England post record total on the first day of a Test match against Pakistan: Pakistan vs England 1st Test
Pakistan vs England 1st Test: England overtook Australia, who had amassed 494 runs at the loss of six wickets against South Africa in Sydney in 1910.
Fueling on three centuries from their top three (Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, and Harry Brook). England broke the record for the highest total posted by any team on the first day in Test cricket’s history. Crossing the 494-run mark.
Clem Hill (191) and Warren Bardsley (132) were the highest scorers for the hosts. Australia held the record for the next two entries in the tally until Thursday. The second 482/5 against the Proteas back in 2012 at Adelaide. And 475/2 against England at The Oval back in 1934. The record for most runs on any day’s play in a Test match is also held by England and India, who scored 588 runs on day two of the Old Trafford test in 1936.
The visitors crossing 500 was also the first instance of a team doing so on the opening day of a Test match: Pakistan vs England 1st Test
England went past Australia’s 494-run mark in the the 75th over of the innings. That as it happened also turned out to be the final over of the day. Ben Stokes smashed a six against Mohammad Ali to take England to a new world record on the third delivery of the over
Here’s the list of highest scores in Test history on Day 1: 506/4
England – 506/4 against Pakistan, 2022 : Pakistan vs England 1st Test
Australia – 494/6 against South Africa, 1910
Australia – 482/5 against South Africa, 2012
England – 475/2 against Australia, 1934
England – 471/8 against India, 1936
Earlier, Ben Stokes had won the toss and opted to bat in Rawalpindi and England went off to a flier, with the opening duo of Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett forging a 233-run partnership for the first wicket.
Crawley smashed 122 off 111 deliveries While, Duckett scored 107 in 110 balls. The explosive approach from England continued. However, as wicketkeeper Ollie Pope also went up for a century (108 off 104 balls).
Winning toss at Rawalpindi for the first of three Tests against Pakistan and opting to bat first. England got off to a flying start as Crawley and Duckett added 235 runs for the opening wicket off 214 deliveries.
Pakistan would make a comeback breaking the partnership as Zahid Mahmood rapped Duckett around his pads. Crawley would be cleaned up by Haris Rauf shortly afterwards. Mahmood would also send Joe Root back to the pavilion shortly afterwards.
Ollie Pope and Harry Brook then stitched together a 176-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Scoring the other two hundred for England on the first day. It was the first instance of four batters scoring centuries on the opening day of a Test match.
While Joe Root was dismissed on 23. Harry remained unbeaten on 24 runs with the fantastic knock of boundaries. Reaching his century in the penultimate over of the match.
Earlier this year, the pitch has given a demerit point after a Test between Pakistan and Australia ended as a draw. The pitch hardly provided assistance to bowlers. As England exploited the batting-friendly conditions at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
