Lords hosts the second of three test matches between England and Pakistan, the game gets under way on Thursday and after a comfortable win in the series opener England are 1-0 up
This is a 3 match series with Birmingham the third and final test starting on the 9th September
England won the first test at Headingley, Leeds by an innings and 103 runs. The home side won the toss and opted to bowl first and the decision proved to be the right one as Pakistan were bowled out for 171. Robinson and Tongue both claimed 5 wickets and Pakistan’s top scores came from Abdullah Shafique (61) and Imam-ul-Haq (42).
England replied with 409 with big contributions from Harry Brook (91), Jordan Cox (73), Dan Lawrence (51) and skipper Joe Root (61), Ali Usman took 5 wickets.
Pakistan’s second innings was even more of a struggle than the first as they were bowled out for 135 with Robinson, Tongue and Archer all taking 3 wickets and the game was over on Day 3. This was how the teams lined up at Leeds.
England: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox, Joe Root (c), Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith (wk), Ollie Robinson, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue
Pakistan: Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Agha (c), Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Abbas
The Venue, Lords, London
Over the course of the last 5 years England have played 10 test matches at Lords, winning 6, losing 3 and drawing 1.
The most recent Lords test came in June this year and England (140 and 226) beat New Zealand (113 and 138) by 104 runs on a terrible wicket for batting.
Click Here For The Lords Weather Forecast
2nd Test Betting
Prices quoted from Sportingbet are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change.
England are 7/20 to win the first test with a draw at 4/1 and Pakistan can be backed at 11/2
Price boosts include Ollie Robinson to be England’s top 1st innings wicket taker at 5/2 (from 2/1) and Babar Azam to be Pakistan’s top 1st innings bat at 100/30 (from 11/4)
The Verdict
Let’s hope the wicket is much improved from the New Zealand game and after Pakistan put in a real shocker at Leeds we get a watchable contest.
For my bets young talent Jordan Cox came through for me with a 50 at Headingley and once again he is the subject of a price boost to do likewise at Lords.
I’m also sticking with the same play I went with in the first test for Pakistan’s 1st innings top batter where Imam Ul Haq is trading at 5/1.
Bets: 1st innings to score a 50 Jordan Cox? Yes at 11/4 (from 9/4) with Sportingbet
Pakistan top 1st innings bat Imam Ul Haq at 5/1 with Sportingbet