SOUTHAMPTON – England wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler reached his second test hundred as the hosts overcame a rain-hit morning session to reach 373-4 at lunch on the second day of the third and final test against Pakistan at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.
Rain interrupted play twice in Southampton before Buttler (113 not out) claimed his first test hundred in over two years, while Zak Crawley edged towards a maiden double hundred.
Crawley, 22, who had only scored three first class hundreds prior to the test, remains just 14 runs away from becoming the third-youngest Englishman to score a test double century.
England were teetering on 127-4 on Friday when Crawley and Buttler came together to launch a counter-attack, helping the hosts reach a commanding 332-4 at the end of day one.
The duo have negotiated the second new ball in the morning session to stitch together a unbeaten 246-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Pakistan’s seam attack have struggled to control their line in blustery conditions, with captain Azhar Ali losing two reviews in pur7suit of Buttler’s wicket.
The visitors need to win the test to level the series after England won the opening match in Manchester by three wickets, and the rain-hit second fixture ended in a draw.
Reuters