England's openers at least were in rude health on the field as they blew away an 84-year old record to put Pakistan's bowlers to the sword.
Walking back to the dressing room with the score reading 174-0, the smiles on Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett's faces were as wide as their bats were broad in a thunderous opening session of Test cricket. And just before the break they surpassed the tally of 169-0 from 1938 when the England openers took a shine to the Aussie bowlers at Trent Bridge.
Crawley went on to complete his third Test hundred soon after the break to put the seal on an astonishing start to the series, and an incredible run of form for him against Pakistan.
