Multiple centuries scored as England attempts to bowl out Pakistan and win the match

• England had amassed a staggering 506-4
• The 24-year-old batted in front of 6,000 spectators
• Crawley and Duckett each scored 122 prior to that

In the opening day of the first Test match against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, England had amassed a staggering 506-4.

As Pakistan failed to take wickets during the day, four England batsmen reached hundreds.

After tonnes by Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, and Harry Brook, four hitters have already scored 100 runs in a match for the first time in history. Additionally, it was the first test match in history where more than 500 runs were scored on the opening day.

Stylish Ollie Pope scored a century on Thursday as England enjoyed a run-fest on a level Rawalpindi Stadium field, following openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett.

The 24-year-old batted in front of 6,000 spectators, including a group of about 150 “Barmy Army” supporters, when he pushed part-time spinner Agha Salman for a single to reach his third Test hundred in his 31st game.

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Harry Brook too appeared to be in good form and reached his first century in just 80 balls. Additionally, he hit Saud Shakeel for six straight fours in a single over.

Crawley and Duckett each scored 122 prior to that.

After making his debut against Bangladesh in 2016, Duckett reached his milestone during his first Test in six years. He was then removed after just amassing 110 runs in four games.

To earn his third Test century in his 29th game, Crawley, 24, smashed Pakistani pacer Naseem Shah to the cover boundary in the opening session, but not before reviewing and overturning a leg-before call.

The six-foot-five, 1.96-meter (lanky) hitter immediately displayed his purpose by slamming three boundaries in Naseem’s opening over of the day and reaching his fifty with an additional delivery off spinner Zahid Mahmood.

He came up nine short of the century needed to become the first English batsman to do so before noon.

Ben Stokes, the current captain of England, is one of seven batsmen to have reached the century mark in a Test before noon, but none have done so on the opening day.

The Test, England’s first in Pakistan in 17 years, got off to the perfect start with their strong batting after it was threatened on Wednesday when several of the visitors fell ill with an unknown infection.

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