Dorothy

Robinson kickstarted proceedings in incredible fashion, pinning Azan Awais with the first ball of the Test match, before also snaring Shan Masood (5) lbw before rain stopped play.

But after struggling with an ankle problem that required treatment on the field, Imam drove loosely to slip on 42 to hand Tongue his first wicket. Unlike Archer and Atkinson, Tongue did not look like a bowler coming off a diet of 20 balls per match in the Hundred but rather the Test thoroughbred he is fast becoming.

Watch day two 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

One of Robinson’s victims here was a touch unfortunate, with Saud Shakeel too late in reviewing an lbw shown to be going over the stumps. But figures of five for 51 from 18 overs were no less deserved, while an afternoon spell of eight overs, two for 17, was also a positive as regards his fitness and old ball prowess.

"Robbo said we can split the ball in half," Tongue told Test Match Special. "The groundstaff have kindly done that.

For Robinson, this was a second five-for in as many matches since he made his Test comeback against New Zealand in June, and came days after he and wife Mia celebrated the birth of their first child.

So much comes down to Tongue’s natural angle that, allied with nip in either direction, can turn defence into a lottery. Here he snuffed out any chance of a fightback from the lower middle order, his figures of five for 46 seeing both the stand-in skipper, Salman Ali Agha, and the wicketkeeer Mohammad Rizwan pinned lbw.

At six for two, Pakistan were in proper bother. This is a side who few expect to make a serious splash this summer. They sit second last in the World Test Championship table and haven’t won a series away from home since 2023. Their captain and finest batter, Babar Azam, is injured. He caused a brief stir when he emerged before the toss in full whites, cap and blazer on, but it soon turned out that it was for a picture with his opposite number and the series trophy.