ENG vs PAK Test 3 Day 2 in SouthamptonEngland vs Pakistan (ENG vs PAK) 3rd Test Day 2 Live Cricket Score Updates: Zak Crawley, who scored 267, and Jos Buttler, who scored 152, piled misery on Pakistan on Day 2 of the 3rd Test. They put on a 359-run stand, the highest ever 5th wicket partnership for England and the fifth highest 5th wicket partnership in Test history.
England resumed Day 2 on 332/4, with Zak Crawley and Jos Buttler carrying on from their overnight scores of 171 and 87 respectively. Rain halted play twice in the morning session before England reached the break at 373/4, with Crawley on 186 and Buttler on 113. Crawley got to his 200 off 331 balls, becoming the youngest English batsman to score a 200 in Tests since David Gower in 1979. Buttler and Crawley also beat England’s all-time record for the highest 5th wicket partnership in Tests, going past Tony Greig and Keith Fletcher’s 254-run stand from 1973. Crawley fell for 267 in the afternoon session to part-time spinner Asad Shafiq. England reached the Tea break at 490/5. Another part-time spinner, Fawad Alam, dismissed Buttler in the third session.
Bess gets into the act now. A four cracked on the off side and a six hoicked to leg side off Yasir takes England past 580. Some consternation from the comm box as to why Root is not declaring yet. The target must be 600 and to send in Pakistan for 10 overs or so. Broad and Bess taking England close to 600 in lightning speed. ENG 582/7 after 154
Broad sweeps Fawad Alam for six. Sweeps for two later in the over. Bess also swats Yasir Shah at the other end, with the England lower order looking to add some quick runs. Bess skies one but Naseem drops the catch in the deep. The score moves to 563/7 after 152 overs. Asad Shafiq replaces Fawad Alam, and Broad clobbers him for six to start off the next over. ENG 569/7
Broad comes out at 9. He's had a bit of a rebirth as a lower order pinch hitter this summer. Is almost out for a first ball duck though, but an outside edge lands short of slip.Yasir Shah, having conceded more than 150 runs in this innings, continues from the other end. Bess brings up England's 550 with a blasted four past point. ENG 551/7 after 150
A lengthy drinks break is taken as Rizwan is hit on the hands by a wayward throw. Woakes pulls Yasir for a four to end the 148th over. Root seen in his whites in the dressing room. Maybe 550 is the mark he is waiting for. Fawad Alam bowls the 149th over, and gets another wicket! Woakes is out for 40. England 7 down for 547.
Bess joins Woakes, with Pakistan continuing with their part-timers. The sting has gone out of the game a bit, reckons Shane Warne on air. Root seen cleaning the spikes of his boots in the dressing room. Surely we are not long from a declaration now. Would be a good one hour or so of intense pressure for Pakistan if they are sent in now. ENG 541/6 after 147.2
Buttler is caught and bowled by Fawad Alam. Another part-timer picks up a big wicket. Buttler falls for 152, his highest ever score, in any format. ENG 530/6
How he brought up his first ever 150:
Pakistan continue with part-timers. Time for Fawad Alam now. And Buttler and Woakes keep milking the field for runs. Buttler moves to a career-best First class score of 145*. And matter-of-factly drives through the covers in the next over to bring up his 150. Has taken on a backing role since the morning session, that's his first boundary in a long time. England 530/5 after 144
Woakes continues to be the aggressor. Gets a four with a top edge against Shaheen that runs over the keeper's head. This is the first time in more than three years that England have brought up 500 in a Test innings. ENG 513/5 after 140
Woakes and Buttler walk out to resume the England innings. Woakes makes the first statement of the session with a well timed drive through covers for four against Shaheen. And follows up with two fours to end the over. England cross 500. Root seen pacing in the dressing room. When will the declaration come? ENG 503/5 after 138
Buttler and Woakes walk back to the pavilion at the break, both teams content to stretch out the overs to ensure they can go in early. England are on 490/5 after 136 overs. Buttler on 140. How much longer before England declare now? There is rain forecast for Day 5, surely that will be playing on Root's mind.
This was the 5th highest partnership for the fifth wicket in Test history. What an achievement by Crawley and Buttler.
Highest 5th wicket partnership in Tests :
405 vs Eng- S Barnes,D Bradman(1946)
385 vs SA - G Blewett,S Waugh(1997)
376 vs Aus -R Dravid,VVS Laxman(2001)
359 vs NZ - M Rahim,S Hasan(2017)
359 vs Pak - Z Crawley,J Buttler(today)
This is also the highest score (267) after which a batsman has gone out stumped.
ENG 488/5 after 134, with Chris Woakes having joined Buttler.
Crawley, after a few unsuccessful attempts, times a reverse sweep against Asad Shafiq to perfection. Shaheen bowls a tighter over as Pakistan continue with a part timer at one end and a specialist bowler at one. And it's the part time who strikes! Gets Crawley! Crawley is stumped down leg side. He falls for 267 off 393 balls. ENG 486/5
Crawley keeps attacking the specialist bowlers more than the part-timers, as Pakistan bring on Asad Shafiq's spin. Cuts Abbas with power for four. Defends against Shafiq. Buttler, surprisingly, content to play the more defensive role. ENG 476/4 after 130
With a message seemingly having come through to the batsmen to step on the gas in the later half of this afternoon session, more of thos records are in danger. Shan Masood's dibbly-dobblies being harder to prove away than the frontline bowlers. ENG 461/4 after 127
Test 250s scored before the age of 23: Ramnaresh Sarwan, Graeme Smith, Brian Lara, Zaheer Abbas, Rohan Kanhai, Gary Sobers, Hanif Mohammad, Jackie McGlew, Len Hutton & Don Bradman. Crawley is now rubbing shoulders with giants of the game.
Crawley plays out four dot balls from Shan Masood again, and then shows his intentions. Drives through covers, first for a couple of runs and then for a four that flies to the fence without giving the fielders a reason to move. 450 comes up for England with that. Crawley gets to 250 with a walk down the pitch and whiplash to the leg side. Crawley is toying with the Pakistan attack now. England's highest score this century has been Alastair Cook, with 294. All those records on the line for Crawley today. ENG 456/4 after126
Pakistan are stretched. Shan Masood, right arm medium fast, to bowl the 123rd over as we resume after a drinks break. They went to Fawad Alam as 5th bowler yesterday, it's Shan Masood's turn today. Masood starts off with a wide down leg side. If there was any doubt England have Pakistan on the ropes. He bowls a maiden over though, Crawley, perhaps taking the opportunity to get a breather. In the next over, from Naseem, Crawley plays a gorgeous cover drive for four to move to 240. Worthy time to remember the only player to convert his only Test ton to a triple ton is India's Karun Nair. ENG 443/4 after 124
Both batsmen are looking to go for their shots now. Cries of 'Catch' being heard more and more. Most of the shots are being excellently timed though. Crawley ends the over from Yasir with a reverse sweep for four. Brought that shot out against the spinner on Day 1 with great effect as well. Naseem Shah ENG 438/4 after 122
Meanwhile, some serious questions to be pondered in that Pakistan dressing room.
Naseem Shah brought back and he is welcomed by Crawley with a straight drive that goes past him like a bullet for four. Crawley has looked to free his arms in this session. Was stuck in his 180s for an eternity, has breezed through to be in his 220s now. Buttler brings up the 300th run of this partnership with a push for two to end the 120th over. ENG 428/4 after 120
Crawley gives Yasir the charge! Pulls hards for four and comes down the track and lofts him for six. Time for this pair to break loose now? It could be carnage, they must be seeing the ball like it is a basketball by now. ENG 421/4 after 119
400 comes up as Buttler pulls with power. Yasir gets one to turn sharply, straightening past the bat as Crawley plays down the wrong line. Shaheen digs one in so short it is signalled as wide. ENG 408/4 after 118