
Jamie Smith's costly drop deals major blow to England's slim hopes of victory in the second Test, as Pakistan take big step towards levelling the series
Daily MailThe ball popped in, then out – and with it went England’s best chance of another miracle in Multan. England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith dropped a simple chance off the bowling of Brydon Carse Two balls later, Joe Root put down a tougher chance at slip, much to Carse's disgust Reprieved batter Salman Agha went on to make 63 to dampen England's slim hopes Three overs later, Zak Crawley advanced at slow left-armer Noman Ali and, just as ambitiously, played against the turn. Shoaib Bashir took four wickets in the second innings, including three before lunch Jack Leach took three as England's spinners threatened to get their team back into the match Brydon Carse was England's most threatening seamer but was let down by the side's fielding For the moment, though, there is a series to win in Pakistan, and England will wince at the thought of how much harder they have made life for themselves. But Smith’s drop was in a different category of aberration, the likes of which a Test wicketkeeper might make only two or three times in a long career. With these pitches, you’ve got to make sure the ball carries.’ First innings centurion Ben Duckett was out after facing just two balls, top-edging a sweep His opening partner Zak Crawley also fell before the close after being deceived by some clever bowling from Noman Ali, who handed Mohammad Rizwan a simple stumping at the wicket England assistant coach Paul Collingwood defended Smith after his dropped catch Pakistan’s decision to play the second Test on the same pitch as the first might have been born of desperation, and betrayed their belief that they couldn’t compete with England on a more conventional surface.
History of this topic

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