Picture the scene. You are at the top of your bowling mark with the sun on your shoulders. A light breeze at your back. Reverse-swinging ball in your hand. You are playing in your third Test match and have just taken two wickets in two balls. It’s the first over of the day and some of the Old Trafford crowd are still milling about trying to find their seats. The tardy and hungover quicken their pace at the tram platform when they hear two throaty roars in quick succession.
You have a chance of taking a Test hat-trick. You take a deep breath at the top of your mark. Steady yourself. No one says anything to you, no last-minute words of advice or encouragement. Your teammates leave you to it.
