Pakistan vs England: Ollie Pope’s workforce ought to be pleased with their efforts regardless of a troublesome day, says Nasser Hussain

England’s bowlers had been compelled to toil onerous within the sweltering Multan warmth however Ollie Pope’s aspect ought to be pleased with their efforts on day one of many first Check, says Sky Sports activities’ Nasser Hussain.

England managed to take 4 wickets however not earlier than Pakistan’s captain Shan Masood (151) and fellow centurion Abdullah Shafique (102) shared a mammoth 253-run stand for the second wicket.

The hosts had been 328-4 at shut of play with Gus Atkinson (2-70) accounting for a few wickets and Jack Leach (1-61) and Chris Woakes (1-58) taking one apiece.

“You cannot criticise Pope and the bowlers, they stuck to their tasks, they gave it everything, that is as tough as it gets as a bowling unit,” mentioned Hussain on Sky Sports activities Cricket.

“You possibly can solely do what they did at present and England ought to be pleased with that.

“You are strolling off considering you probably did effectively and that is the distinction of enjoying at house and enjoying away from house.

“When you stroll off in England and the opposition have gotten 328-4 first digs, loads of the time you are out the sport with the Dukes ball and in English circumstances. Right here, you are still within the recreation.

“Now, we’re looking at body language, speed, fitness and England showed positive signs in all of that.”

England’s tempo bowler Atkinson was the primary to strike eradicating Pakistan’s opener Saim Ayub (4) cheaply within the fourth over.

Nonetheless, it wasn’t till the sixtieth over that England would choose up their second wicket with Atkinson having Shafique caught by Pope at cowl to finish a gruelling 56-over breakthrough drought.

Woakes struck with the brand new ball late within the night session to take away Pakistan’s Babar Azam (30) and provides England a much-needed elevate on the finish of the day.

Babar, who captained Pakistan throughout England’s earlier go to in 2022, has struggled for kind, scoring his final Check century in 2023 towards New Zealand and his final fifty in June of the identical 12 months towards Sri Lanka.

“If you’ve got a great player down, you have to keep them down, maybe not in the context of today or of this game, but in the context of the series, you have to keep their great player down for as long as possible,” added Hussain.

“England win or lose games quickly. They’re not used to such long toil in the field. This will have taken a lot out of them.

“Why was James Anderson such an awesome bowler? Not a lot what he did at 11 o’clock within the morning however what number of captains went to him or to Stuart Broad at 5.30pm within the night, asking them to go once more and get one earlier than the shut.

“It was a huge day for Masood, not just in terms of getting runs, but he understood the game situation. The moment [Shoaib] Bashir came on, he went after him. He looked in good order, there were a couple of leading edges in there but you’ll always have that.

“He regarded bodily match, they ran onerous. Ultimately, the best way they ran really price them as a result of they acquired so bodily drained they began to cramp up.

“England’s bowlers are going to be stiff but that’s the game.

“So far as Check cricket goes, we will not afford this wicket to remain flat for 5 days, this pitch does have to deteriorate and spin.”

England’s efforts within the context of their younger and largely inexperienced bowling assault are additionally spectacular.

They handed 29-year-old Brydon Carse his Check debut while 26-year-old Atkinson is enjoying in his first abroad tour and 20-year-old Bashir options in a Check collection away from house for the primary time since enjoying in India earlier this 12 months.

“You can’t judge England too harshly,” mentioned Sky Sports activities’ Michael Atherton.

“You have to remember that Test cricket in this part of the world, generally, you have flat pitches, and long hot days.

“It is also a reconstituted assault with Carse and Atkinson so these are mitigating circumstances.

“Woakes also has a point to prove in overseas conditions.”

Patel: Hell of an effort from England

England spin bowling coach Jeetan Patel additionally applauded the hassle put in by the bowlers who needed to toil onerous for little reward on a flat wicket in 40 diploma warmth.

“Solid toil. I’m pretty proud of the boys to put in that stint in the last session. We spoke this morning about chasing the ball hard in the field, no matter what the day brings us,” Patel mentioned on Sky Sports activities Cricket.

“That’s such an easy thing to do, but in conditions like this, it’s easy to stop doing. What the boys did tonight was brilliant. It was a hell of an effort from the boys.

“You all the time need one or two extra [wickets], do not you? Six down on the finish of the day would have been superb. However to have them one down at tea and take three wickets within the final session actually units up tomorrow morning for us.

“We always talk about putting two on it. If we put two on it, how does the game change? Pakistan have got a nightwatchman in, so maybe we could put three on it.

“Perhaps that would be the considering within the morning. We take into consideration getting wickets on a regular basis. Then, at 350-7… who is aware of? We are able to solely decide the wicket as soon as we bat on it.”

First Check: Multan – October 7-11

Second Check: Multan – October 15-19

Third Check: Rawalpindi – October 24-28

Each match from the 2024 Girls’s T20 World Cup can be reside on Sky Sports activities from October 3-20 with Australia aiming for a 3rd straight title and seventh total, and England in search of to triumph for the primary time for the reason that inaugural version in 2009.

Watch day two of the primary Check between Pakistan and England in Multan, reside on Sky Sports activities Cricket and Important Occasion from 5.50am on Tuesday, forward of play ranging from 6am.