Ollie Robinson starred with bat and ball to hasten England’s charge to a 3-0 Test series clean sweep of Pakistan at Edgbaston.
Robinson was one of five players to make a half-century in England’s 453 all out and a mammoth lead of 320 before he struck twice in the first over of Pakistan’s second innings to leave them teetering.
At that stage, just after tea, a result inside two days was a fleeting possibility – the last time it occurred in England was 26 years ago – but Pakistan were spared more ignominy on this wretched tour.
A short, sharp shower briefly brought the players off just before 5pm, but just six more deliveries were bowled before the rain returned, heavier this time, and any hope of more play was abandoned at 5:30pm.
England, though, are almost certain to wrap up victory on Friday after Azan Awais and Shan Masood shepherded Pakistan to 52 for two, still 268 runs away from making their opponents bat again.
While the competence of their rivals will be pored over, England demonstrated their ruthless streak, only soured by none of their quintet of half-centurions going on to three figures.
Harry Brook had the first chance to claim his first Test hundred in 14 months and, having overcome a testing time against Mohammad Abbas the previous evening, looked utterly untroubled after England resumed on 156 for four.
But he suffered a lapse in judgement, shovelling to leg and casually setting off for a single while Shan Masood’s sliding pick up and throw allowed Saim Ayub to whip off the bails, with Brook dropping his bat in frustration after being run out for 75.
Dan Lawrence might have been hoping to cash in on the old ball and a flagging attack, and he started with plenty of intent on Thursday morning, thumping six fours from the first 18 deliveries he faced.
But he tamely dragged on to his stumps for 65 in a similar manner to how Emilio Gay, who made 60, did the previous evening.
Jamie Smith defied an injury to the ring finger on his left hand that meant he did not keep in Pakistan’s second innings – with Jordan Cox taking on gloveman duties – to show off some dashing strokeplay either side of the lunch interval.
He peeled off nine fours and belted spinner Ayub for a straight six in his 69 off just 84 deliveries, helping England rattle along at near enough a run a ball in the first two sessions.
However, he could not cash in either, dismissed for 69 after getting a leading edge to the expensive but indefatigable debutant Razaullah, who gleefully took the return catch just before the second new ball.
Abbas was then taken to task by Robinson, who shovelled him a couple of times to leg, including one mighty heave into the Hollies Stand as he made just his second Test fifty off 46 balls before departing immediately afterwards.
Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue rubbed more salt into the wounds in a last-wicket partnership of 44 from 35 balls before Robinson got to work under the floodlights, showing his prowess in his first over once more.
Having bagged three wickets in the first six balls of his recall against New Zealand in June and struck with the very first delivery of this series last month, Robinson found the edge of Ayub, with Brook taking a sharp chest-high chance at second slip.
Abdullah Shafique defended his first two balls but then fell to Robinson for the fifth time in six innings when an outside edge squirted low to Joe Root, who gobbled up the chance low at first slip.
It was Robinson’s 21st wicket of the series at a preposterous average of 6.19 and he continued to prove a handful under gloomy skies.
His luck is in stark contrast to Gus Atkinson, whose bid to add to his one scalp in the series was dashed by Duckett putting down a third catch of the match to reprieve Masood on 13.
From the next ball, Awais edged through a vacant gap in the cordon and he then inside edged past his stumps in Atkinson’s next over, reaching 29 not out with Masood unbeaten on 21 before the rain arrived.
