There are three things in life that are certain: death, taxes, and English skies waiting for Test cricket to release the worst of their wrath.
It was no surprise then that the start of the Lord’s Test between Pakistan and England took its time, with a pitch shrouded in covers, a delayed toss and a thicket of clouds refusing to make way for even the smallest ray of sun. In the middle of England’s hottest summer on record, this felt like tradition reimposing itself; some things are sacred and rain during the cricket is one of them.
And if you were watching from Pakistan, you could do some simple idiomatic math to try and hold onto some hope for the rest of this series after the innings defeat in Headingley.
It takes real conviction to be as gloriously underwhelming as Pakistan have been this entire tour of England so far, but day two in London might be the most abysmal performance we have seen from the Green Shirts in a long time.
There is nothing new left to add in these routine assessments of Pakistan’s losses, and most who have watched the team over most of the last few years can articulate the reasons off the top of their head. The management needs a reset, the domestic system needs an overhaul, the batting needs work, the bowling needs fire and discipline, and the fielding, before anything, needs to show up. But, with the sheer obstinance, that only watching Pakistan play cricket can grant, I am going to try anyway.
