Robinson, Tongue Star as England Dominate Pakistan on Day One of Headingley Test

Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue starred for England on the opening day of the Headingley Test, as the duo bowled superbly to skittle Pakistan for a low first-innings score.

England captain Joe Root then played steadily in the final session, as the hosts ended the first day of the Headingley Test against Pakistan in a strong position.

England reached 112/2 by the close of play, with Jordan Cox not out on 37 and Root unbeaten on 23. They need another 59 runs to move ahead of Pakistan’s first-innings score and still have eight wickets left.

England’s openers Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay gave their team a decent start, adding 36 runs before Pakistan got their first breakthrough. Mohammad Abbas dismissed Duckett for 15 in the 10th over after trapping him LBW.

England lost another wicket in the very next over when Mohammad Ali got rid of Gay. The opener scored 33 from 31 balls, hitting seven boundaries before returning to the pavilion.

After losing two quick wickets, Joe Root came out to bat alongside Jordan Cox. The pair settled in and added 64 runs without losing another wicket, leaving England in a good position at the end of the day.

Root and Cox will return to the crease on the second morning as England look to move ahead of the visitor’s first-innings score and build a lead in the opening Test. Pakistan have so far picked up two wickets, with Mohammad Abbas and Mohammad Ali taking one each.

Talking about the first innings, Pakistan made a great start after losing their openers, as Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq played sensibly following the rain break. However, England soon gained control of the match by removing both batters, as Pakistan’s middle order fell apart miserably without showing any fight.

Due to this poor batting performance, Pakistan once again squandered a brilliant opportunity and were bowled out for just 171 in the first innings. Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue remained the key England bowlers, as the duo picked up five wickets each to deflate the Pakistan batting lineup.