England vs Pakistan: Ollie Robinson strikes twice in first over of second innings as hosts dominate day two of third Test at Edgbaston
Ollie Robinson dismissed Saim Ayub for a pair and Abdullah Shafique in first over of Pakistan second innings; England seamer has 28 wickets in four Tests this summer, at an average of 7.75 apiece; watch day three live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.15am, Friday
Thursday 10 September 2026 18:49, UK
England are closing in on the most emphatic of series sweeps of Pakistan after reducing the visitors to 52-2 - still 268 runs behind - before rain ended play early on day two of the third Test at Edgbaston.
Pakistan's score at stumps actually represented somewhat of a recovery after their prospects looked even gloomier than the darkening skies overhead when reduced to 0-2 in Ollie Robinson's first over.
Robinson (2-10) saw off Saim Ayub first ball - the opener, one of four players flown straight into the team after seven were axed from the touring squad, out for a pair - before Abdullah Shafique also nicked to the slips three deliveries later.
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It means that Robinson now has 28 wickets across his four Test appearances this summer, taking them at a staggering 7.75 apiece. In this series that improves even further to 6.66.
Joe Root's grab at slip to send back Shafique moved him one clear of Australia's Steve Smith and onto 220 in their personal battle to claim the most catches by an outfielder in Test cricket.
The clatter of wickets didn't follow as it had in Pakistan's first innings, with Azan Awais (29no) and Shan Masood (21no) sharing a fifty stand before the rain arrived - albeit Masood was put down on 13 by Ben Duckett, his third spill of the Test, off the unfortunate Gus Atkinson.
Brook, Lawrence and Smith all miss out with Test tons looming
Earlier, England were bowled out for 452, earning a 320-run lead on first innings as Dan Lawrence (65), Jamie Smith (69) and Robinson (50) added half-centuries to those notched by Emilio Gay (60) and Harry Brook (75) on day one.
Brook added 23 to his overnight total before he was the first wicket to fall on the second morning, just at the point where he and Dan Lawrence - who had stormed through to a 47-ball fifty - had seemingly broken Pakistan's spirits with 73 scored off the opening 10 overs of the day.
The breakthrough was a gift, Brook practically running himself out as he called for a risky single to midwicket, where Masood did the honours with a direct hit.
The scoring didn't slow as Smith joined Lawrence at the crease, the pair putting on 64 together before Lawrence was left kicking himself as he chopped one from Mohammad Imran (2-47) back onto his stumps just before lunch.
Smith was the next through to fifty - off 54 balls - but failed to convert as, after Gus Atkinson (19) was bowled by a beauty from Imran, Smith chipped one back to the fired-up Razaullah (4-148).
While he was okay to bat, Smith would later be absent from the field - Jordan Cox subbing in at wicketkeeper - with the regular gloveman nursing an injured finger from the first day.
Robinson, hitting a second Test half-century, and Jofra Archer (32no) had some fun lower down the order, finding the boundary - or clearing it - with regularity as England pushed their total above 400 and lead beyond 300 before the innings was finally ended.
Pakistan carried their increasingly timid approach in the field over into the start of their second innings, and a two-day finish briefly looked a possibility after Robinson's double strike in the first over, before Azan and Masood showed some much-needed resilience and the rain intervened.
Nasser: Ayub shouldn't be here
Sky Sports Cricket's Nasser Hussain:
"Saim Ayub, in particular, struggled. The truth is he shouldn't be here. He came from the CPL [Caribbean Premier League] and hasn't played first-class cricket in 11 months.
"I don't know who thinks it's the right thing to fly someone over from foreign conditions, and think they'll be fine in these conditions against a Duke's ball and Ollie Robinson's bowling attack? It's showing disrespect to Test match cricket.
"The players who are here, their friends and room-mates have been axed. People who have got five-fors have been axed.
"How you treat players is so important. It's a two-way thing when players are presented with a Test cap. You're expected to meet the core values of representing Pakistan, but the team needs to look after the players in return.
"That goes the moment you send seven people home. People start looking after themselves. Why should I bother about a team that doesn't bother about me and has sent my team-mates home between Tests?
"This Pakistan side, not only are they in poor form, they look like a team that says, 'what will be, will be', and just looks after itself."
Watch day three of the third Test between England and Pakistan at Edgbaston, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.15am on Friday. Not got Sky? Latest Sky Sports deals or stream with no contract on NOW
England vs Pakistan - results and schedule
All games live on Sky Sports
- First Test (Headingley) - England won by innings and 103 runs
- Second Test (Lord's) - England won by 194 runs
- Third Test (Edgbaston) - September 9-13
