Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes both hit fifties to give England a three-wicket victory in the first Test against Pakistan at Old Trafford on Saturday. England, set a challenging 277 to win, were struggling at 117-5 on the fourth day. But World Cup winners Buttler and Woakes counter-attacked. At the drinks break, England were 216-5 — just 61 runs shy of victory. Buttler was 53 not out and Woakes 54 not out.

Wicketkeeper Buttler had had a poor match in the field, twice missing Shan Masood on 45 during the Pakistan opener’s first-innings 156.

Although he is one of the world’s leading white-ball batsmen, Buttler had just one century in 44 Tests coming into this match, being played behind closed doors because of the coronavirus. 

But whether it was cover-driving leg-spinner Shadab Khan or pulling teenage paceman Naseem Shah for another boundary, Buttler was able to put the pressure back on Pakistan.

Together with Woakes he shared a fifty stand in just 49 balls.

And his own half-century came off just 55 balls, with seven fours.

Runs came from both ends with Woakes bringing up a 59-ball fifty when he cover-drove Naseem for the eighth boundary of his innings.

It was his highest Test score since his hundred against India two years ago.

Although he is known to be vulnerable to the short ball, Pakistan did not pitch short to the Warwickshire all-rounder until he was well set.

Only twice has a team chased more than 200 to win in the fourth innings of a Test at Old Trafford, with England making 294-4 against New Zealand in 2008 and 231-3 against the West Indies in 2004.

– Collapse –

England, trying to end a run of losing the first Test in each of their last five series, were making steady progress at 96-1.

However, they lost four wickets for 31 runs in slipping to 117-5, with captain Joe Root and Ben Stokes both falling in the collapse.

After Mohammad Abbas had pinned Rory Burns lbw, fellow opener Dom Sibley and skipper Root kept Pakistan at bay.

But leg-spinner Yasir Shah lured Sibley (36) into an edged drive that was well caught by Asad Shafiq at slip.

Root made a composed 42 before he edged Naseem to Babar Azam in the slips.

Stokes had guided England to an astounding one-wicket win over Australia from a seemingly hopeless position with a brilliant century in the third Ashes Test last year.

But there was no repeat of his Headingley heroics on Saturday when he fell for just nine, with wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, impressive behind the stumps throughout this match, holding an excellent catch after Stokes got a thin glove to a Yasir googly that bounced.

It needed a Pakistan review to confirm Stokes’ dismissal — a bold decision by captain Azhar Ali after the tourists had squandered a review against Stokes moments earlier.

But the TV umpire was not required when Ollie Pope received a brute of a ball from towering left-arm paceman Shaheen Afridi that lept off a length, the ball ballooning to Shadab as he ran forward from gully.

Promoted

Earlier, Pakistan resumed on 137-8, a lead of 244, before Yasir led a tailend rally that saw 32 runs added in just 16 balls before his team were dismissed for 169 in their second innings.

Yasir struck a quickfire 33 off 24 balls that included consecutive boundaries off fast bowler Jofra Archer and a six off Stuart Broad.