Stokes discovers life is not always easy on ‘pudding pitch’

England fail to take wicket as Pakistan openers cash in Brook sets record with 27 in one over in total of 657

England call it a “day in the dirt” and this was hard, unrelenting graft that gives a taste of what is to come this winter on pudding pitches.

Ben Stokes flicked through the book of tricks: funky fields, kidology over reverse swing and a bit of chirp to the batsmen, but none of it worked. Just six wickets fell on the second day of this first Test – all of them England batsmen playing shots – and Pakistan responded well to their shellacking.

Stokes gave his debutant spinner Will Jacks a boost, turning to him after 10 overs of the innings, and continued to rally Jack Leach throughout, encouraging him with the field up, but Pakistan did not buckle in the face of England’s 657 at 6.5 an over, reaching 181 without loss, just the small matter of 476 behind. England should have made more – head coach Brendon Mccullum wanted 750 – but it was still their fifth-highest total of all time, and second-best overseas behind a timeless Test in Kingston in 1930, so we quibble if we criticise.

Harry Brook smashed 27 in one over – the best ever by an England batsman – and reverse-hit a six into the stands that was the shot of the innings during a breathtaking 153 off 116 balls in only his second Test.

He is a special talent, and while winning will be hard, at least England are building depth in their batting. As they sped back down the empty Srinagar Highway – closed as a security measure for the teams – that runs between Rawalpindi, a classic sub-continental city, and the sterile capital of Islamabad, where they are staying, Stokes will have been happy with their effort, but also aware of the true value of a specialist wicketkeeper.

For all the fancy field placings and clever tactics, none of it matters if you do not hold those oh-so rare chances in Pakistan.

Ollie Pope found out only half an hour before the start of the Test that he would bat at three and keep wicket due to Ben Foakes failing to recover from illness.

He has done it before – filling in for Jos Buttler in Hamilton and for one innings in Sydney – but keeping in the sub-continent requires special skills, lightning reflexes standing up and rock-solid concentration. It is a true test of a keeper.

The batsman obscures the keeper’s view, and they can go long perione ods on their knees without taking the ball, so when a chance comes along, it can catch the dozy out.

It was the first over after tea, so the mind may not have fully switched on, when Imam-ul-haq edged Leach behind and Pope missed it. Imam, on 11, was 90 by the close.

There was a half chance as well for a stumping off Abdullah Shafique on 42 that Pope juggled, although Foakes would have been chuffed to have pulled it off.

Keaton Jennings, a substitute fielder, was hit full in the midriff at short leg by Shafique soon after, but it needed huge luck for him to hold it. Pope did almost take a blinder, Shafique strangled down the leg side off James Anderson on 54, but the ball bounced just short of his gloves, the wicket overturned by the third umpire.

Pope received a pat on the back from Stokes, while Anderson moaned at the umpire.

Would Foakes have made it? Probably, but you can only expect so much from a stand-in.

England’s spinners were ineffective. There was little turn to play with and they were unable to build pressure by bowling maidens. Only is a specialist – Leach – and he is short of bowling.

Jacks has a lot to learn but has a nice, high action, giving him loop, and turns the ball. He had not bowled more than six overs in a spell before stepping up for Surrey this season, and was picked for this tour on the back of a first-class bowling average of 53.

He has a long way to go, but there is something to work with.

Joe Root’s round-arm slingers did little and Liam Livingstone was off the field with a jarred knee,

For all the fancy field placings and clever tactics, none of it matters if you do not hold those oh-so rare chances

which is a worry. Stokes kept the fields up – a short mid-on, leg slip and short leg for Jacks and when Anderson was striving for reverse, he went for the “umbrella” field of a short midwicket, silly mid-on, two short extra covers for the leading edge. It made no difference.

At least it is good practice. There will be little change in Multan and Karachi over the next couple of weeks. New Zealand beckons in February, and the pitches there are lifeless, too.

A Friday crowd wanted to see Pakistan bat, but first they were entertained by Brook.

He added to the cascade of records with the most runs by an England player off a single over when he plundered the hapless Zahid Mahmood for 27.

Mahmood conceded more on Test debut than anyone else in history – four for 235 at 7.12 an over – challenging the scoreboard operator to keep up.

Brook scored the fastest 150 for England, beating Stokes’s record by 20 balls, getting there off 115 deliveries with some brutal strokeplay and hitting 19 fours and five sixes before picking out deep square leg.

Stokes started his day with a six down the ground off Naseem Shah, but was bowled by a slower ball in the same over.

Ollie Robinson played his best innings since debut, but if he can do it, so can top-class openers and in Shafique and Ul-haq, Pakistan have a pair who put on an unbeaten 252 in the last Test here.

Brook still thinks England will take 10 wickets.

“If it keeps getting lower and lower and we keep bowling at the stumps, there’s no reason why we can’t get them all out,” he said, channelling the optimism of youth. He also added: “I’m sure Stokesy will come up with a few plans.”

They will have to be good ones, this is going to be a slog.