Key events
53rd over: England 276-3 (Root 86, Brook 22) Brook already in ominous form, Root characteristically happy to play second fiddle. Brook dismissively sweeps Abrar to the fine leg boundary, think an angry young man in a kitchen sink drama.
52nd over: England 268-3 (Root 83, Brook 17) Red soles kicking up behind him, Jamal sprints in, reversing ball in hand. Brook stretches forward and flicks him with elastic wrists through the off side to the rope. Jamal then oversteps again. Brook finishes the over by driving with high elbow and delicious balance for four more.
“Hi Tanya,” Hello there John Plunkett,”;Loving the show. They’re piping in the crowd noises on the telly, right? Or is there a packed to capacity stand just out of reach of the wide shots? Now I’ve thought about it I can’t stop thinking about it (need to get out more).” Now you come to mention it… though to be fair a few more seem to have appeared since lunch.
51st over: England 257-3 (Root 83, Brook 7) Abrar continues his more miserly second spell.
Thank you to Simon for digging up Cook on Root in full from TMS:
I can see him overhauling Sachin Tendulkar’s record. When I retired, I thought there was every chance that my record will be broken. I thought only the effects of captaincy and the hunger that takes out of you would stop him. I think the fact that Ben Stokes has taken over the captaincy has helped Root.
You could say Sachin is still the favourite but just. He’s been so lucky with injuries. All great players who played for a long time have been lucky with injuries. You just never know what’s around the corner, but it has to be something like it that could stop him. But I don’t see that happening for Root to lose that hunger and ability to keep driving himself forward for the next couple of years.
The only slight hurdle in his way will be the Ashes series – there is always something happening around the series. It’s in 14 months’ time and there’s always a story about the damage that happens or doesn’t happen around every Ashes series.
I’d give Sachin 51% and Root 49%. But I would be betting on Root to do it.
50th over: England 255-3 (Root 82, Brook 6) Brook doesn’t hang about, picks up his first boundary off his second ball with a nudge to the rope.
WICKET! Duckett lbw Jamal 84 (England 249-3)
Pakistan’s tight start after lunch is rewarded as Duckett is spatulated in front of his stumps as the ball zips back in. Root tickles him to review but DRS shows it spearing into leg stump. Jamal roars in delight.
49th over: England 247-2 (Root 81, Duckett 84) Abrar suddenly finding something, and England have been slow out of the blocks after lunch. Maybe both batters have their eyes on a hundred.
“Morning Tanya. Just tumbled out of bed and stumbled to the kitchen before catching up on the morning’s play. Any signs that the pitch has indeed yawned and stretched and tried to come to life? Maybe it’s time for both sides to pour themselves a cup of ambition. Anyway, thanks for the updates. Working 5 to 9, what a way to make a living.” Pitch still looking pretty comatose to be honest. Talking of Dolly, did you see that she serenaded Worcestershire bowler Joe Leach to the crease in the last innings of his career last week?
TMS overseas link
48th over: England 244-2 (Root 80, Duckett 82) Does anyone have the TMS overseas link, asks Dean Kinsella. I think this is your baby.
47th over: England 242-2 (Root 79, Duckett 82) Shan Masood ignores Nasser Hussain, who was imploring Pakistan to use pace from both ends after lunch, and opens with Abrar. Tip and tap.
”We are always told the on drive is the most difficult shot in cricket,” writes Stephen Nichols. “When Boycott reached his hundredth hundred at Headingly, it was with an on drive. For Root in Multan, the record came with the calmest on drive you’ll ever see. Maybe it’s a Yorkshire thing, to reach a landmark with an on drive?” Great spot Stephen– can I leave you to do some research on Hutton?
46th over: England 238-2 (Root 77, Duckett 80) Jamal sprints in, Root is respectful until the final ball when Jamal plonks one invitingly outside off stump and Root purrs through the covers for four. The dog, who has stolen my corner seat on the sofa, mumbles contently.
The players are back, Joe Root, 12 years after he started his career, now the highest scoring Englishman. Do you think a wedding suited and booted Billy Root is affectionately rolling his eyes somewhere in south Wales?
“Whenever a player becomes the highest scorer for their country I’m always taken back to being a 13-year-old watching Australia v Pakistan in Sydney, Jan 1984. Greg Chappell had announced his retirement, still needing 68 to go past Bradman’s record 6996 runs. He got there with overthrows and went on to score 182 making his first and last innings hundreds. Such lovely stuff. Good player that, as is young Root.” Lovely story, thank you Peter Salmon.
Hello Daniel Brown! “So, Root just became England’s highest ever run scorer. Would you say that makes him our best-ever batsman, or is it more nuanced than that?”
Notwithstanding the record, in my lifetime, definitely, as fabulous as Gower was to watch. Where he fits alongside Barrington, Hutton, Hammond, Sutcliffe, Barrington and Hobbs, I feel less qualified to say.
“He’s quite modest isn’t he,” says his dad, who has phoned into TMS from south Wales where other son Billy is getting married today. “He’s quite modest, quite low key. I’m just as we say in Yorkshire, chuffed to bits.”
Alastair Cook has dialled into TMS from the school run, and very humble he is too. Has he pinged Root a message yet? “Not yet, I’ve got a few hours to think about what to say, Gooch got me a fantastic bottle of wine for breaking the record, maybe I’ll break it open with Goochy and Root later.”
As to whether it will mean anything to him, Steven Finn says yes, it will mean the world.
Joe Root can eat his lunch happily now, though I’ve no idea if such records mean anything much to him. The highest scoring Englishman in Test history – and this is the moment it happened.
How lucky we’ve all been to watch him.
Time to grab some breakfast, back shortly.
Lunch: England 232-2, 324 behind
45th over: England 232-2 (Root 72, Duckett 80) Duckett keeps the high energy going in the last over before lunch, sweeping Abrar for four like a man briskly brushing aside his sandwich crumbs onto the floor. He blocks the last ball and that is lunch. Terrific session by England, who lost Crawley, but motored along to 136 runs at 5.44.
44th over: England 226-2 ( Root 71, Duckett 75) A low full toss down the leg side from Jamal is whipped away by Duckett for three. Masood is tempted by an lbw review against Root, but decides, wisely, not to burn his third in half an hour. Jamal finishes the over with a spicy bouncer.
“Morning Tanya,” Morning Colum Fordham.
”Just hoping that Root can reach the record test run milestone before I have to dash off to teach. If he doesn’t I’ll just have to inflict the moment on unsuspecting Neapolitan students. It’s all part of their cultural upbringing I say.” What student would turn their nose up at a little Joe Root masterclass on a Wednesday morning?
43rd over: England 223-2 ( Root 71, Duckett 72) A no ball, but otherwise an uneventfully tidy over from Abrar.
Root passes Cook to become the highest English run-scorer in Test cricket
42nd over: England 221-2 (Root 71, Duckett 71) A reverse-swinger thuds into Root’s front pad. Not out says the umpire, but Pakistan want it. Shan is persuaded, waving his long fingers about, but it is legside and Pakistan lose their second review in four overs. Root drives nicely, for a couple, and Cook’s record is in touching distance, just four away. And there it is ! In the words of Mike Atherton, “with an immaculate on drive he plants his flag at the summit.” He gently waves to someone, somewhere, is applauded by the England drinks carriers. That’s 12473 immaculate runs, now fifth in the all time list behind Tendulkar, Ponting, Dravid and Kallis.
41st over: England 214-2 ( Root 65, Duckett 70) Abrar changes ends after nine overs for 68, tosses the ball from hand to hand. A less profligate three from this one. The pitch looks the same colour as the porridge my sons are gobbling for breakfast. England trail by 342.
40th over: England 211-2 ( Root 64, Duckett 68) A break while Duckett swallows some painkillers but he powers on through regardless, slamming Salman for four down the pitch before slashing over slip for four more to overtake Root.
”This is my favourite gripe about the pitches in India – Pakistan – Sri Lanka,” taps Krishnamoorthy V. “Either they are dead-er than a Lazarus resulting in 6 centuries and a meaningless draw or they turn worse than a Rollercoaster on a steroid ending inside 3 days.
No wonder we look to Australia and England to keep the test cricket alive.”
39th over: England 199-2 ( Root 61, Duckett 59) Pakistan lose a review after Shan Masood is persuaded to go upstairs for a caught behind – against Rizwan’s advice. Nowhere near, but a cracking ball from Jamal . Duckett then flays four off a one that bounces winningly outside the off stump before removing his helmet and wiping his rosy face.
Fifty for Ben Duckett!
38th over: England 193-2 ( Root 60, Duckett 54)A pugnacious half century from Duckett off just 45 balls, he half raises his bat to the huge empty open stands – most of those who are in seem to be school children. The stadium is much fuller for PSL games I believe.
36th over: England 186-2 ( Root 58, Duckett 49)Jamal replaces Naseem, Nasser Hussain points out that Pakistan are looking for some reverse swing. And he finds some. At the end of the over, Root takes off his helmet and wipes away the sweat.
35th over: England 184-2 ( Root 56, Duckett 49) A nudge here, a nudge there, off Salman, then Root cover drives for three, closing in on Cook with steady accumulation.
34th over: England 178-2 ( Root 52, Duckett 47) Duckett smears Naseem through the off side with a satisfying clop of the bat. Ooof and that’s a beauty, just fizzes past Root’s outside edge, pushing forward with solid feet.
”An apology. I have just got in from work, so first thing I do is pop the cricket on. The moment I did so Crawley gets dismissed. My ability to bring misfortune to sporting teams knows no bounds…” Whatever happens, don’t switch it off and switch it back on again Phil Withall.
Fifty for Joe Root
33rd over: England 171-2 ( Root 50, Duckett 42) Ooof, Duckett edges Naseem straight into the hands of first slip, or rather where first slip would have been, had he been a few inches to the right. Babar doesn’t look too impressed. And with an inside edge, Root reaches 65th Test match fifty (off 76 balls) and they take DRINKS.
32nd over: England 163-2 ( Root 49, Duckett 35) Salman is moved in to replace Abrar, and Root immediately reverse-sweeps him for three. That’s the lot for the over though.
“England really seem to need to play themselves in to the conditions, and despite Pakistan’s huge score (for which many congrats to them), it looks like they will be able to do so today if they’re sensible. And then the match will be well set up, and likewise the series. And we all win!” Sensible Andrew Benton? I think they’d bristle about that.
31st over: England 159-2 ( Root 46, Duckett 34) Oh that’s gorgeous from Root, a kiss of a cover drive that skims along to the boundary. Naseem looks nonplussed.
Hello Stephen Brown! “Can’t sleep so I’m very grateful to have you coverage to read. Although I need to do it under the covers so the light doesn’t disturb the Mrs.
“While I find the absolute road this pitch can appear infuriating, perhaps it will serve to remind those who occasionally advocate for four day Tests, that in some places we really do have to give the game space to breathe.”
30th over: England 154-2 ( Root 41, Duckett 34) Duckett fires three boundaries off four balls from Abrar, hit with the brutal efficiency of the stocks. The second one flew slightly riskily over mid-on – but Duckett has now powered 28 from 16 balls off poor Abrar.
29th over: England 142-2 ( Root 41, Duckett 22) Naseem with his first over of the day, his eighth of the innings. Duckett is watchful, and just one run from it. In the crowd, three young girls eat some chips.
28th over: England 141-2 ( Root 41, Duckett 21) A handful of singles off Abrar.
“Hi Tanya. Just getting home from Yard Act’s debut Montreal show. It’s 1am here. Very much hoping to stay awake to see / read Joe Root take the record.
“Yard Act were very good by the way. Hopefully their fellow Yorkshiremen can be just as impressive with willow in hand.”
Ashamed to say I’ve never heard of Yard Act, but the Guardian review from earlier this year says they “boarded the last train out of post-punksville.”
27th over: England 136-2 ( Root 40, Duckett 17) Root’s turn to throw himself at a short one from Shaheen which bounces safely just before the rope. It looks relentlessly hot out there, the few spectators who are around, firmly rooted in the shade.
26th over: England 126-2 ( Root 34, Duckett 13) Duckett gets his eye in with an ugly but effective slog sweep for four, and then dispatches a long hop from Abar through the covers for four more.
25th over: England 114-2 ( Root 34, Duckett 0) Crawley will be kicking himself, he looked magnificently in form and Pakistan slightly bewildered as to what to do with him. Anyway, he’s gone and Ben Duckett strides in.
WICKET! Crawley c Jamal b Shaheen 78 (England 113-2)
From nowhere! Crawley picks up an innocuous ball from Shaheen and flicks it to midwicket where Jamal holds on at the second attempt. Crawley squeezes his eyes in disbelief.
24th over: England 113-1 (Crawley 78, Root 34) Just a single from Abrar’s second over.
23rd over: England 112-1 (Crawley 77, Root 34) Crawley speeding towards three figures here, four squeezed wide of slip.
“Given the clear lack of interest in this from a Pakistani spectator perspective and with the prevalence of white ball cricket, it seems slightly silly that they have prepared such a flat wicket,”writes Thomas Whitaker. “Given the modern playing style and the need to engage audiences, surely a more bowler friendly wicket would make sense??” I don’t think they wanted to risk their slightly fragile batting line up with anything more testing – but would love to hear opinions from any locals up and reading.
22nd over: England 107-1 (Crawley 72, Root 34) Spin from Abrar Ahmed, in nice pair of glasses. England pinch six from the over, plus a no-ball.
“Awake… and staring into the abyss!!” Hello there Arnab Banarjee.
“… but sometimes try out as an Extra to get away from the day job, and off for a fitting this morning somewhere near Old Street in London! Then back for some Test and Wotld T20 with Harman’s team also staring into the abyss!”
Sounds intriguing!
21st over: England 100-1 (Crawley 68, Root 32) Shaheen Shah Afridi with the (almost) new ball. A false start to begin as he runs past the stumps without delivering as Crawley pulls away. The first real ball is wide of off stump and barely bounces above ankle level. Then Crawley stretches those long levers and leans into a peachy cover drive for four.
The players are out….let’s go!
Joe Root needs 38 more runs to overtake Alastair Cook as the highest scoring Englishman in Tests, a few more to overtake Sachin Tendulkar.
With ten minutes to go before we start, time for me to make a quick cup of tea. Do send me a message if you’re awake and staring into the blackness, on tanya.aldred.freelance@guardian.co.uk. The pitch, says Athers, is still full of runs.
Simon Burnton
The sightscreens are a curious feature of this ground. There are big screens at each end that show a series of ads for sponsors, but the whitest white they can muster isn’t very white, so for them to function as sightscreens whenever the bowler is running in from their end a sheet is pulled over them using an ingenious pulley system which requires four people at each end – three to pull the pulleys and another to spot when it’s time to pull, plus a fifth to drape more sheets over the boundary hoardings. Seems an extraordinarily work-intensive solution, but it works
Duckett is fit
Simon Burnton
“I can tell you that Ben Duckett is playing Pig, the team’s morning keepy-uppy game, and has no sign of strapping on his left hand, so that’s positive, right? And official word is dribbling through now – he’s good to go.”
And good news from our man on the ground Simon Burnton…
Some pretty skies from Multan last night:
It is currently 29 degrees in Multan, feeling more like 31 degrees, and the air quality is “unhealthy”: 170 US AQI – or 16 times the reccommmended WHO level.
Preamble
Good morning! It’s hot, it’s dry and it’s day three in Multan, where Pakistan piled up 556 to a largely empty stadium, England sweated, dropped a couple of catches, Chris Woakes’ big boot caught on the boundary rope and Ben Duckett dislocated his thumb.
Salman Agha’s hundred from No. 8 frustrated England, but not as much as Duckett’s dodgy digit, which left Ollie Pope to open with sub-optimal results. Crawley and Root though smoothed the troubled waters with an unbroken stand of 92 at a fair lick.
So now we get to see whether the pitch stays as flat and crushingly unfriendly for bowlers as it was for the first two days, or whether the cracks have yawned and stretched to add a little spice . Play starts at 6amBST, do keep us company.
