England within sight of victory after Brooks triple hundred in Multan – Sport

England's bowlers caused Pakistan's batting collapse after a brilliant triple century from Harry Brook and Joe Root's double hundred took them closer to victory in the first Test in Multan on Thursday.

Brook hit 317 and Root a record-breaking 262 runs in England's mammoth 823-7 score, giving the visitors a 267-run lead.

Pakistan, on the other hand, were struggling at 152-6 at the end of the fourth day, with Agha Salman unbeaten on 41 and Aamer Jamal on 27 not out.

The pair added a fighting 70 for the seventh wicket, with the home side still needing 115 runs to avoid an innings defeat.

Pakistan's collapse meant a quick turnaround in the game after 1,379 runs were scored and only 17 wickets were lost on the flat pitch of the Multan Stadium.

Brook and Root put on 454 for the fourth wicket as England posted the fourth-highest innings in Test cricket history before Chris Woakes bowled opener Abdullah Shafique with the first ball of their second innings.

It was England's highest score in Tests, surpassing the 411-match fourth-wicket partnership of Peter May and Colin Cowdrey against the West Indies in Birmingham in 1957.

England declared their innings 33 minutes before tea and Chris Woakes dismissed Abdullah Shafique with the first ball of the innings.

It was a familiar story of second innings failure for Pakistan as captain Shan Masood (11), Babar Azam (five) and Saim Ayub (25) were dismissed before the total crossed 50.

Masood was dropped twice on five and seven but missed a shot from pace bowler Gus Atkinson, who also put Azam behind with a sharp throw.

It was 5-59 when Mohammad Rizwan lost for 10 to fast bowler Brydon Carse.

Saud Shakeel and Agha took Pakistan to 82 when spinner Jack Leach came into play and had Shakeel behind for 29.

Atkinson has figures of 2-28 and Carse 2-39.

Brook and Root had a run-fest with the best shots of their careers.

Brook completed his triple century with a boundary against part-timer Ayub, reaching the 310-ball mark before top-edging a swing from the same bowler and being caught by Masood.

In his 439-minute stay at the crease, he hit 29 fours and three sixes.

Root – who broke Alastair Cook's English Test runs record of 12,472 on Wednesday – missed the three-hundred mark when he was caught leg-legged in front of Agha after a marathon 10-hour spell in which he hit 17 fours.

Ayub (2-101) and Naseem Shah (2-157) were the most successful Pakistani bowlers.

England progressed to 492-3 in the morning, looking for quick runs, which Root and Brook provided despite Pakistan's defensive leg-side bowling, adding 166 runs in 29 overs in the session.

Root's previous best of 254 also came against Pakistan in Manchester in 2016. Brooks' previous best was 186, which he scored against New Zealand in Wellington last year.

Pakistan's only chance came in the first hour when Root, on 186, failed to fend off a pull shot from Shah, but Azam missed the regular chance at mid-wicket.

Root took full advantage and with an off-spinner's single, Salman completed his sixth Test double century, which came in 517 minutes off 305 balls.

Pakistan were without top player Abrar Ahmed, who was suffering from fever and did not take the field on Thursday.