Aha! Ali Martin’s report is with us:
Which means we’re done here. Thanks all for your company and comments, sorry I couldn’t use them all – we’ll see you at the Oval. It’ll come quicker than you think, I promise.
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THERE'S BEEN A DEVELOPMENT IN BASEL!
Goodness me, Chloe Clutch-Kelly with the cross, and what an eader from Alessia Russo!
On Sky, they’re rhapsodising Joe Root, who now sits between Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting on the list of all-time Test-match run-scorers. It’s amazing really – there was a time when Smith, Williamson and Kohli, the other greats of the era, looked to have left him behind, his difficulty in converting fifties the major difference – but post-Covid and especially since relinquishing the captaincy, he’s somehow, in his 30s, improved by several order of magnitude. It’s so unreal that, if doping helped batsmanship, you’d be suspicious, but the only drug he’s taken is his own genius.
It’s worth noting that Bumrah has had a couple of days off already; I can’t see a situation in which he’s not demanding to play, unless he’s really hurt. India need to take 20 wickets, hard enough with him, never mind without – he’s not had a great series and most of his wickets have been tailenders – but he remains the best bowler in the world, and England would love him to be absent – on a pitch that should help him more than any of the others we’ve seen in the series.
Player of the match is … again, Benjamin Andrew Stokes for his 141 and six wickets. I’d have gone for Jadeja, but fair enough. He’s give the award back for the win, of course, but asked how his body is he can only laugh; he asks his players to run through brick walls, so it’s incumbent upon him to do the same. “Pretty sore,” he concludes.
He then explains further that, getting through the overs, things catch up with you and, “as I keep saying to the bowlers, ‘pain is only an emotion’.”
Then, on England’s inability to force the win, he says that it was difficult for the right-handers, but the two lefties put together a brilliant partnership, so credit to them.
On England’s batting, he praises Crawley and Duckett for giving them the start they needed – the plan was to bat once – but ultimately two very good teams are playing excellent cricket, throwing punches at each other, and he always knew the quality India had, if they could get themselves in, they’d be hard to dislodge.
Asked about offering the draw, he says the batters played incredibly well but he wasn’t going to risk his bowlers, explaining that Dawson was cramping, so he had to go with part-timers.
Finally, England will have to recover, assess things, and then make the call about who plays at the Oval.
Gill looks seriously smug, and he’s really proud of his side; he should also be really proud of his hairline. India wanted to take the game as deep as possible, he explains, then asked about not taking the handshake, he says it was left up to the boys in the middle and both were in the 90s, so.
Every day and every match he learns something different about captaincy but also the group are learning and, told he’s there with Bradman and Gavaskar as having captained and made three tons in the series, he says it never matters what you’ve done, just what you’re doing in the moment.
In the first innings, he laments batters getting set but not going deep to take the game away, but is really pleased with the second innings. Then, asked about Bumrah at the Oval, he says we’ll have to see, and finally asked if he’ll call heads again, having lost 14 tosses in a row, he laughs that this is what he thinks about most.
Righto, it’s presentation time.
Also going on:
I’m getting various emails complaining about England’s churlish reaction to Jadeja’s century, but come on: this is top-level sport. I can understand why India wanted their men to get hundred; I can understand why England wanted to finish; I can understand why they wanted to devalue their opponents’ achievements; I don’t really know why anyone would care. This contest has been played in excellent spirit with just the right amount of needle; it’s serious out there and, in the heat of battle with a crucial match to come, theres not going to be cooing and cuddling.
England will be disappointed, but they were beaten by the pitch as much as India’s excellence and their own shortcomings. They’d have taken dormy one if offered it at the start of the series, but India look renewed and refreshed; the narrative they tell themselves won’t include complaints about the pitch, we can be sure of that. Three tons in the innings tell them all they need to know, and they’ll surely be facing a very different attack at the Oval; surely England can’t force Archer through another five days, while who knows what Stokes’ body will accept.
Washington records maiden Test century and the match is drawn
142nd over: India 425-4 (Washington 95, Jadeja 107) Washington twizzles Root for two around the corner, then ends the over with a single which keeps strike, while Brook, bowling, suggests he get on with it. So Stokes brings the field up, looking to end the match while devaluing the moment, and the batter goes over extra for four, raising the 200 partnership and taking him to within a single of his maiden ton. And there it is, flicked to midwicket, and what a knock this has been; what a moment this is! He removes his helmet, runs about celebrating, and that will be that; well played old mate, well played Jaddu too, and well played both teams. The series gets the final Test decider it deserves, and can we just skip over Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to get to Thursday, please?
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Ravindra Jadeja completes his century!
141st over: India 416-4 (Washington 92, Jadeja 107) Jadeja drives but picks out the fielder, so he dances down, leathers Brook down the ground for six, and that completes a glorious century of unremitting bottle. He celebrates as well as you’d expect though, despite incitement from his captain, there’s no sword-swish; he then pulls four more, the bowler offering him whatever shot he pleases, and a pull for two completes the over. On the balcony, the India players gather to greet the inevitability of Washington’s maiden Test ton, and it’s not just a match or a series India have saved this afternoon; they’ve switched momentum in the contest and will bounce down to London, elated, while England will trudge, irritated.
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140th over: India 404-4 (Washington 92, Jadeja 95) Five dots from Root, then Washington chases a wide one, spanking for into the gap between cover and mid-off … then again. His highest Test score is 96 not out and, though I understand why Stokes, the definitive team-man uninterested in personal milestones, is irate, I’m with Gill on this one. All the more so when Root tries a bouncer, Washington pulling it for four; surely once both batters reach three figures, he’ll agree to call it off.
139th over: India 392-4 (Washington 80, Jadeja 95) England respond by introducing Brook to the attack – he’s bowling off-spin, not seamers – Stokes no longer willing to flog his bowlers. So, when offered a full toss, Jadeja goes over the top but doesn’t get all of t – they run two – then a half-tracker is given the treatment it deserves, laced to the fence for four. Jaddu is nearly there and frankly, he and we deserve the celebration when he gets there.
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138th over: India 386-4 (Washington 80, Jadeja 89) Washington drills four through cover, then hammers into Duckett at short leg; it’s a sair yin then, at the end of the over with 15 remaining, Stokes offers a handshake and is less than gruntled when it’s refused. These batters want their tons; cut to Gill chuckling in the dressing room. That’s drinks and, while they’re taken, sentiments are exchanged on the pitch, Crawley vocal in offering his thoughts.
137th over: India 382-4 (Washington 76, Jadeja 89) Sundar takes a single to point after which Jadeja, seeking his ton, drives into his own foot, the ball rolling just past leg stump. Four byes then complete the over, and it’s probably time for me to direct you to open a second window in your browsers.
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136th over: India 377-4 (Washington 75, Jadeja 89) Root starts with a bouncer; Washington swings and misses. Meantime, Broad reminds us that we’ve already broken the record for centuries in an English series – previously, it was held by Gooch’s Indian summer in 1990 – and we’ve two more potentially to come this afternoon. If Stokes offers them a handshake with 15 overs left, will they accept it? One from the over, Sundar flicking to leg, and we’re marking time now.
135th over: India 376-4 (Washington 74, Jadeja 89) This is Dawson’s 46th over of the innings, most have come on a day-five pitch, and he’s wicketless; ouch. This latest over returns five dots, then a single to Washington, and this is a draw, the partnership 154 – a special number, at least when trying to find something about which to talk.
134th over: India 375-4 (Washington 73, Jadeja 89) Root sends his first delivery into the pad and there’s an appeal, but really everyone knows it was going down. Then, after two further dots, Jadeja makes room by stepping to leg, then thunks Root back over his heed, well away from his desperate leap, then goes high over mid-off and the ball trickles into the rope. That makes the partnership’s 150, and if I was Stokes, I’d be tempted to shake hands with these two in the 90s. However he is not a petty, small-minded nause; 10 off the over.
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133rd over: India 367-4 (Washington 73, Jadeja 81) Dawson returns from the other end, still men around the bat, so Washington feels safe in driving him out of the rough to cover; they run two. What an effort this is from the batters.
132nd over: India 365-4 (Washington 71, Jadeja 81) Four dots from Root, then Jadeja slams uppishly down the ground and, though there are shouts of “Catch!”, the ball is nowhere near Archer at mid-on. The lead is 54, overs remaining 21.
“Well, nobody’s saying it out loud,” writes Bhaskar Agrawal, “but this is a bad pitch. Hardly anything for the bowlers in the last session of day five. Bazball may champion excitement, but they have really dulled the pitches in England.”
We said it just a little earlier, but I agree, this is a disappointing effort for a track that has traditionally been one of the most sporting in the country. In general, they’ve been a little slow this series – the brilliant, thrilling cricket we’ve seen has been down to the teams, not the curation.
131st over: India 361-4 (Washington 71, Jadeja 77) Archer goes short, so Jadeja drops hands, sways, and crouches; he’s handled the short stuff really well in this knock. He then takes a single to deep square, the only run from the over, and even Stokes won’t be able to conjure England a win fro this position, though he may give us yet one more spell of masochism, just because.
130th over: India 360-4 (Washington 71, Jadeja 75) Dawson is rusticated once more, Root returning, and after five dots, when he extracts a little more bounce, Jadeja cuts three to deep point. We’ve 23 overs remaining, though increasingly, my sense is that we won’t bother with all of them.
129th over: India 357-4 (Washington 71, Jadeja 73) Maybe if Archer took his chain off, he’d find an extra yard – it looks like it weighs more than my entire self. He sends down four dots then, after Jadeja twizzles a single around the corner, he bangs in; Washington rides it well, knocking into the ground. Between overs, we see Root dropping Jaddu first ball; it was a valiant effort, but it looked vital at the time and now, looks like the difference.
128th over: India 356-4 (Washington 71, Jadeja 72) Dawson continues with a slip, leg-slip, silly mid-off, short leg and short cover; Washington takes a single, then Jaddu clobbers over mid-on for four. A single and a two follow, the partnership now 134, and I really hope both of these get to three figures before the close.
“It needs a spell from Archer at 92mph+ rather than the pace he’s been bowling all match,” reckons Andy Flintoff. “But then, what’s his motivation for doing so? It’s the fifth evening session of a Test that’s meandering towards a draw.”
I don’t think it’s a lack of motivation, rather unhelpful circumstances. If it was possible, he’d be doing it.
127th over: India 348-4 (Washington 68, Jadeja 67) This, you’d think, is it. If archer can’t break the partnership, this match is a draw. He goes around to Jadeja, his loosener generating decent lift; nothing doing. His pace, though, is still in the 80s and, though we can understand why – he’s been out a long time, it’s day five, and the run-up isn’t hard enough to generate momentum – it’s not what’s required here. Two singles come from the over and, with 26 remaining, India lead by 37.
126th over: India 346-4 (Washington 67, Jadeja 66) Can England send Broad out to flip the bails? We’re at that point, I’d say. Dawson, seeking the rough he hits during his last over, takes a single, then Archer hurls in wildly, Brook diving in the slips to save buzzers. One from the over, and it’s Jofra time.
125th over: India 345-4 (Washington 67, Jadeja 65) Washington takes one to midwicket as the start of this latest Woakes over; increasingly, it looks like a burst from Archer is all England have left. Al the more so as four innocuous dots follow, before a single to Jadeja adds one more.
124th over: India 343-4 (Washington 66, Jadeja 64) Bowling to a slip, leg slip, silly mid-off, short mid-on and short cover, Dawson gets a bit of extra bounce, hitting Jadeja on the thumb then, next ball, he hits the rough, hits the back thigh, and there’s a monstrous appeal. No says the umpire, England have no reviews remaining, and we see that impact was outside the line; the officiating has been excellent in this match. Maiden and, for the first time in time, a bit of threat.
123rd over: India 343-4 (Washington 66, Jadeja 64) Why has reverse-swing gone out of the game to the extent that it has? Is it just that bowlers aren’t as good as generating it? Or is the ball not conducive? Pitches insufficiently abrasive? I imagine the answer involves a bit of all three, but England’s inability to take wickets with the old ball has been a massive weakness in this series, and, looking to land a slower ball in the rough, Woakes ends up inviting Washington to step forward; he doesn’t miss out, bisecting the two covers with a drive to the fence for four. Those are the only runs from the over and India lead by 32 with 30 overs remaining.
122nd over: India 339-4 (Washington 62, Jadeja 64) As before: three singles followed by three dots, and India lead by 28. Dawson isn’t making it happen.
121st over: India 336-4 (Washington 60, Jadeja 63) We’ve 33 overs to go in the day; is there a point at which we call it and say draw? Not yet, of course, and I doubt the batters mind putting more miles into the legs of the England bowlers but, as Stuart Broad noted during the interval, this is a draw-pitch. I guess one wicket, a right-hander in, and things might change, but in the meantime, three singles come from the first three balls of the over, then three dots. I don’t know, I’d think about asking Archer to bend his back and try some short stuff; we’re at that stage of desperation.
“Greetings from sunny Cephalonia,” brags Colum Fordham, ‘though I’m working on a translation of a book on Pompeii, not reclining on a sun-bed (though following the OBO). Jadeja’s temperament – extraordinary talent and doggedness – has been exemplary. And Washington Sundar has been superb too. But it does make you think: what if Joe Root had taken that catch to dismiss Jadeja first ball off Archer? Match would/could have had an entirely different trajectory. But life – and Test cricket – is all about what actually happens, bit like Pompeii and the eruption of Vesuvius. It does look like the series is going to be decided in the fifth test now.”
120th over: India 333-4 (Washington 58, Jadeja 62) Nass notes that the most likely form of dismissal during this partnership has been the run out, which reminds me of something KP once told me: when England were gameplanning for how to dismiss Jacques Kallis, all they could come up with was “run-out candidate early in his innings”. Back to our match, though, with the field up and Dawson bowling from around, Jadeja smears over the on-side for four, then twinkles down the track and clobbers back down the ground for four to long-on. So the bowler goes back over, still unable to hit the rough.
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119th over: India 324-4 (Washington 57, Jadeja 54) Bowling with a short cover, Jadeja blocks Woakes’ loosener nice and solidly, then forces a single to deep square; offered a straightun, Washington also shovels into the on-side for one. The only way I can see England breaking this partnership is if Archer or Stokes produce something, but perhaps Dawson, who’ll bowl from the other end, can hit the rough – as commanded by his captain.
Nasser reckons India need to bat 25 overs to be safe. There are 35 left in the day, but we’ll lose a couple if England clean up this innings – which does not look likely. But if they can just break this partnership, you never know, and Chris Woakes will be next to try.
Back come wa teams. When was the last time every Test of a series was still going on the afternoon of day five?
“Songs called Helpless...” begins Scott Blair. “You could save this one up for when there’s a wicket. ‘Ooh there’s something happening...’”
Over the years, recent ones in particular, we’ve seen touring teams fade away as the weight of being away from home while losing matches takes its toll. But the way India have fought here has been really impressive, and says plenty about both the individuals and Shubman Gill’s tough but quiet leadership.
118th over: India 322-4 (Washington 57, Jadeja 53) Jadeja such an interesting character, excitable and confrontational yet with the resting pulse-rate of a table. He takes the final ball of the over for a single, raising the hunnert partnership, completing a session of 98 runs and no wickets. Brilliantly batted by both him and Washington and, as they walk off, Stokes hauls Dawson to the stumps to illustrate what he wants relative to what he’s getting. See you in 15 or so; I can’t wait.
117th over: India 321-4 (Washington 57, Jadeja 52) Jadeja wants a single to cover but Washington sends him back; meantime, Archer runs in and loses both feet. He does, though, takes one to cover shortly afterwards, the only run from this latest Dawson over; the final delivery of it keeps low, but Washington digs it out. One over to go before tea, the lead 10 and overs remaining 36.
116th over: India 320-4 (Washington 57, Jadeja 51) Five dots from Root, then a drive-ball … and Washington doesn’t miss out, whamming high between point and cover for four. It’s so affirming to see these two assaulted by pressure and responding by cussing its mum; they’re having a great time.
115th over: India 316-4 (Washington 53, Jadeja 51) Jadeja forces to midwicket, sets off, sees Stokes is the man fielding, and changes his mind. I meant to say, incidentally, when he recorded his fifty, that it’s his fourth on the spin and his fifth of the series. Or, in other words, he’s good enough to bat in the top six, meaning India can surely drop a batter to get Kuldeep into the side? Anyhow, a single to each batter keeps the score moving, India now in front by five, and there’s no sense of imminent breakthrough as we near tea.
“We’re heading home,” confesses Allan MacDonald, “admitting defeat on potentially seeing a result tonight. Terrible part-timer behaviour but in my defence I need to drive to Inverness tonight and MacDonald Junior is too young to contribute at 15…
Here’s hoping we’ve made a terrible decision and you get to breathlessly type out an unlikely England victory snatched from the jaws of defeat a draw.”
I smell a grudge for the ages.
114th over: India 314-4 (Washington 52, Jadeja 50) If India hang on here, both teams will have some decisions to make for the Oval. With the series in the balance, will Bumrah – though he’s had a poor one – really sit it out? Needing a win and knowing they’ll almost definitely field last, can the selectors really leave Kuldeep out again? I’m obviously partial here – I’d like England to win – but even I’m even more partial when it comes to this thing of ours, and this contest of ours deserves a live final Test. Root replaces Stokes and rushes through a maiden.
113th over: India 314-4 (Washington 52, Jadeja 50) Dawson replaces Carse and, on a day-five pitch, he’ll know making a difference is in his job description. He begins his spell with five dots, then Washington turns to square leg for a single, England’s lead now just three.
112th over: India 313-4 (Washington 51, Jadeja 50) Ahahahaha! Stokes’ first ball is short and Washington absolutely devastates it, pulling over deep backward square for six, then hauling the next delivery to the same fence for four, raising a fantastic fifty in the process. So Stokes goes short again, this time into the body; a poorly-executed pull squirts into the off-side for one, the England captain sharing some thoughts on the matter. But he’s not quite making it work so far this spell, and after a leg bye, Jadeja cuts to the point fence fo fo mo. That’s his fifty, and he celebrates with bat-sword swishing. Can Stoikes find his gun? Not right now, a dot completing an over which yielded 15 runs.
111st over: India 298-4 (Washington 41, Jadeja 46) Two dots, then Jadeja cuts a short, wide one – ball, not person – to the fence at deep third. The partnership is 76, India’s deficit 13, and the overs remaining 42.
“So the wide means India get a run and brings closer that England have to bat again and bat some of the remaining balls,” notes Shantanu Karve. “But India have to face another ball! A wide should be an unambiguous advantage for the batting team and penalty for the bowlers. In this circumstance, it’s not clear cut. Once upon a time, I’d have had a bash at a game theory evaluation of this situation. Would someone like to have a go?”
As long as that someone isn’t me. But a beauty of cricket, and of pretty much every sport, is that things that appear disadvantageous can sometimes become advantageous. In football, say, a team might have a player sent off, not what they want, but it might alter the kind of game to one that suits them better, and so on.
110th over: India 294-4 (Washington 41, Jadeja 42) Washington takes a single, then Stokes unleashes a spiteful bouncer; Jadeja collapses to get out of the road and, offered another short one, collars a pull for two, Root cutting off the boundary. A single follows, and I’m going to say it again because it can’t be said often enough: Ravindra Jadeja is a helluva cricketer.
“As someone who similarly endured the late 80s and 90s witnessing the search for the ‘next Botham’,” begins Sean Clayton, “I wonder if we’ve broken the cycle over the last 20 years (with Flintoff then the likes of Bresnan, Moeen, etc). Alternatively, have we just been blessed with a good run-up to the current skipper, with a desperate search for ‘the new Stokes’ about to launch after the Ashes?”
I guess multi-dimensional cricketers are almost a given these days, so when the time comes – and I’d be shocked if it’s post-Ashes – the problem of replacing Stokes won’t be filling the spot in the team, but rather finding someone of similarly talismanic, shamanic qualities.
109th over: India 290-4 (Washington 40, Jadeja 39) Carse is under a bit of pressure here – he’s shown plenty across this series but he’s not taken many wickets and, with Wood soon to return, his position is vulnerable. Paradoxically, perhaps all the more so if England win here, because if they do, they’ll most likely rotate for the Oval. Maiden.
108th over: India 290-4 (Washington 40, Jadeja 39) “All I have’s my honour, a tolerance for pain, a couple of World Cup wins and my top-notch brain,” as Lin-Manuel Miranda almost said of England’s absurd captain. He begins with a wide and no-ball in two of his first three deliveries, then Jadeja plays into the off-side for one and it’s still pretty comfortable for the batters.
107th over: India 287-4 (Washington 40, Jadeja 38) We’ve got 47 overs left in the day and India need to bat most of them to be safe; it now looks inevitable England will have to bat again if they’re to win this. Carse, though, finds exactly what he’s looking for with a short ball, spitting at Sunday around armpit-height; he just about fends it off, behind square, so away from short leg; they run one. India are navigating this session really well, which means it’s time for Ben Stokes to personality a wicket out of nowt.
106th over: India 285-4 (Washington 39, Jadeja 37) Root’s bowled nicely this afternoon, so I’m not surprised he’s confident enough to slow one right down and give it some air, looking to temp Jaddu into the drive … problem being it’s angling towards leg, so easily sent to the midwicket fence for four. Two byes follow when Jadeja misses a hoik and Smith can’t get to it, then a beauty, gripping, bouncing and turning away from Jadeja’s forward push.
105th over: India 279-4 (Washington 39, Jadeja 33) Carse is around to Jadeja, who turns around the corner for one, and though I guess we – OK, I – have criticised India for covering faults with all-rounders not specialists, this is where the formula comes into its own. In fairness to poor me, I grew up watching Capel, Ealham, Irani, Watkinson – a Lanky legend nevertheless – and so on, so am scarred, but Jadeja and Washington are a different class to those. Jadeja, in particular, is a fantastic cricketer, wringing every last drop from a very significant talent, infused with unstoppable attitude.
Thanks Tanya and good afternoon everyone. Just when we thought we were getting a trouncing, this series has again advised us that we were incorrect. Here we go again, Carse with the ball.
104th over: India 278-4 (Washington 39, Jadeja 32) 49 overs left in the day, India trail by 33. Meticulously knocking off the deficit
“Following the obo from a sun lounger in Skiathos.” Very nice Jez D! “No fabulous cricket jumpers required here. Speedos and factor 30 all that is needed.
”Given the runs in hand, the rate India are scoring at and the ability of England to score runs fast I reckon England will need about 10-12 overs to give themselves a chance. So they have about 40 overs to bowl India out, what do you reckon?”
Sounds about right. Though if they were set 100 in five, I reckon they’d still go for it. Can’t wait to find out, but Daniel will be your guide for the rest of the day. Thanks for all your messages and sorry I didn’t get to them all. Bye!
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103rd over: India 274-4 (Washington 38, Jadeja 29) 50 overs left in the day, India trail by 37. Carse throws his weight into a bouncer, Jadeja pats it down, then nearly gets through his defences with the penultimate ball. A huge lbw appeal – but the umpire says no, and it’s a no ball anyway.
102nd over: India 270-4 (Washington 37, Jadeja 27) 51 overs left in the day, India trail by 41. Root finds some devil in the pitch, one shimmies past Washington’s bat.
101st over: India 269-4 (Washington 36, Jadeja 27) 52 overs left in the day, India trail by 42. Carse steams in – this session is, so far, much easier for India that the morning’s trial by Stokes.
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100th over: India 267-4 (Washington 35, Jadeja 26) 53 overs left in the day, India trail by 46. A double change, as Joe Root is whistled into action. Not much to report other than a slight misfield by Stokes which gives away a single.
“Morning from an English expat living in Mendocino county, Northern California. Enjoying the OBO and catching up on an absence from all forms of cricket for fifty years. The heroes of my youth were Sobers, Kanhai, Barrington, Graveney, Trueman and Underwood, among others. Got back into the best format, Test cricket, in last year’s Ashes series. It must have been the Bazball buzz that drew me in. Use ESPNCricinfo as well as your enjoyable OBO to catch up. It appears to be a great time to follow England again.”
Welcome back Michael Coad! So glad you found us. There’s so much great cricket writing around, all over the place. Do stick with us for the Ashes – the timing will be a little friendlier for you.
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99th over: India 265-4 (Washington 34, Jadeja 25) 54 overs left in the day, India trail by 46. A bowling change – Brydon Carse with his first over of the day, gold chain that would be glinting, if only the sun was out. (In fact, it is getting decidedly greyer.) India pick off a couple of runs, and aren’t tempted by the juicy wide ones.
98th over: India 263-4 (Washington 33, Jadeja 24) 55 overs left in the day, India trail by 48.
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97th over: India 260-4 ( Washington 32, Jadeja 22) Six men crouch as Jadeja awaits. He’s nearly undone by Dawson, in fact has no idea where the ball has gone, but them the – India-favouring fans in the crowd roar as JAdeja goes down town for four, then clubs three through the covers. 56 overs left in the day, India trail by 51.
96th over: India 251-4 ( Washington 31, Jadeja 14) Jofra Archer is not a happy bowler. At the end of the over he puts both hands on his hips and collects his hat muttering, only to amble into Ben Stokes. Stokes listens to his woes, smiles, past him on the chest and sends him on his way.
“Aren’t India’s cable-knit sweaters gorgeous?” writes Mark Hooper. “Proper cricket jumpers. Half the commentary crew on Sky have mentioned them at some point.” They are peachy.
95th over: India 250-4 ( Washington 31, Jadeja 13) Love Dawson’s dramatic follow through, he falls to his knees, hands over his face, Oedipus-like, as an outside edge frowm Washington flies through where second slip might have been.
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93rd over: India 245-4 ( Washington 29, Jadeja 10) Jadeja smites four through long on, Jofra gets angry about the field placing, Stokes placates him by ushering a mid-on into place. Then Archer nearly bursts through Washington defences. All action.
93rd over: India 240-4 ( Washington 29, Jadeja 5) Dawson makes one spit out of the rought where it misses bat, and keeper, bouncing down to the rope. India won’t mind how they come.
“You wrote ‘ ,,,Bradman and Gavaskar – with the asterisk that not many teams play modern series that are five Tests long’ -writes Adrian Goldman. “but exactly the same caveat applies to Root and his number of runs. All the modern batters, including Sachin, play many more tests than those playing even up to the 80s, even those who played for 15-20 years. The only semi-unbiased metric is average, and that places Root just 6th on the England list, of those who played more than 50 tests.
So - Root, the modern GOAT. (FWIW I think the same applies to Djokovic- he possesses not a single calendar year grand slam while laver won two, and presumably would have won more slams had professionals been allowed to play during his best years…).
Ah yes, and I didn’t express myself very well. What I was meaning to say was that those from countries that only play three-match series don’t have much of a chance of grabbing a record like four centuries in a series.
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92nd over: India 234-4 ( Washington 28, Jadeja 4) As the dog trots in looking very pleased after being fed an illicit bit of bacon, Washington stretches and leans into a drive, sending Jofra to the long on boundary for four. Ten from the over.
91st over: India 224-4 ( Washington 21, Jadeja 1) Dawson continues from his pre-lunch over. Close fielders whispering sweet nothings in Washington’s ear.
Afternoon session
90th over: India 223-4 ( Washington 21, Jadeja 0) So many emails, apologies I haven’t got to them all. Currently recovering from some horrible Covid-like thing that gives you sexy little cold sweats every half hour or so. Anyway, Jofra, from the Statham end to Washington, in a long-sleeved cable-knit sweater. An easy enough over to watch pass on by.
Mea culpa, I cocked up with my Gill stat earlier. He is alongside only Bradman and Gavaskar as the only CAPTAINS to score four centuries in a Test series. He matches Kohli and Gavaskar with the most hundreds by an Indian player in a Test series. Thank you to those of you who pointed that out.
And to Romeo who points out that “Clyde Walcott is the only man to score five centuries in a series, at home against Australia (with Lindwall, Miller and Benaud) in 1955, but Denis Atkinson and Jeff Stollmeyer both captained the side.”
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Fortified by toast, back to the OBO inbox.
“Would you recommend..a WIKI search to a Yank, who has been both to The Oval and to Lord’s whilst serving ad “American Lacrosse Coachin AMBASSADOR” (..my actual title) back in 1983-84. I do not understand the scoring of cricket. Best to my mates at The Hampstead Lacrosse Club.”
Hello Ken! Do you mean the scoring of the runs – in which case this might work – or how to note the runs down in a scorebook? If the second, maybe this?
Lunch - India 223-4, trail by 88
89th over: India 223-4 ( Washington 21, Jadeja 0) An uneventful last over from Dawson, and India go into lunch alive (just) but hobbled, after losing both their great cavaliers from yesterday. Both captains have quite brilliantly led from the front. Time for me to grab a drink – back soon.
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88th over: India 222-4 ( Washington 20, Jadeja 0) Nearly two in two from Archer as Jadeja immediately plays a swashbuckling waft straight out of Captain Hook’s handbook, gets an edge which flies to slip where Root leaps, parries, juggles but can’t hold on.
WICKET! Gill c Smith b Archer 103 (India 222-4)
Not a pretty dismissal as Gill plays a tired cut at a wide ball and Smith does the rest. He walks off, looking devastated, and with that, you’d think, goes India’s chances of survival.
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87th over: India 219-3 ( Gill 103, Washington 17) Fine company for Gill – the only other batsmen to have made four centuries in a Test series are Bradman and Gavaskar – with the asterisk that not many teams play modern series that are five Tests long. An easier over for the batsmen from Woakes, Gill boxes a couple through mid-on.
“Just wondering,” types John Starbuck. “Has any batsman, English or not, ever batted through an entire day, with perhaps a bit of a start the day before, at Old Trafford or any other Test ground? No promises or forecasts, but it could happen.”
86th over: India 213-3 ( Gill 101, Washington 13) If India manage to get through the next 13 minutes until lunch, it will be a small miracle. It’s intense. At the other end from Stokes, Jofra is torturing Washington Sundar, though he picks up three from one loose ball.
85th over: India 213-3 ( Gill 101, Washington 13) An edge! But just short of Jamie Smith. Gill instantly looks behind him, the slips have their hands on their head, then, the very next ball, a piece of art from Woakes, that jags back and misses Gill’s off stump by a sheet of tissue paper. Gill turns back to Woakes, widens his eyes, and smiles. Woakes cannot believe his bad luck.
84th over: India 210-3 ( Gill 101, Washington 10) This has been such a wonderful innings by Gill, preternatural calm, despite the situation and being physically hurt at times. His fourth hundred of the series. Jofra is on the button with his second over, nearly jags through the defences.
A hundred for Shubman Gill!
83rd over: India 206-3 ( Gill 100, Washington 7) Oooof Woakes wobbles a ball an angel’s breath outside Gill’s straight bat. A couple nudged behind takes Gill to 99 – and there’s the hundred! To a huge roar, he raises his bat, without a smile, kisses his bat, kisses his helmet and closes his eyes. Back to work.
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82nd over: India 203-3 ( Gill 97, Washington 7) Jofra! And his first ball is a short floaty thing – Gill says yes please, and pulls four. Temporary light relief. Washington pulls his bat inside some that jag closer to the point.
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New ball
81st over: India 198-3 ( Gill 92, Washington 7) Woakes from the Jimmy Anderson end, with a saucy little grey quiff. The three slips (and a gully) retreat. A genuine edge from Washington but soft hands save him.
80th over: India 198-3 ( Gill 92, Washington 7) Dawson with his last for a while. Gill shows an exemplary high elbow.
“Did they make the ball harder for this Test match” asks Andrew Goudie. “We haven’t had stoppages to change it, but instead we’ve had broken bats and a broken bone.” It’s that Manchester magic.
79th over: India 198-3 ( Gill 92, Washington 7) Stokes has a swig of magic beans and continues. HE’s going to be haunting Gill’s dreams, but Sundar takes the over, able to let a few pass harmlessly by. One over till the new ball
78th over: India 196-3 ( Gill 92, Washington 5) A bold shot to finish the over, as Washington attempts to slog Dawson for six. Falls safely, but he only gets one. The commentators wonder why Gill turned down an easy single earlier in the over – perhaps that’s why?
77th over: India 194-3 ( Gill 91, Washington 4) Stokes continues, and with his second ball hits Gill again with a nasty lifter. Poor guy, Stokes must (surely) finish this spell soon, but then England will take the new ball. It looks dark on the television, but worry not, out of my window a couple of miles away, it is quite bright
Love this stat:
#ENGvIND KL Rahul falls for 90 ... to the 998th ball he has faced in the series. It's never easy in the nervous 990s.
— Tim de Lisle (@TimdeLisle) July 27, 2025
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76th over: India 193-3 ( Gill 90, Washington 4) India have ground to a halt a bit here. Dawson tightens the net- rip and turn- Washington widens his eyes in concentration, and after an hour of tense cricket, they take DRINKS.
75th over: India 193-3 ( Gill 90, Washington 4) Stokes unbelievably comes in for a sixth on the trot. I think that what I thought was him clutching his hamstring , is him keeping his arm close to his leg to stop his shoulder hurting in his follow through. Anyway, he continues to do that, continues to test Gill and Gill continues to carefully bat him away. A maiden – and five overs until the new ball.
74th over: India 193-3 (Gill 90, Washington 4) A punch wide of mid-on for two by Washington, two close fielder crouching either side of the stumps. Drifts wide, and Washington defends awkwardly.
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73rd over: India 191-3 (Gill 90, Washington 2) We now have injured Stokes v injured Gill, both playing at the highest level. Both survive the rest of the over.
“I think you’re being over-generous calling Stokes’ haircut a mullet,” says Boyce. It’s more of a David Lynch swept back thing, nothing over the collar of his shirt. Thommo’s was a proper mullet, and a helluva bowling action too, maybe where Jasprit took his inspiration from ? “Knock ‘is f**kin’ ‘ead off” Thommo was the fastest I ever saw live. We could do with some of his spikiness today, eh ?”
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Injury for Gill
A horrible ball from Stokes explodes up and hits Gill first on the bottom hand, then into the helmet. Gill immediately pulls away and shakes his finger in obvious pain. The physios comes out and everyone takes a break – I think he’ll be ok to continue.
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72nd over: India 191-3 (Gill 89, Washington 2) Dawson has his left hander. England have left the covers open, says Ponting, to encourage Washington Sundar to drive and the ball to dart through. He doesn’t take the bait.
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71st over: India 190-3 (Gill 89, Washington 2) No Pant, but a chance for Washington Sundar to sew his shadow to Old Trafford. Stokes continues to bowl magic beans, but grimaces in pain again at the end of the over that broke the partnership and the end of a wonderful innings by Rahul.
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WICKET! Rahul lbw Stokes 90 (India 188-3)
Rahul is walking before the umpire has even raised his finger. Stokes with more magic, a nasty, brutish ball that keeps low, jags in and traps Rahul like an American CEO in the spotlight.
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70th over: India 188-2 (Rahul 90, Gill 89) An appeal for caught behind against Rahul – Dawson wants it, Root agrees, Smith looks unsure. Stokes goes for it, but the hunch was wrong – the noise was from a brush of the pad. That’s England’s final review burned. In this match – ten reviews have been taken but only one overturned. Advantage (and congratulations) umpires.
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69th over: India 183-2 (Rahul 89, Gill 85) Stokes has one more – wisely or not, I wouldn’t dare say. This time he seems to be clutching at his right hamstring as he bowls, and massaging his right shoulder as he walks back to his mark. Still causing all sorts of problems though, until the last, when Gill nudges him behind for the first boundary of the day.
Hello Dan! “Less a hunch than a dream maybe, because I could happily watch Gill and KL driving in the arc all day long, so I’ll go for a draw at the expense of my allegiance.”
Agreed, they are fabulous to watch.
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68th over: India 180-2 (Rahul 89, Gill 85) Another careful, probing, twisting over from Dawson.
66th over: India 180-2 (Rahul 89, Gill 82) Ooooof! A drop! It would have been an amazing catch – Ollie Pope at cover leaps, seemingly six foot off the ground, gets two hands to a rich Gill drive, but parries it to the ground. Stokes, tips his head to the sky. And at the end of his over massages, massages his shoulder.
66th over: India 179-2 (Rahul 89, Gill 81) Rahul patiently plays through a Dawson over.
”Is it a bit (or lot) of schadenfreude that SKY have Ponting on their team and keep asking him about 2005 Ashes?” asks Anand.
“I know this because, come every world cup, Kapil catching Viv in ‘83 runs non- stop and the Great Viv is asked about that one shot!”
Ha! I guess he knows what he has coming! But also, Old Trafford was, he says, his greatest innings. So bitter-sweet I suppose.
65th over: India 177-2 (Rahul 87, Gill 81) In he runs from the Jimmy Anderson end – looking outrageously fit and bowling up at 86mph. He’s following through a long way, points out my companion on the sofa, so he’s being careful. And there, with a two, Gill goes past 700 runs for the series, averaging a perfectly formed 100.00. Then a huge lbw shout against Gill, looks tasty, jags back quickly, keeping horribly low - but going down leg. Immediately, Stokes is a threat.
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64th over: India 175-2 (Rahul 87, Gill 79) With a puff of dust, Gill pushes Dawson away into the leg side. We get a close view of the crease, dotted like day old stubble. Just a single from the over, and then ginger haired man with a mullet hands his jumper and his cap to the umpire…
As the players skip out, there’s a decent enough crowd but still spaces if you’ve got a spare day and £26 in your pocket (£6 for juniors).
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As the punters settle into their seats, climb the skeleton steps to the party stand, what is your OBO hunch? I love these final days.
“The anticipation is such a buzz,” writes Dean Kinsella, “I love the photo of OT in the sunshine but the sky looks like some kind of AI intervention. Perhaps AI is what it might take to separate the two fine batters at the crease.”
An AI Ben Stokes is a terrifying prospect.
Last question: “who is going to be England’s principal spinner for the the first Test of the Ashes”? asks Athers. Shoaib Bashir, says Ali.
Can Liam Dawson change that narrative today?
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Hello there, Andrew Goudie.
“Yes, it’s the 20th anniversary of that Ashes series, but I’ve had enough of Sky telling me how popular cricket was with everyone back in 2005. I wonder why people didn’t watch so much live cricket on TV after that?”
ouch.
Enjoying watching our Ali Martin discussing the papers on Sky in a maroon carpeted conference room at OT. Very interesting on Stokes and his captaincy – no croissants though, like there used to be on Cricket writers on TV.
“Good morning Tanya,” Lovely to hear from you Ram!
“We are on the way to OT. Quite a murky morning . Don’t think there’s any mercy or miracle in store for India. Could be a walk in the park for the bowlers. However India anything better than/= 3-1 scoreline is a better result for this inexperienced/injury prone India.”
Hope you have a lovely time. And I reckon it might be closer than you think, this Old Trafford pitch has been a tricky old beast for bowlers in the Championship. And there is rain possible at lunchtime…plus I do think that Rahul and Gill could bat on and on.
Sky play through some highlights of Gill’s innings yesterday – he strikes the ball like beams of sunshine on a lake.
The latest pitch report: “It looks like day one,” says Mel, “if a little bit lighter and with general wear and tear. The pitch will get a little slower. Ravi says Dawson has to occasionally bowl slower and wider, and then hope to get the Indian left handers in.
Ben Stokes bowls!
News! Ben Stokes has been spotted bowling this morning in his maroon warm-up top: ”gentle, but moving more freely than yesterday” in the words of Ian Ward.
And a lovely piece on England’s captain fantastic by Taha:
Something to mull over…
No team, including England, has managed to bat 100 overs in the 3rd innings at Old Trafford in the last 23 years...
— Abhishek AB (@ABsay_ek) July 27, 2025
Preamble
Hello! A wishy-washy but dry dawn at Old Trafford, and if the buzz isn’t quite as buzzy as it was in 2005, there’s definitely a retro vibe in the air. Then Lancs were charging £10 a ticket, this time it’s £25, then England’s biggest immovable object was Ricky Ponting, this time is is the glorious Rahul/Gill double act.
In a game where the new ball has done most of the talking, England will be counting down the 17 overs till they get a shiny and new Kookaburra Dukes. Will Pant bat? Will Stokes bowl? All this and more when play starts at 11am. Do join us!
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