Summary

  • Pakistan close on 107-2, trailing England by 174

  • Pakistan captain Babar brings up fifty off 57 balls

  • Anderson has Imam caught behind for duck; Shafique nicks Leach to Pope

  • Pakistan spinner Abrar takes seven wickets on debut; Zahid claims other three

  • Duckett hits 63 off 49 balls, Pope 60 off 61, Wood 36 not out off 27

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  1. Postpublished at 10:13 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2022

    Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

    Up goes the finger. England went up right away and Imam is walking off. He was just hoping for something from his partner there.

    Nice spike on UltraEdge. Out. No doubt about that.

  2. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 2.2 overs

    Imam-ul-Haq c Pope b Anderson 0 (Pak 5-1)

    England strike early!

    It is back of a length from James Anderson, who gets a bit of extra bounce. Imam-ul-Haq looks to push it through the off-side off the back foot but feathers it through to Ollie Pope.

    He had a long chat with Abdullah Shafique about a possible review - surely he knew if he hit it or not? Eventually he decides against it and heads for the pavilion.

  3. Postpublished at 10:11 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2022

    Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    It's gotten noisier out there. The crowd has gotten bigger.

  4. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 10:09 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2022

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    Paul Grainger: Batting rapidly forced a result on the Rawalpindi road. But can't help but feel we've just given the home team 4.5 days to bat big and bowl us out. Sometimes just need to calm it down.

  5. Pak 5-0published at 2 overs

    That's better from Leach. He gets the length right and manages to get a bit of grip and turn away from Abdullah Shafique.

    Some early encouragement for the England spinner.

  6. Postpublished at 10:07 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2022

    Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    That's a horrible start for Leach. Not quite sure which was worse, that or the reverse sweep.

  7. Postpublished at 10:07 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2022

    Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

    The first ball is short, poor ball. That's not a good start.

  8. Pak 5-0published at 1.1 overs

    Rotten start for Jack Leach.

    It is far too short and Abdullah Shafique cuts away for four.

    Combine that with his missed reverse sweep earlier and it has not been the best start for Leach in this Test match.

  9. Pak 1-0published at 1 overs

    Abdullah Shafique gets off the mark with a single off the final ball of James Anderson's first over after a thick inside edge down to third man.

    Interesting move by Ben Stokes at the other end - Jack Leach has the ball in hand.

  10. Postpublished at 10:02 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2022

    Thanks, Sam.

    Two slips, a gully and short mid-wicket in place for James Anderson (who is going to bowl seam, not spin like he did in the nets yesterday).

  11. Postpublished at 10:01 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2022

    Right, the TV shots have changed from Stuart Broad and his hip young vicar look to the Pakistan openers striding out to the middle.

    That is my cue to hand you over to Tom Mallows for the start of the evening session. How will the England bowlers fare on this surface?

  12. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 09:59 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2022

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    derry bannister: Can we open with Jimmy Anderson, but bowling his left arm spin?

    Midweek Motorsport: I'm calling it now, Root takes a 5-for when England bowl.

  13. Postpublished at 09:58 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2022

    It does look as though Abrar Ahmed is apologising as he holds up the ball here after his seven-for. He's got nothing to apologise for after that performance!

    Abrar Ahmed of Pakistan is applauded by his team mates as he leaves the field after taking a seven wicket haul during day one of the First Test Match between Pakistan and England at Multan Cricket Stadium on December 09, 2022 in Multan, PakistanImage source, Getty Images
  14. Postpublished at 09:54 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2022

    If I'm honest, Mike, I'm not sure Stokes or McCullum will care a jot about the shot from Anderson - other than the fact he missed the ball.

    As well as Wood was playing, he is still a number nine and was riding his luck himself. It might be different if it was one of the batters but even then I'm not convinced it would be in this set-up!

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    Get Involvedpublished at 09:50 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2022

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    Mike Fisher: Jimmy playing a reverse sweep when Mark Wood is absolutely flying seems a step too far. It's the madness of the Stokes-McCullum era but shows the tweaks they need to make to get this right.

  16. Tea - Eng 281 all outpublished at 09:50 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2022

    The players are now taking tea, slightly earlier than scheduled. The session times are a little different today anyway with a longer morning session and an hour-long lunch interval due to Friday prayers.

    England will have the new ball in hand when play resumes.

  17. Postpublished at 09:48 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2022

    Aatif Nawaz
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    Lots of cheers and lots of pats for Abrar Ahmed as he leads the team off the pitch.

  18. Postpublished at 09:48 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2022

    Anyway, we can forget that for a moment and focus on the brilliant debut performance of Abrar Ahmed.

    The mystery spinner took the first seven wickets of the innings, bamboozling the England batters and at one stage looked on course to take all 10.

    He falls just short of the best figures by a Pakistan bowler on debut but it is still a stunning effort.

    Abrar Ahmed's bowling on Test debut for Pakistan v EnglandImage source, BBC Sport
  19. Postpublished at 09:45 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2022

    If we're saying England could be satisfied with 300, what does that make 281? Useful but maybe slightly under par?

    I guess we'll find out once the Pakistan batters have had their turn.

  20. Postpublished at 09:43 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2022

    Aatif Nawaz
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    Zahid Mahmood gets through the big swing of Jimmy Anderson. England have been bowled out for 281 just 10 minutes before the scheduled tea break. It's the wrist spinners of Pakistan that have taken all 10 wickets.