England Struggles to Dismiss Pakistan Tail on Second Morning in Multan
England faced challenges in cleaning up Pakistan’s tail on the second morning in Multan, as reported by The Independent. Despite picking up three wickets in the session, they were unable to finish off Pakistan, who moved to 358 for eight at lunch.
Brydon Carse, displaying an impressive start in Test cricket, got Mohammad Rizwan caught behind early on. Matthew Potts and Jack Leach also contributed to the breakthroughs. However, an unbeaten ninth-wicket partnership of 49 runs between Aamer Jamal and Noman Ali proved to be a source of frustration for the tourists, as it added crucial runs to Pakistan’s total on a re-used pitch expected to deteriorate as the match progresses.
During the morning session, the hosts scored 99 runs, with England struggling to contain the scoring and restrict the lower-order batsmen. Despite starting at 259 for five, England’s pace attack managed to make early inroads. Carse’s accuracy initially posed problems for Pakistan but fatigue set in towards the end of the morning, with his final over proving to be costly.
Potts, replacing Carse, dismissed Salman Agha for 31 as the score surpassed 300. Leach also got into the action, removing Sajid Khan cheaply. England continued to strive for further breakthroughs but were thwarted by Jamal and Noman, who frustrated the English side with their aggressive strokeplay.
Shoaib Bashir, in particular, faced challenges in creating consistent problems for England, with his figures reflecting his struggles. Despite the efforts of the English bowlers, Pakistan’s tailenders managed to resist, ensuring their team reached a competitive total by the lunch break.