England finish day two of first Test on 96-1 after Pakistan post score of 556 – as it happened

Aha, Simon Burnton’s report is with us.

That means we’re finished here, so thanks all for your company and comments; we’ll see you tomorrow to see what happens next. Peace out.

Olly Stone is leaving the squad on Wednesday in order to get married. Mazal tov, old mate. I guess, in so doing, he’s ruling himself out of the second Test, meaning the only spare quick is Matty Potts; I’d expect him to come in to offer freshness, but the rest will have to keep at it.

Nas points out that in the Bazball era, England have conceded 500 twice … and won twice. Or, in other words, Pakistan will know they’re vulnerable, because the game done changed.

Crydon Barse is enjoying his Test dboo, though he acknowledges the pitch isn’t helpful. His role in the team is partly to bang it in short, but they also tried setting a field for that before going full, and he’s hoping the pitch becomes more abrasive, offering reverse in the second dig. Atkinson and Woakes, he admits, had their legs hanging off, but a good night’s sleep and they’ll be ready to go tomorrow. On his first Test wicket, he says he felt close to it so when Pope asked if he wanted a fifth over he was eager to oblige.

I guess it’s far from inconceivable that England score around 400 and find themselves having to bat out for a draw on day five. But they’ve the players to get closer to Pakistan than that, as they do to knock off almost any chase. It’s characteristic of the subcontinent for the game to suddenly speed up at the end, so though it may seem like we’re headed for a draw, a positive result remains well on the agenda.

The batters depart, their partnership 92; I bet they’d like to carry on batting, given how well they’re playing and how definitively tomorrow is another day. But the pitch is offering little to disquiet them, and if they can survive the first few overs, there’s no reason they shouldn’t build on today’s efforts.

20th over: England 96-1 (Crawley 64, Root 32) I thought Abrar might’ve been given a go from the other end but it’s Shah who’ll complete the day, Root taking his second ball for a single to point. Crawley then swings one off the pads – he’s so deft in that area, as he is when using his height to get to the pitch. Three dots follow, and that is the day!

19th over: England 94-1 (Crawley 63, Root 31) Adam Hirst emails to point out that Root now has 12,433 Test runs; Alastair Cook is the only Englishman above him with 12,472. Which is to say that the record could well go tomorrow morning, and I’ve not the slightest clue where it’ll end. Like Jimmy Anderson, the relentless dedication to improving means he’s at his best in the current moment and should be for a while yet; he and Crawley milk Abrar for two twos and two ones before the final over of the day.

18th over: England 88-1 (Crawley 58, Root 30) Crawley clips off the pads for four, raising a terrific fifty. I love the way he bats, and it’s a lesson for life: take attacking options, back yourself, don’t sweat consequences and don’t punish yourself when you fail. To emphasise the point, he pulls four more when Shah drops fractionally short, and I’m reminded of Ponting’s famous masterclass when he identifies a tiny square on the track that bowlers needed to hit to not be attacked by him.

“South London traffic is gridlocked, the cat is asleep on my lap, and Joe Root is 29 off 43 balls. All is as it ever was,” reckons James Walsh.

In north, of course, every road is flowing freely.

17th over: England 79-1 (Crawley 48, Root 30) Afridi replaces Abrar, who’s endured a chastening session. In comms earlier, they were saying that Wasim and Waqar took Pakistani pitches out of the equation by bowling full and fast, but without reverse-swing – and there’s been none in this match so far – it’s not easy to deceive batters. Root pulls a single, then Crawley glances one, and we’ve eight overs left in the day.

16th over: England 77-1 (Crawley 48, Root 29) Naseem Shah returns and Crawley looks to pull him, which is less exciting than it sounds – the ball cannons his pad and they run one. Another single follows, then two more, and Pakistan now have a taste of how England have been feeling the last two days. Increasingly, you get the sense this match will be a draw unless they collapse in the fourth innings – an entirely plausible outcome.

15th over: England 73-1 (Crawley 46, Root 27) Abrar tries a slower one, so Crawley comes forward and punishes him down the ground for his eighth four. Nor is he finished there. When Abrar pulls back his length, he again retreats deep to drive four more through long-on; that takes him to 46. And just as we’re wondering how he might get himself out, he nearly does, inadvertently chipping when seeking to drive – this time, I think he was deceived by a slower delivery – but the ball drops safe. Nine off the over.v

14th over: England 64-1 (Crawley 37, Root 27) Root drives to point and they run two, then a shot of the sky shows us the sun is setting. For all Root cares, another opened face earning him yet another four to deep third; he’s so, so good at playing that shot, though I associate it most readily with Ronald Bell, another gorgeous strokemaker. He should get that on a business card. Anyhow, two to point follow – biggup the batters for running as hard as they did – and unless the pitch starts misbehaving, it’ll be hard for either side to take 20 wickets.

13th over: England 56-1 (Crawley 37, Root 19) A better over from Abrar, Crawley coming forward and edging into the pad. A single to midwicket follows, then Root plays his shot, opening the face to guide three to deep third.

12th over: England 52-1 (Crawley 36, Root 16) Abrar has had better quarter-hours: Root twizzles off the pads and the spinner misfields as the batters run two. The news on Duckett, meanwhile, is that he probably won’t bat tonight but isn’t going for a scan, so should be ready to go tomorrow.

In other news, I’m no gamer, but I can’t deny my feeling of excitement at this.

11th over: England 50-1 (Crawley 36, Root 14) On we go, Root edging past slip with soft hands and running three. Then, after defending, Crawley retreats deep in the crease to cart Abrar over midwicket for four; he’s gone for 18 off 10 balls so far. A dot follows, and though the bowler tries a googly next, Crawley picks it and defends confidently. When he’s good, he’s ludicrous.

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10th over: England 43-1 (Crawley 32, Root 11) Now Jamal replaces Naseem and immediately you can see he’s looking to bowl wicket-to-wicket, targeting the stumps and forcing Crawley to force his own angles. He takes a single from the first ball, then plays out four dots as we check in on Duckett, pads off and thumb heavily strapped; that doesn’t look good. A further single follows, and England are going well at drinks.

9th over: England 41-1 (Crawley 31, Root 10) Yup, Abrar has the ball, and last time he bowled at England here, he took levenfer. So naturally Crawley leathers his loosener, picking out cover, then comes down the track shortly afterwards to spank through the line for four through long off. He’s been out a while but he’s into stride so quickly, the previous ball too full so when a shorter one arrives next, he cuts for four through point! The key with him, though, is building on a start rather than getting one … and he edges three wide of third to make it 11 from the over. If Abrar didn’t know it before he knows it now: he’ll not be allowed to just bowl.

8th over: England 28-1 (Crawley 20, Root 10) Root tucks off the pads for two, the only runs from Naseem’s fourth over, and my sense is that we’ll see some spin shortly; these two are going nicely now.

7th over: England 28-1 (Crawley 20, Root 8) Both batters look settled now, and I don’t think it’ll be long before they’re tested with spin. Of course, Root isn’t bad at handling that, but I’m Shan Masood, I’m wanting him to face it before his feet are properly twinkling. Of course, as I say that Shaheen pins Crawley on the crease, the resultant play-and-miss amping up bowler and fielders. Ahahaha, for all the good it does them, Crawley creaming the next delivery for four through the off-side. A dot follows, then a zetz through extra, and what a feeling it must be to go to work and be commanded to express yourself with that precise quantity of abandon.

6th over: England 19-1 (Crawley 11, Root 8) Naseem jags one in and when it hits the pad, he appeals with gusto. But no one else seems interested and I think there was bat involved first, and a replay shows the pad was well outside the line. A single follows, then Crawley wears one on the pad trying to twizzle to leg and again there’s an appeal … but that was going down leg.

5th over: England 18-1 (Crawley 11, Root 7) After three Afridi dots, Crawley opens the face, picking out gully, one bounce. Maiden.

4th over: England 18-1 (Crawley 11, Root 7) My internet drops out, returning for me to see that Crawley has added a two and a one.

“As a red-haired Englishman once said ‘Blimey Harry!’ What a catch by Aamer Jamal. Just the thing you need to lift up the team’s spirits.”

Pope did the decent thing, and I guess though Root is better-suited to opening, England need him where he’s comfy because he’s clearly the man for this challenge.

3rd over: England 15-1 (Crawley 8, Root 7) What’s the premier time for an England overseas series? There’s something glorious about waking up to cricket – India – especially having checked it through the night – Antipodes. But having the end of the working day elevated by it is also beautiful – West Indies – likewise the start of it – South Africa. But the breakfast-lunch aspect of Pakistan might just offer the best combination of joys: there from when you re-enter consciousness, with time to ponder events at close. Anyroad, Root easily drills a half-volley for four … then wears one on the pad! There’s a loud appeal but no review, suggesting an inside-edge, but goodness me, that must’ve been close.

2nd over: England 11-1 (Crawley 8, Root 3) Immediately, Root punches a cover-drive for three, and this is precisely the kind of pitch on which you feel it’s impossible for him not to score heavily. You get the feeling he’ll have to – all the more so if Duckett can’t bat. Even with him, Woakes was at seven, and six feels an issue. But back in the middle, Crawley is into his knock, clubbing cross-batted to the point fence for another four.

Shah finds a bit of bounce and Pope pulls powerfully off his hip to midwicket, where Jamal dives high and, with his top hands, holds on to an absolute jazzer! Pakistan are all over it!

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2nd over: England 4-0 (Crawley 4, Pope 0) How will the England skipper fare opening for the first time in first-class cricket?

1st over: England 4-0 (Crawley 4, Pope 0) Full and straight to begin, Crawley defending; then a bit more width, and he misses his swing. Afridi is looking to slant them across the batter, who’s able to let the ball past, then offered a half-volley, he opens the face, jams down, and sends four through backward point. He and England are away.

Shaheen Shah Afridi to open, Crawley to face.

Out come the batters … and it’s Ollie Pope accompanying Zak Crawley.

Otherwise, though, well batted Pakistan. They made sure to cash in, three centurions putting England under immediate pressure. If their quicks can persuade the ball to do something, this imminent mini-sesh might be the key one of the match.

So if Duckett can’t open, who will? It could just be Pope moving up one; Root, an opener for a while, is also an option; or England might think out of the box and give Woakes the chance to prove himself the front-line batter those who never have to accept blame for consequences have always said he is.

Root tries a bouncer, Abrar edges … right on to the top of Duckett’s left thumb! He snaffles with his right hand nevertheless, but immediately afterwards clutches himself, and might that be a dislocation? I’m not sure he’ll be good to open, and England are in trouble before they’ve even faced a ball!

149th over: Pakistan 556-9 (Salman 104, Abrar 3) Three dots to Root then Salman sweeps for one and Abrar comes down, he slices dropping safe and earning two.

148th over: Pakistan 553-9 (Salman 103, Abrar 1) Oh Gus! Oh maaaaate! Salman takes one then Abrar goes over the top, it’s dropping over Atkinson’s shoulder – so not simple but it’s coming slowly … and he spills it. We’ve had to wait for the wheels to come off England but they’ve got there in the end as we knew they must. All is well with the world. They run one and a single follows; in the dressing room, most Pakistan players look to be back in whites.