Leach leads England’s rout of Pakistan in first Test

MULTAN – England’s bowlers, led by spinner Jack Leach, tore through the Pakistan line-up to secure victory in the first Test in Multan on Friday after a record partnership between Harry Brook and Joe Root turned the match on its head. 
England’s attack made short work of the last four Pakistan batters on Day 5, dismissing the hosts for 200 to win by an innings and 47 runs and draw first blood in the three-match series.
The win is England’s fourth consecutive Test triumph on Pakistan soil, after a 3-0 whitewash two years ago. England had only won two away Tests against Pakistan in the previous 61 years.  
Leach marshalled England’s attack with 4-30, and provided the first breakthrough on the fifth day when he dislodged Salman Agha for a fighting 63. 
It ended Pakistan’s only meaningful partnership. 
Pakistan were in danger of losing the match a day early when Salman and Aamer Jamal came together with the score on 82-6. 
But the duo saw out the remainder of play and made England wait another 12 overs on the final day — adding 109 — before Leach struck to open the floodgates. 
Leach then took a smart return catch to get Shaheen Shah Afridi for ten and then had Naseem Shah stumped for six, wrapping up Pakistan’s second innings. 
Last man Abrar Ahmed was unable to bat after being taken to hospital with a high fever.
Ollie Pope, standing in for injured skipper Ben Stokes, was full of praise for Brook and Root’s heroics.  
“Credit to them for the skills and determination to put the team in a winning position,” he said.
Brook smashed 317 and Root a record-setting 262 in England’s mammoth 823-7 declared, giving the visitors a 267-run lead. 
Their 454, England’s highest-ever partnership for any wicket in Test cricket, gave the visitors an improbable advantage after Pakistan’s impressive 556 first-innings total. 
But by close of play on the fourth day on a lifeless pitch, England had posted the fourth-highest Test innings total of 823-7 and taken total control of the match with the hosts teetering at 152-6.
Along the way, Root became the highest run scorer for England in Test history. 
Pope was also pleased by the grit shown by England’s inexperienced attack. 
“Our bowlers got the odd ball to reverse and spin,” he said of Gus Atkinson who took 2-46 and debutant Brydon Carse who finished with 2-66.