Harry Brook's sparkling 91 helped England establish a commanding lead over Pakistan on a shortened second day of the first Test at Headingley. The home side reached 366-8, securing a first-innings advantage of 195 runs before play was concluded.
Brook, who was dropped on one, played a pivotal role in building England's lead. His aggressive innings, which included a crucial 120-run partnership with Dan Lawrence, allowed England to capitalize on favorable conditions after morning rain delayed the start of play until mid-afternoon. Lawrence marked his return to the side with a valuable 51.
Earlier, Joe Root and Jordan Cox had laid a strong foundation for England's innings. The pair put on a 150-run third-wicket partnership, with Cox narrowly missing out on a maiden century, falling for 73. Root, playing his first Test since stepping down as captain, reached 66 before being dismissed.
The Pakistan bowlers, despite challenging conditions, found some success. Left-arm spinner Ali Usman took the wicket of Cox, while seamer Khurram Shahzad dismissed Root lbw. Usman finished with figures of 5-92.
Pakistan was previously all out for 171 on the first day, with Abdullah Shafique top-scoring with 61. For England, debutant pacer Gus Atkinson took five wickets for 46 runs, and Ollie Robinson also claimed five wickets for 51 runs. The current match situation suggests England could potentially secure a victory within three days if they maintain their strong performance.