Pakistan pacers dismantle England

Pakistan’s Hasan Ali celebrates the wicket of Joe Root during the first day of the first Test against England in London on Thursday.

Pakistan’s Hasan Ali celebrates the wicket of Joe Root during the first day of the first Test against England in London on Thursday.   | Photo Credit: Gareth Copley

Cook plays record-equalling 153rd consecutive Test

Pakistan pacemen Mohammad Abbas and Hasan Ali took four wickets apiece as England suffered yet another top-order collapse at Lord’s on Thursday.

Hopes that a return home and a re-jigged top-order picked by new national selector Ed Smith would help rid England of the batting slumps that plagued it during a run of seven straight Tests without a victory in Australia and New Zealand quickly proved illusory as it was dismissed for just 184.

Abbas finished with excellent figures of four for 23, while Hasan, who did not play in Pakistan’s win over Test debutant Ireland in Dublin last week, took four for 51 in 15.2 overs.

Pakistan then consolidated the good work of its bowlers by reaching stumps having lost just Imam-ul-Haq to be 50 for one.

Alastair Cook, in his 153rd consecutive Test which equalled Australian Allan Border’s all-time record for successive appearances at this level, was the only England batsman to play an innings of substance with 70.