Stewart celebrates Abdur Razzaq's wicket

This, of course, will knock him out of the second Test against Pakistan at Old Trafford - which is still to stage its first day of cricket this season - and, naturally, the captaincy issue will dominate the cricket debate between now and then.

Alec Stewart took over on Saturday, and played a key part in England's success.

First, he scored a brisk 44 from only 53 balls - it was a brilliant slower ball from Akhtar that dismissed him.

Then he took two catches as England's bowlers - and Caddick in particular - seized the initiative.

Ian Ward looked the part with the bat. He came out to bat at number 8 because of Sidebottom's promotion to night-watchman, and seemed settled from the word go.

He is very strong off his pads, clipping the ball away rather as Chris Broad used to do, and he was given the opportunity to show off a cultured cover drive.

With Hussain out of the equation for a while, Ward now knows that he will play at Old Trafford, come what may, and that will help to relax him.

Caddick was always the most likely bowler to trouble the Pakistanis.

Tall and whippy, he pitched the ball up and swung it away from the bat.

Tentative

Capturing an early wicket always helps - he nipped out Elahi in his first over - and the delivery that dismissed Abdur Razzaq was the most perfect outswinger you could ever see.

All of this, plus the fact that the follow-on has been reduced because of the loss of the first day's play, means that England can still win this match.

Pakistan still need to score a further 127 to reach safety, and whether they manage to reach that figure depends largely on the unbroken partnership between Yousuf Youhana and the highly promising Younis Khan that is currently worth 67 and more than doubled the score.

On the whole, however, tentative footwork did not help the Pakistani cause on Saturday and if they are forced to follow on, they will have to bat with greater application second time around.