Rain and bad light meant just 49 overs were possible on the opening day of England’s Test series with Pakistan at Emirates Old Trafford.
It was a gloomy day full of gritty cricket, lit up by the Pakistan No4 Babar Azam, who feasted on English indiscipline in his stylish 69 not out. By the time the weather forced the players from the field for the third time (bad light this time after two rain delays) at around 6.10pm, he and the steady Shan Masood had put on 96 for the third wicket to give Pakistan, who chose to bat first, a strong platform.
When Babar and Masood came together, Pakistan were on shaky ground. England, who were unchanged (meaning Ben Stokes is unlikely to bowl), took the wickets of Abid Ali and Azhar Ali in quick succession after a wicketless first hour, leaving Pakistan 43 for two.
Abid and Masood had battled well for an hour against James Anderson and Stuart Broad, but it was the introduction of the first-change pair Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer that brought the breakthroughs.
Archer bowled Abid with a nip-backer, then Woakes – who was terrific throughout the morning – pinned Azhar in front. The Pakistan captain took a review with him, and Woakes beat Babar all ends up first ball. Babar dug in to reach the lunch break with Pakistan 53 for two.
Babar turned Anderson’s first ball after lunch, a loosener down leg, for four. And from there it felt like Babar hit a beautiful boundary every single over until rain forced them from the field around 70 minutes into the session.
Indeed that is not far off being true: in 15 overs, he stroked nine fours. Anderson was flicked through midwicket and punched through point. Dom Bess was cover-driven, twice. Stuart Broad and Archer were straight driven.
It really was lovely batting, but England had a horrible little session. Anderson, bowling from his own end, looked laboured, while Archer did not have the zip he showed earlier. Jos Buttler dropped Masood, who found life harder than Azam, off Bess on 45. By then, Masood had become the first visiting opener to face 100 balls in the first innings of a Test in England since 2016. His approach was just right in the conditions.
Babar, meanwhile, was playing a different game. He had turned his lunchtime four from 27 balls into 52 not out off 71 by the time the players left the field for rain at 2.50pm, with Pakistan well on top.
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The players were off the field for almost three hours, longer than anyone expected. There were brief patches of heavy rain, but no more than that.
When play finally resumed, England were able to use a quick bowler, Archer bowling to a leg theory field, for just five balls before spin came on at both ends. Once more, Babar looked very happy, adding 17 more to his total, but Buttler should have stumped Masood off Bess. The bounce he found will have pleased Pakistan’s two leggies, Yasir Shah and Shadab Khan.
After 20 minutes, the light faded, and the players left the field, and did not return.