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England vs Pakistan 2020, 3rd Test, Day 1 – Twitter Reactions

By Yash Mittal

Updated - 22 Aug 2020, 01:04 AM

Zak Crawley and Jos Buttler [Photo-Twitter]

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England has asserted themselves into the driving seat following unbeaten knocks of 171 and 87 from Zak Crawley and Jos Buttler respectively, as the home side finished at 4-332 at stumps on the opening day of the third Test against Pakistan.

Earlier in the day, England captain Joe Root won the toss and decided to bat first. Rory Burns’s dismal run against Pakistan continued as he was squared up by Shaheen Shah Afridi, giving an easy catch to Shan Masood at fourth slip in the fifth over. But barring that delivery, Pakistan bowlers were largely out of place in the first hour of the morning session as Zak Crawley unleashed his flurry of strokes to put the visitors on the backfoot.

It looked as if Crawley picked up from where he had left in the second innings of the 2nd Test. Pakistan managed to break the 2nd wicket stand between Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley as Yasir Shah, after having sprayed it around in his first spell, managed to dry up the runs and eventually dismiss the English opener for 27.

Crawley, despite playing attacking cricket, got stuck on 49 for a long time but he finally breached the mark in the last over before Lunch.

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Zak Crawley and Jos Buttler’s 200+ stand deflate Pakistan as England assert themselves into the driving seat

Pakistan was pretty brilliant in the first hour after the lunch break as they claimed prized scalps of Joe Root and Ollie Pope to put England on the backfoot. Joe Root was undone courtesy a Naseem Shah jaffa- one that nipped off the seam to take an outside edge off his bat, only for Mohammad Rizwan to take a brilliant diving catch.

England, Pakistan
Zak Crawley [Photo-Twitter[
Yasir Shah then proceeded to bamboozle Ollie Pope’s stumps, after the batsman was caught on his crease to a delivery that came in sharply. But it was Zak Crawley’s day. The right-hander looked self-assured and very composed, stroking almost every stroke in the book. He got great support from Jos Buttler, as the duo proceeded to stitch a 100-run stand.

In the process, Crawley proceeded to stroke his maiden Test hundred with a firm push towards mid-off, becoming the first England batsman to stroke a 100 at No.3 in home conditions since 2016.

England, Pakistan
Jos Buttler [Photo-Twitter]
Jos Buttler was absolutely imperious against Yasir Shah, smoking for 16 runs in an over, to breach the half-century mark for the second time in the series as England went past the 250+run mark. Crawley, on the other hand, continued to pile on the agony as he reached his maiden 150 in Test crick.

The right-hander became just the sixth English batsman to rack up a 150+ score before turning 23. Pakistan threw the last dice of the day by opting for the new ball but the fast bowlers- especially Shaheen Afridi- were wayward in their line and lengths and Buttler and Crawley ensured that England finished the day at a commanding 4-332 after 90 overs.

 

Here’s how Twitter reacted to the first day’s play between England and Pakistan

https://twitter.com/neilfissler/status/1296841345743704064?s=19

https://twitter.com/totallysaqib/status/1296756546966376448?s=19

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