ENG VS PAK, 3rd Test: Zak Crawley scores fifty, England reach 91/2 at Lunch

Top-order batsman Crawley, 22, was batting on 53 from 80 balls with skipper Joe Root for company on 10.

Southampton: Talismanic England batter Zak Crawley smashed a fifty to help England reached 91/2 at lunch on Day 1 of the third and final Test here on Friday.

Top-order batsman Crawley, 22, was batting on 53 from 80 balls with skipper Joe Root for company on 10.

Electing to bat, the hosts lost opener Rory Burns (6) early as the southpaw nicked a Shaheen Shah Afridi delivery to Shan Masood at third slip.

Dom Sibley (22) and Crawley looked good for their 61-run first wicket partnership before leg-spinner Yasir Shah trapped the former in front.

Root and Crawley then looked steady as Pakistan bowlers tried to make further inroads.

Brief Scores: England 91/2 (Zak Crawley 53 batting; Shaheen Shah Afridi 1/24) vs Pakistan