Pakistan need one wicket as England resume on 248 for 9 at Lord's

England were restricted to 248 for 9 on day one of the second Test at Lord's, leaving Pakistan with one wicket to take when play resumes at 11am. Pakistan won the toss and chose to bowl, and their attack responded after a flat performance in the first Test in Leeds.

Pakistan bowled from both ends, with Mohammad Ali showing the exacting accuracy that has become the trademark of Mohammad Abbas. Fielding was patchy but good enough to keep England in check on a surface Stuart Broad described as 'probably a 250 pitch'.

Pakistan's two jobs on day two

Ben Sutherland from Catford, London, UK · CC BY 2.0

Pakistan have two clear tasks on the second morning. They need to take the last England wicket and then build a first-innings lead of around 100. Completing both jobs would put them firmly in charge of the second Test.

There may be personal motivation in the final wicket too. Pakistan might prefer Ali to leave it to Abbas, who took two four-wicket hauls at Lord's in 2018 and could take his place on the honours board as a result. Whether that is a deliberate plan is not yet known.

Weather and conditions

Brian Minkoff-London Pixels · CC BY-SA 3.0

The weather is expected to favour Pakistan's batters. The forecast is mostly sunshine, with possible showers in mid-afternoon, and conditions should be good for batting once the new ball is seen off. Broad's description of the pitch as worth around 250 suggests England's total is close to par, leaving the game balanced.

The morning session is likely to shape the match. If Pakistan finish the innings quickly and the openers build steadily, a lead of around 100 should be within reach. If England take an early wicket or two, the contest will tighten.

For Pakistan, a first-innings lead of around 100 would be more than a statistic. It would put scoreboard pressure on England and give Pakistan's bowlers something to defend in the final innings. It would also be the clearest sign yet that the team have put their Leeds disappointment behind them.

What is not yet known

The identity of the bowler who takes the final wicket and the size of Pakistan's eventual lead will only become clear as the game develops. England's response with the ball will be just as important, because a narrow first-innings margin would leave the match wide open.