Pace bowling was key to England’s success here two years ago, so a fresh-looking attack came under the spotlight in the run-up to this match. Woakes has a terrible record overseas, Atkinson had not played away before, Carse not anywhere for England before.
England lacked experience and assistance. The ball barely swung or turned, offering next to nothing for bowlers of all kinds.
Woakes started well before his effectiveness waned. Carse was lively, asked to bowl bouncers as early as the 15th over of the day, a plan that England overdid. Bashir was expensive, often lacking control.
England were led by Atkinson and Leach. The ball Atkinson bowled to get Ayub was probably his worst of the day and, later, he tirelessly executed the plan to drag Shafique into a loose drive.
Left-armer Leach was overlooked in the home summer, though he is the only one of England’s frontline bowlers to have played in Pakistan before. He was by far England’s most economical bowler and comfortably out-performed Bashir.
As the light faded, Woakes was given the second new ball. The thud into Babar’s front pad gave him just a seventh Test wicket in Asia and first since 2016.
