Pakistan pacemen Mohamed Abbas and Hasan Ali took four wickets apiece as England suffered yet another top-order collapse at Lord’s yesterday.
Hopes that a return home and a rejigged top-order picked by new national selector Ed Smith would help rid England of the batting slumps that plagued them during a run of seven straight Tests without a victory in Australia and New Zealand quickly proved illusory as they were dismissed for just 184.
Abbas, in his first match at ‘the home of cricket’, finished with excellent figures of four for 23 in 14 overs.
Meanwhile the recalled Hasan, who did not play in Pakistan’s win over Test debutants Ireland in Dublin concluded last week, took four for 51 in 15.2 overs.
Pakistan then consolidated the good work of their bowlers by reaching stumps having lost just Imam-ul-Haq to be 50 for one — a deficit of 134 runs.
Azhar Ali was 18 not out and Haris Sohail, missed in the slips when Ben Stokes dived across Dawid Malan, unbeaten on 21.
Alastair Cook in his 153rd consecutive Test, which equalled Australia great Allan Border’s all-time record for successive appearances at this level, was the only England batsman to play an innings of substance, the left-handed opener making 70.
But shortly before tea Cook was bowled by Mohamed Amir, a teammate when Essex won the County Championship last season, as the left-arm quick produced a brilliant delivery that cut away late off the pitch to clip the top of the off stump.
England, who had been 165 for five at tea, lost their last five wickets for a meagre 16 runs in 27 balls.
Joe Root, the England captain, opted to bat first in the opening match of this two-Test series despite the fact that both sides had concerns over the reliability of their respective top orders.
The overcast skies above Lord’s allied to a green-tinged pitch promised to assist Pakistan’s pacemen but several England batsmen were the architects of their own downfall.
Pakistan were soon in the wickets with Cook looking on as the other three members of England’s top four all fell in single figures. 
Abbas made the breakthrough when he bowled Mark Stoneman (four) with a late swinging delivery.
Root, promoted up the order to number three, also fell for four when he drove at a wide ball from Hasan and edged behind to opposing captain Sarfraz Ahmed. Dawid Malan (six) also fell to the combination of Hasan and wicket-keeper Sarfraz.
Cook, England’s all-time leading Test run-scorer, benefited from an ‘umpire’s call’ lbw review verdict on 23 and went to fifty with a four to third man off Amir.
But Jonny Bairstow, promoted up the order to number five, was bowled by Faheem Ashraf for 27.

scorecard
England 1st Innings
 A. Cook b Mohamed Amir 70
 M. Stoneman b Mohamed Abbas 4
 J. Root c Sarfraz Ahmed b Hasan Ali 4
 D. Malan c Sarfraz Ahmed b Hasan Ali 6
 J. Bairstow b Faheem Ashraf 27
 B. Stokes lbw b Mohamed Abbas 38
 J. Buttler c Asad Shafiq b Hasan Ali 14
 D. Bess c Asad Shafiq b Mohamed Abbas 5
 M. Wood c Mohamed Amir b Hasan Ali 7
 S. Broad lbw b Mohamed Abbas 0
 J. Anderson not out 0
 Extras (b1, lb6, nb1, w1) 9
 Total (all out, 58.2 overs, 280 mins) 184
 Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Stoneman), 2-33 (Root), 3-43 (Malan), 4-100 (Bairstow), 5-149 (Cook), 6-168 (Stokes), 7-168 (Buttler), 8-180 (Bess), 9-180 (Broad), 10-184 (Wood)
 Bowling: Amir 14-3-41-1; Abbas 14-7-23-4; Hasan 15.2-2-51-4 (1nb, 1w); Ashraf 9-2-28-1; Shadab 6-0-34-0

Pakistan 1st Innings
 Azhar Ali not out 18
Imam-ul-Haq lbw b Broad 4
Haris Sohail not out 21
Extras (lb7) 7
Total (1 wicket, 23 overs, 108 mins) 50
To bat: Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Sarfraz Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Mohamed Amir, Hasan Ali, Mohamed Abbas
Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Imam)
Bowling: Anderson 5-2-11-0; Broad 7-4-10-1; Wood 6-3-9-0; Stokes 4-2-9-0; Bess 1-0-4-0
 Pakistan: Azhar Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Haris Sohail, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Sarfraz Ahmed (capt/wkt), Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Mohamed Amir, Hasan Ali, Mohamed Abbas
 Toss: England 
 Umpires: Rod Tucker (AUS), Paul Reiffel (AUS)
 TV umpire: Bruce Oxenford (AUS)
 Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)