4 hundreds in one day

Virus-hit England stamped their aggressive brand of test cricket on their first match in Pakistan in 17 years by amassing a world record 506-4 with four batters smashing hundreds on the first day of the first test in Rawalpindi. Zak Crawley hit 122 and Ben Duckett made 107 in a blistering opening stand of 233. Ollie Pope and Harry Brook blazed hundreds in the last session in an astonishing display of power-hitting against an inexperienced Pakistan bowling attack. And the test almost didn’t start. England confirmed they had a fit XI and the match could go ahead only two hours before the toss. Then they destroyed a host of records in only 75 overs when play ended prematurely because of bad light. The 506-4 total was the highest on the first day of any test, surpassing Australia’s 494-6 in 1910 against South Africa in Sydney. England also became the fastest team to score 500 runs. Four England batters scored centuries in one innings for the first time in 15 years.