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Smith, Cox Fifties Rescue England on Day One at Lord's
28 Aug
Summary
- Jamie Smith and Jordan Cox scored fifties for England.
- Mohammad Abbas took three wickets for four runs early on.
- Bad light stopped play with England at 248-9.
On August 27, 2026, the opening day of the second Test at Lord's between England and Pakistan concluded early due to bad light, with England at 248-9. The home side suffered a significant top-order collapse, falling to 36-3 after Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and chose to bowl on a green-tinged pitch. Paceman Mohammad Abbas took three wickets for four runs in a devastating spell, dismissing England captain Joe Root for four.
Jamie Smith, with 61, and Jordan Cox, who scored 55, were the anchors of England's recovery. Smith's fifty came in just 63 balls, while Cox's contribution was his second successive Test half-century. Abbas finished with figures of 4-56, and fellow seamer Mohammad Ali took 3-67.
Pakistan's decision to field was influenced by helpful conditions for seam bowling under grey skies. Azam returned to captaincy after a finger injury, replacing stand-in skipper Salman Ali Agha. England had dropped fast bowler Brydon Carse following a late-night drinking incident. Play was eventually halted with Gus Atkinson unbeaten on 34, leaving the match in a precarious state.
