Cricket Lawrence half-century propels England towards victory over Pakistan

LONDON: Dan Lawrence piloted England into a near-unassailable position against Pakistan on a rain-hit third day of the second Test at Lord’s.

The 29-year-old, recalled to ​the Test team for the series after a two-year absence following the ‌international retirement of Ben Stokes, struck an unbeaten 50 as England stretched their second innings lead to 357 with three second innings wickets left.

Lawrence struck two sixes and six fours in a 66-ball ​stay as England reached 177-7 when play was called off for the day.

Muhammad ​Abbas took three wickets in the bowler-friendly conditions to take his match ⁠haul to seven but even with his contribution Pakistan are in a hopeless position.

With ​two days left in the match, an uneven pitch and an improved weather forecast, particularly ​for Monday, England are odds-on to close out the win which would deliver a first series win since December 2024.

The target is almost certainly beyond Pakistan already. The tourists’ fragile batting line-up has yet ​to score more than 171 in an innings in this series.

They were shot out ​for 110 in their first innings by England’s potent pace attack and opener Imam-ul-Haq will be unable ‌to ⁠bat after not taking the field today because of a calf injury.

England pace quartet might keep Archer going until he is 40

England, who resumed on 81-3 when play eventually got underway at 2.20pm, lost Emilio Gay early, lbw to Abbas, after only adding a single to his overnight score.

Harry Brook pressed onto 34 before ​edging Abbas into the ​gloves of wicket-keeper ⁠Muhammad Rizwan who took a good catch standing up the stumps.

First innings half-century maker Jamie Smith fell for seven, chipping Abbas to ​Shan Masood at mid-wicket but Lawrence dug in.

He lost Gus Atkinson ​three balls ⁠after tea, lbw to Mohammad Ali, but took the attack to spinner Ali Usman, slog-sweeping him over mid-wicket for six to add to the earlier blow off Ali over the ⁠extra cover ​ropes.

A pulled single to deep mid-wicket off Ali brought ​up a deserved half-century.

It was his second in successive matches after making 51 in the first Test victory ​at Headingley that gave England a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.