Feelings of helplessness are inevitable for sports fans, but they are exacerbated by a lack of application by those with the power to influence proceedings
There aren’t many ways to ruin an idyllic Sunday afternoon. Nervously following an England run chase, though, is one of them.
Feelings of helplessness are an unfortunate side effect for fans of any sport.
But they are never more torturous than when a Test match which has been quietly meandering along for three days suddenly arrives at its denouement.
As well as providing agonising updates of the match, live text commentaries by various news outlets can, at least, be relied upon for reassurance that you are not suffering alone.
Who cares if you have to go the long way home so as not to lose internet signal on the Underground?
At least you know that some bloke in the middle of the Mediterranean is getting it in the neck for being awful company on a family holiday while a lonely traveller furiously fiddles with his radio frequency on top of a mountain in Asia.
The most infuriating thing about reading of such sacrifices is the disparity between the commitment shown by these poor, powerless souls to follow proceedings and the batsman who are actually able to dictate them.
Pakistan’s victory at Lord’s was fully deserved, but the thrilling nature of the first match of the series should not deflect from England’s deficiencies in both temperament and technique.
If the tourists were to sneak ahead, then it was England’s bowling – rather than their batting – that was most likely to let them down.
But even in the absence of leading wicket-taker Jimmy Anderson, England’s attack performed superbly to first limit Pakistan after a strong start in their first innings before polishing them off as quickly as could be expected in the second.
Yet not for the first time, the bowlers’ endeavours were completely undermined by team-mates whose job it is to capitalise on such promising positions.
At 118-1 on the second afternoon, Joe Root’s slog-sweep – with a new-look middle order to protect and England well in control – to get caught on the cusp of 50 was negligent.
With time on his side, to then fall into the trap of hooking to a fielder rather than resist temptation and force Pakistan to come up with a more imaginative plan was even worse.
After shooting to the top of the Test rankings last year, the 24-year-old was always likely to suffer a drop in form.
There is a difference, though, between struggling to iron out a flaw in your technique and gifting your wicket with regularity.
With just one in his last 22 innings, Root should now have been reminded just how hard centuries are to come by and adjust his approach accordingly.
So, too, Moeen Ali, who was opening the batting the last time England played this opposition.
Some felt that he was done a disservice by being moved down to swing the bat, but the one time he was required to show some responsibility he played with all the abandon of a No. 11 with nothing to lose.
Without the swashbuckling Graeme Swann and given that Stuart Broad has failed to hit a fifty since the former spinner’s retirement in 2013, England’s tail can no longer be relied upon to get them out of jail.
It says much for lopsided contributions of the different departments that England’s first second-innings partnership to pass 50 came when they were six wickets down and involved a bowling all-rounder who had already taken 11 wickets in the game.
That England ultimately came so close with so little application is encouraging.
Their batsman will quickly need to stop shirking, though, if they are to rescue a beautifully-poised series.
