Four make tons on stunning day for England

Zak Crawley led the way with the first of England's four centuries

Four batters crashed hundreds as England piled up the runs on a scintillating first day of the first Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.

Zak Crawley's 122 included reaching three figures from 86 balls, the fastest Test hundred by an England opener.

Ben Duckett marked his first Test for six years with his maiden hundred, making 107 as the openers shared 233 for the first wicket.

When they fell, Ollie Pope picked up the baton with 108, adding 176 with Harry Brook, who stole the show by thrashing England's third-fastest hundred of all time.

Brook made his first Test ton from 80 balls and took England to 506-4, the most runs any team has ever scored on the first day of a Test.

All this after the match was given the go-ahead to begin only two and a half hours before the scheduled start following an illness that ripped through the England camp on Wednesday.

From the XI that was named on Tuesday, only wicketkeeper Ben Foakes was deemed unfit to play, leaving Pope to take over behind the stumps and allowing Will Jacks to come for his Test debut alongside fellow spin-bowling all-rounder Liam Livingstone.

England light up historic day

England halted touring Pakistan after gunmen attacked the Sri Lanka team in 2009. After almost two decades away, this was a spectacular return.

If there were any doubts that England could replicate the swashbuckling style that brought them so much success in the home summer in away conditions, they were banished with some dazzling strokeplay.

Whatever label this method is given - England do not like the term 'Bazball' - it was not cavalier or reckless, but a perfect execution of positive intent on the flattest of pitches.

Crawley and Duckett added 100 in 13.5 overs, England's fastest century opening stand. The 174 runs they had at lunch was an England record for the first day of a Test. No other England team had ever reached 300 faster, no team in history has got to 400 or 500 quicker.

England were helped by hospitality from the hosts. A Pakistan side containing four debutants were lacklustre with the ball and woeful in the field.

With Rawalpindi a notoriously difficult ground on which to force a result, the lightning speed of England's scoring has given them a superb chance to go ahead in the three-match series.

More to follow.