Azhar Mahmood
Former Pakistan all-rounder on Test Match Special

I thought Archer was brilliant this morning, especially against Abid Ali. The way he set up Abid was like a fast bowlers' dream.

Noodles for Stephan. Noodles for Amy earlier. Something I'm missing? Is noodles on Wednesday a thing now?

A nice bit of late movement off the turf from Broad first up as Shan Masood plays inside the line and there is good carry through to Buttler behind the stumps.

Maiden.

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport at Emirates Old Trafford

A couple of things to report from the lunch break. Firstly, I got starstruck talking to Wasim Akram about the Manchester weather. Also, the vegetarian option, the noodles, were superb. Where do we stand on a meat-eater taking the veggie option? Is it frowned upon? Like how I get annoyed when someone without a child uses the parent-child parking spaces?

The umpires, England team and Babar Azam and Shan Masood make their way to the middle. The sun is beaming down in Manchester. All is good.

Stuart Broad to kick things off after lunch.

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport at Emirates Old Trafford

Babar Azam did not make his maiden hundred until his 17th Test. Since that three-figure score, against New Zealand in November 2018, no batsman with more than 1,000 runs has a batter average than Babar. Not Smith, Labuschagne, Stokes or Williamson. Only Tom Latham can match Babar's five tons in the same period.

That's your lot on Shoaib. If you want to read more, including a sledging story involving Freddie Flintoff, head to this article.

Right, back to matters at Old Trafford. An interesting session coming up here. Will we see Babar Azam show us why he is so highly rated?

It's been 17 - seventeen! - years since Shoaib broke the 100mph mark against England at the 2003 World Cup.

But he says that it wasn't a big deal. Although he trained specifically to bowl that fast.

"I ran with 170kg weights on my back, taking 20kg off after every 100 metre sprint," he said.

"I also used to bowl from 26 yards with something much heavier than a cricket ball. When I came back to the 22 yards, I was about 6km/h (3.7mph) quicker.

"I planned to bowl it against Nick Knight. I said to him: "I'm going to hurt you, so make sure you stay out of the way.' I told him I'd bowl 100mph in that over, on that exact ball."

Image source, Getty Images

I've just remembered a personal Shoaib anecdote.

Pakistan were playing Kent in a tour match at Canterbury many years ago. Thirteen-year-old me shouted up to Shoaib who was rocking back on his chair while sat on the away dressing room balcony.

Can’t quite remember what I said to him but he wasn’t in the mood to chat. He responded to my questions with nods and shakes of the head.

His reluctance to engage in conversation made me like him even more.

What a rock star.

Shoaib was known to be play with real passion and aggression.

"There are no characters left in the game. Apart from Ben Stokes, where are they? The ones who are up for the fight?," he said.

"Me and Australia's Matthew Hayden once got into a fight at breakfast - we were wanting to hurt each other. Then when we got into the ground there was a verbal war. He's twice the size of me but I told him size doesn't matter in the fight."

Nigel Baines: During the last Test, enjoying the crowd hum, I suddenly heard a woman in the crowd giggle. Now I keep hearing her - this morning I timed her and she giggles every 1 minute and 47 seconds. I suspect I might need a holiday.

Emma: Is it just me? How come no-one else is driven mad by the high pitched giggle on the Lord's hum - its a 3min 30sec loop. I know this because I dread her coming round again and again - torture.

He may not go down as one of the cricketing greats but he really did bring a superstar quality.

I remember going to a few of the Pakistan matches during the 1999 World Cup and witnessing the brutal spells he bowled. The unfathomable pace, eyes popping out as he steamed in. Blink and you’d miss it. The fluorescent green Pakistan shirt just added to the spectacle when he bowled.

Right then, let's talk Shoaib Akhtar. The ‘Rawalpindi Express'. The David Beckham of Pakistan cricket.

Pakistan will now be hoping that star batsman Babar Azam can help the tourists build a strong first innings score. Although he was greeted to the crease by this beauty by Woakes…

And then Chris Woakes, who has bowled well this morning, got in on the act as Pakistan captain Azhar Ali went without scoring…

Before Mr Jofra Archer found the breakthrough for England…

But first, let’s look back at some of this morning’s session.

It was a watchful and solid start by the Pakistan openers who saw out the first hour, albeit scoring some streaky runs…

'Not Amy Lofthouse' here for the next few hours.

I’m looking forward to seeing Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi later in this match. Pakistan really do know how to produce young, fast seamers. .

And talking of which, former Pakistan bowler Shoaib Akhtar has been speaking to TMS's Isa Guha.

He was quite the character in his playing days. And he hasn’t really changed either.

Over the course of lunch, while I munch down this sarnie, I’ll give you some of the best bits from Shoaib’s chat.

Michael Douglas: There are 2 types of #bbccricket live text summariser - Amy Lofthouse and not Amy Lofthouse.

Cheers, Amy.

England v Pakistan, there really is something special about this fixture.

Right, there's a bowl of noodles with my name written on it.

I'll be back later. Kal Sajad will take you through to tea.