3rd Test
Day-1 Afternoon Session Highlights:
Jamie Smith has played an important role for the England team in the Second Session
At The Tea of Day-1:
England scored 244/8 (1st Innings) vs Pakistan
Jamie Smith (91) mounted a calculated assault on Pakistan’s spinners, offering England some much-needed respite, though Pakistan held the advantage on the first day of the final Test in Rawalpindi.
Smith’s 107-run stand with Gus Atkinson (39) has set England on course for a respectable total on a challenging surface that has shown pronounced low bounce and turn.
Much like the morning session, the post-lunch period began with Nauman Ali and Sajid Khan maintaining pressure by bowling in tandem.
Sajid, the off-spinner, struck early in the session by securing the crucial wicket of Ben Stokes, who edged a loose drive to first slip.
At 118/6, England looked set to post a below-par score.
However, Smith and Atkinson exhibited remarkable patience and resilience, playing each ball on merit.
The slow pitch allowed survival for those willing to bide their time, and both batters did exactly that.
Once settled, they launched a calculated assault, with Smith shifting into T20 mode.
Zahid Mahmood, the third spinner, bore the brunt of Smith’s aggressive footwork and slog sweeps, as did Sajid.
Atkinson also displayed commendable application and joined in the attacking play, as runs began to flow quickly in the lead-up to the tea break.
Just as England appeared poised to carry strong momentum into the interval, Nauman returned to break the stand.
Atkinson’s resistance ended with a soft dismissal, and Smith soon followed, succumbing to Zahid after launching a few more boundaries.
Although Smith missed out on a deserving century, his knock, alongside Atkinson’s efforts, has kept England within reach in the contest for the moment.
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