England stumbles to 239-6 after Duckett hits robust ton in 2nd test against Pakistan

MULTAN, Pakistan (AP) — England's top-order crumbled against spin-heavy Pakistan on a reused pitch after Ben Duckett hit a robust century in the second test on Wednesday.

The tourists slipped to 239-6 at stumps on Day 2 and still trail by 127 runs after Pakistan tailenders had resisted before being bowled out for 366 shortly after lunch.

Duckett’s 114 off 129 balls looked to have kept England in the driver's seat before it lost four late wickets in a sensational collapse against spinners Sajid Khan (4-86) and Noman Ali (2-75).

Khan struck three times in 10 deliveries and got the big wickets of Joe Root (34), Duckett and Harry Brook (9). Ben Stokes, returning to test cricket from a torn hamstring, got caught close to the wicket of Ali’s left-arm spin after scoring just 1 off five balls.

“It’s a different sort of happiness when you get the big wickets of Root and Brook,” said Khan, who last played a test match against Australia earlier this year but was ignored for the home series against Bangladesh, which Pakistan lost 2-0.

“I am enjoying bowling on this wicket. If you vary your pace, you will definitely get something out of it.”

Jamie Smith was unbeaten on 12 as Pakistan spinners exposed England’s long tail with Brydon Carse not out on 2 from 19 balls.

“Credit to them, they made us work extremely hard,” Duckett said. “It’s (the wicket) going to continue get worse. It spun a bit more this afternoon, (and) I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t just continue to spin more and more.”

Duckett had dominated the spinners with his authoritative sweep shots and added 86 runs with Root before Khan struck late on a dry wicket, tailor-made to suit the home team’s all-out spin attack.

Root, who scored a memorable 262 in England’s massive innings and 47-run win in the first test, dragged Khan back onto his stumps and then Duckett edged the off-spinner to slip after the ball had spun enough from the rough.

Brook, the triple-century maker at the same venue last week, then paid the price of exposing his stumps to Khan’s length ball and got clean bowled as Pakistan sliced the strong England batting lineup with its spinners, who haven’t played first-class cricket for the last nine months.

Opening batter Zak Crawley made a shaky 27 and couldn’t capitalize on chances as Khan made a mess of a run-out chance when he broke the stumps before grabbing the ball at the non-striker’s end. Duckett later convinced Crawley to go for a successful lbw television referral before he finally got caught behind of Ali after contributing 73 runs for the first wicket stand.

Duckett had bossed the spinners for 16 boundaries with his strong sweep shots before Pakistan's spinners hit back late.

“Playing the new ball can be a fraction easier over here and (playing sweeps) is a strength I like to go to," Duckett said. “There’s a lot of men around the bat and my theory is to get rid of them and to put bowlers under pressure.”

Earlier, Jack Leach grabbed 4-114 and fast bowlers Carse (3-50) and Matthew Potts (2-66) shared five wickets in between them before Pakistan was dismissed shortly after lunch.

The tailenders batted around all-rounder Aamer Jamal’s 37 to frustrate England with Ali also playing a little cameo of 32 off 61 balls as Pakistan added 107 to its overnight 259-5.

Pakistan lost the overnight pair of Mohammad Rizwan (41) and Salman Ali Agha (31) before Jamal, who received treatment on his hip while batting, chipped away by adding 49 runs with Ali.

Rizwan’s scrappy knock ended in the third over of the day when Jamie Smith made a spectacular diving catch as Carse squared up the batter with his pace.

Jamal and Noman defied England in the latter half of the first session as Pakistan added 99 runs to its overnight 259-5 before Leach and Carse ended the frustration by dismissing the home team after lunch.

Debutant Kamran Ghulam made headlines on Day 1 with a resolute century as Pakistan looks for its first home win in 12 matches by packing its playing XI with three specialist spinners and only one fast bowler in Jamal.

Ghulam had been scoring well in Pakistan’s domestic seasons for the last four years, but got his chance after Pakistan rested its premier batter Babar Azam for the remaining two test matches of the series against England.

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

Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan, center, reacts after he dismissed by England's Brydon Carse, right, during the second day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

England's Jack Leach, right, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Sajid Khan during the second day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

England's Matthew Potts, center, gesture toward Pakistan's Salman Ali Agha, left, as he celebrates after taking Agha's wicket during the second day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

England's Ollie Pope follows the ball after playing a shot during the second day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Pakistan's Noman Ali, centre, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of England's Ben Stokes during the second day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

England's Ben Duckett plays a shot during the second day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

England's Ollie Pope, right, follows the ball after playing shot as Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan watches during the second day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

England's Ben Duckett celebrates after scoring century during the second day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Pakistan's Sajid Khan bowls during the second day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

England's Ben Duckett kisses his helmet after scoring century during the second day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Pakistan's Noman Ali, left celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of England's Ben Stokes during the second day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

England's Harry Brook, left, looks to wickets after he is bowled out by Pakistan's Sajid Khan, center, during the second day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

WATFORD, England (AP) — A day after rubbing shoulders with Prince William, Louis Rees-Zammit was back to work with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Welshman is on the Jaguars' practice squad as a wide receiver after he had initially signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as a running back.

A position switch and dropping from NFL royalty to a struggling team hasn’t fazed the 23-year-old Rees-Zammit.

“I’m loving every moment being in this league,” he said at a news conference Wednesday ahead of Jacksonville’s game against the New England Patriots at Wembley Stadium in a matchup of 1-5 teams.

Rees-Zammit, who participated in drills with the receivers and on special teams, was one of the world's most exciting rugby players when he quit the sport in January to join the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program.

A longtime football fan, Rees-Zammit then signed with the two-time defending Super Bowl champions but ultimately didn't make Kansas City's roster.

New team, new playbook — same goal.

“I’m just working hard every day to try and do what I can do to get an opportunity. Whenever that comes then I'm going to take it with both hands,” he said.

He refers to the playbook frequently.

“It’s taken a lot of my time because I want to try and learn this as quick as possible to be able to go out there and not have to think on a play,” he said. “I just want to be able to play fast and kind of know everything.”

Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said practice squad players “are a play or two away from being elevated to the roster.” He urged Rees-Zammit to “continue to work and embrace his role.”

“We love his skill set, his talent, his speed, his physicality,” Pederson said. “He’s got great size. Just learn, just continue to learn, and just be patient, opportunity will come.”

Rees-Zammit was on hand for Jacksonville’s 35-16 loss to the Chicago Bears at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He chatted pregame with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. From a marketing perspective, the league would love for Rees-Zammit to make it big as part of the NFL’s push for international growth.

Rees-Zammit said being a wide receiver “allows me to use my speed a lot more" than at running back.

“I've got to just focus on the small details," he said, "and then wait for an opportunity to come.”

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Jacksonville Jaguars NFL football wide receiver Louis Rees-Zammit (84), right, practices at The Grove in Watford, England, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Louis Rees-Zammit speaks after an NFL football practice session at The Grove in Watford, England, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Louis Rees-Zammit speaks after an NFL football practice session at The Grove in Watford, England, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Britain's Prince William, right, poses with Louis Rees-Zammit, holding a NFL shirt as he attends a NFL Foundation NFL Flag event, an inclusive and fast paced American Football format, in London, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, Pool)

Jacksonville Jaguars NFL football wide receiver Louis Rees-Zammit (84) practices at The Grove in Watford, England, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Louis Rees-Zammit (84), who is part of the practice squad, poses for a photo before an NFL football game at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears in London, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)