Smoking Jesus. Take a moment to collect yourself. If you were watching that final day at Edgbaston, you deserve to let your nerves unspool. They must be clenched to raging little clusters of data. Do some deep breathing. Take your shoes off and walk on the lawn. Fists with your toes. Even if you’re not invested in either team, close Test cricket can make you sick, when awaiting each delivery feels like you’ve just chugged a large chocolate milk before jumping on Magic Mountain.
If you’ve paid any attention to coverage over the past five days, you might have heard one or two comparisons to the Edgbaston Ashes Test of 2005. Run totals of 407 on the first day, fourth‑innings targets for Australia of 282 and 281 respectively, falling short both times under clouded skies, simmering in the fetid steambath of noise generated by the Hollies Stand.
