LEEDS, England (AP) — Seamer Ollie Robinson made another dramatic return for England as he hammered the Pakistan top order on the first day of the test series on Wednesday at Headingley.
Pakistan were dismissed for 171 after an extended three-hour session due to the morning being cut short by rain.
Robinson took out four of the top five batters — all bowled or unassisted — including a wicket with the first ball of the three-match series, a first in England, which has been hosting tests since 1880.
Overall, he took five wickets in his first test since June at Lord’s, where he took a match-winning 7-77 against New Zealand in his first test in two years. A knee injury and doubts about his fitness prevented his return in that series that England lost.
The other five wickets were grabbed by Josh Tongue, who broke Pakistan’s biggest partnership then, right on tea, dismissed interim captain Salman Agha and Ali Usman in consecutive deliveries. Tea was immediately called, delaying Tongue’s hat trick ball.
Featuring in a four-prong pace attack, Robinson made a sensational start when he pinned Azan Awais first ball with a nip-backer from around the wicket. Then he went over the wicket and trapped Shan Masood trying to drive.
Only 9.4 overs into the game, rain forced a delay of two hours.
Abdullah Shafique and Imam ul Haq, together from 6-2, endured a cautious return in the afternoon and gradually became comfortable enough to push the run rate.
But after 91 runs together, Imam drove at a wide ball by Tongue and nicked to second slip. Walking off with 42, Imam castigated himself.
From 97-2, Pakistan lost five wickets for 53 runs.
After Shafique brought up his 13th fifty-plus score from 82 balls, Saud Shakeel was given out lbw to Robinson by umpire Allahuddien Paleker, who took his time. Shakeel also took his time to review the decision and was timed out by umpire Chris Gaffaney. Video showed the ball missing the top of leg stump.
Shafique departed soon after, for 61, bowled by Robinson, who by then had wicketkeeper Jamie Smith standing up to the stumps for added pressure.
In the last five minutes before tea, Tongue bowled Agha and Usman and exposed Pakistan’s tail with Mohammad Rizwan on 12.