Pakistan are feeling the heat in the second Test at Lord’s. After England put up 290 in their first innings, Pakistan crumbled—let’s be honest, it was tough to watch.
They barely avoided the follow-on, folding for just 110 in under 37 overs. Azan Awais scored 46, Saud Shakeel managed 16, and nobody else reached double figures. Former England captain Michael Vaughan didn’t hold back after watching that collapse.
Chatting with Sky Sports, Vaughan went straight for the jugular. He said this Pakistan batting lineup is about as easy as it gets for bowlers. The England bowlers aren’t sweating—if anything, they’re fighting over who gets to bowl because wickets are just there for the taking.
To put it in his own words, ‘The England bowlers aren’t being challenged at all. This is probably the easiest batting lineup I’ve seen in a long time to bowl to. As a bowler, you’d be queuing up for a go because you know you’re getting wickets. You’re not going to get hurt. There’s no batter who’ll do any damage. It’s really just, ‘roll up, roll up, who wants to get the wickets?”
Vaughan even wondered if he was watching second division county cricket out there. He said the England bowlers are giving everything in every spell because they know Pakistan won’t last more than 40 or 50 overs. Guys are keen to bowl extra overs, even Joe Root’s getting offers—everyone wants in.
‘It’s so easy. They’re doing a good job, and they still look threatening. If they keep bowling like this, they’ll trouble stronger batting lineups. But this Pakistan batting, is it even up to Test standard? It feels more like second division county cricket than an international contest,’ Vaughan said.