England player ratings for second Test at Lord's: Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer star as Jordan Cox looks assured with bat
Ollie Robinson continues dream England comeback with eight wickets in 194-run victory over Pakistan; Sussex seamer has 23 scalps at an average of 8.34 in Tests this summer; watch final game of series, at Edgbaston, live on Sky Sports from Wednesday September 9
Sunday 30 August 2026 20:53, UK
We rate England's players after the 194-run, series-sealing victory over Pakistan at Lord's, with the seamers once again standing out...
Ben Duckett - 4
Batting: 17 and 1
A forgettable Test which saw the England opener face only 26 deliveries across his two innings.
He was one of a number of batters who perhaps felt a touch unfortunate to be given out lbw in the first innings to deliveries that, at first glance, looked to be going over the stumps, only to be shown otherwise after a timely Pakistan review.
His second-innings failure, however, simply owed to a poor shot as he chipped one straight to mid-off.
Emilio Gay - 5
Batting: 8 and 31
It's a cruel game.
Gay can count himself unfortunate in both innings, with Mohammad Rizwan claiming a terrific diving grab off little more than a leg-side strangle in the first innings, before a devastating grubber did for him lbw when batting was at its toughest on a rain-interrupted third day.
He'd batted determinedly through to stumps on the second evening, a quality that has been evident since making his debut this summer, but his place in the side is coming under increasing scrutiny with Jacob Bethell still to return after this series and others staking a claim.
Jordan Cox - 7
Batting: 55 and 11
Cox is one such player pushing for a permanent spot in the side as he registered a second fifty in as many Tests since his reintroduction in place of the injured Bethell at No 3.
Speaking to Sky Sports Cricket ahead of the Lord's Test, Cox said of the opportunity handed to him: "This could be your only shot, make sure this counts".
He's come close to doing just that, looking very assured out in the middle, just as he did at Headingley.
A century once again eluded him - this time thanks to an absolute screamer of a catch from Salman Ali Agha, one of the best slip catches you're ever likely to see.
Joe Root - 4
Batting: 4 and 24
Does Root have an lbw problem?
"It's fascinating that even a guy of more than 160 Tests, who averages over 50 - one of the greatest players England have ever produced - teams will still be looking at that developing trend," Sky Sports' Michael Atherton said as the skipper fell leg before wicket in both innings, making it seven such dismissals this summer and nine times in his last 12 Test innings'.
He's far from the only batter to succumb in such fashion this summer, with lbw dismissals on the rise as a whole in seamer-friendly conditions, but it's certainly something he'll be eager to correct with a big score in the final Test at Edgbaston.
Harry Brook - 5
Batting: 15 and 34
Brook batted better than his run haul would suggest, particularly in the second innings where he cautiously negotiated a testing period on the second evening, before building a promising partnership with Dan Lawrence on day three - with conditions at their toughest.
Just as in the first innings, though, when bowled by a devastating Mohammad Ali in-ducker, one eventually had his name on it when grazing a faint shoulder edge to Rizwan, stood up to the stumps, off Mohammad Abbas.
Has caught pretty consistently in the slips all summer, but put down Azan Awais on eight as he went on to score 46 in the first innings.
Dan Lawrence - 7
Batting: 17 and 54
Lawrence is another staking his claim for a permanent place in the side, with the No 6 position seemingly suiting him perfectly as England look to fill the Ben Stokes-shaped hole left behind.
While Lawrence could never hope to match Stokes' repeated and ridiculous feats of the past decade and more, he provides similar counter-attacking verve with the bat - which was on full display with his second-innings half century in testing conditions.
He also helps balance the side with his part-time off-spin to complement England's four-pronged pace attack, which we've admittedly yet to see a lot of.
Jamie Smith - 8
Batting: 61 and 7
There was a welcome return to form with the bat, too for Smith, as he tonked 61 off 80 deliveries in the first innings, featuring 10 boundaries.
It's precisely the sort of attacking prowess for which he made his name as he took to Test cricket like a dream in his first 18 months, only for it to then draw criticism as the runs dried up during a dismal Ashes drubbing, admitting to Sky Sports Cricket this week that "I have found it tough".
His impeccable keeping, particularly when stood up to the stumps, earns him an extra mark.
Gus Atkinson - 6
Bowling: 0-33 and 0-41
Batting: 45 and 7
Atkinson is the one to feel the pinch of England's four-pronged pace attack at the moment, being reduced to second change and rarely being afforded the end he wants to bowl from.
There simply aren't enough wickets to spread around, given Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer's success with the new ball and Josh Tongue's taste for the tail.
Atkinson is certainly not bowling poorly, with a pacey spell prior to tea on the fourth afternoon a particular standout, but he's just bagged the one wicket so far in the series and will be eager to cash in at Edgbaston.
His batting was a positive, enjoying himself again at Lord's - the scene of his Test hundred - as he cracked 45 in the first innings.
Ollie Robinson - 9
Bowling: 4-11 and 4-24
Batting: 0 and 8
That's three Test matches played this summer and three Player of the Match awards secured. Just let some of these numbers wash over you...
Robinson returned astonishing match figures of 8-35 across his 27 overs of supremely skilful bowling.
He now has 99 wickets in 23 Tests played, at an average of 19.53! And that average only improves to 15.45 for his five career Tests at Lord's, and an astonishing 8.34 for his three appearances this summer.
"There will be more questions asked of Robinson, on difficult pitches to bowl seam up on - his fitness will have to come into play - but in these conditions, at the moment he's England's best bowler," Sky Sports Cricket's Nasser Hussain said post-match.
"For someone who was left out of the side for quite some time, to suddenly come back and be England's best bowler is some achievement. You've got to take your hat off to him.
"He now has to ask himself, the backroom staff, and people like Stuart Broad and James Anderson, 'what do I need to do to become the complete bowler?' That's how you grow as a player and a team."
Jofra Archer - 8
Bowling: 3-26 and 2-73
Batting: 14 and 2no
Deserved more than just a five-wicket haul from the match, particularly in the first innings where he could and perhaps should have taken that many alone.
According to CricViz, Archer's opening spell averaged 90.7 mph, with the odd delivery touching 94mph, as he picked up the flat-footed Shan Masood caught behind.
He repeatedly threatened both edges of the bat thereafter but without reward - Azan playing and missing as many as 14 times to the quick - until returning to dismantle the tail late on.
He also saw off Babar Azam with a brute of bouncer in the second innings as he and Robinson reduced Pakistan to 14-3 as part of another devastating new-ball spell.
Josh Tongue - 7
Bowling: 2-27 and 3-46
Batting: 30no and 12
Tongue got Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam nicking off either side of lunch on day two, before feasting on the tail once more in the second innings. He had also successfully set the trap for Saud Shakeel, who happily hooked into it, falling three runs short of a well-deserved hundred.
He continues to prove his worth as part of this attack, albeit he does leak runs - particularly when bowling to left-handers, which will need to be addressed - as he went at over five an over for his 14.5 overs bowled.
He smacked a few to the fence himself at No 11, part of an impressive 47-run final-wicket partnership in the first innings as he and Atkinson had some fun on the second morning.
Watch day one of England's third Test against Pakistan, from Edgbaston, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10am on Wednesday September 9 (11am first ball). Not got Sky? Latest Sky Sports deals or stream no contract.
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
