How do you do? Enough of the pleasantries, can we please talk about Razaullah? At this stage he could be the new Waqar Younis or the new Mohammad Zahid, so we shouldn’t get carried aw- ah, sod that. At the end of a thoroughly dispiriting series, Razaullah’s fervent, uncomplicated fast bowling – full, straight, 90mph; mind the bloody pads, lads – was a welcome reminder that Pakistan cricket will always touch the parts other nations can’t reach.
In the opulent history of irresistible Pakistan fast bowling, figures of 9-0-42-2 don’t amount to much, but it was the first bit of haal we’ve seen all series. England fans needed it; Pakistan fans needed it; Pakistan cricket really needed it.
What Pakistan need this morning is for Razaullah and his more forensic companion, Mohammad Abbas, to keep the match alive by taking a shortcut through England’s middle- and lower-order.
England will resume on 156 for 4, a lead of 23, with Harry Brook well set on 52 not out. It’s a measure of how good Brook is, and how much better he might become, that he played a responsible, almost subdued innings and still scored at a strike rate of 68. Brook hasn’t made a Test century since he panelled an astonishing and ultimately infuriating 111 against India at the Oval 14 months ago; he’ll be desperate to right that wrong today.
If Brook goes early, it’s not beyond the realms that this will be the last day of the series. The Edgbaston pitch looked pretty good yesterday, even though 14 wickets fell, so the nature of the day’s play may be shaped by the overhead conditions. I’ve asked our cricket correspondent Ali Martin for a comprehensive weather update.