England get early breakthrough as Archer removes Masood

England secured an early wicket on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan at Lord's, as Jofra Archer and Jamie Smith dismissed opener Shan Masood for a single run. The dismissal left Pakistan at 5-1 in their first innings, responding to England's first-innings total of 290.

The match, which followed England's declaration on the first day, saw Pakistan begin their innings shortly after play resumed. Archer, who had been England's standout bowler in the first innings with figures of 4-66, returned to the attack with Smith, the wicketkeeper, who was bowling his first over in Test cricket. The first ball of their opening partnership accounted for Masood, caught behind by Smith off Archer's bowling.

Pakistan's innings got off to a shaky start, with their top order exposed early. The loss of Masood, who had scored 19 and 106 in the first Test at Rawalpindi, marked a difficult beginning for the tourists. The visitors were 5-1 after 4.1 overs, with opener Abdullah Shafique also dismissed without scoring, caught by Zak Crawley off Archer's bowling.

England's bowlers maintained pressure throughout the morning session. Archer, who finished with match figures of 7-67 in the first Test, continued to trouble the Pakistan batsmen with his pace and bounce. Smith, who had replaced an injured Jonny Bairstow behind the stumps, made an immediate impact with the ball, claiming his first Test wicket.

England's dominance with both bat and ball in the first innings had set the tone for the day. Their 290 all out was built on solid performances from their top order, with Zak Crawley top-scoring with 63, supported by Joe Root (55) and Ben Duckett (50). The declaration shortly before lunch on the first day left Pakistan with a challenging 484-run target to win.

Pakistan's task was further complicated by the absence of their first-choice wicketkeeper, Mohammad Rizwan, who was ruled out of the second Test due to a finger injury. His replacement, Sarfaraz Ahmed, is not primarily a wicketkeeper, adding to the pressure on Pakistan's batting lineup.

The early breakthrough by England put Pakistan on the back foot, but the match remained finely poised. The tourists would need a strong recovery from their top order if they were to challenge England's lead.

With the second day's play in progress, England's bowlers will look to maintain their pressure, while Pakistan aim to steady their innings and salvage a competitive position in the match. The second Test at Lord's promises to be a compelling contest as both teams battle for supremacy.