An unnatural victory

My brother sms-ed me a message from Virginia within seconds of India winning the Trent Bridge Test. It read: it doesn't get any better than this! And really, it doesn't. To watch an Indian middle order methodically, pragmatically grind out a big total against an English seam attack doing what it does best in helpful conditions and then to sit back and savour an Indian pace bowler mow down a decent batting line-up with orthodox swing bowling of the sort that Vaughan and company have been raised on … is very satisfying.

To not drop bouquets of catches, to get Kevin Pietersen out twice in two balls, to have two Indian openers make a small English total look smaller, to be treated to the sight of the appalling Matthew Prior losing his middle stump to a ball from Rudra Pratap Singh that swung round a corner, to puzzle over Zaheer Khan shaking his bat at Pietersen, to read the next day's papers with dawning comprehension, and then to realise with awed delight that England's professionally trained trash-talkers had been reduced to jelly beans, jelly beans, made me wonder if someone had scripted this thing.

The facts are unnatural:

There was a magnificent century struck in a losing cause. By the captain of the other side.

Tendulkar and Ganguly both got rotten decisions within sight of their centuries. India won.

Pietersen stood his ground after an edging a catch to the keeper. The next ball struck his pads. He walked.

An Australian umpire gave three big bad decisions against India and I didn't see muttering desis huddled in knots alleging white collusion and western conspiracy.

This is the season of miracles. If it lasts till the Oval the Indians might even decide that it isn't mandatory to lose a Test match after winning the previous one.

In which case my brother is wrong: it could get better than this.