Match report and reaction
Stumps: India 270-3 (Kohli 22, Jadeja 9) lead by 171 runs
That is that. A wonderful day’s cricket. Thanks for all the emails and tweets, sorry if I didn’t manage to get round to them all. We’ll see you tomorrow !
Great stat:
With both teams' slow rates and now bad light, reckon we've had 242 overs out of 270 in the first three days.
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) September 4, 2021
A fascinating chat on Sky right now between Atherton, Butcher and Hussain. Big love to Nasser for just doing a shout out to all mums. Man’s a good un.
The fading light is definitely a problem. I’m guessing they’ll start the next Test at 10.30am, like the Championship games. Incidentally, the forecast for Manchester next week is for hot sun Tuesday, Wednesday, and rain Thursday-Sunday....
@tjaldred Test matches in September in England always a good idea. Good thing we're at Old Trafford next week where the light's always bright and it never rains.
— Matthew Lawrenson (@seethelizards) September 4, 2021
I suspect that will be that for the day, with The Oval as gray as an 80s bathroom, though we’ll hang on for confirmation. India’s day, despite that double strike by Robinson with his first over of the new ball. India rattled up 227 in 76 overs, losing three wickets: Rohit for a delicious hundred, Pujara for a fine half century and Rahul for a handy 46.
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Bad light stops play
Root decides he’s not playing this game any more. He asks Chris Woakes to bowl, which means the umpires lead the players off. Kohli and Robinson exchange (friendly?) words, and Ravi Shastri applauds his batsmen off the pitch.
92nd over: India 270-3 (Kohli 22, Jadeja 9) Jadeja tucks into a short fat doughnut from Moeen.
91st over: India 263-3 (Kohli 21, Jadeja 5) It seems the umpires have told Root that the light isn’t good enough for fast bowling. The Sky team think Root has consulted and Anderson has told him that he thinks they’ll be able to buff the all back up again. So Root takes the ball himself. This could really spoil England’s momentum. A maiden and a vocal, optimistic, appeal by Bairstow.
“Good afternoon Tanya. I have not played in a long time. But interlocking fingers is a bad idea,” says Krishnamoorthy. “When the ball bounces it is much simpler to grab it if the two hands are free and independent of each other.”
90th over: India 263-3 (Kohli 21, Jadeja 5) Two finger-kissing drives by Kohli, glorious, one through point, the other kissing the covers. Anderson does not admire them. And, I’m afraid, the light meters are out.
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89th over: India 255-3 (Kohli 13, Jadeja 5) Robinson must run 20 yards in his 14-step run-out, The Oval floodlights showing him the way. He seems a willing soul. Kohli and Jadeja are careful, but not troubled.
John Starbuck: “Don’t know about linking fingers, but we used to have a man in our works team who would clap his hands prior to taking a skyer. He said it was to train his hands to expect a shock, we said it was premature applause.”
88th over: India 254-3 (Kohli 13, Jadeja 5) A gorgeous over from Anderson, who is implanting uncertainty with every testing delivery
In this house, humous cream-cracker sandwiches keep spirits up.
87th over: India 254-3 (Kohli 13, Jadeja 5) And with hands peachy-soft , Kohli eases the ball past the slips; Burns is in hot, eager, pursuit but can’t quite haul it back. An lbw shout, pleases Robinson, but not Root. Then Kohli drives,, easily, through the covers. That is DRINKS, with India leading by 155.
“Just rewatching the bizarre dismissal of Rohit Sharma, I was intrigued to see that Chris Woakes interlocked his little fingers as he prepared to accept his gift from the heavens. I’ve never noticed it before but wonder if this is, in fact, common practice for outfielders under the high ball?”
Brian, this is not my area of expertise. Can any OBOers help?
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86th over: India 246-3 (Kohli 5, Jadeja 5) As the camera pans back to watch Anderson walking back to his mark, we see Root at first slip laughing. A huge appeal for a catch off Jadeja, but Anderson is doubtful, the umpire says no and Root ultimately ignores the review.
85th over: India 245-3 (Kohli 4, Jadeja 5) Sorry, distracted by a knock on the door. A maiden from Robinson. Twenty one overs left in the day.
“Tanya,”. Farhan.
“I was typing this- “Having a strong feeling that whatever is left of today’s play will get to decide the outcome of the match, and perhaps the series”, just as you posted “WICKET!”.Truly Game On now!”
84th over: India 245-3 (Kohli 4, Jadeja 5) Kohli plays out another on point Anderson over.
83rd over: India 245-3 (Kohli 4, Jadeja 5) I don’t feel confident about Kohli leaving the ball with such a flourish, but he does ... and there’s a classy three guided wide of slip, while Jaeja has more risky flurry for four through the gully.
An email arrives: “My Willow sub doesn’t work in Paris, it turns out. So here i am, in an English pub. I asked then to turn on the cricket, they gave me an odd look, but obliged. A little while later, it starts drizzling, and the pub lady comes to ask me if I’m the owner of the natty sky blue convertible parked outside. (Do i look like a man in a midlife crisis? Kind friends would say no.) Now the sun is out, the pub is crowded, and everyone’s wondering what the hell this is, on the telly. There are worse ways to spend an afternoon.(The Bombardier, if anyone wants to join me. I’m the guy with the midlife crisis.)“
Balaji, can we all join you?
82nd over: India 237-3 (Kohli 1, Jadeja 0) Anderson tests Kohli with every ball - he survives, just. The Oval crowd are suddenly, gloriously, alive.
81st over: India 237-3 (Kohli 1, Jadeja 0) Amazing stuff! Two wickets in the first over with the new ball. Superb bowling by Robinson, daft shot by Rohit, but Pujara was done for.
WICKET! Pujara c Moeen b Robinson 61 India 237-3, lead by 138
An inside edge onto the pad, snaffled in the slips. The umpire says no, England are sure, review and they’re right! Well, well...
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WICKET! Rohit c Woakes b Robinson 127 India 236-2, lead by 137
From nowhere! Rohit hoofs Robinson’s loosener up and straight to Woakes on the long leg boundary. He can’t believe it, nor can England. Game on!
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80th over: India 236-1 (Rohit 127, Pujara 61) Goodbye old ball, hello new.
79th over: India 233-1 (Rohit 126, Pujara 59) A Rohit drive off Root races effortlessly to the boundary.
78th over: India 228-1 (Rohit 121, Pujara 59) Pujara dallies down and lazily punches Moeen through mid-off for four.
“Please,” writes Graham Colombé, “can you join my campaign to bring back the vocative comma?It makes the difference between ‘Shoot, John’ (telling John to shoot) and ‘Shoot John’ (telling someone else to shoot John) and is therefore sometimes very important. It would require you to have written at 4.13 ‘The new ball, Tom’ rather than ‘The new ball Tom’.Thanks for considering the suggestion.
Graham, thank you. You are quite right and I have edited that post (the beauty of computers). But Tim de Lisle is your man if you want to talk punctuation properly.
77th over: India 223-1 (Rohit 120, Pujara 55) This feels a bit like going through the motions before the final act of the day. Root twirls quickly through an over, with only an easy single to show for it.
“I think we have to put our collective hands up and say just how well Sharma and Pujara have played” taps Chris Drew. “With Kohli still to come, this is looking very ominous, wouldn’t you say?”
They have been superb. And Kohli still hasn’t got that hundred. Or Pant fired.
76th over: India 222-1 (Rohit 119, Pujara 55) Spin from both ends, as Moeen returns. He directs the field with a whirl of fingers. India pick up five and these batting conditions are velveteen.
Tom VDG, I think Guy Hornsby is talking to you.
We're into the existential, pray for the new ball period of the English Test summer @tjaldred. We haven't been that poor - though dropped catches hurt us - but the pitch is ripe for batting and India are showing their quality. We can get runs too though. We have to believe!
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) September 4, 2021
75th over: India 217-1 (Rohit 115, Pujara 54) Root decides to bring himself on, and concedes just the singe. England racing towards that new ball.
74th over: India 216-1 (Rohit 114, Pujara 54) Overton is back with the heavy artillery. Pujara tries to pull the first and Bairstow thinks he’s got some glove, but he’s a lone voice. Rohit ducks one, sends another skimming through the offside and Overton races Anderson to the boundary, saving one, with the other fielders square.
73rd over: India 212-1 (Rohit 111, Pujara 53) The Oval crowd distracts itself with a Mexican wave - can England feed off the noise? Rohit lazily- like a diner dismissing a hovering waiter - waves Woakes down through third man for four. And slip edges wider
Pujara fifty!
72nd over: India 206-1 (Rohit 105, Pujara 53) Another second innings success for Pujara, who opens the face and the ball obliges, down to the boundary. Lovely stuff. Kohli applauds enthusiastically from inside the changing room.
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71st over: India 202-1 (Rohit 105, Pujara 49) Woakes picks up where he left off before tea. Neatly bearded and off a long run. Lovely stuff, a maiden and no short stuff from the Vauxhall end.
Tom Van Der Gucht is in sorrowful mode: “We seem to have drifted past the familiar point in an English test match that’s slipping through our fingers whereby I start calling upon the dark arts in an attempt to impact upon the match via superstition - repeatedly flitting between the OBO, BBC, Cricinfo, TMS and twitter in the hope that a wicket will fall whilst I’m not watching in the same way your meal always arrives in a restaurant when you go to the loo. We’re now onto the melancholic state of realisation and acceptance that the horse has bolted and there’s nothing I can do.”
The new ball, Tom. Courage!
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Evening session
70th over: India 202-1 (Rohit 105, Pujara 49) England must have decided to rough things all up a bit. Two fielders are sent down for the hook. And Overton lets fly a few verbals - surely that’s not genuinely intimidating? It must be so obvious what England are trying to do. But whadda I know. Anyway, India resist.
John Starbuck is back. “Yes for Mahmood at Old Trafford, because look what playing at home did for Pope (though not so much Burns). Overton to drop out for a refresh and to get him used to taking Broad’s place, eventually. Ravi Ashwin should play too, otherwise, what’s the point?”
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I love watching Mike Atherton’s documentary style mini-films with tinkly piano music in the background. Anyway, here come Rohit and Pujara - a crucial session that will include the new ball, in eleven overs.
Tea: India 199-1 and lead by 100 runs
69th over: India 199-1 (Rohit 103, Pujara 48) Pujara drives the energetic Woakes to mid-on, but is thwarted by the fielder and will have to sup without a milestone. Rohit and Pujar punch gloves, and India rest happy, their lead exactly 100. Time to put the kettle on, back shortly
“Lovely to see a general uptick in India’s scoring which I imagine will last until the new ball is in Anderson’s hands,” writes Farhan. “Even happier for Rohit- who finally has his overseas 100. He has been brilliant this series.”
He sure has.
68th over: India 198-1 (Rohit 102, Pujara 48) Pujara seems in no hurry to scoot that extra run before the tea break. In the crowd, people are wearing blankets. My daughter tells me it is supposed to be 27 degrees in Manchester next week. Surely Ashwin will play at Old Trafford?
“There are times when the opposition batting is in the ascendancy, and nothing is happening that I wish our attack had more variety. Perhaps, a left-arm seamer, a la Dave Willey, or perhaps a leggie or a slow left arm spinner such as Daniel Moriarty - just to vary the angle and give the batsmen new problems to ponder. Very true Peter Rowntree. Perhaps Saqib Mahmood at OT?
“To bring variety to my life, I think during the tea interval I shall prepare a bread-and-butter pudding - especially as my grandchildren are expected later today.”
Delicious. With plenty of cinnamon?
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67th over: India 196-1 (Rohit 101, Pujara 47) Right now England’s quest for wickets feels almost as fruitless as my search for size six black school shoes. Woakes is handed the poisoned chalice - I forget to check if Anderson goes off for a rubdown - and it is a maiden. You get the feeling that is Rohit’s choice, not Woakes’.
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66th over: India 195-1 (Rohit 100, Pujara 47) A desperate England appeal for an lbw against Rohit, but it was a barn door away from the stumps. Much love for Rohit bursting out all over the twittersphere. I am surprised to learn that he is 34.
This was always coming: a Rohit Sharma hundred outside India. And after all that magnificent circumspection, it came with with a signature stroke
— Sambit Bal (@sambitbal) September 4, 2021
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65th over: India 195-1 (Rohit 100, Pujara 47) And after all that, a maiden from Anderson.
“Afternoon Tanya.” Hello Kim Thonger!
“It’s now quite clear to me that the selectors have made a colossal error dropping Sibley. This situation clearly calls for his right arm leg breaks to strike fear into the heart of the Indian middle order. It’s no wonder Root looks frustrated. He knows.”
Ah, the secret weapon. In his absence, time for a bit of Root?
Rohit reaches his first hundred outside India with a six!
64th over: India 195-1 (Rohit 100, Pujara 47) The absolute gall! He dances down the pitch and cartwheels Moeen over long on. What a shot! What an innings! And India lead by 96.His hundred came from 204 balls, his eighth Test hundred, his first outside India, and his slowest. Dropped on 6 and 31. On the balcony, a smiling Virat Kohli leads the applause.
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NOT OUT!
Moeen looks genially surprised and England lose a review
England REVIEW! Pujara c Hameed (at short leg) b Moeen Ali
Moeen really fancies it...
63rd over: India 188-1 (Rohit 94, Pujara 46) Rohit is batting like a bejewelled prince. A dab behind square for two then a gorgeous one-legged raid of the fridge through midwicket for four.
62nd over: India 179-1 (Rohit 88, Pujara 43) And with a couple of sweeps for four off Moeen - the second more controlled than the first - Rohit has now made his highest score outside India.
I will try and fix it in on the page but the email address to contact me is tanya.aldred.freelance@theguardian.com
61st over: India 170-1 (Rohit 80, Pujara 42) Bairstow and Root are in thoughtful conversation at slip, as Anderson continues. Immaculate, but no cigar.
60th over: India 168-1 (Rohit 78, Pujara 42) Moeen Ali switches ends, and Rohit pings him, but not with the full face as the ball drifts away from him, and it goes over the top for four. Encouraging for Moeen.
59th over: India 163-1 (Rohit 73, Pujara 42) Anderson returns, he has been excellent today. His wrist bands are as immaculate as ever, applied with a spirit level. Rohit plays an immaculate defensive shot, but Anderson slips the next past the outside edge.
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58th over: India 162-1 (Rohit 72, Pujara 42) Robinson continues, the breeze zipping across The Oval and billowing the union jack. A bat pad comes in for Pujara, which apparently Nasser Hussain has been calling for all day. Pujara turns the last ball off his hip into the leg side, not so far from the man with the helmet. A maiden. Robinson takes his cap, wearily
57th over: India 162-1 (Rohit 72, Pujara 42) Thanks Rob! I turned on to see Root looking pensive with folded arms in long-sleeved jumper at slip, which is never a good sign for England. Moeen rolls through an over which costs six, finished with a lovely snort down to the third man as Rohit moves his weight onto his back foot.
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India lead by 57 runs. And it’s time for a change at the OBO End - Smyth off, Aldred on to add some class. You can contact her on email or via Twitter. Bye!
56th over: India 156-1 (Rohit 68, Pujara 40) The old ball is doing nothing for the fast bowlers at the moment, and another Robinson over passes without alarm for India.
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55th over: India 155-1 (Rohit 67, Pujara 40) Twisted ankle or not, Pujara is coming down the track to almost every delivery from Moeen Ali. That’s probably one of the reasons that Moeen has yet to find a consistent length, though he was a bit better in that over.
54th over: India 153-1 (Rohit 66, Pujara 39) Robinson jags a good delivery into Rohit, who inside-edges it into his masculinity. Root then places Malan at short mid-on, a response to Rohit spooning a couple of deliveries in that area.
The over ends with Rohit inside-edging round the corner for four. Pujara is struggling again with his ankle, so he’s going to get some treatment during the drinks break.
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53rd over: India 149-1 (Rohit 62, Pujara 39) Moeen is yet to settle. There’s been some encouraging spin but also too many short balls, another of which is hit for two by Pujara.
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52nd over: India 145-1 (Rohit 61, Pujara 36) A double bowling change: Robinson on, Woakes off. His first ball is on the pads of Rohit, who does the necessary to the fine-leg boundary. Mikey Holding, commentating on Sky, thought he looked a bit weary this morning, and his second ball is measured at 74mph.
He’s up to 82mph by the fourth ball, which jags back to hit Rohit on the pad. England appealed for LBW but deep down they knew it’s too high. Hawkeye confirmed as much. India lead by 46.
51st over: India 141-1 (Rohit 57 , Pujara 36) Moeen Ali replaces Craig Overton, who has struggled throughout this match. There’s a slip and short leg for Rohit, who clatters a single to the cover sweeper. That short leg moves to silly mid-off for Pujara, who slaps a short ball into the deep for two more. I think England are in trouble here.
50th over: India 138-1 (Rohit 56, Pujara 34) A short ball from Woakes is uppercut wristily for four by Pujara. He is batting quite brilliantly here - but he almost spoils it all with a loose dab at a wide outswinger from Woakes. It beats the edge and flies through to Jonny Bairstow.
“Why aren’t runners allowed?” says Gary Hindhaugh. “Is this a new rule?”
Define ‘new’.
49th over: India 133-1 (Rohit 55, Pujara 30) A short ball from Overton is slapped past backward point for four by Pujara, both feet off the ground. There’s an intimidating certainty to his batting today, and he guides another boundary past the slips later in the over. That brings up a rapid fifty partnership, which has been dominated by Pujara. A frustrated Overton grabs the ball in his follow through and shapes to hurl it back at Pujara, who looks down the wicket with a mixture of disdain and pity. India are on top here, and Pujara knows it.
“As someone with a day-five ticket, very much enjoying this attritional day,” says Jordan Marshall. “India to be bowled out for 400 by tea tomorrow and England to chase 300 finishing with a Jimmy reverse sweep.”
‘Don’t stop chasing your dreams, because do dreams come true.’ You know which philosopher said that? Sachin Tendulkar.
48th over: India 125-1 (Rohit 55, Pujara 22) A drive ball from Woakes is pinged between extra cover and mid-off by Rohit, a beautifully placed shot for four. There are still 32 overs to until the second new ball, so this is a big chance for India to take control of the game. At the moment they lead by 26 runs. I’d be tempted to bring on Moeen Ali in replace of Overton, who has looked innocuous so far.
47th over: India 120-1 (Rohit 51, Pujara 21) Rohit forces Overton through the covers for two to reach a patient, skilful fifty. It’s his ninth in overseas Tests, but he has yet to convert one into a century. This is his chance.
A few years ago, you’d have got long odds of Rohit the Test batsman excelling in any position in England, never mind as opener. His improvement, in the twilight of his career, is thoroughly admirable.
46th over: India 118-1 (Rohit 49, Pujara 21) Rohit drives Woakes for a single, which allows Pujara to test his ankle some more. Like Chris the sheep, he’s fine.
“Was it intentional?” says Marcus Gregory. “I vaguely recall an interview with Richards, who was bowling at the time, in which he said there was a twinkle in Lloyd’s eye rather than disappointment when he threw the ball back. Lloyd is on record denying he dropped it on purpose though.”
Here’s the video, though it’s hard to pick up any facial cues from Lloyd.
45th over: India 117-1 (Rohit 48, Pujara 21) Pujara jogs on the spot to test his ankle and them prepares for the last ball of Overton’s over. It’s fullish, straight and defended with authority.
Pujara is having his ankle strapped, so he’s going to continue for now. It did look pretty nasty, with his left ankle twisting almost 90 degrees.
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44.5 overs: India 117-1 (Rohit 48, Pujara 20) Pujara skids back to slap Overton through the covers for four. He looks busy, fluent and certain, more so than at any stage in this series. It’s Rohit who is playing more cautiously: his strike rate is 34, Pujara’s 73.
Hang on, Pujara has hurt his ankle. When he hit that boundary he set off for a single, just in case, and turned his ankle nastily. He’s receiving treatment and looks in a fair amount of pain. No runners are allowed so this could be a problem.
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44th over: India 111-1 (Rohit 47, Pujara 16) Chris Woakes returns to the attack. He was England’s best bowler this morning and he’s straight into his work here, beating Rohit with a fine delivery that growls off the seam. There was a bit of an appeal for caught behind but the only thing Rohit hit was his pad.
“On the 1979 World Cup final,” begins Marcus Gregory. “Let’s not forget that, in a masterstroke, CH Lloyd intentionally dropped a dolly catch from Boycott to keep the Boycott/Brearley partnership together.”
Has he ever confirmed it was deliberate? I don’t think it was has a ring of truth, though I was only three years old at the time so my focus was probably on with a different kind of dolly.
43rd over: India 110-1 (Rohit 47, Pujara 16) Pujara, who made a relatively aggressive start to his innings before lunch, works Overton into the leg side for a couple. Nothing else to report.
The players are back out in the middle, and Craig Overton is about to bowl.
“I watched the 1979 WC final on a black-and-white TV in my student accommodation,” says Brian Withington, “and distinctly recall the disappointment when Joel Garner comprehensively yorked Graham Gooch, who was desperately trying to retrieve the situation. I recall reading later Brearley’s admission that he was mistakenly swept along by the tea-time euphoria that all he and Boycott needed to do was keep going - he mentioned Derek Randall in particular as congratulating them on the game being in the bag.”
I do think that partnership is a bit of a red herring. England had almost no chance of chasing 287, even in 60 overs. I’d say the two biggest reasons for their defeat were Viv surviving an extremely good LBW shout from Mike Hendrick on 22, and England’s fifth bowler going for 86 from 12 overs.
Lunchtime reading
Lunch
42nd over: India 108-1 (Rohit 47, Pujara 14) Rohit feels defensively for a ball from Moeen that skids on past the edge. There are some encouraging signs for Moeen, who will probably have a long bowl when the players return for the afternoon session.
The numbers don’t catch the eye - 26 overs, 65 runs, one wicket - but that was a fascinating session. The batting and bowling were high-class, the catching less so. The upshot is that India lead by nine runs.
41st over: India 107-1 (Rohit 47, Pujara 13) Rohit pulls Overton smoothly through backward square leg for four. India are cantering towards lunch. After a spell of five runs in seven overs, they’ve scored 23 in the last five.
“Another interesting feature of the scorecard from the Fenner’s B&H game in 1981 was the dismissal of one IVA Richards by a young Cambridge undergraduate, Derek Pringle, for only 4,” says Brian Withington. “A certain IT Botham knocked off the runs required in a modest chase.”
Eight years later, Lord Beef didn’t enjoy playing the Combined Universities quite so much.
40th over: India 103-1 (Rohit 43, Pujara 13) Moeen ends a mixed first over with two lamentable long hops. Pujara couldn’t take advantage of the first but hoicked the second for four with such a flourish that he almost lost his balance and fell onto the stumps. That boundary takes India into the lead.
“Sorry Rob, but my understanding is that ‘some hapless student’ is singular in this case, and so Rosalind’s apostrophe was entirely correct,” says Jeremy Boyce. “Like an umpire, you have to know what you’re seeing.”
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ROHIT IS NOT OUT! Moeen Ali, who has come on for Anderson, got his second ball to turn sharply from well outside off stump. Rohit offered no stroke and survived a big, throaty LBW appeal from Bairstow in particular. Replays showed it was missing off stump by a distance, so England are down to their last two reviews. But they will be encouraged by how much that and the previous delivery turned.
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ENGLAND REVIEW FOR LBW AGAINST ROHIT! It’s a hopeless review, don’t get excited.
39th over: India 98-1 (Rohit 42, Pujara 9) Craig Overton replaces Ollie Robinson, who bowled a good spell of 8-1-20-0 and had Rohit dropped. India are starting to score more freely, and Pujara makes it three boundaries in as many overs with a 0% nonsense cut stroke.
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38th over: India 94-1 (Rohit 42, Pujara 5) Rohit chips Anderson towards mid-on, where Woakes is wrongfooted by some late wobble and can’t take the catch. In the end he did well to save the boundary, but had the ball carried on with a normal trajectory he would probably have taken the catch.
Rohit lives to tell the tale, and he ends the over with a classy cover drive for four. That’s his first boundary since the opening over of the day, and it prompts Anderson to kick the ground in frustration.
“So, why were England needing 10 an over in the World Cup final?” asks Jeremy Boyce. “Because those one-day specialist pinch-hitter openers, Brearley and Boycott, had spent half the overs available grinding out a century stand, with all the stroke-makers kicking their heels (among other things) in the pavilion. Funnily enough, I was there, working as a steward, harrumph! Collis King’s innings, Holding and Garner in tandem. Geoffrey bowling in his cap. A great day.”
The criticism of that partnership between Brearley and Boycott is unfair, I think. No time to talk about it now, but one point of interest is that it was actually Lord Beefy who told them not to start slogging when the team discussed tactics during the tea break.
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37th over: India 88-1 (Rohit 36, Pujara 5) Pujara releases a bit of pressure by lashing Robinson through mid-off for four. That’s the first boundary since Rahul top-edged Woakes for six in the 24th over.
36th over: India 84-1 (Rohit 36, Pujara 1) I think what happened with the Rahul dismissal is that he hit his back pad first and then edged the ball. But he only registered the first part, as it was an extremely thin edge, and that’s why he thought he’d been robbed.
“I saw Joel Garner from the car park of the Kelsey Kerridge Sports Hall,” says Rosalind Mitchell. “Two or three steps up to the wicket and some hapless student’s day was ruined as stumps and bails were distributed around the fens.”
If it was this game, you have a very good memory. Although it would be students’, plural.
35th over: India 83-1 (Rohit 36, Pujara 0) Rahul’s bat was nowhere near the pad, so I’m not sure else the spike could have been. Mind you, Rahul Dravid was given caught behind in 2011 when the only thing he hit was his aglet.
Robinson continues to Rohit, who punches a drive to mid-on and defends the rest of the over. Since drinks we’ve had six overs, four runs and one vital wicket. There hasn’t been much excitement this morning, but the quality of the cricket has been exceptional.
34th over: India 83-1 (Rohit 36, Pujara 0) This is interesting. Despite a big spike on UltraEdge, KL Rahul is convinced he didn’t edge that. He walks off with a face like the apocalypse, never mind thunder.
WICKET! India 83-1 (Rahul c Bairstow b Anderson 46)
And he has! England are finally rewarded for a superb bowling performance this morning. Rahul pushed defensively at another immaculate delivery from Anderson that shaved the edge and was pouched with glee by Jonny Bairstow. It was given not out by Alex Wharf but England reviewed immediately, and with success.
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ENGLAND REVIEW! Anderson is certain that KL Rahul has edged through to Jonny Bairstow.
33rd over: India 83-0 (Rohit 36, Rahul 46) Batting has been more challenging since the lights went on, so the openers have decided to sit in for a while. Another tight over from Robinson means there have been only 13 runs from the last nine overs.
“Rob,” says Harpo, “that clip of Garner from the 26th over is fascinating. Gower tries to cut one that hits the top of his off stump, he’s just bowled four out and has no slip, and I wonder whether the crowd would self-regulate in the same way today with the absence of any stewards?”
It was right at the end of the World Cup final, with England needing 10 an over, which is why there were no slips. Interesting point about the crowd, especially after yesterday, although there was a spectacular pitch invasion at the end of the match.
32nd over: India 82-0 (Rohit 36, Rahul 45) A great stat from Nasser Hussain on Sky. Since July 2020, Jimmy Anderson has taken 41 wickets at an average of 17.88 in the first innings and only six at 61.00 in the second. He almost changes the stat to seven wickets at 52.29 with a textbook outswinger that beats Rohit’s defensive push.
“Please give a message of good luck to my club, CIPA ITMA CC (Chartered institute of Patent Attorneys and Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys) who are on tour in Corfu,” writes Stuart Lumsden. “Game today is a 4pm start to aid recovery. First tour I’ve missed - family duties helping to look after young children, Angus and Fraser (I know…). Would have loved to be there after tours to Serbia, Croatia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Spain and Portugal.”
Ladies and gentlemen of CIPA ITMA CC, godspeed. Please don’t be sick on a good length.
31st over: India 82-0 (Rohit 36, Rahul 45) The game of patience continues with another low-key over from Robinson. Rohit and Rahul, who have batted so well in this series, are laying a terrific platform here.
30th over: India 80-0 (Rohit 35, Rahul 44) Anderson replaces Woakes, who bowled a top-class spell of 6-2-16-0. Rahul - who might be pleased to face Anderson for once, as he was really struggling against Woakes - works a single round the corner. India trail by 19. The match and the series are poised as deliciously as Simon Adebisi’s hat.
“Garner,” says Jeremy Boyce. “Brilliant. I’d forgotten what a short run he had, nine or 10 paces then KAZAAAAAM! Anyway, never mind big Joel, wasn’t that Dickie standing at the bowlers’ end? Joel was kind, no real work for Dickie with any of those five England wicket. Wonder what Dickie would have made of all these new-fangled reviews and whatnot. I reckon he was mostly spot on regardless of technology.”
It was indeed Lord Dickie. I think Barrie Meyer was the other umpire, though I’m not sure whether it was him or Dickie who gave Viv Richards not out to Mike Hendrick early in his innings.
29th over: India 79-0 (Rohit 35, Rahul 43) Joe Root has moved Overton to third slip. Had he been there two overs ago, Rohit’s edge would have gone straight to him. He wasn’t, it didn’t, and India have negotiated the first hour. Drinks.
28th over: India 77-0 (Rohit 33, Rahul 43) England are in the uneasy position of desperately needing a wicket while knowing they can’t bowl like a team who are desperate. Thus far they’ve done all the right things, concentrating on accuracy and discipline.
Woakes, who has led the way, beats Rahul with another marvellous delivery in the channel. The lights have just been switched on, which usually means more movement, and the commentator Mark Butcher implores Joe Root to put in a third slip.
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27th over: India 77-0 (Rohit 33, Rahul 43) Now Rohit is dropped off Robinson! He reached outside off stump and edged a push-drive to the right of second slip, where the diving Burns put the chance down. It was a pretty tough chance, low and a fair way to his right. But it’s the sixth catch that the England cordon have failed to take in this match.
“By rights,” says Robert Speed. “Umpire’s call should equally apply where the ball’s just missing the stumps. It doesn’t make sense to have an umpire’s call only when it’s just clipping.”
That would play out well on Twitter.
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26th over: India 74-0 (Rohit 31, Rahul 42) Woakes is bowling superbly here. A clever off-cutter to Rahul leads to an LBW enquiry, turned down by Alex Wharf. I’m pretty sure there was an inside edge and it might have been outside off stump as well.
“Joel Garner was at Lutterworth Cricket Club yesterday for a charity day in memory of Jack Patrick,” says Stephen Walkley. “Half the people (like me) were in awe of him the other half said, ‘Who’s Joel Garner!’”
Anyone who doesn’t know who Joel Garner is deserves to face an over against him, barefoot.
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25th over: India 73-0 (Rohit 31, Rahul 41) Rohit squirts a drive to third geezer for a couple more runs. Robinson has been unusually expensive in this innings: 6-0-29-0. Has Ollie Robinson taken Ollie Robinson as far as he can?
“Morning Rob,” says Guy Hornsby. “A great stat on TMS just now that opening away in England is one of the hardest endeavours in world cricket. This pair have been one of the best from a touring side in many years, so kudos. And getting away with that lbw is going to give them even more of a boost. You have a worrying feeling this could be a lot of hard yakka today. England’s bowlers have to be disciplined and accurate and keep on their plans or it could be a long day. Getting past the deficit for no loss could be a hammer blow. You surely feel we were a good 50-75 short last night. Ach.”
24th over: India 71-0 (Rohit 29, Rahul 41) England could really have done with that wicket. It’s too early to say the game is getting away from them, but they are certainly second favourites. They are bowling well, Woakes in particular, and he follows that LBW review by shaping a beauty past Rahul’s attempted drive. A superb over from Woakes. There was a run-out chance at the start, too, when Rohit took a dodgy single to mid-on. Anderson’s throw missed the stumps with Rohit scrambling to make his ground.
REVIEW! India 71-0 (Rahul not out 41)
IT’S MISSING LEG STUMP! Rahul, who top-edged a pull for six off the previous ball, played around a delivery that was angled in and hit the flap of the front pad. Alex Wharf thought about it for a few seconds and then gave it out. But Hawkeye showed it was just sliding down the leg side. Oof.
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RAHUL IS GIVEN OUT LBW - BUT HE’S REVIEWED! This is really close; my hunch is umpire’s call and therefore out.
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23rd over: India 64-0 (Rohit 28, Rahul 35) A change of pace isn’t an option for Joe Root with this seam attack, but he can at least introduce a change of bounce. Ollie Robinson comes on for James Anderson, who bowled a pretty good three-over spell, but there’s no movement for him either and Rahul leans into a crisp square drive for four. India trail by 35.
“Third man?” writes Paul Mills. “I thought we’d moved on from that fielding position.”
Fair point, though ‘third’ sounds a bit weird, don’t you think? From now, Rob Smyth is calling it the third-person boundary.
22nd over: India 58-0 (Rohit 27, Rahul 30) Good bowling from Woakes, who beats Rahul with a tempting, slightly wide delivery. An even wider short ball bounces over Rahul’s attempted cut, and finally a thick edge runs to third man for three runs. Hameed did well to save the boundary.
21st over: India 55-0 (Rohit 27, Rahul 27) A maiden from Anderson to Rohit. India’s batsmen look very comfortable, and Joe Root might already be thinking about introducing Moeen Ali.
20th over: India 55-0 (Rohit 27, Rahul 27) A full ball from Woakes is driven sweetly down the ground for four by Rahul. That was another beautiful stroke, and slightly ominous for England.
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19th over: India 50-0 (Rohit 26, Rahul 23) Anderson beats Rohit with a lovely delivery that straightens from a fourth-stump line. He’s made a decent start, with a hint - nay, a suggestion - of movement. I think it’s seam rather than swing, though it’s hard to be sure.
“Delayed reading your preamble when my eye caught this excellent piece,” says Brian Withington. “Am now reflexively reminiscing about the Pine Barrens episode (and wondering what gabagool tastes like). I wonder if Tony Soprano might have appreciated the subtle rhythms and occasional high drama of Test cricket? And what can the Sopranos teach us about a potentially decisive day four of an Oval Test match?”
Ask me tomorrow. (I know what you mean, though, this doesn’t particularly feel like day three.)
The TMS overseas link is here.
18th over: India 49-0 (Rohit 25, Rahul 23) Chris Woakes, not Ollie Robinson, will start from the other end. His first over is a maiden to Rahul - accurate, but with no sign of any sideways movement. That’s a concern for England, but it’s important we don’t jump to conclusions after only two overs. The only thing we can say with any certainty is India 521-3 declared (Kohli 221*, Rohit 147).
“Young Rob,” begins Robert Wilson. “It’s my first Saturday off in six weeks. The cats and I have the place to ourselves, the fridge is filled almost exclusively with Guinness West Indies Porter (harder to find in Paris than Shergar) and the plan is unmitigated cricket and an old Joan Rivers standup. I don’t care who wins or fails or succeeds or if it rains or snows, almost monotonous rapture is guaranteed. Maybe life can be better than this but I can’t quite see how.”
I hope our algorithm doesn’t put an advert for Age UK’s befriending service below this.
17th over: India 49-0 (Rohit 25, Rahul 23) James Michael Anderson OBE has the ball in his hand. Two slips and a gully for Rohit Sharma, who has reached double figures in all 10 innings this summer. If he gets his eye in again this morning, he’ll have a decent chance of finally making his first Test century overseas.
Anderson has an early LBW appeal against Rohit turned down by Richard Illingworth. Too high. He’ll will be encouraged by a bit of movement back into the right-handers, less so by Rohit’s pristine straight drive for four off the final delivery. Lovely.
It’s overcast at the Oval, a little brisk, and England will hope that’ll help the ball to swing. We’ll soon find out - the players are ready for action.
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This is India’s 29th Test innings of the decade. They’re yet to score 400, which is a pretty extraordinary stat*. It’s also a vulnerable one: the consensus from the Sky Sports team is that the pitch is now a belter.
* The only other Test-playing nation who haven’t managed it are Ireland, and they have a decent excuse: their last Test was in 2019.
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There’s plenty of great sports writing around, and plenty of great sports photography. But there aren’t many pieces that combine the two.
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“Good morning, and a tense one it promises to be,” writes John Starbuck. “So much so that I shall, this evening, avoid the football match broadcast in favour of Today at the Test and have instead set the video to record the highlights show, which means I can watch that tomorrow morning. I gather it’s not that important a game but I’ll be happy to fast-forward through the razzle-dazzle and the experts’ chunterings. I like my football rare and my cricket top cuisine with all the trimmings.”
I had no idea Vancouver Whitecaps v Austin FC was being televised.
Preamble
Morning. Who’s got that Saturday feeling? No not that one, the good one. The cricket one. We’ve got a cracking weekend ahead, in a match and series that appear to be crescondoing towards a memorable climax. It’s 1-1 with one and a half Tests to play - but there’s a but. With a mixed weather forecast for Manchester next week, this could effectively be the deciding Test.
India will resume this morning on 43 for none, a deficit of 56, and you can make a case for either team being in the ascendancy: England because they are still ahead, India because they will be in the lead by lunch and have probably the best batting conditions of the series.
Yesterday was big, today will be bigger, tomorrow will have people double-checking the meaning of ‘superlative’ before they throw the word around willy-nilly. Don’t miss it.
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