Brotherly love?

People who do not enjoy Test Match cricket often do not understand that cricket is a metaphor for life itself. On the other hand, cricket lovers are blessed with an appreciation that the question of a whether good will ultimately score more runs than evil is a question of philosophy as deep as that ultimate question - what is the meaning of life?

It's a sunny day at Trent Bridge, as Salman Butt calls correctly, and decides that Pakistan should bat first. He hopes that Danish Kaneria will be able to obtain turn and bounce in the final innings. But it isn't long before he regrets his haste to bat, as Stuart Broad gets one to lift past his nose. He manages to get his gloves out of the way and survives, but at the other end, Imran Farhat is less lucky, nicking James Anderson into the gloves of the waiting Matt Prior. But Azhar Ali shows why he is highly regarded with some attractive strokeplay. Despite all that, it's a quiet first session, and Pakistan are reasonably well placed on 78-1 at lunch.

The clouds close in during the lunchbreak, however, and when they take the field after a round of sandwiches, England's bowlers get much more assistance from the conditions. Salman Butt is the first to perish; he chops on an in-dipper from Steven Finn. The next over sees Azhar Ali dismissed by Broad: away swinger, pitched up, prod forward, indecisive foot movement, click of ball against edge, deviation to first slip, diving Graeme Swann, jubilant Broad. Umar Amin follows the following over, and two overs later Shoaib Malik is dismissed by a catch from a leaping Collingwood that rolls back the years.

However, the Akmal brothers aren't known as the most annoying cricketing brothers since Mike and David Hussey for no reason, and using a series of fresh air drives and niggles to the leg side, Kamran and Umar Akmal are able to keep out the England bowlers. Tea comes, tea goes. Eventually, at close of play, the two little men have restored parity to the game with the score at 248-5 (Umar Akmal 78*, Kamran Akmal 78*).

The second morning is overcast and there is much talk about how England's bowlers will take advantage of the swing available. But the Akmal brothers adopt the Steve and Mark Waugh model to lose their wickets. After adding just three to his overnight score, Umar goes for what the Sky Sports commentators call a "suicidal single". Unhappily, Kamran does not respond, and the brothers are left facing each other at the non-striker's end. There ensues a bitter argument between the two of them about which of them is out, and eventually umpire Simon Taufel has to mediate by flipping a coin. Kamran is the unlucky man. With an inter-Akmal argument going on in the dressing room, the Pakistani lower order is able to offer scant further resistance and England are able to dismiss the Pakistanis for 298 (Akmal 81, Akmal 81).

Happily for them, the Pakistani bowlers bowl splendidly, and for some time there is real doubt about whether England can even achieve the follow-on total of 98. Mohammad Aamer bowls with pace and hostility, and is able to make batsmen of the calibre of Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen look slightly foolish. England's lowest ebb is at 35-5, whereupon Matt Prior joins Eoin Morgan at the crease. Prior approaches Morgan mid-pitch.

"So remind me, how do you spell your first name again?" asks the Sussex 'keeper.

"Maiden mhaith. Breathnu ar an scorchlar." replies the diminutive Irishman.

Morgan and Prior bat beautifully together. There is initially a little confusion in the running between the wickets, when Morgan calls "Fanacht" and Prior does not understand, but that is soon resolved and they run as one. Sometimes, cricket transcends international boundaries.

Anyway, both score hundreds, and although Prior is out trying just before close of play trying to hit Danish Kaneria into the River Trent for a second time, it's England who are in charge on 303-6 (Prior 124, Morgan 118*).

Three is said to be the magic number, and the third day's play at Trent Bridge is indeed splendid. First, we should applaud the brave and innovative batting from England in the morning. Congratulations in particular to Northamptonshire born spinner Graeme Swann, on his first test match hundred, scored off 72 balls. With three overs to go before lunch, England finally declare on 478 for 8, some 180 runs ahead.

Salman and Imran survive those first three overs, but both fall in the first over after lunch from Stuart Broad. Umar Amin is able to put up good resistance with Azhar Ali, and by tea time they are both playing with a flair reminiscent of Javed Miandad. After tea, Ali is undone by a clever slower ball from Paul Collingwood which flies to Morgan at point, and Amin is bowled through the gate next over from Swann. When Shoaib Malik nicks the ball on to his pad and the ball flies to substitute fielder Rob Newton, it seems that Pakistan's only hope of cricketing salvation lies once again with the brothers Akmal. Remarkably, there is a run-out action replay: this time, Kamran calls Umar for a quick single and Umar is beaten by a smart throw from Collingwood. Conspiracy, fate or just coincidence? You decide. Anyway, Pakistan are six wickets down, and just six ahead, when the sun goes down on Saturday night.

What makes Pakistan bat so well on Sunday morning? It may be that they were given a heavy team talk by their coach Waqar Younis, or it may be that they are inspired by their former teammate Shahid Afridi's maiden performance on Strictly Come Dancing. In any case, they perform splendidly, and whilst they lose wickets occasionally, they are able to score 156 runs in the session. With Danish Kaneria the final man to go on the stroke of lunch, England are set 162 to win.

Mohammad Asif and his floppy hair has little difficulty getting the best out of the pitch, and there is little surprise when he induces Alastair Cook to prod forward, such that he edges the ball to slip. But Strauss and Jonathan Trott are able to guide England to victory. The Pakistani supporters and their vuvuzelas are silenced as England press home their advantage, until finally, at 3.02 on Sunday afternoon, Jonathan Trott caresses a leg break from Kaneria into a gap on the off-side to score the winning runs.

The man of the match award is given to Eoin Morgan for his excellent innings. As he picks up his award, he takes the microphone from Nasser Hussain and says "Go raibh maith agat, Nasser."

Meanwhile, down in South West London, the greatest bowler of all staggers on his toes towards the television set. He looks intrigued as willow thwacks against leather. He turns to his father and smiles. He is only 13 months old. He has no idea what greatness he will achieve; he probably has no idea even what cricket is. But the countdown to the 2030 Ashes series has begun for this little boy.