Openers Zak Crawley (122) and Ben Duckett (107) set the tone with quick-fire tons towards a hapless Pakistan bowling assault earlier than Ollie Pope (108)and Harry Brook (101 not out) compounded their distress.
England’s Harry Brook (L) celebrates with captain Ben Stokes after scoring a century (100 runs) throughout the first day of the first cricket Test match between Pakistan and England at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, in Rawalpindi on 1 December 2022. Picture: Aamir QURESHI/AFP
RAWALPINDI – Four England batsmen scored tons of Thursday as the guests piled up a document 506-4 on the opening day of the first Test towards Pakistan in Rawalpindi.
Openers Zak Crawley (122) and Ben Duckett (107) set the tone with quick-fire tons towards a hapless Pakistan bowling assault earlier than Ollie Pope (108)and Harry Brook (101 not out) compounded their distress.
Ben Stokes was additionally not out, on 34, when unhealthy mild stopped play, having helped England break a 112-year-old document for the most runs on the first day of a Test – beating Australia’s 494-6 towards South Africa at Sydney.
After successful the toss England went straight into “Bazball” mode, the model of freewheeling, aggressive batting taken from the nickname of head coach Brendon McCullum.
England’s fiery batting – with 73 boundaries and three sixes – lifted the gloom over the begin, which hung in the steadiness Wednesday after a number of of the vacationers got here down with a thriller virus.
As if the punishment from the prime three wasn’t sufficient, Brook – taking part in solely his second Test – cracked six consecutive boundaries off one over from debutant spinner Saud Shakeel.
He is simply the fourth batsman to rating six consecutive boundaries in a Test, following West Indians Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan, and Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya.
Brook reached his maiden century off simply 80 balls, capping a extremely entertaining day for a crowd of 6,000 that included round 150 “Barmy Army” followers.
Brook added 176 for the fourth wicket with Pope, who fell to pacer Mohammad Ali.
Pakistan had briefly fought again in the second session after they dismissed Duckett, Crawley and Joe Root (23) in the house of 53 runs, however that was shortlived.
Debutant leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood was the most profitable Pakistan bowler with 2-160 on a pitch comparable to the one used towards Australia earlier this 12 months.
That pitch was declared “below average” by the match referee after it yielded 1,187 runs for the lack of simply 14 wickets over 5 days.
Duckett, who hit his maiden hundred after being recalled to the Test facet following an absence of six years, was the first to go when he missed a reverse sweep off Mahmood and was trapped leg-before.
West Indian umpire Joel Wilson initially dominated it not out, solely to change his choice on Pakistan’s evaluate.
Duckett, who hit 15 boundaries, put on 233 for the first wicket with Crawley – an England document for the first wicket towards Pakistan.
It beat the 1962 stand of 198 between openers Geoff Pullar and Bob Barber in Dhaka, then East Pakistan.
Crawley was bowled off a pointy incoming supply by Haris Rauf in the subsequent over, the Test debutant’s first wicket.
The lanky Crawley hit 21 boundaries in his quickfire 111-ball innings, his third Test hundred.
Former skipper Root additionally fell leg-before to Mahmood, unsuccessfully difficult the choice.
Crawley confirmed his intent proper from the begin, hitting three boundaries off Pakistan quick bowler Naseem Shah’s first over of the match, and mentioning his half-century off simply 38 balls.
He may have grow to be the first England batter to rating a century earlier than lunch on day certainly one of a Test however was left 9 brief.
England are on their first Test tour to Pakistan in 17 years.