MULTAN, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan’s long batting tail hung against England’s pace and spin to reach 358-8 at lunch on Day 2 of the second cricket Test on Wednesday.

The tailenders batted around all-rounder Aamer Jamal’s unbeaten 37 to frustrate England on a recycled dry wicket, where Pakistan lost the first Test by an innings and 47 runs.

No. 10 batsman Noman Ali, batting on 29, played confidently against the spinners, sweeping Jack Leach (3-114) for a couple of boundaries and then smashing fast bowler Brydon Carse (2-43) for two more fours in the penultimate over before the lunch break.

Pakistan lost the pair of Mohammad Rizwan (41) and Salman Ali Agha (31) before Jamal bowled away by adding 49 runs with Ali.

Rizwan’s sloppy hitting ended in the third over of the day when Jamie Smith made a spectacular diving catch as Carse squared the batsman with his pace.

Jamal and Noman defied England in the second half of the first session as Pakistan added 99 runs to 259-5.

Debutant Kamran Ghulam hit the headlines on Day 1 with a determined century as Pakistan look for their first home win in 12 matches by filling their playing XI with three specialist spinners and just one fast bowler in Jamal.

Ghulam has scored well in Pakistan’s domestic seasons over the past four years but got his chance after Pakistan rested its opening batsman Babar Azam for the remaining two Test matches of the series against England.

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AP Cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket