Dan Lawrence eventually took a wicket but the lack of a specialist was keenly felt on a day when Pakistan dug in against an all-pace attackAt half-past-two in the afternoon the fans struck up a conga in the Hollies Stand. Fifteen Fred Flintstones, 11 Oompa Loompas with one Willy Wonka, five cardinals with an inflatable doll, four centurions, three six-foot bottles of tequila, two Dave Bedfords, one Geri Halliwell, one Donald Trump, and a Dolly Parton bringing up the rear. Out in the middle, England’s four fast bowlers were flogging an endless succession of back-of-length balls at the Pakistani middle order, who blocked and ducked and slashed and cut.It was round about this moment that the Pakistanis could, perhaps, have been forgiven for asking whether English cricket was quite the force we’ve all been led to believe these last few weeks. Continue reading...