England's Lawrence Coventry Makes Headlines as He Takes His First Test Century Against Pak
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Cox - replacing the injured Jacob Bethell - came in at No 3 and hit 10 fours on the way to his maiden Test fifty in just his second match. He was one of four England top-order batters to make a half-century in an impressive performance that saw them build a 195-run lead over a lacklustre Pakistan by stumps on day two at Headingley.
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The Guardian SportWhen Jordan Cox was 19, playing in his fifth first-class match and unbeaten overnight on 167 for Kent against Sussex, he decided to set himself a new task. Cox told Sam Billings, his captain and an England international, that he would go past Billings’ first-class best of 171. The top scores of other teammates were in sight, too. “I was just ticking people off,” Cox said a few weeks later. “Having a higher score than Sam Billings and Joe Denly at 19, that’s what got me going.” Denly, an England No 3, had a best of 227. Cox finished on 238 not out.
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Injuries have meant Cox has had to wait for a sustained run in the team, with a chance at number three coming because of Jacob Bethell's knee problem. Lawrence is getting his fourth go at Test cricket, filling the void left by the retired Ben Stokes.
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The Guardian SportHe may have to play the waiting game after this series, too. Cox is a fill-in for the injured Jacob Bethell, the golden boy of the English game. The Essex man is more of a No 4 or No 5, capable of playing a soothing tune – like he did here – but also blitzing it when the moment requires. So his major problem is obvious, with those two spots occupied by the two non‑negotiables in this England side, Root and Harry Brook. “If you’ve got the No 1 and 2 Test batsmen in the world, I can’t imagine I’m going to squeeze them apart,” said Cox last year, acknowledging the challenge of finding a middle-order role.
Sky SportsWhile Bethell is a shoo-in to make a return to No 3 after he recovers from a knee injury, Broad feels that Cox's knock could help him earn a shot at another role in England's Test XI:
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Watch day three of the first Test between England and Pakistan, at Headingley, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10.15am on Thursday (11am first ball, weather-permitting). Stream cricket and more sport contract-free with NOW
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NDTV SportsEngland vs Pakistan, 1st Test Day 2, Live Score Updates England vs Pakistan, 1st Test Day 2, Live Score Updates
The Guardian SportWelcome to the second day of this first Test between England and Pakistan from Headingley. I’m afraid to say that it is a wet one, folks. As the Beautiful South nearly sang – From Garforth to Gipton it’s rain. From Roundhay to Rawdon it’s rain.
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Thursday 20 August 2026 19:47, UK Harry Brook missed out on a century after notching 91 from 93 balls in a masterful innings that headlined a dominant England batting performance against Pakistan on day two of the first Test at Headingley.
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BBC SportThis content is not available in your location. There was an error Watch the best shots from Harry Brook's 91 as his wait for a Test century at Headingley continues on day two of the first Test against Pakistan. FOLLOW LIVE: England v Pakistan - Day Two
The Guardian SportThe clock had just ticked past 7pm, there was still half an hour of play left on this soggy second day, and it looked for all money that Harry Brook would end a year-long wait for his 11th Test century with a first at his home ground of Headingley.
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No 1 ranked Test batter Brook was clean bowled by the brilliant Usman Tariq (5-91), consigning him to missing out on triple figures at his home ground in a Test for the second summer running, after notching a stunning 99 off 112 against India last June.
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The Guardian SportAnd then it happened. With 91 runs to his name, Brook rocked back and went to push the left-arm spin of Ali Usman through vacant mid-wicket only to swipe at fresh air and hear the ball cannon on to his stumps. Brook came into this match as the No 1-ranked batter in the world but this local peak continues to elude him.
BBC SportTrying to whip Usman into the leg side, Brook missed and was bowled. It is the second time in as many Tests he has been dismissed in the 90s on his home ground, following a 99 against India here last year.
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This content is not available in your location. There was an error Pakistan take the wickets of Jordan Cox and Joe Root in quick succession leaving England out of reviews at Headingley. FOLLOW LIVE: England v Pakistan - Day Two
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Sky SportsBrilliant England batting leaves Pakistan on brink After the lengthy rain delay, Cox and Root began the afternoon in the same fashion as they finished the previous evening, resuming on 112-2 and swatting a toothless Pakistan bowling attack away with apparent ease on their way to respective Test match fifties. Cox's maiden Test half-ton came in a 150-run partnership for the third wicket that put England firmly in the driving seat.
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Lawrence played on-drives off the seamers and sweeps off the spinners. One sweep too many at Usman resulted in a skied top-edge. After Usman removed Brook, he later accounted for Gus Atkinson and Ollie Robinson in successive balls for his maiden Test five-wicket haul.
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Sky SportsUsman stole the headlines late on with two wickets in two balls, trapping Gus Atkinson (3) in front before dismissing Ollie Robinson (0) for a duck straight afterwards to secure an impressive maiden Test five-fer, leaving Jofra Archer (0no off 3) and Jamie Smith (16no off 35) at the crease with England eight wickets down heading into day three.
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A first international ton was on. He wasn’t going to be rushed by any of Pakistan’s seamers, with no one in the visiting attack capable of testing his ability against the bouncer. When Khurram Shahzad went short against Cox, the ball came out wide at 76mph, the lack of fizz possibly catching the right-hander off guard: a half‑hearted baseball swing offered the bowler a return catch he couldn’t take. A near-identical delivery immediately followed, with Cox quickly learning his lesson to nail the pull for four. There wasn’t much of a celebration when he reached 50, suggesting this was not what he had come for.
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BBC SportCox should have been caught on 57 when he patted back to Shahzad. Perhaps the drop disrupted his concentration, because the wicket-taking delivery from Usman was innocuous. Cox simply followed one the left-armer got to turn and edged to the wicketkeeper.
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Yes, Brook has shown himself an able tactician and leader of the white-ball team but at no point did I believe he was ready to be England's Test captain.
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Independent claims that didn't surface elsewhere in our corpus. Treat as supplementary — not corroborated across outlets.
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01 Sky Sports Stuart Broad says Jordan Cox could replace Jamie Smith as wicketkeeper after the Essex batter made 73 off 100 against Pakistan at Headingley; Broad also discussed whether Dan Lawrence is England's next all-rounder; watch day three from 10.15am Friday on Sky Sports
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02 The Guardian Sport Six years on, that confidence and bit of swagger made its way to Leeds, with Cox resuming on 23 after England’s near-perfect Wednesday. There were no visible nerves, no rollerskates on the feet. A few gentle taps of the ground, a small shift on to the back foot and then plenty of time before he presented the middle. He looked on holiday while batting in only his second Test, and that too with the responsibility of building a first-innings lead at first drop. Joe Root, 167 Tests in, was at the other end and Cox did not look out of place alongside his captain. The pair have done a bit of this now. Just last week they were decked out in red, trying to launch it together in the Hundred. Strong Welsh Fire, strong England?
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03 BBC Sport He will score a million runs if he keeps batting like this. It must be the blueprint for Brook across the rest of his Test career.
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04 ESPNcricinfo Usman rues Pakistan bowling lapses despite five-wicket haul Spinner believes team must be positive with the bat when second innings comes about
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05 NDTV Sports "Pakistan Are A Poor Side": England Great Sparks Controversy With Brutal Verdict Team Pakistan in action
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