Sohail’s comeback five keeps England to 297

England 297 (Ballance 70, Moeen 63, Sohail 5-96) v PakistanScorecard and ball-by-ball details

Sohail Khan made a significant impact on his return to Test cricket after a gap of nearly five years as England were forced to dig deep for something close to parity on the opening day at Edgbaston. Sohail, recalled in place of Wahab Riaz, took 5 for 96 while half-centuries for Gary Ballance and Moeen Ali provided much-needed stability for England who ended with 297.

Sohail’s presence in the attack meant it was the first time Pakistan had fielded a right-arm seamer in the series. He had two previous Tests, the last of them against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 2011, with his sole Test wicket prior to this match being Tatenda Taibu and an average that stood at 245. By tea, he had four of England’s top order including the in-form Joe Root, having twice claimed a brace in hardworking eight-over spells during the first two sessions, and clinched a deserved five-for when he pinned James Anderson lbw with what became the last ball of the day – and he still had the energy for nine celebratory push-ups.

For a day, at least, Pakistan’s response to their Old Trafford drubbing was encouraging as they did enough to just about vindicate Misbah-ul-Haq’s somewhat surprising decision to bowl first. Not surprising so much in terms of recent evidence at the ground – no side has won batting first since the Ashes Test of 2005 – but because it meant his trump card, Yasir Shah, would not have the chance to bowl in the fourth innings.

England’s batting never took a stranglehold on the day as they had in Manchester, slipping to 73 for 3 in the morning session, 158 for 5 before tea and 244 for 7 in the evening before the second new ball cleaned up the innings. However, Ballance showed the value of substance over style with his first half-century since his return and Moeen, playing on the ground where his county career began, and back at No. 7 due to Ben Stokes’ injury, produced his second important innings of the season after …

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