Lord’s Test abandoned on sunny day

England’s second Test against Pakistan at Lord’s has been marred by rain and bad light, with only 24.5 overs possible on day three. The hosts moved from their overnight 81-3 to 177-7, stretching their lead to 357, as they aim to wrap up a series win.

The umpires’ decision to abandon play late on day three has been met with criticism, particularly from former England captain Nasser Hussain, who described it as “a joke”. Despite the sun shining late in the evening, the day was officially called off just after 6:30 pm local time, prompting heavy booing from spectators.

Hussain’s frustration stemmed from the fact that had the players returned to the field before 7 pm, play could have been extended to 7:30 pm. He expressed his disappointment, saying, “These fans have waited here all afternoon for it to stop raining. It is now bright, blue sky in the distance. In about five minutes, it is going to be sunny here.”

Speaking earlier, Hussain had noticed a lack of urgency to get the game on, saying, “I have no idea what’s going on and I don’t think the fans do. It’s the brightest it’s been for about eight hours. It’s not raining – get the covers off and start playing.”

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In the limited cricket played, England’s Dan Lawrence clinched a sixth Test half-century with his knock of 50 not out from 66 balls. His innings included a stunning six over extra-cover, which Sky Sports pundit Dinesh Karthik called “the shot of the series”.

Lawrence opted to counter-attack as Pakistan’s bowlers found lavish movement and the pitch offered up uneven bounce. His England team-mate Emilio Gay was trapped lbw by Mohammad Abbad from an unplayable delivery that scuttled through low.

On Lawrence’s innings, Hussain said, “He got his tempo right. This is not the surface to hang in on, there is a ball with your name on it – as Gay found out – so you have to score, put bowlers under pressure.”

Lawrence has replaced the retired Ben Stokes in England’s XI and has been recalled after averaging 65.66 for Surrey in the County Championship this term. He notched five hundreds and has now scored two half-centuries in the series, including one in the series opener at Headingley.

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Lawrence is also the chief spin bowling option at the moment, as the side goes in with an all-pace frontline attack. The 29-year-old said, “I’m just trying to contribute every Test I can and give a good showing of myself. Thankfully, so far, I think I have done.”

He added, “I’m desperate, along with all the other boys, to establish myself in an England shirt, which is something I haven’t quite done in my career so far. It’s about trying to take every opportunity you get and really enjoy the occasion instead of feeling nervous. Have fun and play the cricket that’s got me here this summer.”

England will look to wrap up the series win on day four, which will be played on Sunday. The match can be watched live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10:15 am.