Josh Tongue and Ollie Robinson put England in control on day one of the first Test against Pakistan after they both took five wickets in a blistering bowling display. 

Tongue ended with figures of 5-46 while Robinson claimed his fifth five-wicket haul in the format to end on 5-51 and help skittle Pakistan out for just 171 at Headingley. 

England lost Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay early on in their innings, but Jordan Cox and Joe Root steered the hosts to 112-2 and within 59 runs of their opponents tally. 

Robinson struck with the first ball of the match and trapped Azan Awais (0) lbw before Robinson got himself up and running by dismissing Shan Masood (5) soon afterwards. 

Play was briefly paused for a rain delay and resumed after lunch, and while Pakistan looked more comfortable after the break, Imam-ul-Haq fell to Tongue for 42 in the 29th over.

Robinson then struck twice in quick succession to send Saud Shakeel (5) and Abdullah Shafique (61) on their way, which was the beginning of the end for Pakistan. 

Salman Ali Agha (21) and Ali Usman (0) were both dismissed in back-to-back balls, but with Tongue hunting his hat-trick, play was halted for tea with Pakistan at 150-7. 

Muhammad Rizwan (12), Khurram Shahzad (14) and Mohammad Abbas (2) were then removed by Tongue and Robinson, but England made a shaky start with the bat.

Duckett was bowled lbw by Abbas on 15 in the ninth over before Gay was caught on 33, but Cox (23 not out) and Root (37 no) helped England regain their composure ahead of day two. 

Stumps on Day One

Tongue and Robinson on

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— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 19, 2026

Headingley where the heart is?

England have won their last six men's Test matches at Headingley, bowling first in each of those victories. It's their best run at the venue since a six-game streak between 1956 and 1962, but all the signs are there that the streak will continue here. 

And that was largely down to the brilliance of Robinson and Tongue, who became the first pair of England bowlers to take five-wicket hauls in the same Test innings since Steve Harmison and Monty Panesar against Pakistan at Old Trafford in 2006. 

It was the ideal start to Root's second spell as England captain, four years after his first stint leading the team, but his leadership credentials were barely tested as Pakistan collapsed from 97-2 to all out.

The tourists will need a strong start on Thursday, but with the composure of Root and Cox at the crease, they may find it difficult to keep England at bay.