Twitter Reactions: Zak Crawley and Jos Buttler make it England's day
Crawley was unbeaten on 171 at stumps on Day 1.
After the second match was continuously interrupted by rain, it was a sigh of relief that the third Test began on time and 90 overs could be completed. England won the toss and elected to bat first in the last Test match of the series. The hosts went in with one change in their playing XI. Fast bowler Jofra Archer came into the side replacing all-rounder, Sam Curran.
The English side lost an early wicket in the form of opener, Rory Burns. Zak Crawley, the star of Day 1, was the next man in. Dominic Sibley was dismissed for just 22 runs after surviving the initial overs. England Captain, Joe Root got a start once again but failed to capitalize. He scored 29 runs in the 51 deliveries he played. Ollie Pope was dismissed soon after by leggie Yasir Shah.
Zak Crawley and Jos Buttler steal the show on Day 1
England were reeling at 127/4 when Jos Buttler came in to bat. The wicketkeeper-batsman, whose spot has been in doubt, was high on confidence and that clearly reflected in the way he was batting. After starting off slowly by taking his time, he started playing his natural game. He finished with an unbeaten 87 on Day 1.
The man at the other end though was the superstar of the day – Zak Crawley, England’s No.3 batsman ended with a score of 171 not out. After getting off to a quick start, he later went into a shell but overcame that phase too. Once he had passed that phase there was no looking back. He made the most of this opportunity and went on to score a fluent 171 runs. Crawley has made a strong case for himself and is on his way to cement his spot.
The partnership between Crawley and Buttler stands at 205 runs. The Pakistan bowling line-up has been extremely ineffective and needs to buckle up on Day 2 in order to make a comeback. With young pacers in their team, the lack of experience can be clearly felt as the attack is failing to get breakthroughs at crucial times.
Yasir Shah has picked up two wickets, while Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah have one to their name. England ended the day at 332/4 and would definitely be the happier side. The Asian side would be hoping for an improved effort on Day 2 to make a strong comeback in the game. After some great action on Day 1, there’s a lot to look forward to on the second day.
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