Southampton: The second Test match of the three match series between England and Pakistan ended as a draw on Monday as only 134.3 overs were bowled across the five days at The Ageas Bowl.
Any possibility of play on the fifth morning was wiped out by heavy rain overnight, but the players eventually got out on the field eventually. Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley resumed for England, and scored steadily at first.
Crawley was happy to take on the hook shot when the Pakistan quicks tried to bounce him, and Yasir Shah’s introduction saw the England No 3 advance down the pitch and loft the leg-spinner down the ground for four.
As they continued to accumulate, Crawley passed fifty - the third time he’s reached the landmark in Tests - from 92 balls. But Mohammad Abbas’s reintroduction reaped immediate rewards for Pakistan, as he trapped Crawley leg-before with the first ball of his spell.
Abbas could have easily added a second wicket soon after, as England captain Joe Root played and missed at the last two balls of the over. In any case, the fast-medium bowler didn’t have to wait long for another, as he had Sibley strangled down the leg-side in his following over.
Ollie Pope fell to Yasir Shah, before Root and Jos Buttler came together to safely negotiate the host’s innings towards an inevitable draw.
Pakistan captain Azhar Ali came on to bowl one ball, swinging it past Jos Buttler’s outside edge, at which point England declared to take the game into the last hour, and the sides ‘shook hands’ on a draw.
The result leaves England 1-0 up going into the third and final Test of the series, which will be played at the same venue starting on Friday. (UNI)
