England vs Pakistan: Chris Woakes gives hosts a fighting chance but Yasir Shah threat could bring first Test defeat

Pakistan 339 & 214-8, England 272

Chris Woakes celebrates taking the wicket of Shan Masood (Getty)

When England needed a hero, Chris Woakes stepped forward to keep his side in this absorbing first Test against Pakistan at Lord’s.

In all, Woakes now has 11 Pakistani scalps following his second five-wicket haul of the match on a fascinating third day that ended with the tourists 281 runs ahead on 214 for eight in their second innings.

It means the Warwickshire all-rounder is only the third England bowler in 38 years to take 10 wickets or more in a Lord’s Test.

Woakes is keeping rare company given the last two men to achieve that feat were Ian Botham, against New Zealand in 1978, and Stuart Broad, who claimed 10 West Indies wickets here in 2012.

To think Woakes wasn’t even in England’s squad before coming in as an injury replacement for Ben Stokes for the second Test against Sri Lanka at Durham in May.

Now, following a wonderful bowling performance and an unbeaten 35 runs with the bat in England’s first innings, it seems unthinkable that Woakes will not remain in the team when Stokes returns for next week’s second Test in Manchester.

Alastair Cook’s side may well be 1-0 down by then, Pakistan now favourites to wrap up victory given England highest successful run chase at Lord’s is the 282 they pursued to beat New Zealand here in 2004.

Stuart Broad celebrates taking the wicket of Mohammad Hafeez (Getty)

The tourists will also be confident they have a bowler in Yasir Shah who can mystify England’s batsmen whenever they get their chase underway, the leg-spinner taking six wickets in the first innings and promising to cause more havoc on a pitch that will only become more helpful to him as the match wears on.

England, though, have a chance and for that they must thank Woakes.

The hosts had started the morning in the precarious position of 253 for seven in their first innings, trailing Pakistan by 86 runs.

With Woakes, on 31, joined at the crease by Broad, England would have liked to have counter-attacked to try and get as close to parity as possible.

However, that was easier said than done with Shah in such fine form.

Indeed, England were only able to add 19 runs to their overnight score as they were dismissed for 272 just 37 minutes into the day.

Shah, whose five wickets on day two had precipitated England’s middle-order collapse, finished with six for 72 after trapping Steven Finn lbw on Saturday.

Those figures were the best by a visiting spinner against England at Lord’s since 1912.

Finn had found himself at the crease after Broad was yorked by Wahab Riaz in the fifth over of the day.

The innings was then concluded 8.1 overs into the session when debutant Jake Ball was run out.

It meant England conceded a first-innings advantage of 67 and were left needing to dismiss Pakistan relatively cheaply in their second innings if they were to stay in this match.

Things started well when Broad located Mohammad Hafeez’s edge and Joe Root took a catch at second slip to reduce the tourists to two for one in the third over of the innings.

Woakes, who picked up a career-best six for 70 on day two, had been denied first use of the new ball.

Yet he struck in the first over after lunch, Shan Masood picking out Cook at first slip as Pakistan stumbled to 44 for two.

They were soon 60 for four, Woakes striking again to trap Azhar Ali lbw on 23 and then Misbah holing out to Moeen Ali’s spin.

Yasir Shaw celebrates after taking six wickets for 72 runs (Getty)

Misbah had been the star of the first day of this match, scoring a brilliant century on his Lord’s debut at the age of 42.

Pakistan’s captain, though, fell for a duck this time as he slog swept Moeen with contempt only to pick out Alex Hales in the deep.

Amidst all this was a curious innings from Pakistan’s other veteran batsman in Younis Khan, the 38-year-old struggling to get bat on ball as he scratched around for 95 balls on his way to an ugly 25.

Younis is a player of rare class, averaging in excess of 50 during a career of more than 100 Tests. Yet this was a horrid knock that would have been over earlier had Younis not successfully reviewed when given out lbw on 11 to Steven Finn before tea.

Instead, he helped grind out an important 69-run partnership with Asad Shafiq that was broken 21 minutes into the evening session when he dragged a Moeen delivery onto his stumps as Pakistan slipped to 129 for five, a lead of 196.

Shafiq had batted beautifully when scoring 73 in his side’s first innings and he looked good in the second too.

Yet he fell for 49 when he was bowled by Woakes, Pakistan 168 for six and with their lead close to 250.

What England needed now was for luck to go their way but they had little, especially Finn, who had both incoming batsman Shah dropped at mid-off by Broad on two and then Safraz Ahmed spared by Bairstow behind the stumps on 36.

Thankfully Woakes finally ended the 40-run partnership between the pair when Bairstow clung on to the chance offered by Sarfraz on 45 to claim his tenth wicket.

That soon became 11 when Wahab gloved Woakes behind to fall for his second duck of the match, Pakistan leading by 281 on 214 for seven in the final over of the day.

It means this contest remains tantalisingly poised heading into a fourth day which you feel will probably be the last of the match.

PA