“We’ll remember today for a long time.”
Close friends and former roommates Steven Finn and Chris Woakes reflected on a truly brilliant afternoon in the Birmingham sunshine as England secured one of their finest final day victories.
A full set of 10 wickets were plundered on day five –two for each of the five bowlers – as England recovered to win after a first-innings deficit of more than 100 for only the sixth time in their history.
Woakes, who has 31 wickets at 15.87 this summer and has leaped 67 places in the Test rankings, said it was a “pinch yourself moment” to look around at his home ground and see Finn steaming in.
“To do that together as mates makes it extra special,” said the 27-year-old.
“You look back to your days as Under-19s and it’s always a dream to play for England and then when you’re actually doing it sometimes you do have to pinch yourself. It’s an honour and a privilege so you do have to make the most of it while you’re here.”
Struggling to suppress a smile as Woakes was speaking, Finn added: “As he was answering that question there I’m glad that we don’t have to share a room together anymore, seeing him naked when we wake up in the morning – there are prettier sights in the world.
“We’ve played a lot of cricket together – Lions, Under 19s, even before that playing against each other in age-group stuff – to be out here playing for England on his home ground, in front of a great crowd, there aren’t much better feelings.”
Finn took his first wickets of the series with the crucial dismissals of captain Misbah-ul-Haq and opener Sami Aslam and added: “When you’re running in and the crowd are chanting your name, singing, clapping, getting behind you, it’s those days that we remember.”