Dan Lawrence anchored England’s second innings on a rain-affected third day at Lord’s, steering the hosts toward a near-unassailable lead in the second Test against Pakistan. The 29-year-old, who returned to the Test squad for this series following Ben Stokes’ international retirement, remained unbeaten on 50 as England reached 177-7 by the close of play. This performance has extended England’s lead to 357 runs with three wickets remaining.
Play did not commence until 2:20 p.m. due to the weather, and England resumed their innings at 81-3. The team faced immediate pressure from Muhammad Abbas, who utilized the bowler-friendly conditions to claim three wickets, bringing his match total to seven. Abbas first accounted for Emilio Gay, who was dismissed lbw for a single run, before later removing Harry Brook for 34 after a sharp catch by wicket-keeper Muhammad Rizwan. Jamie Smith, who scored a half-century in the first innings, also fell to Abbas for seven, chipping a catch to Shan Masood at mid-wicket.
Lawrence remained resolute throughout his 66-ball stay, striking six fours and two sixes. His aggressive approach included a slog-sweep for six off spinner Ali Usman and a powerful blow over the extra cover ropes against Mohammad Ali. He reached his milestone with a pulled single to deep mid-wicket, marking his second consecutive half-century following his 51-run effort in the first Test victory at Headingley.
Despite losing Gus Atkinson lbw to Mohammad Ali shortly after tea, Lawrence ensured England maintained control. With two days of play remaining and an improved weather forecast for Monday, England are heavily favored to secure a win that would mark their first series victory since December 2024.
Pakistan faces a daunting task, as their batting lineup has struggled to surpass 171 runs in any innings throughout this series. Their first-innings total was limited to just 110 by England’s pace attack, and their challenge is further compounded by the injury status of opener Imam-ul-Haq, who is unable to bat due to a calf injury sustained while off the field. The report also notes that the target is almost certainly beyond Pakistan already. The report also notes that the tourists’ fragile batting line-up has yet to score more than 171 in an innings in this series.
