peter May and Colin Cowdrey’s record of 411 which had stood since 1957.
It was just the fourth Test innings in which a team has scored more than 800 runs, and the first since Sri Lanka’s Test record total of 952-6 against India in 1997.
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England then made an immediate impact with the ball, first-innings centurion Abdullah Shafique bowled first ball by Chris Woakes (1-29) before Gus Atkinson (2-28) had Pakistan captain Shan Masood caught for 11.
The hosts were reduced to 41-4 and then 82-6 but Salman Ali Agha (40no) and Aamer Jamal (24no) provided much-needed resistance to the batting line-up with an unbeaten partnership of 70, carefully guiding their side to 152-6 at stumps, trailing England by 115 runs.
Brook continues to find glory in Pakistan
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England’s Harry Brook reached his first Test double century by easing the ball off the off side against Pakistan.
Test match landmarks achieved by England in first Test against Pakistan in Multan
Brook resumed day four on 141 and continued to bat elegantly hitting 29 boundaries and three sixes in a country where he averages 122.
The 25-year-old was joined at the crease with Root in what was the perfect display of master and apprentice, as the latter brought up his own double century with a gentle single nudged into the leg side.
Root went on to reach his highest score in Test cricket, passing the 254 made against the same opposition at Old Trafford back in 2016 – achievements that were particularly painful for Pakistan given Babar Azam had dropped him on 186 at midwicket.
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Joe Root continued his brilliant batting in England’s first test series against Pakistan to get his sixth career double century.
The pair brought up England’s 700 before Pakistan were finally rewarded for their toil in the punishing heat, with Salman (1-118) trapping Root leg-before in the 137th over.
Brook continued, though, in dismissive style launching Naseem Shah’s (2-157) first ball for six over extra cover, scoring more Test runs in Pakistan than he has managed in England.
Brook reached his triple-ton going at virtually a run-a-ball to bring up his highest score in Test cricket, and looked to be threatening Len Hutton’s England record-high score of 364 set in 1938.
His innings was brought to an end after he top-edged Saim Ayub (2-101) to short fine leg, a relief for Pakistan’s tired bowlers.
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Pakistan’s Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel dropped two easy catches as their team struggle against England.
Saim was rewarded again one ball later when Atkinson (2) picked out Babar at short cover, while Jamie Smith (31) was caught in the deep after slogging Naseem.
Brydon Carse (9) and Woakes continued to be a thorn for Pakistan, adding an unbeaten 24 for the eighth wicket, taking England past a mighty 800, before Pope declared in the 150th over with a lead of 267.
Pakistan disintegrate in searing heat
This year, Pakistan have faltered during the second innings in Test cricket and Multan was no different.
The host collapsed to 82-6 in what was described by former Pakistan Cricket Board chair Ramiz Raja as an “implosion” on Sky Sports Cricket.
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Chris Woakes bowls Abdullah Shafique with the first ball of Pakistan’s second innings in high-scoring first Test.
The crisis began when Shafique’s off-stump was sent cartwheeling by a length ball that nipped back off Woakes to the first delivery of the innings.
Masood was granted two lives after being dropped by Woakes on five and seven, but the Pakistan skipper – who scored 151 in the first innings – was outdone by a change of pace from Atkinson which forced a tame leading edge straight to Crawley at midwicket.
Babar’s lean run of form continued after he nicked Atkinson behind to Smith’s safe hands.
Saim added a vital 25 during the turbulent innings but Carse had him caught at cover by Duckett leaving the hosts on 41-4 and on the precipice of losing the first Test.
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Brydon Carse got England’s fifth wicket as they continue to dominate Pakistan.
The few fans that were in the Multan stadium cheered when Muhammad Rizwan (10) came to the crease but he only lasted 19 balls after Carse bowled him sending shock waves through the batting order.
Saud Shakeel (29) soaked up some of the pressure but was deceived by Jack Leach’s (1-20) quicker delivery that edged through to Smith.
Salman and Aamer guided Pakistan to stumps safely, playing defensively for the precious seventh wicket forcing England to work hard for their victory.
First Test: Multan – October 7-11
Second Test: Multan – October 15-19
Third Test: Rawalpindi – October 24-28
Every match from the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup is also live on Sky Sports from October 3-20 with Australia aiming for a third straight title and seventh overall, and England seeking to triumph for the first time since the inaugural edition in 2009.
Watch day four of the first Test between Pakistan and England in Multan, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 5.50am on Thursday, ahead of play starting from 6am. Stream with NOW
Fabio Wardley’s huge rematch with Frazer Clarke is on the epic Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol bill on Saturday October 12 live on Sky Sports Box Office. Book Wardley v Clarke 2 and Beterbiev v Bivol now!