TEST cricket, now in its 140th year, may have lost some of its old charm because of the popularity that the game’s shorter formats now enjoy, but it still continues to interest the purists.

England is where the game developed and was then exported to where the British went and also ruled. And England is where the crowds still keep coming to enjoy the ebb and flow of the game and its fluctuating fortune well ensconced of course in the serenity of the ambiance and the facilities that are on offer at every venue in the country.

And Edgbaston is not any different. People do flock in having bought their tickets in advance. A Pakistan visit to these shores is as popular as that of the traditional foes — the Australians.

Migrant population in the West Midlands with its capital Birmingham, which is the industrial hub of the UK, has now more immigrants from Pakistan than any other overseas community.

One reason why when Pakistan visit here, their fans and followers converge in the area to form the bulk of the crowd.On Wednesday, hours before the start of play, the Pakistan supporters waving the national flag in an open double-decker drove round the area announcing the arrival of Misbah-ul-Haq’s men. And they were not let down as the Pakistan captain having won the toss decided to take the field — first to see his bowlers vindicate his decision as England wickets fell at regular intervals and the pressure mounted.

As expected, Pakistan made changes to the final XI and I am glad they did so because it was important to have some variety in their bowling attack, after having played three left-arm seamers in the first two Tests.

Sohail Khan, a medium-pacer with little experience at Test level, provided Pakistan the break with his controlled line and length and his ability to move the ball. Tall, broad shouldered and a lot more heavy-footed than other Pakistan fast bowlers that I have seen over the years, he bowled superbly, hardly ever wavering in control of his line and direction to pick up five wickets including that of the dangerous Joe Root.

The last time that I watched him in a Test was that against Sri Lanka at Karachi where Younis Khan made a brilliant triple century.

Injuries or lack of form probably kept him away this long but he certainly has talent and displayed it amply at Edgbaston on Wednesday. I remember that in 2007 in his first first-class season he had picked 65 wickets in just nine matches and in one match for Karachi against WAPDA he bagged 16 for 189 in the match.

Why then, I wonder, he remained in oblivion.

The way he bowled on the first day made him look like a bowler best suited for the English conditions. While both Mohammad Amir and Rahat Ali at times wavered in line, Sohail pressed on to keep the batsmen guessing.

What we watched at Lord’s and at Old Trafford were different wickets from this one at Edgbaston. Not a blade of grass on the pitch, slow in pace and nothing sinister in its character, where both the batsmen and bowlers have equal opportunity to handle the situation.

Bowling England out for under 300 after the thrashing at Old Trafford is no mean achievement for Mibah and Company. The job, though, is only half done and the Pakistan batsmen will have to apply themselves well here and overhaul this England total to make a game of it.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2016