With a flat pitch and the ball not carrying to the keeper it looked like there would be little help for the quicker bowlers. But in Munaf Patel’s third spell he got it up to 145 kph , getting some noticeable reverse swing, and with one delivery he was unlucky not to york Collingwood, the ball rolling just back from the stumps. There’s no strain with Patel – it all looks fairly effortless.

In the next over he took a good catch off his own bowling to dismiss Pietersen. At Baroda in the warm-up match he took most of his wickets with reverse: something that the England quick bowlers were unable to achieve when they got hold of the ball.

“How fast is Patel?” has featured on the search strings in recent weeks. The answer is 135-145 kph.