(Reuters) – A dominant England racked up a mammoth first innings total of 657 all out on day two of the opening test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on Friday.
Electing to bat on a flat track, England toyed with Pakistan’s inexperienced bowling attack with four of their top five batsmen smashing rapid hundreds.
Resuming on 506-4 after thoroughly dominating the opening day of the contest, England batters continued to score at a breakneck pace even though Naseem Shah (3-140) made early inroads for Pakistan.
Visiting skipper Ben Stokes fell after an 18-ball 41 and Liam Livingstone managed nine in his debut test but overnight batsman Harry Brook (153) was simply unstoppable.
Brook, who smashed six fours in a Saud Shakeel over on Thursday, milked 27 runs from a Zahid Mahmood over.
Naseem finally ended Brook’s 116-ball blitz which contained five sixes and 19 fours.
Leg spinner Zahid bled 235 runs – most by any test debutant – in 33 overs for his four wickets.
England, on their first test tour of Pakistan since 2005, are also scheduled to play in Multan and Karachi.
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
