The bails are being put back on and the rope is being driven around the outfield by a mini-tractor to dry off the turf. Play to resume in five minutes with Pakistan on 62-1 having chosen to bat.

A reminder that highlights of the opening day can be seen at 19:00 this evening on BBC Four, repeated at 23:30 on BBC Two.

Azhar reached 20 from 65 balls as the second-wicket partnership extended to 56. Just the one boundary for the captain but what a classical stroke it was.

Matthew Henry
BBC Sport at the Ageas Bowl

The covers are coming off. It is as bright as it has been for a good hour now.

Rain has stopped in Southampton and play will restart at 13:35 BST.

Remember a spate of balls hitting the stumps but not dislodging the bails a year or so back? Here was another such instance, involving the Pakistan captain.

The Pakistan opener held firm, however, and remained unbeaten on 33 from 72 balls, this one of only four boundaries in the session.

An eventful morning for Abid and he needed time to recover his equilibrium after this awkward moment at 84mph.

Two changes for England in this Test, no Ben Stokes for family reasons and Jofra Archer also missing out. Zak Crawley and Sam Curran the men coming into the side.

Abid had another reprieve on 21 in the 14th over, this time off Chris Woakes. Rory Burns jabbled this one, where Stokes might have been at second slip.

Dropped slip catches proved to be the story of the morning for England, however. Dom Sibley was the first culprit, jirbling Abid Ali on one off Stuart Broad in the fourth over.

Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat, but might have been regretting it when the evergreen James Anderson claimed Test wicket number 591, trapping Shan Masood with this beauty in the third over to leave the tourists on 6-1.

Thanks Callum, I wish that rain would move 30-odd miles east to my garden, where there has been precious little for months.

But as the players take an early lunch, let's go through the highlights of that first session.

With the players taking lunch, I'm going to do the same.

Jamie Lillywhite will take you through lunch and hopefully a full afternoon session.

Mark Ramprakash
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

It was a tricky decision for Azhar. No overseas captain is entirely happy batting first in England when there is a tinge of green in the wicket. It was a brave decision but the right decision. Pakistan have adapted well to English conditions. It's important their captain has been batting well.

Matthew Henry
BBC Sport at the Ageas Bowl

There was plenty of applause from the Pakistan dressing room as Azhar and Abid walked up the steps. The tourists are happy with their morning. Quite right. They’ve had the better of it.

You'd have to say that's Pakistan's morning in the end.

They reach lunch at 62-1 and even though they chose to bat first the conditions, with the humidity and then the floodlights and dark skies, meant batting wasn't easy.

The umpires have confirmed that an early lunch will be taken at this point so we won't start losing any overs for a while yet.

Rain stops playpublished at 12:48 BST 13 August 2020

12:48 BST 13 August 2020

Richard Kettleborough, who has been twitchy all summer, decides enough is enough.

He calls the groundstaff on and the players are making their way off.

There's light drizzle in the air and the ground staff are starting to move as if they know more is on its way...