WICKET! Hameed c Carey b Boland 9 (England 46-1)
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Preamble
Hello all. Here we go: a fifth day, a docile-enough pitch, 10 wickets in play, and 98 overs to decide whether a whitewash is on or not.
At 30-0, England have reason to believe they can – to use footballing parlance – “get something” from the Test. Though it came from an admittedly low base, last night Crawley and Hameed looked as assured as they have all series, and will be keen to continue on in the day’s opening exchanges.
As the day wears on and wickets inevitably fall, the visitors, of course, will be relying on a number of guys carrying injury. Each of Stokes, Bairstow and Butler are walking wounded but are expected to bat.
It’s a day for close-in fields, strange plans, and digging in. The weather, as ever, is dubious. The morning is meant to be OK, but it’s meant to get worse as the day goes on. Then again, they’ve said that for the last three days and rain has barely intervened.
Hit me at sam.perry.freelance@theguardian.com or on Twitter: @sjjperry.
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