ENG vs PAK: Rain rules Day 3 but England maintain control in Lord’s Test
Dan Lawrence produced a gritty unbeaten half-century in difficult conditions as England consolidated their strength in the second Test against Pakistan at Lord’s despite rain repeatedly disrupting play on the third day. Pakistan’s Mohammad Abbas made the most of the tricky surface, which offered uneven bounce and plenty of movement, to take three wickets. But with England already enjoying a huge lead in the first innings and Lawrence standing firm, Pakistan were left facing an increasingly daunting task when play was called off for the day.
ENG vs PAK, MAIN SCORES OF 3RD TEST DAY LORDS
Persistent rain meant that the players did not take the field until 2:20 p.m. England resumed at 81 for 3, already 261 runs ahead after bowling Pakistan out for 110 the other day. Emilio Gay, who was unbeaten on 30 overnight, joined Harry Brook, who had seven runs to his credit.
Pakistan struck almost immediately after the delayed start. Gay was dismissed within the first 10 balls of the session when Abbas found one that stayed alarmingly low and hit it on the shin.
The pitch continued to cause serious problems for the batsmen. There was inconsistent delivery and considerable seam movement, while wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan also had a tough time behind the stumps, taking several blows to the hands and body as the ball moved unpredictably. A brief break in the rain only added to the stop and start of the day.
Abbas struck again when Brook edged a delivery that bounced more than he expected, caught a connection with the ball and cut to Rizwan. Jamie Smith, England’s leading run-scorer in the first innings, followed soon after as he failed to deal with another delivery that nicked and sent the chance down the right leg.
However, Lawrence showed a combination of composure and attacking intent to keep England moving forward. He dealt impressively with the movement on offer while refusing to allow Pakistan’s bowlers to completely dictate terms.
He punished Khurram Shahzad with consecutive boundaries when the bowler missed his length and then took on Mohammad Ali with fours and sixes in consecutive deliveries. The six, a confident drive over deep extra cover, underlined his willingness to counter-attack despite the challenging conditions.
Another spell of rain brought an early tea break with Lawrence unbeaten on 37 off 57 balls.
Pakistan struck soon after the resumption when Gus Atkinson was trapped low on the front plate by Mohammad Ali after playing across the line. However, Lawrence continued to find ways to score and came close to his half-century when he smashed Ali Usman for a six over deep mid-wicket.
He completed his sixth Test fifty shortly afterwards when he pulled Mohammad Ali for one to deep square leg.
There was barely time to settle the milestone before the weather intervened again. Lawrence departed during another rain delay just a few overs after the previous interruption, protecting his bat by tucking the handle behind his shirt.
The game eventually ended shortly after 6:30 p.m., with poor light given as the official reason for the abandonment. The decision came despite the possibility of another game and patches of sunlight appearing on the horizon.
For Lawrence, the innings was another timely reminder of his value to England. The 29-year-old was brought back into the Test squad for the Pakistan series after two years, where he impressed in this season’s County Championship. The international retirement of Ben Stokes also created an opportunity for an all-rounder at No.6, with Lawrence’s off-spin adding another dimension to his case.
He had already scored a half-century in England’s innings victory over Pakistan in the opening Test at Headingley. Prior to this match, Lawrence’s previous Test appearance came as the opening match against Sri Lanka at home in September 2024.
Now, with another half-century composed and England firmly in control at Lord’s, Lawrence is making the most of his second chance.
– The end
Published on:
30 Aug 2026 0:01 IST