According to data analysts Cricviz, the Multan pitch was the second-flattest for day one of a Test anywhere in the world since they started collecting such information in 2007.
Across the three sessions, the 0.47 degrees of swing was the least amount of movement in the air for day one in Pakistan since the beginning of 2022.
If there was nothing to encourage the seamers, the spinners got little more. The 2.64 degrees of turn was the second-lowest for the opening day in this country over the same time period. Shoaib Bashir struggled – only once in his short Test career has he bowled more overs without taking a wicket – but Jack Leach impressed in his first Test since January.
Despite all of the disadvantages, England hung in. The fielding was never anything but wholehearted, the only error being Pope’s miss at the stumps when Shafique should have been run out on 34.
Aside from that, Pope did a fine job at recreating the creativity of Stokes that was crucial to England’s win in 2022.
Bowlers were shuffled, fields tinkered. Shafique’s eyeline was flooded with catchers in front of the bat and he eventually popped Atkinson to cover. Left-armer Leach toyed with his angles to come round the wicket to left-hander Masood and was rewarded with a return catch.
The only mild criticism was an over-eagerness to bowl bouncers, a favourite tactic of England. Carse, who touched 90mph, was asked to go to the short ball as early as the 15th over of the match.
Overall, 40% of the deliveries Carse sent down were bouncers, 61% short of a good length. It is a plan England often revert to for bowlers with extra pace. Jamie Overton bowled 34% bouncers in his only Test against New Zealand in 2022 and Olly Stone 33% in his two Tests against Sri Lanka earlier this year. Wood, albeit faster and more skilful than the other three, is not used as such a blunt instrument.
Perhaps the biggest boost for England was the late impact of Woakes. Quiet for most of the day, he grabbed the second new ball to produce a nip-backer that removed Pakistan’s best player in Babar. The UK is on its fifth different prime minister since Woakes’ previous Asian Test wicket in 2016.
It was a delivery worthy of Anderson, the absence of whom was made much of in the build-up to the Test.
England’s bowling consultant has been playing golf at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. When Anderson does arrive in time for day two, he will join a team that can be optimistic following their first-day showing.
In truth, unless England were going to ask Anderson to take the new ball, there seems little he could have passed on to the bowlers that would have made their job any easier.
In the City of Saints, England did just fine without Saint Jimmy.
