Yasir Shah leaves England in a spi

LONDON: Yasir Shah took the best innings figures by a visiting spinner against England in a Lord’s Test innings in more than a century as Pakistan strengthened their grip on the series opener.Pakistan were 40 for one in their second innings at lunch on Saturday’s third day of the first Test, a lead of 107 runs.Shan Masood, who spent part of his childhood living near Lord’s, was 20 not out and Azhar Ali 17 not out.Earlier, Shah took six for 72 as England were bowled out for 272 — 67 runs behind Pakistan’s first innings 339.They were the best figures by an overseas spinner against England at Lord’s since Sid Pegler’s seven for 65 for South Africa back in 1912.Bounding into the crease, Shah’s feat was all the more impressive as his wickets came on a largely unresponsive pitch, with his variations in pace, as much as spin, deceiving the batsmen.England resumed on their overnight 253 for seven, after Shah induced a middle-order collapse on Friday following a second-wicket stand of 110 between skipper Alastair Cook (81) and Joe Root (48).They added just 19 more runs Saturday before they were all out.Wahab Riaz cleaned up Stuart Broad before Steven Finn went the way of several top-order batsmen in falling lbw to Shah.The innings ended when last man Jake Ball was run out by a distance in trying to keep Chris Woakes on strike.Woakes finished on 35 not out to add to his six for 70 in Pakistan’s first innings.England were then gifted a wicket when Mohammad Hafeez carelessly fell for a duck as he guided Broad straight to Root at second slip in the manner of a coach giving fielders catching practice.But Azhar Ali — who off-drove debutant Ball for four — and left-hander Masood, who clipped Broad to the mid-wicket boundary, consolidated Pakistan’s position.’