Shubman Gill's reaction
[How’s the body and mind?] Pretty good. It’s a good position to be in, three down, so if we have a good day tomorrow we are right in the game.
I worked on a few things at the end of the IPL and looking at the results I think they are working for me.
Taking the catch [to dismiss Ben Duckett] was really good for our confidence. It was something we spoke about: we felt if [we had caught better] in the previous match the result would have been different.
Stumps: India lead by 510 runs
My word. That last over feels like a decent precis of an increasingly difficult day for England. India are in control of the game thanks to an exquisite 269 from their captain Shubman Gill and three early wickets with the ball.
20th over: England 77-3 (Root 17, Brook 30) Two near misses in a dramatic final over of the day. Root top-edges a pull not far short of deep square leg; Brook times a boundary and then knocks a defensive shot into the ground that bounces back the stumps.
Brook panicks, probably on some level remembering his weird dismissal to Nathan Lyon on this ground in England’s Ashes whitewash of 2025, and positions himself to do whatever it takes to stop the ball hitting the stumps. He does the first part by shouldering the ball to safety – but in the process he almost staggers into the stumps himself.
Updated
19th over: England 72-3 (Root 17, Brook 26) Jadeja is racing through the over, even by his standards, so that India can get another in before the close. Brook tries to slow things down and is reminded by the umpire that he needs to be in position when Jadedja is ready to bowl.
A maiden… and Jadeja is the winner because India will have time for one final over from Krishna.
18th over: England 72-3 (Root 17, Brook 26) Krishna has changed ends, which makes that four bowling changes in a row. Root’s defence is watertight for most of the over, though he does play one slightly awkward defensive shot to squeeze a nipbacker between bat and pad. Root was outside the line so there was no danger of LBW.
Updated
17th over: England 71-3 (Root 17, Brook 25) Shubman Gill makes it a hat-trick of bowling chances by bringing on Jadeja after a single over from Krishna. Jadeja, who has a slip and gully for the two right-handers, starts with a no-ball before settling into his work. Brook plays two or three authoritative forward defensives at the back end of the over.
Updated
16th over: England 67-3 (Root 16, Brook 23) A double bowling change, with Nitish Kumar Reddy coming on for the impressive Siraj (7-2-21-1). Reddy didn’t bowl much in his debut series in Australia but took some useful wickets, including Marnus Labuschagne twice.
His first over is relatively harmless, gunbarrel straight at around 80mph. This is still a really good pithc. Just over 10 minutes until the close.
15th over: England 66-3 (Root 16, Brook 22) Prasidh Krishna replaces Akash Deep, who pushed things forward in a spell of 7-1-36-2. His loosener is tucked off the pads for four by Brook, who rightly or wrongly is still looking to score at every opportunity. The rest of Krishna’s over is better, just a single from the last five balls.
14th over: England 61-3 (Root 16, Brook 17) Siraj’s line has been relentless. He’s into his seventh over now, so maybe there’s a bit of fatigue involved when he strays onto the pads. Root puts that away for four and then switches to a Peter Willey tribute stance when Siraj moves round the wicket. The rest of the over passed without incident.
Updated
13th over: England 55-3 (Root 11, Brook 16) Deep strays outside leg stump to Brook, who stiffens his wrists to ping four through square leg. Brook is starting to time the ball but there’s still a slightly frisky feel to his batting, particularly given the match situation.
As I type that, Brook plays an airy-fairy dab and is beaten. “Bad shot,” says Mike Atherton on Sky. “Bad shot! Brook’s gotta get his batting head on here. There are three slips in place and he’s trying to run that down. Ridiculous.”
12th over: England 51-3 (Root 11, Brook 12) Siraj charges into Brook, who charges back towards him and drives an outrageous yet familiar six over extra cover/mid-off. It’s not often in the modern game that a batter doubles their score from the 22nd delivery they face; that’s what Brook has just done.
The inside-out drive for six is fast becoming Brook’s signature shot. Let’s be honest, we’ve seen worse.
Updated
11th over: England 44-3 (Root 10, Brook 6) Since you asked, this is still a belter of a pitch. The new ball has done a bit, as it did for England yesterday, but the wickets are down to India’s intensity and England’s dodgy shot selection. There’s still a huge score out there for somebody, or there should be.
“Per Hari Menon’s message at 4.46pm,” begins James Crane. “Quantitatively speaking or otherwise, has anyone ever missed out quite as much as Alviro Petersen in that 2012 SA innings? (After this last half hour Bumrah is probably currently thinking he has a claim.”)
I give you Grahame Clinton in May 1990. Don’t miss the second innings postscript.
Drinks: England in trouble
10th over: England 33-3 (Root 5, Brook 5) Siraj is straining so hard for wickets that he bowls a couple of no-balls. Brook continues to run towards the danger, leaving his crease to club four down the ground. It wasn’t well timed but it got the job done.
After a scintillating first 10 overs, it’s time for drinks.
“The draw massively flattered Australia in that 2023 series,” says Phil Harrison. “Just as, in the interests of balance, it flattered England in 2019.”
I’m not sure about this, though I realise it’s fairly common view in this country. Old Trafford I understand, but the other four games were all really close and the last Test at The Oval would have played out differently had the series been level at 2-2.
I also find it hard to reconcile Australia being flattered by the scoreline with the terror I felt, as an England fan, for most of the Headingley Test when they looked set to go 3-0 up after three games. Not sure why but the 2-2 draw doesn’t haunt me in the way it would have done in, say, 2005. Overall I have the fondest memories of those six weeks, from listening to Cricket Et Al every day while walking my dogs at 7am to frantically trying to keep up with Ben Stokes’ Lord’s rampage.
And England won, so what’s not to love.
Updated
India review! England 27-3 (Brook not out 1)
A nipbacker from Siraj hits Brook on the pad and ends up in the hands of gully. Siraj goes up for anything and everything, and gets nothing from the umpire Sharfuddoula.
Gill goes the review, a no-brainer when you effectively have two bites. There’s no inside edge … and the LBW is umpire’s call. Goodness me. I didn’t think the LBW was that close but it’s another one to add to Sharfuddoula’s important on-field not-outs in this game.
Updated
9th over: England 27-3 (Root 5, Brook 1) Brook is beaten again, fiddling indecisively at Deep. England are all over the show, their brains scrambled by five sessions in the field.
“Rob,” writes Kim Thonger. “Are India allowed to take the extra hour tonight if the umpires think the match could finish before the close?”
Updated
8th over: England 25-3 (Root 4, Brook 0) The new batter Harry Brook is beaten by his first two deliveries from Siraj. His response, obviously, is to run down to the pitch to the third; he doesn’t make proper contact and it dribbles into the off side.
England are batting like a team who have been in the field for five sessions.
Zak Crawley has gone and India’s Bumrahless, Kuldeepless attack are rampant. He drove on the up at Siraj and snicked to first slip, where Karun Nair crouched to take a smart reverse-cup catch.
Crawley looked suspiciously at the pitch before walking off. I’d need to see a replay but my first thought was that it was the wrong length to drive.
[Edit: it was definitely the wrong length to drive, and it moved away as well. It was a poor shot.
Updated
WICKET! England 25-3 (Crawley c Nair b Siraj 19)
India’s Selectors: An Apology.
Updated
7th over: England 25-2 (Crawley 19, Root 4) Close! An uppish flick from Crawley flashes past the diving Gill, deliberately placed for the catch at short midwicket, and away for four.
“Afternoon, Rob,” says Ian Copestake. “The only positive possible from processing the awful Diogo Jota news is the wish to send virtual hugs and good wishes to all others as we luckily experience this day. The cricket is a joy, as is the MBM, so thank you.”
6th over: England 18-2 (Crawley 12, Root 4) Root is beaten, fencing at a back-of-a-length delivery from Siraj that snaps off the seam. He could and should have left it. By hook or by crook, England need to get to the close two down. With clear heads and an ageing ball they could score runs in industrial quantities at the moment. But right now they look suspectible to a match-defining collapse.
5th over: England 16-2 (Crawley 11, Root 3) Root works Deep into the leg side for two and then one. There’s plenty of chat from the Indian fielders now. Frankly – and I said as much at the time – they should have been doing this from ball one.
In other news, for all the emails calling me an eejit for suggesting England had a triumphant 2023 Ashes campaign. It was a joke. Obviously. But on reflection, I think it was a triumph. That word refer to achievement as well as victory, and the life-affirming brilliance of the series made it a T-word for both sides.
It was also a triumph for England to draw 2-2 after effectively being 2.5-0 down at lunch on day two of the third Test. I am, however, aware that the series was drawn, that Australia deservedly retained the Ashes and that winning draws aren’t worth a damn.
4th over: England 13-2 (Crawley 11, Root 0) This is a perfect position for India, who would surely have been happy with two wickets before the close. They now have 19 overs to pick up some bonus wickets and take complete control of this game.
A maiden from Siraj to Crawley, whose defence so far has been solid.
The replays of Ollie Pope’s dismissal aren’t great. It did move late but he was already trying to take it through midwicket from well outside off stump.
3rd over: England 13-2 (Crawley 11, Root 0) Root defends the hat-trick ball. So much for Deep being wrong to flap his gums because everything was in the batter’s favour.
“This ‘triumphant 2023 Ashes campaign’ you mentioned in the first over,” says Edward Blackburn. “Would this be the same one England drew 2-2 at home with Australia retaining the urn?”
Yep that’s the one.
Updated
That’s a poor shot from Ollie Pope, who tried to whip a very full ball to leg and was undone by the late swing. It took the edge and flew to second slip, where KL Rahul shelled a sharp chance before calmly grabbing the rebound.
WICKET! England 13-2 (Pope c Rahul b Deep 0)
Akash Deep is on a hat-trick and England are in – here it comes – deep deep trouble!
Updated
WICKET! England 13-1 (Duckett c Gill b Deep 0)
Ben Duckett follows an epic innings with a duck – but only because Shubman Gill has followed an epic innings with a stunning catch! Duckett pushed at Deep with hard hands and edged to the side of Gill at third slip. He swooped decisively to his left to take a brilliant two-handed catch.
Updated
2nd over: England 13-0 (Crawley 11, Duckett 0) Mohammad Siraj starts with a no-ball. There’s some mirth in the crowd when Jadeja fields the ball into his face and then almost has a wardrobe malfunction when he lands. It looked like a problem with the elastic in his trousers but his modesty remains intact.
A poor start from Siraj with the no-ball, but that aside it’s an excellent over – tight line, around fifth stump, and with a consistency of length that doesn’t give Crawley the chance to drive.
1st over: England 12-0 (Crawley 11, Duckett 0) It was on this ground that Zak Crawley famously hammered the first ball of England’s triumphant 2023 Ashes campaign for four. Today he drives Deep’s second delivery to the right of mid-off for four, a handsome and emphatic stroke.
Deep has a few words with Crawley, who looks slightly bemused that a bowler might have anything to say when conditions are so much in the batters’ favour. “Talk to the middle of the bat, mate,” seemed to be the gist of Crawley’s response.
After a confident flick for two, Crawley punches another gorgeous drive down the ground for four.
Updated
Akash Deep will open the bowling to Zak Crawley. Three slips and a gully are open for business.
It’s KL Rahul’s turn to address the Indian huddle. There are a maximum of 22 overs to bowl tonight; you’d imagine India will want at least two wickets.
“The cool part of SA’s 637 for 2 in 2012,” says Hari Menon, “is that they were 1 for 1.”
You’re right. At the time, as an England fan watching the mace slip away, I remember thinking how cool that was.
But seriously, how good was that South African team? Not sure they get enough credit for their brilliance between 2006-14, particularly in Asia.
WICKET! India 587 all out (Siraj st Smith b Bashir 8)
Nicely done by Shoaib Bashir. He saw Siraj coming and slipped a carrom ball down the leg side for Jamie Smith to complete a simple stumping. Bashir finishes with figures of 45-2-167-3; interesting(ish)ly, only Woakes and Carse had a better economy rate.
150th over: India 585-9 (Siraj 7, Krishna 4) “Shuddering at the thought of Root bowling to Travis Head,” says Nicholas Way. “Mind you, also shuddering at the thought of Bashir bowling to him, unless they try the Pant trick from yesterday.”
Root did get Head at Lord’s in 2023, don’t forget. There isn’t time to go into it properly but broadly the thinking is:
1. Australian conditions/balls have changed enormously in the last 5-6 years.
2. England will bowl around 82 overs per day maximum – that can easily be split between five seamers with Root, who has a good record against left-handers, as back up.
3. Australia will try to demolish any England spinners, and probably succeed, so the idea Bashir (or anyone) is going to tie up an end is fanciful. He might take 4 for 90 off 14 overs but he won’t be taking 1 for 60 off 20.
4. England’s fourth seamer (plus Stokes) is more of a threat in those conditions than than their best spinner.
I think Bashir has done quite well this summer but he’s still so raw and it’s hard to see him being ready for an away Ashes series in a few months’ time. The only serious alternative, I’d argue, is Liam Dawson. Australia will try to marmalise England’s spinner so Dawson’s white-ball guile would be valuable. He’d also be an extremely good Test No8, which matters in Australia because they will bomb Woakes, Carse, Atkinson and the rest.
149th over: India 583-9 (Siraj 7, Krishna 2)
148th over: India 581-9 (Siraj 6, Krishna 1) This is the highest score by an away team in England since South Africa’s 637 for 2 (yep) at The Oval in 2012.
Tongue tries to target the body of Siraj but keeps spraying it down the leg side. Unless that’s the plan all along and he is disguising the fact by falling away in his action.
147th over: India 580-9 (Siraj 5, Krishna 1) Siraj defends solidly against Bashir, four balls in a row, and then dances down to clatter a boundary to long on.
146th over: India 575-9 (Siraj 0, Krishna 1) Tongue, hunting his first piece of rabbit pie in this innings, almost hustles a 90mph delivery through Krishna. He finds a way to keep it out, so on we go.
“Hi Rob,” says Jazba. “Highly disingenuous to suggest Root can bowl 40 + overs.”
Which eejit suggested that then?
Updated
145th over: India 575-9 (Siraj 0, Krishna 1) No declaration, which reinforce Dinesh Karthik’s earlier suggestion that India’s calculation was as much about time as runs.
WICKET! India 574-9 (Deep c Duckett b Bashir 6)
Do India have enough? I’m joking.
I think I’m joking. The only certainty is that India are nine down because Deep has just mowed Bashir straight to long on.
Updated
144th over: India 574-8 (Deep 6, Siraj 0) It could take a while – a few days, perhaps longer – before we appreciate just how good that innings was. It was pretty much the perfect fusion of style and substance, enhanced further by Gill being captain and India being 1-0 down. Some of his strokes were divine.
WICKET! India 574-8 (Gill c Pope b Tongue 269)
A meek end to one of the great captain’s innings. Tongue digs in a short ball that Gill pulls gently to Pope at square leg. He walks off slowly, with Crawley among the England players running up to shake his hand, and receives a standing ovation from the entire ground.
Updated
143rd over: India 574-7 (Gill 269, Deep 6) This is the third time in his fledgling Test career that Bashir has conceded 150 or more. I don’t think he’s bowled too badly; he’s just bowled a lot on a very flat pitch, much of it to a rare talent at the peak of his powers.
Deep is beaten by a good delivery before flicking two into the leg side.
142nd over: India 569-7 (Gill 266, Deep 4) Tongue has five balls at the No9 Akash Deep, who survives the first four and whips the last through backward square leg for four. Nice way to get off the nark.
“Hoping India don’t declare,” says Deepak Puri. “I really don’t want to expose our bowlers to England’s opening pair for that tricky 20 minutes before the close.”
Josh Tongue will open the bowling after tea. He must have lost the game of Ccoc- Rock, Paper, Scissors in the dressing-room.
Shubman Gill’s 265 not out is the seventh highest Test score by an Indian batter. Virender Sehwag, who is becoming weirdly underrated as his career recedes into the the distance, has three of the top four.
Tea-time reading
Matthew Engel’s obituary of Wayne Larkins is as brilliant as you’d hope.
It was some time in the 1980s. The details have gone hazy: it could have been any county cricket ground and any captain being asked by the press why they had lost so badly to Northamptonshire: “What went wrong?” The answer was equally terse: “We got Nedded.”
A “Nedding” meant being on the receiving end of a blistering innings from Wayne “Ned” Larkins, who has died in hospital, while awaiting a heart bypass, aged 71. When he was hot, he could be the most thrilling batsman in the country. But demons of insecurity lurked beneath his cheery countenance and his 13 Test matches were a feeble reward for an exceptional talent.
Tea
141st over: India 564-7 (Gill 265, Deep 0) Gill caresses Root through extra cover for the 30th four of an aesthetic masterpiece. A bye down the leg side completes a bruising afternoon session for England: 31 overs, 145 runs, one wicket. Good over-rate though.
140th over: India 559-7 (Gill 261, Deep 0) Pope misses a run-out chance when Deep is slow to react to Gill’s call. Just one from the over.
I know it’s an unfair comparison, but Bashir has figures of 1 for 152 to Root’s 1 for 16. I’ve thought all year that England should pick five seamers plus Root in Australia, except perhaps at Sydney, and scorecards like this only reinforce that opinion.
139th over: India 558-7 (Gill 259, Deep 0) Root greets the new batter Akash Deep with a bouncer before almost sneaking a straight one under his bat. Deep was saved by a bottom edge.
“It’s obviously a road and you can imagine a few of England’s batters filling their boots on it too, particularly with India minus Bumrah,” says Phil Harrison. “But this is a staggering knock from Gill. India were staring into the abyss when Reddy was out and the pressure on him at that point was intense. Takes some real strength of character to come through like this.”
WICKET! India 558-7 (Sundar b Root 42)
A wicket for England at last – but India might be the happier team because it was a jaffa from Root. It curved onto off and middle stump, from round the wicket, and straightened sharply to hit the stumps as Sundar pushed defensively down the line. Root celebrates almost angrily, as if he’s had enough of the game meandering. But if Root can get the ball to straighten that sharply on day two, goodness knows what Kuldeep Jadeja and Sundar might achieve on day five.
Updated
138th over: India 556-6 (Gill 259, Sundar 41) “Brian Withington (over 131) is spot on,” says Dave Adams. “It’s classic ECB decision-making, and no surprise whatsoever that the galaxy brain of Key is behind it. Let’s improve our Ashes attack by getting a load of bowlers who won’t be going to Australia to use the Kookaburra ball. Genuinely can’t see where/how we take 20 wickets over there. Saying that, I’m struggling to see us getting 20 wickets in this match, and we’ve already got 6 of them.”
With the caveat that I didn’t pay through the nose to watch 800 play 600, I would politely disagree. I think Rob Key will eventually be recognised as one of the most important figures in English cricket history, just as Eoin Morgan eventually was. Morgan was criticised a lot more than we remember between 2015 and 2018, mainly for doing things differently. But we probably don’t have time to get into a back and forth on that, not with this innings on a knife edge.
137th over: India 551-6 (Gill 257, Sundar 39) A rank bad ball from Root is pulled for four by Sundar. Whether you agree with the balance of India’s team or not, nobody – not even Roy Keane – can deny that he’s done the job for which he was picked at No8.
Gill makes highest score by an Indian captain
136th over: India 546-6 (Gill 256, Sundar 35) Gill turns Bashir for a single to move to 255, which makes this the highest Test score by an Indian captain. The broken record is Virat Kohli’s 254 against South Africa in 2019; they won that game by an innings.
Updated
135th over: India 543-6 (Gill 254, Sundar 34) Root replaces Brook at the Sour Overs End. The other end has a very similar name. One from the over. By their standards, England are rattling through the overs.
“This England team loves setting new records,” says Steve Pye, “but I’m starting to wonder what is the highest score a team has made in a Test match after being inserted?”
That record might be beyond them: it’s 735 for 6, Australia v Zimbabwe 2003.
134th over: India 542-6 (Gill 253, Sundar 34) Sundar edges Bashir wide of slip for three. That was a nicec delivery, which gripped and turned from the footmarks. This is only the second afternoon so India’s two spinners should have moist lips. And at the considerable risk of repeating myself, the omission of Kuldeep Yadav is almost mind-blowing.
Shubman Gill hits a glorious 250!
133rd over: India 537-6 (Gill 251, Sundar 31) Gill scrunches Brook through the covers for four, then edges wide of Smith for another boundary to bring up his 250. Hard to know what’s more extraordinary: that Gill has maded 250 or that he almost got out to Harold Cherrington Brook.
Brook reacted by falling to his knees in mock agony, then had a jocular word with Gill at the non-striker’s end. I wouldn’t say England are enjoying themselves, but they’re making the best of a bad scoreboard.
132nd over: India 526-6 (Gill 241, Sundar 30) Flat pitch or not, Shubman Gill is playing the most gorgeous innings, one that people will still be talking about in 2075. He takes a couple of steps down the pitch to whip Bashir elegantly and emphatically over midwicket. That’s his third six to go with 27th fours and hundreds of watertight forward defences.
131st over: India 518-6 (Gill 234, Sundar 29) Sundar works Brook to third man and steals a second. Not sure what else to tell you. This feels like cricket’s version of Radiohead’s honesty box, in which India get to pick their own first-innings score so long as it’s between 500 and 700.
“Quite a lot of grumbling on the CCLive! blog (and elsewhere) this week about the continued Kookaburra ball experiment in the County Championship,” says Brian Withington. “Exhibit A of many specimens for the prosecution would be the 820-9 racked up by Surrey followed by Durham’s second innings 262-0 to secure the bore draw.
“It’s understood that Rob Key is instigator in chief of the initiative, on the basis that English bowlers should be expected to work harder for their wickets, with more emphasis on genuine pace and penetrative spin bowling rather than ‘dobbing seamers’ exploiting their favoured Dukes ball.
“Given the absence of any England players in the last round of county matches, and the unwarranted assistance which the prominently seamed Dukes is currently providing, should we be giving the Kookaburra a go in Test matches, too?”
Very droll.
130th over: India 515-6 (Gill 234, Sundar 26) Bashir returns to the attack in place of Carse, whose lifter to dismiss Karun Nair yesterday morning feels a long time ago. No sign yet of India pushing for a declaration – Washington Sundar has a strike rate of 32 – and the Sky commentator Dinesh Karthik reckons it will be based on time rather than runs. It’ll probably be around 5pm, assuming they are still batting.
“Gervase Greene in Sydney here, waiting for the tetchy transmitter to be erected so they can beam a signal in from Grenada,” writes Gervase Greene. “Is Shubman Gill the neatest cricketer ever? Yes, technically and aesthetically he’s right up there. But 230 runs so far, he doesn’t even breathe heavily. He doesn’t sweat. And his kit still looks like he picked it up from the laundry an hour ago. I suspect his socks are well-ironed.”
I’d still pick Alec Stewart. Never mind the famously immaculate kitbag and pristine strokeplay; he was so neat that, having been born on 8 April 1963, he made sure to finish his Test career with 8463 runs.
129th over: India 510-6 (Gill 231, Sundar 24) Brook is trying to weird the batters out. The fact he’s bowling at all is weird enough; he’s also moving fielders to all parts, changing the length of his run-up and occasionally bowling from well behind the crease. No joy, but three points for trying.
“Some talk before this Test that no bowler would want to step aside in favour of Jofra Archer at Lord’s,” says Gary Naylor. “There might be some volunteers now.”
128th over: India 508-6 (Gill 230, Sundar 23) Gill brings up the 500 with a quietly brilliant stroke, backing away to swat a short ball from Carse through point for four. Gill’s innings has been a masterclass in classical batting but now it’s time to defenestrate the textbook.
India get four bonus runs when a short ball from Carse slithers under Smith and away to the boundary.
127th over: India 499-6 (Gill 225, Sundar 23) Harry Brook continues with two men on the drive, Pope and Stokes, just in case Gill loses concentration. He does not.
Swathi has written in with a tribute to an exquisite innings.
What an absolute thrill
To watch Shubman Gill
Purring like a Rolls Royce
With aplomb and poise
I just can’t keep still
Updated
Thanks Tom, hello everyone. There’s more than one way to lead from the front. Shubman Gill doesn’t pick fights, show the strain of adversity, beat his chest. But he is playing a truly great - and possibly unique – captain’s innings: serene, technically flawless, fiercely defiant and vital for his team at a crunch point in the series.
126th over: India 496-6 (Gill 222, Sundar 23). Carse tries his best to work Sundar over, but he’s looking pretty composed now, doing enough to justify his No 8 selection. Though I suspect India will find it harder, later, to justify Kuldeep’s non-selection.
“India and England might not have played all time classics,” points out Arul Kanhere, “but the 4-1 loss in England was not as bad and the tied series was good too (I dream about that last test not being postponed) and the England touring party didn’t do too bad.....they had India reeling at various points but failed to capitalise.”
Fair point, I think I’m just overly affected by India’s capitulation in 2014 – which rendered a couple of my last-day tickets redundant – and England’s in 2016-17.
Anyway, that’s drinks. And with that I must bid you farewell and hand over to Rob Smyth. Enjoy.
ReplyForward
125th over: India 496-6 (Gill 222, Sundar 23). Oh hello. Harry Brook’s having a bowl, with his dibbly medium-pacers. They were just talking on comms earlier about Mark Butcher’s wicket-taking spell against Australia here in 2001 (when Gilchrist got a huge hundred; I was at that, an education in modern batting). Anyway, Gill cuts for one four, then straight drives for two more. Not sure this is going to be a long spell …
124th over: India 484-6 (Gill 210, Sundar 23). Tongue is given what I expect is a well-needed breather as pace replaces pace with Carse, who hurries up Sundar with one speared into his midriff that almost results in him playing on. Then, a rarity – Gill almost offers a chance as he pulls high down to deep square leg but it bounces safely.
“This is niche,” writes Jon. That’s fine, we’re all about the niche at OBO towers, “but Josh Tongue bowling to Shubman Gill is a winner for Lake District aficionados (Tongue Gill is a stream running down from Fairfield and Grizedale Tarn…). With players like Harry Brook and Rory Burns, there must be similar nature-themed combinations on the cards in cricket?”
Updated
123rd over: India 482-6 (Gill 209, Sundar 32). Bashir trots through another over, and is reverse-swept magnificently yet again for four by Gill, who repeats the trick off the last ball of the over. This is so good.
“For the sake of the future of Indian cricket and talented youngsters like Gill and Jaiswal, I hope India wins at least a Test or two in this series,” adds Krishnamoorthy. “Else it will all be about the absence of Kohli and Sharma and such an impression will not be good for Indian cricket.” I think Indian cricket will be fine to be honest, even if they’ve underachieved recently relative to the talent at their disposal. But I agree we need a close series – there’ve not been many between these sides in recent times.
200 up for Shubman Gill!
122nd over: India 472-6 (Gill 200, Sundar 21). Tongue and Stokes make Gill wait with some painstaking field setting. But Gill’s unfazed, as he has been all match, and effortlessly pulls a short ball down to fine leg to bring up an exquisite double-hundred. He takes an exaggerated old-school bow to mark a wonderful old-school innings. Tongue continues to bang it in short at Sundar from both over and around the wicket but to no avail. This partnership now worth a valuable 58. And that 500 milestone should be reached.
Updated
121st over: India 471-6 (Gill 199, Sundar 21). A maiden from Bashir calms things down a bit. “At the risk of sounding old fashioned,” telegrams Keith Astbury, “I couldn’t believe that The Guardian’s end of play report last night said both teams would be pleased with 310 for 5. I’m sure India were more than fairly satisfied, but I can’t believe England would/should be, having put the opposition in. The comment was clearly influenced by recent exceptional run-chases rather than any rational view, though admittedly I’m of a generation that would consider England scoring 310 in total to be almost the stuff of dreams, whereas 470 for 6, as I type, is definitely becoming a bit of a nightmare.”
It’s a sobering moment in anyone’s life when we start using the phrase, “I’m of the generation that …” but modern cricket brings it out in us all.
120th over: India 471-6 (Gill 199, Sundar 21). Tongue, who’s bowled a long old spell of nine overs either side of lunch, continues, and continues to extract more bounce and pace than the rest of the attack, and he almost forces Sundar to offer up a catch but the left-hander glances awkwardly just beyond Joe Root at leg slip for four. There’s nothing awkward about his next shot though – it’s hoiked round the corner high into the crowd for SIX. A confident pull for one then once more keeps his captain at the non-striker’s end for the start of the next over.
119th over: India 460-6 (Gill 199, Sundar 10). A single off Bashir takes Gill to 199, giving Sundar some rare scoring opportunities, which he takes when he flicks a wayward ball down to the fine leg boundary for four. Sundar, emboldened, retains the strike with a quick single off the last ball of the over.
“Re. Anand’s question as to when England will regret the decision of putting India in? - or does Bazball have no regrets ?” writes Carl Jones. “I think you may have picked the wrong song there. England may have a few regrets, but then again, too few to mention and I suspect they’ll continue to do it their way ...”
118th over: India 454-6 (Gill 198, Sundar 5). Here comes a shot of the day contender from Gill for any old-school Proper Cricket purist – a threaded, perfectly timed cover drive off Tongue. The captain picks up four more with a flick to the deep square leg boundary that prompts the pursuing Root and Crawley to collide. A well run two takes Gill to 197, whereupon he mis-hits a pull and almost gloves behind and a single off the last ball retains the strike.
117th over: India 443-6 (Gill 187, Sundar 5). Gill charges at a slower Bashir ball that’s drifting away from him and plonks it high over long-off to land bang on the cushion for SIX more. Even his slogs seem risk-less – wonderful batting. Another single ensues when Stokes and Bashir get in each other’s way and the ball skids past both of them. It’s been that kind of day so far.
116th over: India 435-6 (Gill 179, Sundar 5). This is now India’s highest ever total at Edgbaston, fact fans. They extend it by one from an uneventful Tongue over.
115th over: India 435-6 (Gill 179, Sundar 5). Gill mis-plays a reverse-sweep attempt and under-edges onto his pad, prompting brief excitement from Bashir, to the refrains of what sounds like a Bhangra band playing in the crowd? Decent over from the spinner anyway.
Anyone else find those Vitality ads on the UK telly coverage between overs deeply unfunny and irritating, actually?
114th over: India 433-6 (Gill 178 Sundar 4). Gill and Sundar milk some easy singles before Tongue digs one in a bit sharper at an evasive action-taking Sundar.
“When did the curators of the pitches in England take their lessons from Galle, Sri Lanka?” asks Krishnamoorthy. “A match on the M25 can be more exciting. On pitches like these, you need a Waqar Younis who never needed a pitch with his heat seeking yorkers.”
Perhaps when Archer and Wood return we’ll run out of roads.
113th over: India 429-6 (Gill 176, Sundar 2). Gill is perfectly happy taking singles off the first ball of overs, an expression of faith in the late-order team selection. Sundar obliges by gliding an easy single down to third off Bashir. But there’s no doubting who the set batter is, Gill creaming another tremendous cover drive through the gaps for four.
112th over: India 422-6 (Gill 170, Sundar 1). Tongue is, rightly for now, kept on at the pavilion end, still trying to wring some bounce out of this thing. He moves his field in for Sundar and keeps him on his toes with a couple speared sharply in from round the wicket at the left-hander’s torso. He’s also, like the others, prone to over-stepping and concedes a no-ball. Accurate over nonetheless.
Afternoon session: 111th over: India 420-6 (Gill 169, Sundar 1). This next hour feels pivotal; in it we’ll get closer to finding out whether India have collapse-proofed themselves. Bashir gets us under way again from the City End. He keeps to a nice tight length, which almost panics Washington into an ill-advised quick single, and finds a smidgeon of turn. Bar that over in which he was battered for two sixes, he’s bowled neatly.
Updated
More from Brian Withington re JM Barrie:
May I politely suggest that the canny JM Barrie may not have been ‘properly mugged off’ by the Stanway geezers.
I have it on good authority that he paid for the promised new pavilion from the proceeds of some profitable dealing in the gaming markets that foolishly considered a JMB hat-trick highly improbable. Their initial reluctance to pay up was overcome by the mere threat of a visit from a naval character with a particularly vicious looking artificial hand …
Lunchtime viewing: A couple of those Dales League pictures sent in earlier by James Austin. You wouldn’t bat last on this …
But you’d have a nice view fielding in the deep
That majestic pavilion …
“Hello, chaps,” pipes up our colleague John Brewin from among the throng at Edgbaston. “Thought I’d tell you of the riddle of the Scrivens Upper. Each year, for many years running now, a group of us come to the same area for the Test – a fine, lofty view, where the press used to be – and each year we recall that Seat N12 doesn’t exist. Every day of the Edgbaston Test, an unfortunate punter will arrive, search in vain for their seat and eventually be redirected elsewhere when they realise they paid for a long-lost, non-existent seat.
“Until now. Happy to confirm seat n12 is resurrected after years of mystery, though our perverse excitement at seeing who the unlucky customer would be this year is at an end. They’ve renovated the Scrivens after all this time. The game’s gone. But well done Warwickshire CC. Enjoy the Test, back on deck this weekend after two days of Indian batting, sunburn and better beer prices than the O2/Cheltenham/Glasto/central London.”
And on that heartwarming note, I’m off for some sustenance of my own. Back in a bit.
Lunch: India 419-6
109th over: India 419-6 (Gill 168, Sundar 1). An exaggerated celebra-roar goes up from the crowd as Tongue finds Sundar’s edge but it bounces en route to second slip – he played it smartly with soft hands to be fair. Then the bowler pings a shorter one into the crouching Sundar’s upper forearm, and later beats him all ends up with a bona fide bouncer. Banging it in is working well for Tongue thus far, and he’s bowled better in the past couple of overs than he did at any point yesterday. And it enables England to go to lunch a little more chipper than they have been for most of the morning. India will be the happier side though.
108th over: India 417-6 (Gill 167, Sundar 1). Bashir, monstered in his previous over, keeps things calmer here, being merely milked for three singles.
“You’re welcome,” brags over 106’s Mike Morris.
108th over: India 414-6 (Gill 165, Sundar 0). Tongue strikes! Now can the feaster on rabbit pie enjoy another banquet as Sundar comes out at No 8? He plays out the over without scoring
“You might think it unusual for a village team playing in the West of England Premier league Wiltshire Division to have a £2million pavilion. But it does help that Hinton Charterhouse CC’s is built in the grounds of a stately home owned by the son of James Dyson,” writes showbizguru attaching another fine picture that I can’t upload at the minute. “The opening two years ago was delayed after the original complicated roof collapsed during construction entirely unconnected to the fact that some of the lads working on it turn out for a rival cricket team !The finished project is superb right down to the Dyson hand driers.
Their teas are very good too.”
I’ve played near there, at Hinton Admiral on a cricket tour 20 years or so ago. Lovely little ground, but much more old-school than the vogue-ish Dyson inspired Charterhouse one.
Updated
Wicket! Jadeja c Smith b Tongue 89, India 414-6
From nowhere, England end this excellent partnership, as a short ball properly bounces and discomfits a batter, Jadega only awkwardly fending high and fine behind him and the keeper Smith snaffles it up. Well bowled.
Updated
107th over: India 412-5 (Gill 164, Jadeja 88). Ouch. The first SIX of the day: Jadeja belts Bashir over long-on, advancing and meeting it on the spin with ruthless intent. A wide one is then cut for a single. Bashir then gets an apparent carom ball to turn, to Gill’s mild befuddlement. No such angst next ball though, which Gill sweeps high and mightily way over backward square leg for SIX MORE.
“Further background on the pavilion at Stanway,” adds John Swan, “legend has it that JM Barrie paid for it too. Having told the local club that if he ever managed to take a hat-trick, he would pay for a new pavilion, there inevitably followed a canny bit of what I can only describe as spot-fixing, and lo! Stanway had a major benefactor.” The lad Barrie walked into that one there. Properly mugged off.
106th over: India 399-5 (Gill 158, Jadeja81). India continue to demoralise England with old-fashioned Test batting, not taking risks but dealing with the hittable balls, as Jadeja does when sending a fuller delivery from Tongue skimming beyond mid-on for four.
“Is it harsh, or does the England bowling feel a bit like they have a surfeit of excellent support bowlers, but no real superstar?” writes Mike Morris. “That special something maybe Mark Wood or Jofra might be able to bring, but at the moment it’s all a bit like The Supremes without Diana Ross. Course, now I’ve written that down, watch Tongue take 4-12 in 4 overs...”
I think that might count as a reverse-reverse jinx. No sign of that four-fer yet. Anyway, another analogy might be all Miracles no Smokey Robinson. Though no miracles yet either.
105th over: India 391-5 (Gill 158, Jadeja 74). Bashir continues with a legside heavy field at Jadeja, whose pushed single is the only run off a tight and accurate over.
104th over: India 390-5 (Gill 158, Jadeja 73). Tongue, who frankly was well off his game yesterday, replaces Carse at the big stand end. He’s reasonably accurate but these well-set batters are able to add three more singles without fuss.
103rd over: India 387-5 (Gill 157, Jadeja 71). Bashir now has a close catcher in for Jadeja at a shortish mid-on but India have hit almost nothing in the air this morning, and Gill takes advantage of a vacant area behind square on the off and reverse-sweeps deftly for four. This continues to be a near-flawless knock. by the captain.
101st over: India 382-5 (Gill 153, Jadeja 70). Carse continues with the same tactic, as does Jadeja who pulls him away for the single. Carse comes back at Gill well and unsettles him short outside leg that the India captain bats awkwardly away on the off. England are trying manfully to make things happen here, but things are stubbornly refusing to.
“In the Hollies today, I’m sad to report that the Barmy Army trumpeter still does not seem to have mastered his rather limited repertoire. Who’d have thought that Hey Jude was such a challenging piece?” hisses Tom Hopkins.
150 for Shubman Gill!
101st over: India 377-5 (Gill 150, Jadeja 68). Gill drives Bashir to mid-on for the single that makes him the first India batter to make 150 on this ground. This is also now his highest Test score, and he has led from the front here in calm and elegant fashion. Bashir’s still putting it in good areas, and mixing it up by going over and then around the wicket, but nothing doing still for England.
Updated
100th over: India 374-5 (Gill 149, Jadeja 68). More leg-theory from Carse, fielders scattered around the legside, but Carse can only bang one in at hip height, which Jadeja punishes with a magnificently controlled pull through those gaps for four. That’s terrific, canny batting. Another wrist-rolling pull brings one more, which is followed by an effortless back-foot punch square in the off for another four. It’s not working for Carse here. Too wide, too hittable.
99th over: India 365-5 (Gill 144, Jadeja 63). It’s quiet and flat, on the field and in the stands, which is off-brand for Edgbaston. Bashir sends down a perfectly decent maiden, the first of the day, but India stay firm. Jadeja then cheekily has words with the umpire, perhaps grassing up Bashir for running on the pitch. Bantstastic stuff.
“Hi Tom.” Hi Peter Salmon. “May I humbly submit the pavilion at Stanway?
https://www.bestcotswoldtours.co.uk/thatched-cotswold-cricket-pavilion/
Designed by J M Barrie of Peter Pan fame, it’s thatched - Barrie used to play cricket there in teams featuring H G Wells, Arthur Conan Doyle and A A Milne. Irrelevant fun fact: Wells, the composer Percy Grainger and the former prime minister Arthur Balfour and the painter Joh Singer Sargent once piled into Balfour’s car and drove to nearby Winchcombe Workhouse to collect folk songs. The residents were not best pleased.”
Lovely picture-postcard stuff indeed. Has anyone got any modern, brutalist examples? Or a bit of art deco, a la the glorious stand at Enfield Town FC for example? Be nice to mix it up a bit.
98th over: India 365-5 (Gill 144, Jadeja 63). Bat has not dominated ball at all in recent England-India series but it really looks as if it will in this one. The combination of zip-less pitches in a dry English summer and both attacks missing key players could make this a really high-scoring set of contests. Carse has no slips and plenty of fielders out square as he tries to force Jadeja to hook and pull, which he does adeptly for a single. A fine stop at cover by Pope then denies Gill a certain four, and fine fielding from Duckett ensues from deep backward square to prevent another one. They run two instead. And that’s drinks after a first hour of Indian dominance.
97th over: India 362-5 (Gill 142, Jadeja 62). Jadeja advances down the pitch to have a go at Bashir but there’s not much pace on it and he grubs it into the ground – decent bowling from the spinner. Jadeja’s next, nudged single takes this potentially match-defining partnership to 150.
96th over: India 359-5 (Gill 140, Jadeja 61). At last – a genuine play and miss from good bowling, Carse zipping a beauty past Gill’s outside edge. He’s got a very front-of-square heavy field, as England continue to tempt Gill on the drive from fuller balls, but when you’re as set as Gill is you can drive through those gaps for four, as the Indian captain does beyond mid-on and then beyond extra cover.
That was a pretty decent over from Carse yet it still went for nine.
95th over: India 350-5 (Gill 132, Jadeja 61). A double change – Bashir from the City End, the new ball 15 overs old. He gets some bounce and drift in the breeze and offers no freebies but a couple more singles take India to the 350 mark.
Updated
94th over: India 349-5 (Gill 131, Jadeja 61). The Barmy Army trumpeter pumps out a version of Gary Numan’s Cars as Carse (geddit) replaces Stokes at the “pavilion” end, amid much concern about the foot-knack he appeared to be toiling with yesterday. He looks OK here, a decent line and length, but India remain distinctly unbothered.
“Talking of fine pavilions,” mails OBO stalwart Brian Withington, “can I recommend the almost aptly named Stoke Park for its ‘Italianate Splendour’ set in Rural Northamptonshire, a county with a fine cricketing tradition. The park was a favoured haunt of that most sporting of kings, Henry VIII, before the hunting lodge was replaced by a Palladian inspired Inigo Jones design. The main house was visited by Charles I and Sir Isaac Newton, but destroyed by fire in 1886 and replaced by a Jacobean style building that did not suit the surviving pavilions. After the war a publishing family bought the estate, pulled down the offending house and restored the pavilions to their former glory. The splendid grounds include terraced gardens and delightful pond, and the only thing missing is a cricket pitch.”
Lovely stuff. Any overseas nominations? The SCG’s obviously glorious, somehow even more so now every stand around it is so recent. Where else?
93rd over: India 348-5 (Gill 130, Jadeja 61). India probably need 450-500 in this innings but this pair look well equipped to get them most of the way there. Woakes sets his field for offside traps, but when you’re seeing it as well as Gill is he can handle it, as he does with an exquisite cover drive threaded past those traps for four. It’s not a bad over, not wayward or anything, but nothing is doing really at all for England at present
“Following my rant yesterday about India’s bizarre selections,” roars Anand, “I wanted to ask fellow OBOers and Bazball afficionados on when they think England will regret the decision of putting India in? - or does Bazball have no regrets?”
Perhaps not, though I do, on one of them old-fashioned CDs:
92nd over: India 343-5 (Gill 125, Jadeja 61). Consecutive boundaries off Stokes as Jadeja times a push through the covers to such perfection that it goes for four, then cuts a shorter wider one behind square for four more.
91st over: India 335-5 (Gill 125, Jadeja 53). Few things demoralise bowlers more than quick singles and frequently rotated strikes and India are doing the basics well in that regard. One thing that does demoralise bowlers more is overthrows and Woakes wildly misjudges a shy back at the stumps off his own bowling that Stokes has to hare after as India add two more.
90th over: India 331-5 (Gill 124, Jadeja 50). Stokes manages to eke out a bit more carry and bounce to Jadeja, but India sail calmly on. They’ll be happy with this first half-hour.
“If we’re going for the best pavilion in local cricket I am going to nominate those of the excellent Dales League,” says James Austin, “IMO the cricket league which most embodies the true spirit of cricket and has the most beautiful grounds. Littondale CC have this top level pavilion: But arguably the location makes it worthwhile:
Admittedly, the pitch can be treacherous: You can see highlights from the league here: https://www.instagram.com/p/C_dC-iutgv5/”
James has sent in some tasty pics too, which I’ll try to upload later using my sketchy pic-editing skillz.
To which Rachel Pearce adds: “The thatched pavilion of North Devon Cricket Club at Instow takes some beating.”
88th over: India 330-5 (Gill 123, Jadeja 50). Jadeja brings up a valuable half-century with another flick to leg and treats us to his trademark bat-sword celebration thing. What an asset he remains with bat in hand. The singles continue to come pretty easily.
Updated
88th over: India 327-5 (Gill 121, Jadeja 49). This partnership continues to look serene and untroubled. Stokes bangs one into the pitch and Jadeja nudges it off his ribs for another quick single, Gill adds another, then Jadeja repeats the shot for one more single.
Updated
87th over: India 322-5 (Gill 119, Jadeja 47). Woakes, yesterday’s stand-out, starts from the City End, and concedes four first up thanks to a gorgeously timed clip through midwicket by Jadeja. The umpire then has a word with Jadeja about running on the pitch (to give himself some juicy rough to bowl into later presumably), and the No 7 responds by veering sharply left and running the next single from the very edge of the strip. More anguish for Woakes ensues when a no-ball is edged through the cordon for four by Gill, who to be fair played it with good, soft hands.
86th over: India 312-5 (Gill 115, Jadeja 42). Ben Stokes opens up from the Pavilion end, though “pavilion” seems a misnomer these days given that it’s more a massive modern stand. In fact, the traditional pavilion is fading from view at England’s Test venues these days, with Trent Bridge also undergoing a makeover and Old Trafford’s old one partly obscured. What are our favourite pavilions? Get in touch with your hot hutch chat.
Anyway, Gill flicks the first ball away on the legside for a single as Stokes keeps it on the fuller length this pitch makes necessary. Jadeja dabs the shortest ball and the last ball of the over forward and runs a smart quick single – two from it.
Updated
Jerusalem rings out as the players toddle out.
It’s sunny with a smattering of clouds in south Birmingham. The pre-day pitch reort with Nasser Hussain and Stuart Broad highlights the lack of pace and bounce relative to Headingley. A few cracks are emerging and the greater heat could open them out a bit but the sluggish surface, Broad points out, gives batters time to react. “England shouldn’t be too worried,” he reckons.
Elsewhere, Steve Smith has made a quick return to Australia’s side for the second Test against West Indies as the tourists try to sort their batting out, having (eventually) comfortably won a first Test that had been compellingly nip-and-tuck for a couple of days.
Updated
Some day one reading before play starts:
Ali Martin’s report:
Andy Bull on the ever-watchable Rishabh Pant:
And our food and drink correspondent Simon Burnton deep-dives into the Hollies Stand and more:
KK Nair’s been having a pre-session chinwag with Sky on his return to the team: “It’s been amazing, what I’ve dreamed of, to finally be here and get this opportunity feels amazing,” he chirps. “I’ve always been prepared to bat wherever the team wants and I was told a couple of days ago I’d probably bat at three and was mentally well prepared for that. It’s a good chance to set up the game for the team. There are two different ways of playing [compared with at No 6] and as a batsman you have to be prepared to do both. I think we’re in a very good position, it’s about this morning’s session and continuing the partnership will be beneficial to us.”
As regards those late-order collapses, Nair says it’s “100% something that has to be discussed but not something we’re too worried about. It can happen and it’s our responsibility to stop it.”
Updated
Not cricket-related but some awful, tragic news:
Preamble
Morning/afternoon everyone. Round we go again then. As at Headingley, Ben Stokes won the toss yesterday and inserted India, whose captain made a composed century while England’s most potent bowler was a 30-something stalwart and the day ended with the tourists seemingly having compiled a commanding score.
The first session today should tell us a good deal more about how commanding it really is, and whether India’s team selection – which appeared to be more aimed at not losing the last Test than winning this one – has paid off. It’s been a batter’s series so far and England’s top seven will be looking forward to having a go on a thus-far placid surface against an attack missing Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav.
Anyway, the Edgbaston forecast is set fair – warm and dry but with the temperature not matching the horrors of earlier in the week – and the game could go in any direction. Let’s tuck in. Play starts at 11am BST.
