First Test day two: Pakistan 171; England 366 for eight
Hosts slip from 322 for five to 364 for eight
The clock had just ticked past 7pm, there was still half an hour of play left on this soggy second day, and it looked for all money that Harry Brook would end a year-long wait for his 11th Test century with a first at his home ground of Headingley.
Brook had agonisingly missed out by one run against India here last summer. And this time, against a ragged Pakistan side that had gifted him a life second ball amid another outing to forget, the box was practically begging to be ticked.
And then it happened. With 91 runs to his name, Brook rocked back and went to push the left-arm spin of Ali Usman through vacant mid-wicket only to swipe at fresh air and hear the ball cannon on to his stumps. Brook came into this match as the No 1-ranked batter in the world but this local peak continues to elude him.
For all that Brook was cursing himself back in the dressing room, and Usman struck twice more before stumps, it was not hugely damaging to England’s position thanks to half-centuries from Jordan Cox (73), Joe Root (66) and Dan Lawrence (51).
At stumps Root’s side had progressed to 366 for eight – a lead of 195 runs – and victory inside three days is not beyond the realms of possibility.
This article will be updated …
