Jake Ball gets his first Test wicket with lbw success as England fast out of the blocks after lunch against Pakistan

JAKE BALL has snared his maiden Test wicket as England came firing out of the blocks after lunch against Pakistan.

The Nottinghamshire fast bowler trapped Azhar Ali lbw for just seven to leave the tourists in trouble at 77-3 at Lord’s.

With talisman James Anderson, 32, still recovering from a shoulder injury, it was a straight shootout between the 25-year-old ball and Middlesex’s Toby Roland-Jones for the final seamer slot.

And it was Ball – the nephew of former England wicketkeeper Bruce French – who got the nod after a stunning start to the 2016 season with Notts.

Earlier, Chris Woakes starred for England in the first morning against Pakistan at Lord’s.

The Warwickshire all-rounder, 27, dismissed openers Mohammed Hafeez and Shan Masood in a deadly spell.

And it left the tourists, who won the toss and opted to bat, on 76-2 before lunch.

With England’s top bowler James Anderson controversially not deemed fit to play in the First Test, Jake Ball was handed his first cap.

And the Nottinghamshire seamer thought he had a sniff of a wicket with just his second ball in international cricket.

He reviewed a turned down lbw shout on Masood – but replays showed the ball had pitched outside leg stump.

Woakes, though, came to the party with the first delivery of his second over when he had Masood caught behind by Jonny Bairstow for seven with a lifter.

And the Birmingham boy soon had his second when Hafeez top-edged a short ball, with Bairstow running round to take a steeping catch at square leg to dismiss him for 40.

Azhar Ali and Younis Khan then consolidated for Pakistan for the rest of the first session – before Ball hit the spot after lunch.

England will be confident of knocking over a few more of the tourists and gaining the upper hand on day one.

If Alastair Cook’s side win this four-match series they will hold all nine of the Tests trophies available to them.