England close in on Pakistan whitewash in third Test as Robinson shines

Demoralised tourists scope 52-2 earlier rainfall ends play aboriginal connected time two, needing 268 runs to marque England bat again.

Ollie Robinson continued his outstanding summertime with 2 wickets successful his opening implicit arsenic England pushed Pakistan towards ⁠defeat successful the 3rd Test ⁠at Edgbaston.

Robinson, antheral of the lucifer successful the first 2 Tests, struck with the archetypal shot of Pakistan’s 2nd innings connected Thursday and again 3 deliveries aboriginal to permission England closing successful connected a 3-0 bid ⁠whitewash.

The demoralised tourists reached 52-2 earlier rainfall ended play aboriginal connected time two, needing 268 runs to marque England bat again.

Robinson, 32, has been astir unplayable successful this series, taking 21 wickets astatine an mean of nether 7 runs each.

He continued successful the aforesaid ⁠vein successful Birmingham, removing Saim Ayub, who was dismissed for a duck successful some innings, and past Abdullah Shafique to decorativeness the time with figures of 2-10 from his six overs.

“He’s astir apt 1 of the astir accordant bowlers successful satellite cricket. He knows what he’s doing with the ball, and helium wears you down a spot truthful it’s a challenge,” said Pakistan batting manager Mike Smith.

“He has bowled exceptionally well, and he’s successful a small purple spot arsenic a player. We request to find a mode to combat that arsenic good arsenic we can.”

Shan Masood, who was dropped astatine gaffe by Ben Duckett disconnected Gus Atkinson, was inactive determination connected 21 astatine the close, alongside opener Azan Awais connected 29, but Pakistan’s presumption appears hopeless.

England, who led by 23 overnight, had earlier pressed the accelerator to widen their first-innings vantage to a daunting 320.

They made 453 with Harry Brook and Dan Lawrence extending their fifth-wicket concern to 86 until Brook acceptable disconnected for an intolerable azygous and was tally retired by Masood for 75 from ⁠97 balls.

Lawrence went connected to marque 65 from 82 balls earlier dragging a wide shot onto his ⁠stumps to springiness Mohammad Imran his archetypal Test wicket. It was a 3rd Test half-century successful a enactment for Lawrence, who was recalled aft a two-year lack for this series.

“I’m truly blessed with however I’ve contributed,” said Lawrence. “I was feeling truly bully today, got connected a spot of a rotation with Brooky and ⁠went with it.

“I thought I was going to marque a truly large score, to beryllium honest. It wasn’t to be, but I deliberation if I’d been offered 65 astatine the commencement of the ⁠day, I’d person taken it.”

There was besides a invited half-century from the out-of-form Jamie ⁠Smith, who overcame an uncertain commencement and a digit injury, which caused him to manus implicit the wicketkeeping gloves to Jordan Cox, to onslaught 69 disconnected 84 balls including 1 six and 9 fours.

It was his highest Test people since a second-innings 88 against India connected the aforesaid crushed 14 months ago.

Robinson chimed successful with ‌a 50 of his own, which included a immense six into the Hollies Stand disconnected Mohammad Abbas, earlier becoming Razaullah’s 4th victim.

The blooding of the 21-year-old, who had lone played 8 first-class games anterior to his call-up, was 1 of the fewer positives for ‌Pakistan.

While ‌he was costly – helium conceded 148 runs disconnected his 23 overs – helium posed a menace with his gait and aggression.

Razaullah whitethorn correspond a brighter aboriginal for Pakistan, but the contiguous remains bleak for a squad that has mislaid 15 of its past 20 Tests.