Babar builds lead before Stokes snares Sarfraz in first Test

LONDON: Babar Azam helped take Pakistan into a first-innings lead at tea on Friday´s second day of the first Test against England at Lord´s.

But an over before England could take the new ball, Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed (nine) top-edged a hook off Ben Stokes to Mark Wood at fine leg.

That was the last ball before tea, with Pakistan 227 for five in reply to England´s 184, a lead of 43 runs, at the interval.

Babar was 59 not out, having become the third batsman this innings to make a fifty after opener Azhar Ali (50) and Asad Shafiq (59).

Pakistan pacemen Mohammad Abbas and Hasan Ali had shown good discipline while taking four wickets apiece on Thursday.

The tourists´ batsmen, all of whom played in similarly overcast conditions during a recent five-wicket win over Test debutants Ireland, demonstrated similar application -- something England largely lacked in their first innings with the exception of former captain Alastair Cook´s 70.

Pakistan resumed Friday on 50 for one, with Azhar 18 not out and Haris Sohail 21 not out. The second-wicket duo continued to be watchful in defence, while cashing in on loose deliveries.

Azhar drilled Stuart Broad through the covers and forced all-rounder Stokes off the back foot through point for another boundary. Left-hander Haris, meanwhile, drove England spearhead James Anderson down the ground.

But fast bowler Wood eventually ended a partnership worth 75 runs when, having tried to "rough up" both batsmen from around the wicket, he slipped in a fuller-length delivery that Haris (39) edged to wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow.

The experienced Azhar completed a 133-ball fifty but had failed to add to his score when he was lbw to Anderson, England´s all-time leading Test wicket-taker, who had been switched to the Nursery End by Root.

Pakistan ended the session with a flourish as Shafiq hoisted debutant off-spinner Dominic Bess for a six over midwicket and at lunch they were 136 for three.

A feature of Pakistan´s play on Thursday had been their much-improved close catching.

England by contrast, saw Cook drop Babar on 10 in the slips when the former Test captain failed to hold a low chance.

An unconcerned Babar then stylishly forced all-rounder Stokes off the back foot for four.

England´s Jos Buttler, playing as a specialist batsman rather than a wicket-keeper on his Test recall, appeared to lose sight of the ball when an edge from Shafiq, on 36, flew through the cordon.

England then squandered a review for a catch behind when Shafiq was on 48, even though it seemed clear that the ball had come off the batsman´s elbow.

Shafiq completed an 81-ball fifty and was then missed again on 59 when a diving Buttler could not hold a tough gully catch.

But next ball Shafiq´s luck ran out when he lobbed a rising Stokes delivery to Dawid Malan in the slips to end a stand of 84.

Babar, however, kept going and a cut off Bess -- his seventh boundary -- saw him to a 93-ball half-century.