Dan Lawrence finds his footing as England tighten the screw on Pakistan at Lord's
Dan Lawrence cracked an unbeaten fifty on a rain-shortened third day at Lord's to leave England firmly in control of the second Test against Pakistan, 357 runs ahead with three second-innings wickets still standing. The Guardian
It was Lawrence's second half-century of the series. Batting at No 6 — the middle-order slot he knows best — he finished on 50 not out as England reached 177 for seven at stumps, a lead that already looks distant for a Pakistan side bowled out for 110 in their first innings. ESPNcricinfo
England's advantage is built on a first-innings gap of 180. They posted 290, Pakistan managed barely more than a third of that, and the second innings has been about stretching the lead rather than saving the match. ESPNcricinfo
Rain wiped out the morning session entirely. Play did not begin until 2.45pm, compressing the day into an afternoon-and-evening contest in which every over mattered. The Guardian
Lawrence was not the only batter to find the going tough. Pakistan's Mohammad Abbas extracted whatever the Lord's pitch offered, returning figures of three for 48 in England's second innings. ESPNcricinfo One of his deliveries, a grubber that barely rose off the surface, trapped opener Emilio Gay lbw for a hard-fought 31. The Guardian
For Lawrence, the innings carries a story beyond the scorecard. He played three Tests against Sri Lanka in 2024 as an opener — cricket's most exposed position at the top of the order — and returned three single-digit scores and three in the thirties, never converting a start into something substantial. Back in the side now, he told reporters his mentality has been "completely different." The Guardian
"I'm desperate to establish myself in an England shirt," Lawrence said. He also batted away any suggestion that he is eyeing Gay's opening slot, saying he has enjoyed batting in a position "closer to what I am used to" as a middle-order player. The Guardian
The opportunity has come partly through misfortune elsewhere. Jacob Bethell, who has featured in England's batting order this summer, was absent through injury for this match, opening the door for Lawrence's return. The Guardian
England won the first Test at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs, with Harry Brook top-scoring on 91 and both Joe Root and Lawrence passing fifty. A win at Lord's would seal the three-match series — which concludes at Edgbaston in early September — with a Test to spare. The Guardian ECB
Pakistan's players have not conceded. Fast bowler Mohammad Ali pointed to the truth that fourth-innings chases — the final batting effort in a Test, when pitches are typically at their most worn and unpredictable — have been pulled off before. Pakistan have scored more than 300 in a fourth innings to win on four occasions, though only once have they exceeded 350. The Guardian
"Until the last ball is bowled, nothing is decided," Ali said. "Miracles do happen in cricket." He added that the hope was to get England's remaining three wickets quickly and see where the chase stands. The Guardian
For that to matter, England will need to collapse in numbers they have not shown all series, and Pakistan will need to bat for longer than they managed in the first innings. The draw of stumps — 357 ahead with a bowling attack that already dismissed Pakistan cheaply once — leaves the home side in the stronger position by some distance.
