England v Pakistan in a nutshell: All you need to know from day two at Headingley

England v Pakistan in a nutshell: All you need to know from day two at Headingley

A morning lost to the rain, an impressive knock from the nightwatchman and England build a healthy lead on day two at Headingley…

SCORECARD | COMMENTARY | HIGHLIGHTS

The Report

England carved out a 128-run lead over Pakistan on a rain-affected day two of their must-win second Test at Headingley, writes David Ruse.

Dom Bess (49) and Jos Buttler (34no) made the most meaningful contributions after skipper Joe Root fell for 45 as the hosts – looking to avoid a first home Test series defeat since going down to Sri Lanka in 2014 – closed on 302-7.

England v Pakistan in a nutshell: All you need to know from day two at Headingley

England v Pakistan in a nutshell: All you need to know from day two at Headingley

England vs Pakistan

June 3, 2018, 10:00am

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England v Pakistan in a nutshell: All you need to know from day two at Headingley

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Moment of the Day

England were 220-5, leading by only 46, with two new batsman at the crease when Buttler, on just four at the time, whipped the ball to mid-wicket off Shadab Khan. It was at a nice catching height for Hasan Ali but the fielder just did not seem to pick it up and the ball burst through his hands and raced away for four.

A flurry of boundaries followed as Buttler and Jonny Bairstow swiftly took their partnership to 48 and established a sizeable lead. With Buttler still there at stumps, and capable of taking the game away from Pakistan very quickly on the third morning, the tourists could come to rue that drop all the more.

England v Pakistan in a nutshell: All you need to know from day two at Headingley

Talking point

The players were kept from the field as rain fell steadily during the morning in Leeds but it was the time in between the rain stopping and play resuming that frustrated Nasser Hussain.

The outfield certainly seemed safe enough but it was not until 2.45pm that day two got underway. With a bumper Saturday crowd in at Headingley, Nasser questioned why they were made to wait so long for the action to start.

Participation Test – day two

The second day of the Participation Test focused on the new South Asian Action Plan and its aim to better engage with South Asian communities at every level of the game.

ECB non-executive board director Lord Kamlesh Patel and Yorkshire off-spinner Azeem Rafiq joined David Gower in the studio to talk about the progress already being made on the 11-point action plan.

England v Pakistan in a nutshell: All you need to know from day two at Headingley

David Gower is joined by Lord Patel and Yorkshire off-spinner Azeem Rafiq to take a look at some of the initiatives taken to boost engagement in cricket within the South Asian community. Isa Guha also gives her views on the topic.

Over 30 per cent of club players are of South Asian descent but only four per cent are county cricketers. Matt Floyd examined the reasons why with the help of Moeen Ali and other prominent British Asian cricketers.

England v Pakistan in a nutshell: All you need to know from day two at Headingley

Matt Floyd investigates why South Asian cricketers are not reaching the county game and how the ECB plans to rectify that

What they said

Graham Thorpe, ECB lead batting coach: “It’s hard to put a figure on it but if we get past a 150-run lead then brilliant because there is something in the pitch for the bowlers.

“We’ve seen that today – all our batters have got starts with no fifties; that’s disappointing but at the same time there has been one fifty in the game.”

Tweets of the day

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