What's happened
England's cricket team is grappling with injuries as opener Ben Duckett sustains a thumb injury during the first Test against Pakistan, impacting their batting lineup. Despite this, Zak Crawley and Joe Root lead a cautious response, closing day two at 96 for one, still trailing Pakistan's 556.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Simon Burnton in The Guardian, England's camp remains optimistic about Duckett's recovery, stating, "there were no immediate plans to send him for a scan." Rory Dollard from The Independent highlights the team's frustrations, noting, "Pope put his hand up to take on the new ball in Duckett’s place but was left cursing his luck." Both sources emphasize the challenges faced by England in the match, with Dollard mentioning the psychological toll of injuries and missed opportunities.
How we got here
The first Test between England and Pakistan has seen England field for over 149 overs, conceding 556 runs. Duckett's injury occurred while taking a catch, forcing captain Ollie Pope to step in as opener, where he was dismissed for a duck.
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