Brave new world

HERE are some very powerful psychoactive substances available these days, but it would have taken something very rare and illegal for me to have imagined, back in May, that England would win all four of their home Test matches this summer. That is before we remember that three of those matches were against World Test Champions New Zealand and the other against India. That is before we remember that all four victories came batting last, chasing down targets of 277, 296, 299 and 378.