Yasir Shah in elite Lords company
AFP
AFP, LONDON: Pakistans Yasir Shah took six for 72 against England on Saturday to become just the fifth leg-spinner to take six wickets in a Test innings at Lords.
Shah was the first leg-spinner to achieve the feat in 83 years.
Yasir Shah said varying his pace had been behind his spectacular return to Test cricket at Lords on Friday.
The leg-spinner took five for 64 as England reached stumps on the second day of the first Test on 253 for seven 86 runs behind Pakistans first-innings 339.
It was the first time a leg-spinner had taken five wickets in a Test innings at the home of cricket since Shahs fellow Pakistani Mushtaq Ahmed performed the feat 20 years ago. What made the 30-year-old Shahs feat all the more impressive was that this was his first Test outside of Asia and the United Arab Emirates.
It was also his first Test since completing a three-month drugs ban after he tested positive for the masking agent chlortalidone. Shah told the International Cricket Council he had inadvertently taken his wifes blood pressure medication and his suspension was lifted in March, making him eligible for the England tour.
After he induced the well-set Joe Root to hole out on 48 and so end a second-wicket stand of 110, Shah ran through Englands middle order, with James Vince, Gary Ballance, Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali also falling to the spinner.
Shah, who had previously posed England problems by taking a combined 15 wickets against them in two Tests in the UAE at an average of just over 21 apiece, said adjusting to local conditions had helped him on Friday. With Ahmed, now a member of Pakistans coaching staff acting as an interpreter, Shah said: Ive played lots of cricket in the UAE where you have to bowl quicker. In England the pitches have got some pace so you have to concentrate on varying your pace.
My role was very clear, to give support to the fast bowlers, but luckily I got the five wickets and Im glad for the team.
As for Shah getting his name on the honours board Ahmed who took five for 57 in Pakistans 164-run win over England at Lords in 1996 added: Its a great honour for Yasir to take five wickets here too, at the home of cricket.
The complete list of leg-spinners who have taken six or more wickets in a Lords Test innings is as follows (haul, player, country, opposition, year):
7-128 Bert Vogler RSA v ENG 1907
6-32 Walter Robins ENG v WIS 1933
6-35 Warwick Armstrong AUS v ENG 1909
6-72 Yasir Shah PAK v ENG 2016
6-167 Clarrie Grimmett AUS v ENG 1930
