What an extraordinary game of cricket the First Test in Rawalpindi was. Since BazBall was launched earlier this year, not only have England’s first-class cricket fortunes been refreshed and revitalised but also it seems that another new format has been introduced by the back-door.
It has been coming. Setting aside the hideous Hundred, cricket records have been tumbling as fast as global temperatures in recent years. No UN conferences will be able to turn back the clock on the man-made shift to longer hitting and swifter scoring rates.
When England’s tourists unveiled their starting XI last week, we knew what to expect. So soon after the Twenty20 World Cup was added to the 50-over title, it was inevitable that, should players learn not to get out early to silly shots, the limited-overs ethos could also be applied to the Test arena. With six-hitting all-rounders Stokes, Jacks and Livingstone batting down to eight, this match was never going to resemble a Boycott-Amiss-Tavare defensive masterclass from the mid-1970s.
I never thought I’d see the day when a Test side racked up more than 500 runs on the first day, with four centurions contributing to a total of 657 compiled at more than 6.5 an over. Even Zak Crawley was at it, equalling Chris Gayle’s record of 14 runs from the opening over. His century partnerships with Ben Duckett in each innings were both in the all-time top ten of fastest ever. Overall, England’s two-innings total of 921 runs in just 136.5 overs demolished the previous run-rate record set by the same side at Trent Bridge only this summer. Harry Brook may have been the star, but even Ollie Robinson struck one ball over the ropes.
Of course, we have witnessed some superlative Test innings in recent years but they don’t all result in victories. Whatever the declaration – if made – there is often insufficient time to fashion a result. However, if you plunder 900+ runs at such extraordinary rapidity, and you have a few decent proven Test bowlers amidst the T20 specialists, then there is always a chance. Seventeen years after his last appearance on this ground, a 40-year-old James Anderson was again on hand to take 4-36 and bowl 12 maidens to hasten Pakistan’s demise on the final day.
The home nation should take some credit for making a fist of the response and restricting the margin of defeat to two figures. With skipper Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Imam ul-Haq in the batting line-up, they were able to score 579 in their own first innings. And yet they lost the match.
It goes without saying that the pitch was ridiculously benign, offering little to seamers or spinners alike, but nonetheless England managed to take twenty wickets and emerge victorious. Personally, I feel a bit queasy. It was hardly the Test cricket that I have loved for six decades. However, can I really complain about a game which produced so many runs whilst maintaining the excitement of a potential close finish? That is the essence of entertaining sport and if it helps to retain the Test format amongst all the other micro-formats then it has to be applauded.
Ever
since the days of Packer’s World Series Cricket, Test matches and first-class
cricket generally have been on a downhill slide but, given this massive
injection of pace and sustained stroke-making pyrotechnics, perhaps all it
needs is a tweak in branding. Goodbye, the 5-day Test Match, hello ‘Cricket 5*’!
