Pakistan’s Misbah-ul-Haq shows age is no barrier as he becomes sixth oldest Test centurion in first Test against England

Misbah-ul-Haq on his way to a Test century on Day 1 of the first Test against England at Lord's on July 14, 2016. Andrew Boyers / Action Images

England had braced themselves to contend with Mohammed Amir on Day 1 at Lord’s but instead to their cost ran into Misbah-ul-Haq.

The Pakistan captain became the third-oldest player in Test history to make a first appearance at the home of cricket, and duly marked the occasion with his 10th hundred at this level.

At 42, he is now the sixth-oldest Test centurion, and it was a feat he marked with a celebration salute to the dressing room and a press-up for each of his centuries. The gestures were in apparent homage to Pakistan’s pre-tour preparation at an army boot camp.

Despite Chris Woakes’s four for 45, the tourists reached a stumps total of 282 for six which owed most to Misbah’s 110 not out and Asad Shafiq’s 73 in their stand of 148.

The start of this four-match series has been overshadowed by the return of brilliant left-armer Amir to the scene of his 2010 spot-fixing crime – in his first Test since a prison sentence and five-match global ban from all cricket.

But that narrative was deferred from the moment Misbah won the toss on a sunny morning, and England’s attack, minus injured leading wicket-taker James Anderson, were destined for much huff-and-puff on a typically benign Lord’s surface.

See also:

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• Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq can complete perfect circle with win over England

Among the pace bowlers, Steven Finn was least effective, Woakes the opposite - and Stuart Broad the least well-rewarded for his manful and economical efforts.

Moeen Ali’s seven overs of spin were short of requirements.

Misbah did have some fortune but was a deserving case too as he brought much skilled determination to bear in his 62nd Test.

Only the great Yorkshire batsman Percy Holmes and veteran Sri Lanka leg-spinner Somachandra de Silva have been older by the time their admirable careers culminated in a maiden Lord’s Test.

For both, it turned out to be a swansong.

Holmes, 45, brought his curtain down with scores of only six and 11 against India in 1932; De Silva encountered some hard labour with figures of 45-16-85-2 as Sri Lanka’s first experience at HQ turned into a slow-motion draw.

Misbah has hinted occasionally at impending retirement. But there will be at least three more Tests for him first, and he has begun this campaign exactly as he might have wished.

He entered the stage in the second over of the afternoon, after England debutant Jake Ball had opened his account with a yorker to Azhar Ali and lbw verdict which narrowly survived a DRS process simulating the ball would have clipped leg stump.

A gradual slow-grind domination followed from Misbah, as realisation of extended toil took hold for England.

They had their chances with Misbah, Joe Root missing a tough one low to his left at second slip when he drove at Finn on 16, and then when he was stranded mid-pitch on 58 after a mix-up with Shafiq, only for Gary Ballance’s shy at the stumps to narrowly miss its target.

He made them pay by completing his 154-ball century, having hit 17 boundaries - including four in five balls with varieties of sweep and reverse-sweep off Moeen.

The hosts’ day had begun more favourably, Woakes removing both openers before lunch.

Broad brought the first edge from Mohammad Hafeez - on 11, driving at a touch of movement down the slope - but James Vince could not hold on one-handed low to his left at third slip.

Woakes produced a little extra bounce to have Shan Masood caught behind; then Hafeez went 10 short of his 50 when he mistimed an attempted pull for Jonny Bairstow to run up to short square leg and hold a skier.

England’s hopes were raised, but not for long - until Woakes had a late say too, doubling his tally with the second new ball and almost levelling the day’s exchanges.

Younus Khan joined Azhar in the pavilion after a half-century stand when he chipped Broad to midwicket.

But the fifth-wicket partnership was not broken until Shafiq blotted and ended his innings by hanging his bat out at a wide one, and then nightwatchman Rahat Ali edged the final delivery of the day down on to his stumps.

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