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46th over: Pakistan 201-3 (Masood 87, Babar 34) Babar tries to drive a seductive outswinger from Atkinson and is beaten. Careful now.
“Music, you say,” says Richard O’Hagan. “I’m currently working my way through the new albums by Deary, Opus Kink and Man/Woman/Chainsaw. And I saw Die Anstalt a couple of nights ago, who were brilliant but who have very little released over here. Pleased to see that you also have some love for mary in the junkyard, although their lack of capital letters makes my skin crawl.
“Anyway, the whole point of this is to say that I’m glad that Pakistan seem to have stopped treating Maximo Park’s ‘Now I’m All Over the Shop’ as their mantra.”
45th over: Pakistan 201-3 (Masood 87, Babar 34) Babar is surprised by a bit of extra bounce from Robinson. He played it well, popping the ball on the off side before looking suspiciously at the pitch. A no-ball brings up the 200, the first time Pakistan have reached that mark in this series. It’s an embarrassing milestone, I guess, but they have batted commendably since Ollie Robinson reduced them to 0 for 2 yesterday afternoon.
44th over: Pakistan 199-3 (Masood 87, Babar 33) Babar flirts with a tempting outswinger from Atkinson and is beaten. That’s a rare false stroke in his most fluent innings of the series. Batting looks really comfortable now.
43rd over: Pakistan 196-3 (Masood 86, Babar 31) “What are your thoughts about the England line up for the coming tour of South Africa this winter and (whisper it) the Ashes next summer?” asks Tim Claremont. “Who would you have at 3 and 6? Can you see Rehan Ahmed getting a game? And how concerned are you about Robinson on a flat deck? I am still haunted by his innocuous Ashes in 2023, albeit I appreciate that he was coming back from injury then, and that he’s not getting dropped after this summer …
“PS it’s been a while since you wove your musical obsessions into the OBO … what are you listening to at the moment.”
I’m not too worried about Robinson’s effectiveness on flat pitches, because even when he’s not taking wickets he is very economical. His record in the 2023 Ashes, for example, is better than we remember: 10 wickets at 28. Fitness is an ongoing concern I guess.
Lawrence has done more than enough to start the South Africa series, even if I fear for him against their pace attack. I’d have Jacob Bethell at No3; it might be a blessing for Jordan Cox to miss out because it’ll surely be a low-scoring series. Rehan might get a game in Bangladesh but otherwise I’d imagine England will pick a batter who bowls. My hunch is that by next summer it’ll be Cox rather than Lawrence at No6, with Bethell the main spinner.
As for music, it’s still my greatest passion but most OBO readers probably don’t care about the new Digging For Kanky song. If you are interested, these are my favourite songs of 2026.
42nd over: Pakistan 192-3 (Masood 85, Babar 28) Gus Atkinson, who is still stuck on one wicket in the series, returns to the attack. Nothing doing in that over, either in the wicket column or off the Edgbaston pitch.
“What this situation calls for is a bit of Root spin,” says Mark Hooper. “But Root being Root, he probably doesn’t even recognise he’s a more effective option than Brook or Lawrence.”
He bowled some good spells in his first stint as captain: 5 for 8 in the Ahmedabad fiasco and a matchwinning four-for in South Africa just before Covid. I think he dismissed Steve Smith once as well, albeit when Smith had made about 400.
41st over: Pakistan 191-3 (Masood 84, Babar 28) Ollie Robinson starts after lunch. England are trying a few different things in the field, including a man on the drive for Babar. Robinson almost strikes with a grubber to Babar that whooshes past off stump and through Cox’s legs for four byes.
“Can I request a shout out to Harold Turner of Warwickshire’s over-70s team?” writes Mike Daniels. “He scored 101* against Wiltshire this week at the age of 80?”
My heart just got a whole lot warmer. A shout out is the least we can do!
Tom Van der Gucht has emailed on the subject of Kevin Peter Pietersen
I’m pleased to see KP coming back into the fold in a mentoring capacity. This current team owe him a debt of gratitude. He (and Anderson) took a lot of stick for their dodgy hairdos back in the 2000s, with their skunk cut and frosted tips being frowned upon.
“The present Test team have some shocking cuts too with Josh Tongue’s mohawk, Jacob Bethell’s Pat Butcher special and Jordan Cox’s mullet. What would Fred Trueman have muttered on air back in the day when faced with such extravagant barnets. Back in the day, players had hair cuts so neat you could use them as a set square- Arnold Rimmer style. Yet today, nobody bats an eyelid.
In the last couple of years, few things have given me as much joy as watching Jacob Bethell bat. I’ll cherish those memories for ever – not least because from hereon in, every time he plays a gorgeous cover-drive or brings up another impossibly accomplished century, my mind will jump straight to Pat Butcher, and then probably to Frank Butcher wearing nothing but a bowtie and a roguish smile. Cheers Tom!
The Birmingham End, explained
“Warwickshire took a big loan from the City Council to help fund stadium redevelopment,” says Mike Daniels. “Apparently as part of the deal it was agreed to change the name to Birmingham End to publicise the City, see also ‘Birmingham Bears’.”
Lunchtime reading
Lunch: Pakistan trail by 136
40th over: Pakistan 182-3 (Masood 83, Babar 22) Brook has an LBW shout turned down when Masood pushes lazily around his front pad. The angle meant it would have missed leg stump.
When Brook serves up a wide half-volley, Babar helps himself to a boundary through point. Those are the last runs of a terrific session for Pakistan, who scored 132 runs in 27.2 overs for the loss of Azan Awais. This might not be the final day of the series after all.
“Greetings Rob from the Sunny Ardeche,” writes Hamish Kuzminski. “Currently sitting by the river and enjoying the end of this summer’s Test season. Anyway, enough of this flim-flam: watching the match on TV and have to ask: when did this Birmingham End nonsense start? Any born and bred Brummie knows that it’s the City End – conceivably any part of the ground is the Birmingham End as Edgbaston is situated in, err, Birmingham. Can any readers shed some light on this?”
And now for something completely different Harry Brook is going to bowl the last over before lunch.
39th over: Pakistan 177-3 (Masood 83, Babar 22) Robinson has a big LBW appeal turned down when Babar inside-edges a nipbacker onto the pad. It was a no-ball anyway.
There are still doubts over Robinson’s effectiveness in good batting conditions, so this is a good challenge for him. A mixed over includes two no-balls, the aforementioned LBW shout and a play-and-miss from Babar.
38th over: Pakistan 170-3 (Masood 80, Babar 20) Babar, who looks in the mood to demonstrate his attacking range, rifles Tongue down the ground for four. Joe Root tries unsuccessfully to get the ball changed.
Masood nails a flick off the pads but is denied a boundary when the ball hits the square-leg umpire Paul Reiffel. Masood sees the funny side, though his humour may change if he’s dismissed being 97 and 99.
37th over: Pakistan 164-3 (Masood 79, Babar 15) Archer is replaced by Robinson after an innocuous two-over spell. His third ball to Masood is too straight and runs away for four leg-byes. We shouldn’t get carried away, especially as England are going to win the series 3-0, but they’ve looked a little bit toothless with the ball.
36th over: Pakistan 158-3 (Masood 77, Babar 15) Chris Woakes is in the Sky Sports commentary box and has just mentioned his autobiography, The Wizard, written in conjunction with our own Ali Martin. It’s out on 22 October and is highly recommended (Ali kindly sent me a preview). “You’re always looking forward as a cricketer so it was nice to look back and reflect,” says Woakes. “A thoroughly enjoyable experience.”
Babar flips Tongue through square leg for four more. Pakistan are always halfway to making England bat again; they trail by 162.
“The scores and balls faced by Masood and Babar just a moment ago was 77 (111) and 11 (11),” says Andrew Goudie. “So there.”
35th over: Pakistan 154-3 (Masood 77, Babar 11) Archer is bowling at what Richie Benaud used to call ‘half rat-power’. Masood jumps on another short ball, dragging it through square leg for four.
“Graham Gooch did cross my mind,” says Brian Withington, “but I was really thinking about Sir Alastair Cook – truly ‘flaky’ – who carried on after giving up the captaincy (but maybe GG did as well, less successfully, now I think about it?).”
Ah yes, my mistake. Gooch did indeed carry on for 18 months – he started well but his form fell off a cliff after the 210 against New Zealand in the first Test of the 1994 summer.
34th over: Pakistan 150-3 (Masood 73, Babar 11) Babar chases an outswinger from Tongue and is beaten. Tongue only has eyes for wickets, which means bad balls are part of the package; Babar flicks one such delivery to fine leg for four. Tongue has figures of 7-0-50-0, and the only surprising bit is the second nought.
33rd over: Pakistan 146-3 (Masood 73, Babar 7) Dan Lawrence’s work is done for now. Jofra Archer, who bounced Babar Azam out in devastating fashion at Lord’s, returns to the attack. Masood moves into the seventies with a couple of boundaries, a short-arm pull and a meatier swat through midwicket. He’s played superbly since reaching fifty.
County cricket Hampshire’s last pair of Scott Currie and 17-year-old Manny Lumsden are giving Nottinghamshire a peedie scare at Trent Bridge. Tanya Aldred has the latest.
32nd over: Pakistan 135-3 (Masood 63, Babar 7) Tongue changes ends to replace Atkinson. His first ball is fractionally too straight and clipped for four by Babar. Tongue gets it spot on later in the over, straightening a beautiful delivery past Masood’s outside edge.
“I might be in a small minority here, but I just can’t get behind the idea of Brook as an England captain,” says Geoff Wignall. “Not because of his late night, pre-match bouncer altercation; but because of the subsequent deliberate, premeditated lying about it.
“Old-fashioned concept though it probably is, I hold to the notion that respect for the truth (and for the public) should be a fundamental requirement. (I developed similar qualms about Atherton, much as I admired his abilities and fortitude.) Am I just showing my advanced age and irrelevance?”
It’s a perfectly reasonable view, even if I think everyone should be allowed one mistake. That said, lying in public office has become so commonplace that we’re probably both showing our age and irrelevance.
31st over: Pakistan 128-3 (Masood 60, Babar 2) That’s Dan Lawrence’s fourth Test wicket. His bowling is quietly important moving forward because England are unlikely to pick a specialist spinner too often.
“English cricket must be in very rude health indeed if our biggest concern is whether Joe Root can still bat,” writes Brian Withington. “Reminds me of the doubts that used to surface from time to time about that flaky batter from Essex who used to open the batting before, during and after captaincy to reasonable effect.”
Well, most of the time.
WICKET! Pakistan 125-3 (Azan c Cox b Lawrence 59)
Dan Lawrence strikes second ball! It was a nothing delivery to Azan, who pushed defensively around his front pad and got a thin edge down the leg side. The sub keeper Cox took a really smart catch and, though it was given not out on the field, Root signalled for a review straight away. He was fielding at leg slip and must have seen it brush the edge.
30th over: Pakistan 125-2 (Azan 59, Masood 59) Masood takes a quick single and is home when Robinson’s throw hits the stumps. After Azan glides Atkinson through the slips for three more, Masood cuts stylishly for four. England beat the bat five or six times inthe first 10 minutes of the day, but it’s been hard going since then.
I was going to write that Atkinson looks subdued but his body language is similarly restrained when he’s hoovering up wickets. He must be a cracking poker player.
29th over: Pakistan 117-2 (Azan 56, Masood 54) Azan times Tongue sweetly past backward point for four more. Right here, right now, he looks in almost compete control; it might be time for the spin of Dan Lawrence.
“So what have we learned from this summer?” muses Max Williams. “Firstly, the series were played in the wrong order – aside from the obvious preference to climax with the more competitive contest, had Pakistan had toured in June perhaps Stokes is still captain. We suddenly seem to have a serious bowling line-up. Ollie Robinson should’ve toured Australia. I miss Zac Crawley and still hold out hope for his 2027 Ashes comeback.
“It’s funny: some players look bankers from debut (e.g., Root), while others never quite fit (pick any opener between 2012-2022 not named Alastair Cook). This team has several players that could go either way: Cox, Gay, Lawrence might all have lengthy Test careers or be gone by next summer. Ultimately you want a settled lineup but there’s something quite enjoyable about the current sense of opportunity – especially after several years in which the line-up was arguably too settled. (Please ignore hypocrisy of earlier Crawley mention.)
“Anyway, there seems to be a decent team taking shape here and I feel more optimistic than I did at the start of the summer, let alone post-NZ series. How do you reckon we go in South Africa?”
If I close my eyes, I see an orgy of flying stumps. That series should be a primal treat, given the pitches and the quality of both pace attacks. My guess is either 2-1 or 3-0 South Africa. But an England win isn’t beyond the realms, especially if the games are low-scoring dogfights.
Fifty for Azan Awais
28th over: Pakistan 109-2 (Azan 50, Masood 52) There’s a precautionary run-out referral when Masood is sent back. He looked safe and he was. Azan takes a quick single to reach a composed, gently charming half-century: 78 balls, nine fours.
“Masood is batting nicely but it is the young Azan Awais who is really catching the eye,” writes Colum Fordham. “His sumptuous cover drive had shades of David Gower about it.
“I just checked on Cricinfo and apparently he was top scorer in domestic trophies in 2024 and 2025, as well as hitting a fifty on a very tricky Port of Spain pitch and a century against Bangladesh. A very bright prospect for Pakistan’s troubled test team.”
Indeed. He already has 11 first-class hundreds at the age of 21, and his conversion rate (11 x 100, 11 x 50 including this innings) suggests he’s a bit of an old soul. I’d love him to make it 12 x 100, 10 x 50 in the next few hours.
Drinks: Pakistan trail by 213
27th over: Pakistan 107-2 (Azan 49, Masood 51) Azan pulls Tongue sweetly over midwicket for four. Early days, and the false promise of Basit Ali taught me that there are no guarantees with Pakistan batters, but I really like this kid.
This is becoming a decent test for England’s pace attack, who have had very little hard yakka in this series. Tongue ends the over with a beauty that beats Azan’s defensive push.
Azan and Masood post Pakistan’s first century partnership of the series
26th over: Pakistan 100-2 (Azan 43, Masood 50) Masood edges Atkinson through the gap for four, then takes a single to reach a proud, determined fifty from 81 balls. It also brings up Pakistan’s first century partnership of the series.
It’s almost 100 and out when a vicious lifter hits Azan on the glove and lands short of square leg.
“I think what we should be considering over the winter is who should be the next captain,” says Stephen Brown. “Joe Root presumably wants to win the Ashes as captain next year. His record in those series is the biggest blot on his career. But who comes next?
“The best captains have always been the ones who looked like they would be captain for a while before hand. Root was talked about a captain for years before he became it. Same for Cook, Strauss, Vaughan etc. The ones who didn’t look like captain before they became it, but were picked because they were the best player (Flintoff, Pietersen are the examples that spring to mind) were often a lot less successful. Which is perhaps a long way of saying, it shouldn’t be Brook. But who should it be?”
I’m not sure Vaughan was talked about beforehand – Marcus Trescothick was the vice-captain for a few years. Brook reminds me of Vaughan, a flamboyant strokemaker whose apparently effortless brilliance hides a sharp cricket brain.
I guess it depends on the timing, but right now I’d say the likeliest scenario is that Brook becomes Test captain some time in 2027-28 with Jacob Bethell taking the white-ball jobs.
25th over: Pakistan 95-2 (Azan 43, Masood 45) Saying which, Masood has been dropped by the sub Theo Wylie at backward point. It was a sharp but relatively straightforward chance when Masood edged a drive off Tongue. I think he was beaten for pace.
At the end of the over Root runs up to Wylie, puts his arm round him and has a quick chat. “I can think of some captains who might not have been so empathetic…” deadpans Mike Atherton to his co-commentator, Nasser Hussain.
24th over: Pakistan 90-2 (Azan 43, Masood 40) Gus Atkinson replaces Ollie Robinson. He’s been the ghost at the feast, with one wicket for 172 runs in the series, even though he hasn’t bowled badly. Masood takes two and then a single to move into the forties. Pakistan’s batters look as secure as at any stage in the series.
23rd over: Pakistan 87-2 (Azan 43, Masood 37) Lovvvvvvvely batting from Azan Awais, who clips and drives Tongue for back-to-back boundaries. He’s had a tough series, with four single-figure scores in six, but there’s plenty to like. For a 21-year-old he is very organised and composed, and his cover drive is a thing of beauty. Pakistan should invest in him as they try to build a more competitive Test team.
22nd over: Pakistan 77-2 (Azan 33, Masood 37) Azan scrambles to make his ground after taking a tight single to mid-on. The substitute Taz Ali’s throw missed the stumps, though I think Azan would have been home. Pakistan are pottering along quite comfortably.
‘90s throwback’ is the subject of Eddy Nason’s email.
Coventry City in the Premier League, Warwickshire CC challenging for the county championship, England’s Test team with threatening 80mph bowlers. I’m starting to worry my dream about taking my GCSEs as an adult was actually a premonition.
Why do you think I’m wearing a purple shell suit?
21st over: Pakistan 76-2 (Azan 32, Masood 37) Time for England’s bulldozer, Josh Tongue, who has replaced Jofra Archer. Joe Root moves Ben Duckett from third slip to leg slip; moments later, Masood edges through third slip at catchable height. The ball runs away for four, and Masood gets another boundary with a crisp flick through square leg.
“One can’t help but wonder whether Joe Root has an LBW problem or a captaincy issue,” writes John Coutts. “The last time he was captain his batting deteriorated badly and it looks to be happening again.
“As far as the keeper standing up for fast-medium pacers is concerned, it seems to me there are two options in facing the good/full length ball: either get forward and risk a stumping or don’t get far enough forward and risk LBW or being bowled. The chance of a stumping is the lesser of the risks, therefore get forward. Joe Root and do that effectively therefore he should.”
His batting deteriorated for a while, but he also had the best year of his career in 2021. I think it’s too early to say that it’s affecting his batting, even though it’s a legitimate concern.
20th over: Pakistan 67-2 (Azan 32, Masood 29) Robinson bowls to Masood for the first time this morning. He starts over the wicket with the keeper standing back; Masood defends a series of straight deliveries. Robinson’s figures are delicious: 10-6-12-2.
19th over: Pakistan 67-2 (Azan 32, Masood 29) The sun is out at Edgbaston, so there are runs to be made as the ball gets older and the bowlers wearier.
In other news, Olly Stone has bulldozed Hampshire at Trent Bridge.
18th over: Pakistan 66-2 (Azan 32, Masood 28) Azan pulls Robinson crisply in front of square for two. Robinson reverts to a good length and goes past the edge with successive deliveries before having an LBW appeal turned down on height. Beautiful bowling.
17th over: Pakistan 64-2 (Azan 30, Masood 28) Masood pushes Archer pleasantly through mid-off for a couple. There’s a lot to like about him as a batter; it’s hard to reconcile the eye test with an average of 30 from 50 Tests.
Lunch is at 1.15pm today, with tea at 4.10pm. That’s to make up some of the time that was lost yesterday.
16th over: Pakistan 60-2 (Azan 29, Masood 25) Robinson stays around the wicket to Azan, who has to play more because of the angle. After a few defensive strokes, Azan misses an attempted pull at a ball that bounces down the leg side for four byes. Jordan Cox, standing up to the stumps, didn’t have much chance with that. As Ian Ward points out on Sky Sports, those byes will go against Jamie Smith’s name rather than Cox’s.
The over ends with a spiteful delivery that lifts from a length to hit Azan in the chest. Sheesh.
“I know this is heresy, but should we be worried about Joe Root?” writes Chris Goater. “I know his record is amazing, and he has solved technical problems before, but he is surely getting towards the end of his time now. How much patience should the selectors show, if his run of low scores continues?”
One word, two syllables: WOW. A pattern of dismissals is always a bit of a concern, but the keeper won’t be up to the stumps as regularly when England play South Africa and Australia.
15th over: Pakistan 56-2 (Azan 29, Masood 25) An eventful over from Archer to Masood: two plays and misses, a lovely drive for four and an inside-edged pull onto the body that lands short of Archer.
“A whole three-match played with the same XI; no injured bowlers, no messing around by the selectors,” says Stephen Nichols. “More of this please!”
14th over: Pakistan 52-2 (Azan 29, Masood 21) Ollie Robinson starts over the wicket to Azan Awais, who is beaten by his second, third and fifth deliveries. Robinson moves around the wicket for the final ball of an excellent maiden. His grandkids are going to hear a helluva lot about the summer of 2026.
“Wow, the royalties from Kaiser have really added up!” banters Matt Dony. “When you’re sunning yourself on your private island, enjoying your millions, I hope you remember all the little people who got you there. Maybe we can invoice you on a per-email basis?”
Maybe. Maybe not. [Insert you own Departed reference here.]
13th over: Pakistan 52-2 (Azan 29, Masood 21) Archer’s second ball of the last day is a seaming lifter that beats Shan Masood’s defensive grope.
Time for the action Jofra Archer, whose fourth over was rudely interrupted by the dustmen rain last night, will open the bowling.
We don’t usually start the day’s play by directing you towards the Guardian’s country diary, but this is well worth your time.
“I know you have spent a lot of time and money trying to get your overdue payment,” writes Pastor J B Norble. “I am very sorry for this trouble and the inconvenience it has caused you. We have reviewed your payment file, and your payment of [$30,800,000] is now actively processed.”
That’s me done then. Have a nice life! (Some actual emails, please.)
Billy Munday
State-school cricket has had its day at Lord’s, at last. On a ground that has this summer hosted men’s and women’s international Tests, the Women’s T20 World Cup final and the Hundred finals, on Thursday four school teams played in front of the Pavilion and Father Time for the Knight-Stokes Cup, named after two state-educated cricketers who have captained England’s Test teams.
Heather Knight and Ben Stokes recorded video messages for pupils from Altrincham grammar school, John Hampden grammar school, Penistone grammar school and Chelmsford County high school before they competed in the boys’ and girls’ finals. The privileges did not stop there – full use of the Pavilion dressing rooms, lunch and media duties made this a day to remember and inspire.
It’s a big day in the race for the County Championship. The peerless Tanya Aldred is your guide.
Simon Burnton
A few hours after his yelp of frustration echoed around Edgbaston, an innings of 65 and the growing conviction that “I was going to make a really big score” ended when he chased a wide delivery and played on, Dan Lawrence’s emotions had settled into something approaching contentment. England had taken a firm grip on the game, Pakistan ending the second day still 268 away from making them bat again with eight wickets remaining, and Lawrence, having posted three half-centuries in four Test innings this summer, is finally delivering on his obvious potential in an England shirt.
“I’m obviously gutted I didn’t kick on,” he said. “I felt like I was playing really nicely and it was a really good surface to bat on against a tiring attack at that stage. I thought I was going to make a really big score, but it wasn’t meant to be. But I’m really happy with how I’ve played [this summer].
Matt Hughes
The lack of Ashes cricket in the north of England next summer is the result of a legal dispute that followed the allocation of venues for the 2023 series against Australia, which also involved the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) paying about £1m in damages to Hampshire.
The Guardian can reveal that Hampshire brought a legal challenge against the ECB after missing out on hosting the Ashes in 2023 to Yorkshire, who staged the third Test – which England won by three wickets – at Headingley.
Hampshire are understood to have challenged the 2023 allocation on the grounds the club said they were promised their first Ashes Test at the Rose Bowl that year at a meeting of the 18 first-class counties in 2018.
“Good morning Rob,” writes Krishnamoorthy V. “If only Pakistan had a VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid in their midst…”
Quite.
Andy Bull
There was a Pakistan fan walking around Edgbaston carrying a small blackboard on the second day. “Free Imran Khan …” he’d written on it, “and get him in the team.” He stopped to talk about it with a couple of the police officers standing guard around the back of the pavilion. “I’d like to report a crime,” he told them, “by the 11 players out there on the field.” The officers chuckled. “Not much I can do about that for you, sorry.” Even their supporters seemed to have reached the point where they just want this tour to be over.
With dismal inevitability, the weather had turned by the time Pakistan actually got out to bat in their second innings and the bright sunshine that lit up England’s batting through the afternoon had been occluded by a bank of heavy grey cloud that had blown up from the south-west. They turned the floodlights on just in time for Saim Ayub and Azan Awais to go out and face up to another new-ball burst from Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer. The lights didn’t help anyone, if anything they only made it easier to see what was coming.
Pakistan are averaging 15.90 runs per wicket in this series. That’s the lowest against England, in a series of three matches or more, since New Zealand were spun into oblivion by Tony Lock and Jim Laker in 1958.
Weather watch The sun is out at Edgbaston and play should start on time. The forecast is pretty good all day, so England should have plenty of time to get the job done and begin their end-of-series celebrations. Lime cordials all round.
Ali Martin
Day two report
Friday is the only sold-out day of this third Test but whether that translates into a full house remains to be seen. Much like the series itself, the contest is long since over, set in motion by Pakistan’s howling collapse on the first day and then compounded by England’s ruthlessness on the second.
Although for all that England’s march to a 3-0 clean sweep appears a formality, there should in theory be a decent chunk of cricket to enjoy. Joe Root’s side are still eight wickets away from enjoying a weekend at leisure, with Pakistan, set to resume on 52 for two, 268 runs away from making them bat again.
It follows a dominant outing with the bat from England that turned 156 for four in the morning into 453 all out by tea. That said, three men still trudged off despondently. Harry Brook needlessly ran himself out on 75, Dan Lawrence chopped on for 65, while Jamie Smith fell for 69 after batting through the pain of a suspected broken finger. In all three cases, a Test century went begging.
Preamble
It’s the last day of term, kids. Wear what you like, play a bit of Subbuteo, talk to the people you’re usually too shy to talk to. England will wrap up a crushing, slightly sad 3-0 win over Pakistan sometime this afternoon, and Ollie Robinson will smile modestly after collecting yet another award.
Robinson continued his Lohmannesque summer – 28 wickets at 7.75 apiece – by taking both Pakistan wickets to fall yesterday afternoon. Pakistan will resume on 52 for 2, still 268 runs behind. They’ve got two chances, Slim and none. And the selectors sent Slim home.
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