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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Jonathan Howcroft (first) and Adam Collins (later)

England v India: second Test, day three – as it happened

Chris Woakes celebrates scoring a century.
Chris Woakes celebrates scoring a century. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Vic Marks’s day three report:

STUMPS! England 357-6 (Woakes 120, Curran 22)

Pantomime booing from the Lord’s crowd with play officially called off, the end of a brilliant afternoon for England. Not a flawless day - they did lose four wickets in the first session and Jos Buttler early in the second - but Bairstow and Woakes’ magnificent 189-run stand has all-but ensured that the hosts will go two-nil up in this series. Well, provided they have enough time to bowl India out a second time. Along the way, the Brummy Botham collected his maiden Test ton, a superb hand at number seven. Bairstow deserved a century too but edged behind seven runs short. It didn’t matter, his job was done. England, if the rain stays away, will resume tomorrow morning exactly 250 runs ahead, and I’ll be back with you then on the OBO. G’night from Lord’s!

Updated

Gary has it right.


Vish is sitting next to me. “This is funny,” he says. “Chris Woakes now has as many First Class centuries as Adil Rashid.”

Seven minutes until they need to resume yet the umpires are still standing in the middle, chillin’. I don’t understand this. While we wait, some twitter pot pouri.

“Whatever happened to the batsmen being offered the light?” asks Richard Rosser. Aggers is with you on TMS, as is Michael Vaughan. Their position is that the England batsmen would happily have kept going. then And if this interpretation were applied way back when, there’d be no Thorpe in Karachi and we’d all be lesser for that.

We are still waiting for the umpires to make a call, standing in the middle chatting at this point. Play needs to resume by 6:30pm, which is 12 minutes away.

Phil Keegan, meanwhile, is thinking laterally. “Now that half of England’s batsmen are also wicketkeepers, would it be allowed to let them take turns keeping wicket during a test? I think it might not be in the spirit of the game, but would it actually be against the rules?” Well, my dream is that Ben Foakes ends up the ‘keeper of this team with Buttler, Bairstow and Pope all in as specialist bats. Dare to dream.

While we wait for official confirmation.

A long, long time ago Aniket Chowdury raised an idea. I’ll recap. He said: “I would rather have different rankings for matches as per toss results. I am not trying to underrated England’s bowling performance, but the match scorecard could have been different if Kohli won the toss.” I asked for responses and neglected to print them with all the Woakes/YJB fun. Yet here we are.

First, Abhijato Sensarma: “Well even if I don’t Duke it out with Mr Chowdhury, I can Kookaburra it out.I personally think that multiple rankings for one format seems disruptive, and would overcomplicate things, especially at a time when the game is running away from ‘mums and kids’. As for the basis of division, a team can only be judged after being put in during the tough times, and come out victorious even though they will be fair in saying the conditions their opponents are getting is more favourable. At the moment, India has not yet turned into that team.In the currently existing rankings system, there are some changes which can be made. No one understands how it works anyways (like the DLS method, I suppose), so any modifications which won’t make an outright difference in the eyes of the casual cricket fan and are more fair may be something the people responsible work on.”

Also, David Keech: “I’ll take on Aniket Chowdury about that toss thingy! I’ll start off by saying that if India had bowled first it would have been a much tighter match. However given that India only have two front line seamers noting like as experienced as using these conditions as the English 4, I think England would have managed around 200, more if they batted out of their skins or India bowled badly. My suggestion is more radical. To eliminate the total luck of the toss and give the paying public the chance to always see both sides batting how about swapping over sides each 40 overs? I.e. whoever decides to bat does so for the first 40 overs, then they bowl for 40, resume batting for another 40 and so on until each 1st innings is over. Whether to do this again in the 2nd innings or repeat is up for debate. Thoughts anyone?”

Chris Woakes leaves the field after bad light stopped play.
Chris Woakes leaves the field after bad light stopped play. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Updated

Bad light has stopped play

81st over: England 357-6 (Woakes 120, Curran 22) Right, so they have taken the new ball and Ishant Sharma has it. Curran isn’t worried, cutting a couple. The attack-leader does find his edge later in the over, though, albeit through the cordon for one. He also wins a false stroke from Woakes but it flies away behind point for four. The curse of the second new ball, innit. The last one nearly knocks him over - a big inducker - and with that they have seen enough. The umpires have met in the middle and the players are off for bad light. That’ll almost certainly be stumps as well. Stand by.

80th over: England 350-6 (Woakes 116, Curran 19) Ashwin is back and sprints through the last over before the new ball is due. Well, sprints through after Woakes carves him out to the cover rope for yet another boundary, that is. The 350 was up with the shot; England’s lead now 243. This was just about game-on at lunch, remember?

79th over: England 346-6 (Woakes 112, Curran 19) Shot! Curran sees ball, hits ball. He has enough width to lash past point for his fourth boundary. Pandya isn’t a happy man and has started debating something or another with Umpire Erasmus. When Woakes takes a quick single to midwicket, it is the angry all-rounder who sprints over to do the fielding.

“Of the other 6 Englishmen on both Lord’s honours boards, I doubt many achieved it by virtue of a maiden Test century after coming in at 131/5” writes Geoff Wignall. “He’s a lot more than just a poor person’s Ben Stokes.”

“Now Curran’s scored 10+ I’ve changed my mind on the declaration,” adds David Holmes to his earlier note. “The chance for an innings where every batter scores at least double figures is far more exciting.” I’m with you: never get in the way of an obscure statistical achievement in this game of ours.

78th over: England 340-6 (Woakes 111, Curran 15) Kuldeep gets another over and gifts Curran another full toss! This time, the young man pops it to long-on for four more of the easiest runs he will compile in his international career. The umpires have a chat and a look around at the end of the over, suggesting that they are close to going off for bad light. England won’t want that but batting teams don’t get much a say in this matter these days.

77th over: England 335-6 (Woakes 111, Curran 10) Woakes gives the strike back to Curran from the first ball of Pandya’s new over, who gives it back with a single down the ground. There is a bumper to finish, which Woakes decides to get involved with rather than leaving alone, the shot landing just fine enough to register his 16th boundary.

76th over: England 329-6 (Woakes 106, Curran 9) Kuldeep to Curran, who is gifted two full tosses, both smacked away in the direction of the Mound Stand. The left-armer hasn’t had a good day at all. 75 minutes remain this evening if the rain stays away.

Responding to my earlier call of what you would do to keep Jimmy bowling forever, John Starbuck is with us. “As clearly Joe Root has already done a deal with the Devil to keep Jimmy: he doesn’t score centuries any more. Or Cook could be a walking sacrifice for general purposes.”

And Brian Withington too: “Given your Faustian invitation (which I was hoping you would answer), I would be tempted to offer up all prospects of West Ham playing in the Champions League as long as Jimmy can keep bowling for England. Before anyone reflexively scoffs, given our summer signings and new manager, this might actually represent a sacrifice of sorts. And as a final sweetener, I might even throw in any last remaining soupçon of hope of Ravi Bopara playing another international.”

Don’t give Ravi up, mate. Not yet. Not while #RecallRavi is still a thing on twitter.

75th over: England 321-6 (Woakes 106, Curran 1) Curran off the mark with a shove behind point coming off the outside half of his blade. “I’m bowling tonight,” says Aggers on TMS. “I’m declaring.”

“A Lord’s tour guide here,” writes Michael Keane. “Emailing with the extra fact that Chris Woakes becomes only the 4th Englishman to take 10 wickets in a test and score a test century at HQ. Gubby Allen, Ian Botham and Stuart Broad were his predecessors. Keith Miller (ah, Australia, remember them?) is the only overseas player to have done the same.”

Fantastic! Keith Miller’s true all-round status, of course, established by what he did as an Australian Rules footballer.

WICKET! Bairstow c b Pandya 93 (England 320-6)

Clean, diving one-handed catch from the wicketkeeper Karthik. It was the way Bairstow was most likely to fall having flashed at quite a few on the up in recent overs. He goes seven runs short of getting his name on the board here for a second time but by any measure his job is done with England now boasting a 213-run lead after the 189-run union with Woakes.

Jonny Bairstow leaves the field after scoring 93.
Jonny Bairstow leaves the field after scoring 93. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Updated

74th over: England 315-5 (Bairstow 93, Woakes 105) In additon to the four leg byes added from the lbw shout, Bairstow and Woakes took singles on the leg side to finish the Kuldeep over. David Holmes asks: “Given the forecast for rain pretty much all tomorrow, do you think there’s a case for England declaring tonight and having a go at India?” If it wasn’t so dark, it wouldn’t be a bad shout. But I doubt they will bother.

NOT OUT! Not the finest use of DRS, the Kuldeep delivery hitting well outside the line of off-stump. “A bit of desperation about that,” notes Vic Marks on TMS. They are now out of reviews, just like England.

Review! Is Bairstow LBW? I wouldn’t have thought so but Kohli has sent it upstairs.


73rd over: England 308-5 (Bairstow 92, Woakes 103) By the way, I’m not ignoring the emails I’m just getting those blokes to 100 before we shift gears. Only one run from the Pandya set, from the final ball, so Woakes keeps the strike. Not ideal for Bairstow who might end up not out 90-something not out when the rain arrives. It can’t be far away now.

72nd over: England 307-5 (Bairstow 92, Woakes 102) The Sky TV broadcast confirms that Woakes is the seventh English player to get on both honours boards at Lord’s, joining some very handy cricketers with both a Test five-for and ton here. They showed the reaction of the players on the balcony too, which reinforces how popular he is in that dressing room. Three singles from the Ashwin over.

Chris Woakes reaches his first Test century!

71st over: England 304-5 (Bairstow 91, Woakes 100) Pandya to Woakes, it’s full and he’s driving hard... straight to short cover! That would have been it. Next, the bowler is bang on middle stump - defended. He drives again to cover out to the rope but there is a sweeper there so he can only move the dial on by one, to 97. It brings up the England 300, in a partnership now worth 169. Bairstow’s turn and he plays and misses, lavishly. Some palpable nerves for both men here. Better from Bairstow from the penultimate ball, also finding the sweeper at extra cover. One chance this over for Woakes on 97... and that’s it! He pulls over midwicket with ample time to come back for three. Chris Woakes has a Test century at Lord’s! It took him 129 deliveries, striking 15 boundaries along the way. He presents a huge smile when removing his helmet. What a lovely moment.

Chris Woakes celebrates scoring his first Test century.
Chris Woakes celebrates scoring his first Test century. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Updated

70th over: England 299-5 (Bairstow 90, Woakes 96) Ashwin the right man for the job here, able to drag every moment out to make life as difficult as possible for man nearing a big milestone for the first time. But it is Bairstow on strike and he’s back on his game, with a useful punch to cover for two then a delicate little sweep that races away to the rope beneath the visitors’ dressing room. From the fourth ball, he takes one to point to move into the 90s himself. Righto, Woakes - two balls. “He’s not thinking six, is he?” Vaughan asks. “Don’t.” He doesn’t, defending to Ashwin then taking the final ball down to long-on for a single to keep the strike. A boundary away!

69th over: England 291-5 (Bairstow 83, Woakes 95) Woakes edges! Four more! It’s a legitimate edge too, bouncing just next to first slip. Then beaten next up by ball that moves away; a delivery he should have left well alone. “Don’t throw this away,” says Vaughan on TMS. He does make contact with a square drive behind point, albeit without complete control, to get off strike. Vaughan notes that he may never get a chance like this again. “If you get to 95 at Lord’s you just have to make sure you get there on that board. It stays with you forever.” Bairstow’s edge also located, down through third slip to put Woakes back on strike with one ball to negotiate. He drives along the carpet to the man at cover. Phew!

68th over: England 285-5 (Bairstow 82, Woakes 90) Four more for Woakes, playing a standing sweep from a misdirected Ashwin offering that races away to the Warner Stand. He’s made nine First Class tons, Simon Mann reminds me on TMS, so he knows how to negotiate this nervous period. As I type that, he moves into those Nervous 90s with a single to midwicket, keeping the strike as well. This is a bit exciting!

67th over: England 279-5 (Bairstow 81, Woakes 85) Pandya now back on for Shami. Bairstow takes a look then grabs a single to cover before Woakes does just the same to third man. Bairstow is beaten with a fairly lazy stroke, a long way from the pitch of the ball. Surely he won’t throw this away, though. Keeps the strike with one to mid-on.



66th over: England 276-5 (Bairstow 79, Woakes 84) Ashwin soldiers on and has Woakes in check for the bulk of the over before finding his outside edge with the one that doesn’t turn. Could have ended his stay, instead it runs away for four. They have put on 145 in 209 balls together at the crease to completely ruin India’s day.

65th over: England 272-5 (Bairstow 79, Woakes 80) Outstanding on-drive, Chris Woakes is in supreme touch. It was his second boundary of the Ishant over, deflecting the first ball past point with lovely soft hands. Through another single behind square, he has overtaken Jonny Bairstow! Party on.

64th over: England 261-5 (Bairstow 79, Woakes 69) The selection call to leave out Umesh for Kuldeep looks worse by the over with even Ashwin having no real impact. Woakes drives two down the ground to register his highest score in Tests. He won’t get many better chances to notch a Test ton than what he has here. He retains the strike. Kohli currently off the field, TMS reports. Vice-captain Rahane has the arm band.

63rd over: England 258-5 (Bairstow 79, Woakes 66) Ishant replaces Shami from the MCC end and misses his length, punished by Bairstow who slaps him to the rope at point to show who is boss. In fairness to the quick, once again he bounces back later in the over, beating the well-set YJB who misses a cut too close to his body. Lead = 151.

“Loved your willingness to do serious porridge rather than drop Broad,” emails Brian Withington. “Begs the question of what you would contemplate to keep Jimmy Anderson in the team - who else commands such devotion?”

I’ll open this up. If pressed, what would you sacrifice for Jimmy Anderson to keep bowling (and bowling and bowling) for England? This could get morbid/fun.

62nd over: England 254-5 (Bairstow 75, Woakes 66) Woakes decides to punch the Indian bruise as well, launching Ashwin over midwicket with a lofted sweep (shall we say) that bounces twice before trickling into the rope. Next up he goes again, smacking a delivery off the back foot through cover point. That’s confidence. He loves this ground. The England 250 also up.

More runs for Chris Woakes and Jonathan Bairstow.
More runs for Chris Woakes and Jonathan Bairstow. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Updated

61st over: England 245-5 (Bairstow 74, Woakes 58) Shami looks the man most likely to break this up, beating Bairstow with first offering his fresh over with a ball that tails away nicely after drawing him into the stroke. Then he bumps him next ball with good bouncer, which I like that a lot. The release comes when the quick drifts onto the pads, a single taken, with Woakes then doing the same. Bairstow keeps the strike with one to mid-off.

More from Gary on (forever) Young John Abrahams, who once won match of the match after making a duck on the basis of his captaincy. How it should be.

60th over: England 242-5 (Bairstow 72, Woakes 57) Ashwin misses his length and Bairstow carves a cut past point for four more, moving him into the 70s. Woakes nearly caught up to him before tea but the number five is now flying towards a ton. Whether he has enough time to wave the bat around before the rain comes today is less clear.

59th over: England 236-5 (Bairstow 67, Woakes 56) He’s driving wonderfully today, Young JB. The stroke on this occasion comes from an overpitched delivery but you’ve still got to put them away, and he does with total ease past the man at cover. Disappointing for Shami, it was his first and only poor delivery since the break.

Gary settles the YJB query.

58th over: England 232-5 (Bairstow 63, Woakes 56) Sorry, wi-fi issue. All I can tell you about the 58th over is that Bairstow took a single down the ground and Ashwin spun one hard through the gate and beyond the gloves of the ‘keeper.

57th over: England 231-5 (Bairstow 62, Woakes 56) Shami continues, running away from the Pav. It’s a probing over at Woakes, forcing him to defend and leave in the channel close to his off-stump throughout. Good cricket. Maiden.

56th over: England 231-5 (Bairstow 62, Woakes 56) “Rain potentially on the way,” says Aggers as the players return. It’s a lot darker, that’s for sure. He had Greg James on TMS during the break. Is he the nicest bloke in the world? Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never met him, but I can’t shake that impression. His cricket podcast Tailenders, with our lovely mate Felix White (oh, and Jimmy Anderson), is an absolute hoot.

Ashwin is back on for the first over of the final session, this time coming from the Nursery End, spinning his off-break back up the slope. Woakes plays conservatively, getting his eye back in, before pushing the penultimate ball down the ground to raise the 100 partnership between this pair.

John Starbuck with a question I’ve also been pondering. “How long before Young Jonny Bairstow get the ‘Young’ dropped? Is this going to be a generational signifier, exposing the writer/speaker to a character assessment, in the way I can evoke by referring to Hall & Griffiths, or Ramadhin & Valentine before me, as will also happen to referencers of The Little Master?”

A colleague (I won’t shame them) insists that the ‘Y’ is due to Yorkshire and only us oddballs believe otherwise. So, I suppose, we can transition to that? Naaah. Forever Young. Oh wait...

I know there are better version but singing in a slightly Australian accent gets this one over the line.

I’m going to queue for a piece of cake. But before Before doing so, some correspondence to share and consider.

“If Stokes comes back into the team I would have a serious think about dropping Broad,” emails Matt Gilbert. “Lower middle order of Woakes, Stokes and Curran would help our batting woes and all three have done more with the ball than Broad. Interested to hear what others would do?”

I’d sooner serve time in proper prison than drop Broad. But that’s just me. When Jimmy does hang them up, though, Woakes looks ready to take over as attack leader.

And Aniket Chowdury: “Just saw that Michael Vaughan wants different rankings for home and away tests. However, I would rather have different rankings for matches as per toss results. I am not trying to underrated England’s bowling performance, but the match scorecard could have been different if Kohli won the toss.”

I’m going to shoulder arms at that as I don’t have a view. Anyone want to duke it out with Aniket? I’ll facilitate. Righto, time for that cake. Back in a tick.

Tea! England 230-5 (lead 123)

55th over: England 230-5 (Bairstow 62, Woakes 55) Decent leg before shout from Shami to start, beating YJB on the inside edge, but it is going over the top according to the man the matters. No review. Driving again in the direction of cover for two, Bairstow brings the partnership to one short of 100. He’s happy to wait until after the interval to notch that up , defending then ducking the rest. With that, my friends, it is tea at HQ.

54th over: England 228-5 (Bairstow 60, Woakes 55) Edge! Four! 50! Woakes to his half-century with the least convincing stroke he has played so far, nearly dragging Ishant ball onto his stumps. It doesn’t bother him too much, finishing with a glorious drive through cover on the up. He’s only five runs behind Bairstow as we move to the final over before the tea interbal. With ten from the over - all to Woakes - the lead is 121.

Chris Woakes joins Bairstow in reaching a half-century.
Chris Woakes joins Bairstow in reaching a half-century. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Updated

53rd over: England 218-5 (Bairstow 60, Woakes 45) “There should be two rankings,” says Michael Vaughan on the wireless. “One for home and one for away.” He’s getting Andrew Samson, the world-leading BBC statto, to work out who would be top of the pops on that basis. Shami, the man with three wickets to his name, is back to replace Ashwin from the Pavilion End. He’s in at Woakes initially, who deflects again behind point with complete control. I just whispered to OBO veteran Vish that the Brummy Bradman is going to make his first Test ton today. Bairstow is already well on his way to three-figures, helped in that direction with yet another pristine cover drive. He barely swung that bat with that one, such was the timing.



52nd over: England 213-5 (Bairstow 56, Woakes 44) The crowd (through the TMS effects mic at least) are into some football chants, which must be frustrating the establishment types who enjoy their Saturday at Lord’s each summer. Oh well, they’ll be okay. Ishant keeps Bairstow honest, who is defending with a very correct blade.

I got a new toy the other day so expect plenty more of this arty nonsense on my twitter feed for the rest of the summer (until I lose interest). It was lovely out there earlier.



51st over: England 212-5 (Bairstow 56, Woakes 43) Clever! Woakes into the 40s and England’s lead beyond 100 with a little lap that runs down to the boundary early in the Ashwin set. Three singles are taken to finish it, out to the sweepers. We’ve only had 82.2 overs bowled in this Test Match so far but India are just about cooked.



50th over: England 205-5 (Bairstow 55, Woakes 37) A picture-perfect pull from Woakes to begin, rocking onto his back foot to clobber Ishant to the rope. But this fast bowler is a fighter, bouncing back with a delivery that jags back and finds an inside edge. Bairstow watches the last couple. The lead is about to reach three figures.

49th over: England 200-5 (Bairstow 55, Woakes 32) It is too easy now and there is not a lot Ashwin can do about it with the field spread allowing YJB to take the single down the ground, then Woakes to tuck a couple to midwicket. One to finish the over to fine leg brings up the England 200, a milestone the Lord’s audience greet enthusiastically.

Here’s Brian Withington. “Thought I would take you up on the invitation to challenge the email-defyingly rapid over rate.” You can slide into my inbox whenever you want, Bri. “Despite the slow over rate before lunch and a nascent stand of substance between the mighty YJB and Woakes, it still feels like this game may struggle to last much beyond Sunday tea-time. Might have been wrapped up by now if there had been a full day’s play on Thursday and Friday. Is there such a thing as the Duke ball being too entertaining? (If that doesn’t bring forth a Kohli double ton I don’t know what will).”

Bring on the shot clock? People I respect hate it but it is bloody ridiculous that we have only had 49 overs so far. The MCC on the right track with it, for mine.

48th over: England 196-5 (Bairstow 54, Woakes 29) The Kuldeep experiment lasted two overs, Ishant Sharma back into the attack running away from us at the Nursery End. It doesn’t step the scoring though, Woakes deflecting a single past point to begin, Bairstow racing through for a couple after clipping to midwicket then grabbing one to backward point himself. Woakes deals with the rest defensively. Back to Kuldeep, it looks a shocking poor decision picking him now on a track made for hitting the seam. “They are desperate for another seamer,” reiterates Michael Vaughan on TMS.

47th over: England 192-5 (Bairstow 51, Woakes 28) Woakes gets into the act too, lashing a short delivery past cover for another boundary. They are really going up the gears now. Ashwin is trying everything, a couple of quicker deliveries in this set. As he explains in that BBC chat, he has a big bag of tricks to draw from for a finger spinner.

46th over: England 187-5 (Bairstow 51, Woakes 23) Just about the shot of the day from YJB, using his feet just enough to reach and drive Kuldeep through extra cover to bring up the 50 partnership. Then to finish the over he does it again to bring up his own half-century in 76 deliveries. Fantastic batting from the Yorkshireman. India must get busy and break this up right away if they are to stay in this scrap.

Jonny Bairstow celebrates his half-century.
Jonny Bairstow celebrates his half-century. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Updated

45th over: England 179-5 (Bairstow 43, Woakes 23) Ashwin v Woakes. The champion offie mixes up his lengths but nothing can draw the batsman out of his defensive posture this time around. Maiden. Heard a fantastic interview with Ashwin on TMS during the rain delay on day one - I’ll dig it out shortly.

44th over: England 179-5 (Bairstow 43, Woakes 23) Spin twins, which won’t give us a lot of time to chat on the email but I encourage you to drop me a line anyway in the usual places. Remember: my old OBO email got deleted a couple of months back, so grab me at the casual handle for I am casual by nature. Not really. So, it is the left-armer Kuldeep getting a second chance after four bland overs before lunch. This one brings five singles - Woakes tucking, pulling and tucking; Bairstow driving then clipping - to grow the lead to 72.

43rd over: England 174-5 (Bairstow 41, Woakes 20) Ashwin continues from the posh end, drawing Woakes forward a couple of times before getting turned around the corner for one. Bairstow is also on the front foot defending, unable to get the middle of his blade to the final delivery, ending up near the man at forward short leg but on the bounce.

42nd over: England 173-5 (Bairstow 41, Woakes 19) Pandya starts with a bumper that sails well over Woakes’ lid. Wide ball it is. Better second up, nearly slipping by the all rounder’s inside edge from one that keeps a fraction low. Are we still calling Woakes the Brummy Bradman? I plan to if he can bat for another couple of hours. Bairstow’s turn, who gets a couple to midwicket then launches into a luuuurvely square drive for four. Eight from the over, the England lead swelling to 66.

41st over: England 165-5 (Bairstow 35, Woakes 18) Right on cue, Bairstow lofts Ashwin over mid-on for a crowd-pleasing four. Ashwin responds with one that keeps worryingly low and shoots past Bairstow’s off stump.

Hi everyone. Well played, JP. Lovely stint. As the Englishman in Australia goes to bed the Australian at Lord’s takes over. We all having a nice afternoon?

Robyn also says hi.

40th over: England 161-5 (Bairstow 31, Woakes 18) Pandya’s first couple of deliveries both beat Woakes’ wafty drives outside off and both suggest a bit of variability in the surface. He survives though and advances his score with a clip to midwicket. Considering the rapid pace of this game we’ve hit a slightly becalmed patch.

39th over: England 159-5 (Bairstow 30, Woakes 17) It’s taken 38 overs but Ravichandran Ashwin is now into the attack. Bairstow and Woakes deal with his opening over adroitly, the former belatedly taking the honours for the highest run scorer in the match so far.

38th over: England 157-5 (Bairstow 29, Woakes 16) Hardik Pandya returns to the attack in place of the tiring Shami. Woakes welcomes him to the crease by guiding a late cut to the vacant third man region for four. He drives a couple more through the covers to continue his pursuit of Bairstow, helped for the time being by my downgrading of YJB from 30 to 29 in accordance with the TV scorecard.

Back to Bobby Peel (33rd over) “Peel was sacked by Yorkshire after taking the field drunk against Middlesex in 1897,” emails Adrian Armstrong. “There are various accounts of how he behaved that day, including a now thoroughly discredited claim that he, er, watered the wicket. He went on to play league cricket, and coached at Essex for a few years.”

Phil Sawyer has news too. “As in many things in life, Stephen Chalke’s excellent Summer’s Crown: The Story of the County Championship holds the answer. Bobby Peel was sacked from the Yorkshire team after turning up to a match at Sheffield in 1897 slightly the worse for wear. Apparently he had had a somewhat ‘enthusiastic’ evening the night before and then, by his own confession, had a couple of ‘gin and waters’ that morning to steady the nerves. He failed to appear when it was his turn to bat that morning, then emerged after lunch to bowl just seven uneven overs. He never played for Yorkshire again, being seen as the last member of the drinking culture within the team that Lord Hawke was trying to expunge. Actually, Summer’s Crown is the answer to pretty much all of life’s problems.”

Today can definitely be considered a good day. Thanks Adrian, Phil - and Simon, from earlier.

Updated

37th over: England 151-5 (Bairstow 30, Woakes 10) A rather tame maiden over from Sharma to Bairstow. A chance for me to point out there are competing scorecards, one with Bairstow on 30, the other on 29. The score on both is 151.

*Funky captaincy klaxon*. If this was an Australian broadcast you could imagine Shane Warne demanding such an outcome.

36th over: England 151-5 (Bairstow 30, Woakes 10) Shami into his 14th over of the day and still no sign of Ravi Ashwin. It works in England’s favour for the time being with Bairstow more like his old self, picking gaps and running hard. He moves to 30, eclipsing Ashwin as the match’s highest scorer. But Woakes is hunting him down, clipping a half-volley off his pads nicely through midwicket for four.

35th over: England 142-5 (Bairstow 25, Woakes 6) Sharma continues to target Bairstow’s inside-edge and he can’t believe he hasn’t induced a nick behind with one particular inswinger. He’s also convinced there’s a caught and bowled but Bairstow’s unmoved, and so is Marais Erasmus. Kohli REVIEWS but the ball missed the bat, hit the pad, and then looped up back to the bowler between Bairstow’s arms.

“YJB starting to turn into the anti-Kohli a bit; as soon as loses partners he begins to bat like a complete novice,” emails Kevin Wilson. That is certainly the case today.

Virat Kohli asks for a review much to the bemusement of Jonny Bairstow.
Virat Kohli asks for a review much to the bemusement of Jonny Bairstow. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

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34th over: England 141-5 (Bairstow 24, Woakes 6) The dismissal of Buttler has changed the feeling of this match. The once-fluent Bairstow is now playing and missing and anchored to the crease. Shami is finding movement both ways. Runs arrive in ones and twos this over though to keep England ticking along.

“Is Kohli at risk of revealing a slightly petty side to his character with this mimicking of celebrations (Root “Mic Drop, Woakes “Knees-up Mother Brown”)?” asks George Humphreys. “Could we exploit this somehow? Perhaps England should celebrate all future wickets with an “Accidentally Kicking Over One’s Own Stumps” Routine and wait for him to plagiarise accordingly. You read it here first.”

I can see why it will irritate people, but I don’t mind it when it’s in good faith and even-handed. Root knew as soon as he did the mic-drop that it invited a retort. I think if you give it you have to be able to take it and there seems to be a good spirit in this contest so far, helped no doubt by the respect between the two skippers.

33rd over: England 137-5 (Bairstow 21, Woakes 5) Oof! First decent bouncer of the innings from Sharma and it causes Woakes all sorts of bother. Fending in front of his face the batsman is fortunate to see the ball drop off his gloves and away to safety. Sharma follows that up a couple of balls later with one that holds its line up the slope to Bairstow. India not giving up.

“Hi Jonathan,” hi Simon Thomas. “Whilst doing some lunchtime research on England spinners beginning with B for my All time England ‘B’ team, I read this rather withering critique of Bobby Peel by the author of Wikipedia’s Johnny Briggs biography. Any know what he did? Pass the port the wrong way or cut the nose off the stilton maybe? “Peel was a dissolute dipsomaniac who eventually left the game after embarrassing himself”.” My dear old thing.

32nd over: England 135-5 (Bairstow 20, Woakes 4) Shami now has 3-47 from 12 excellent overs. His pace has consistently been in the high 80s mph, he’s moved the ball both ways and maintained a consistently probing line and length. He’s exposed England’s technical flaw of refusing to play straight. So many batsmen perishing or looking ungainly trying to work to leg and falling over to the off side. Woakes off the mark with a thick edge down to the vacant third man boundary.

WICKET! Buttler LBW Shami 24 (England 131-5)

Another LBW, another partnership broken out of nowhere, and this game continues to advance at a rapid pace. Full and straight from Shami, tailing into Buttler who plays around his front pad and is not reprieved by the umpire. No reviews for England to play with, not that it would have mattered, Aleem Dar was bang on the money again.

Mohammed Shami celebrates after dismising Jos Buttler.
Mohammed Shami celebrates after dismising Jos Buttler. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

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31st over: England 131-4 (Bairstow 20, Buttler 24) Another over with an early boundary, this time Buttler carving Sharma to third-man. England’s second slip then earns a couple when he could have had more but for some excellent fielding in the covers. The scoring rate a healthy 7rpo since lunch.

30th over: England 124-4 (Bairstow 20, Buttler 17) The TV commentators are reminding viewers that when Bairstow plays with a crooked bat he is a major risk of playing on (as he almost did the previous over). Seemingly aware of the chat the Yorkshireman spanks back-to-back fours off Shami with a beautifully straight blade. Two fine strokes from Bairstow to keep England’s momentum building after lunch.

“With Imam ul Haq playing for Pakistan, the next time the teams meet we will have Imam v Pope. I believe Bangladesh have a player called Rabbi too,” emails Justin Rigden. Indeed they do, Kamrul Islam Rabbi.

29th over: England 116-4 (Bairstow 12, Buttler 17) Sharma is spearing everything back in to England’s right-handers and he’s unlucky to see one such delivery cannon off Buttler’s inside-edge and race away to fine-leg for four, and another skim off Bairstow’s inside-egde for a single. Buttler now 17 off 14 and growing into the kind of cameo that could take this game away from India in a hurry.

Mike Summers-Smith has an addition to the debutant centurion conversation. “I’ve found another trio - South Africa v. Pakistan, 1st Test 1997. Azhar Mahmood, Ali Naqvi and Mohammad Wasim. Of course, having two debutants in one innings helps the odds a bit.”

28th over: England 110-4 (Bairstow 11, Buttler 12) Shami’s switched back to the nursery end he started the day at, meaning the solid Pandya has a breather. It doesn’t begin promisingly though because Bairstow presents the full face of his bat to a length delivery and watches it race past the non-striker for a dreamy four. It is a stroke that gives England the lead.

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27th over: England 104-4 (Bairstow 7, Buttler 11) Sharma replaces Shami from the Pavilion end and gets some immediate movement off the seam into the right-handed Bairstow, drawing stifled screams from Indians behind the wicket. When Buttler has strike he tries to adapt to the conditions by getting a long way forward and outside off stump, Kohli responds by introducing a leg gully but he is a spectator as Buttler whips one off his pads for four. This is an excellent duel, Sharma bowling with good shape, Buttler batting with great awareness.

26th over: England 99-4 (Bairstow 6, Buttler 7) Pandya continues after lunch. He was responsible for keeping India in the hunt when Root and Pope looked to be strolling to handsome scores. He doesn’t have the desired effect here though, conceding seven runs, including a squirty four from Buttler down to third man.

25th over: England 92-4 (Bairstow 5, Buttler 1) Shami tidies up his incomplete over but true to form the two deliveries take an age. The first delivery is a no-ball for the bowler knocking the non-striker’s bails off accidentally (the Steve Finn rule), then there’s a pause for postprandial movement in the pavilion. From the deliveires both batsman nick singles as clouds roll in to dampen the brightness of the morning session.

Ok, back to the action, Bairstow and Buttler are making their way out to the middle. India are in a huddle. Where will this extended afternoon session take us?

“Anyone notice that when Pope got out, Kohli celebrated by mimicking Woakes’ celebration against him yesterday?” I did not, Kevin Wilson, but I’m sure it will find its way into the social media conversation if it happened.

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On that subject...

Dave Kalucy emails from down under. “Watching this test eagerly to see what awaits my troubled nation when the Ashes resume and just had a random thought i.e. if 20/20 and fifty overs are all about big hitting is it fair to say that a good Test is made by having a good bowling wicket?”

What was it Richie Benaud always used to say? A good Test is when the ball is just on top of the bat. The ledger is probably a tad unbalanced in this Test but that’s been no fault of the groundsman.

“Am I the only one hoping that we see Billy Stanlake bowling to Ollie Pope in the next Ashes?” asks Phil Sawyer, “Stan vs Ollie.”

Also, in the comedy double act world that would also be very much little (Pope is 5ft 9) and large (Stanlake is 6ft 8).

Back to slow over rates: “Giving runs to the other side is too weighted, why not only one-handed catches for an hour, or bowlers must announce their delivery before bowling? For example.” Lovely stuff, Tone White.

While Tom baits and switches. “Considering all the stick India are getting for their poor over rate this morning, they’ve bowled far more than England managed by this time yesterday... Honk Honk. I’ll get my coat.”

And Ian Copestake has a good old whinge. “The slow over rate really got my goat when seated at Edgbaston on the first day last time round. It was clearly deliberate and I recall it helping unseat Rashid as it took him totally out of his rhythm.”

I should add, my moaning about over rates is nothing specifically to do with India, it is a global scourge, and I just happen to be on OBO duty while India are proving my point.

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“Pope is a bit of a fidgeter, dare I say it like Steve Smith,” emailed Matt Gilbert, when Pope was batting beautifully on debut. I must confess I never saw the resemblance, but I’ll pay closer attention in the future. His opening shot definitely had a touch of the Ponting about it. I liked his intent throughout his time at the crease.

“Afternoon Jonathan,” afternoon Thomas Burgess. “Long time reader, first time emailer. Currently keeping up to date with things from an extremely hot beach in Lefkada (Greece), or at least I will be up to date until my phone gets too hot to function.” I’d like to be on a Greek beach. Actually, I’d like to be in a Greek taverna sipping retsina and finally getting around to that Rob Smyth long-read about England under Glenn Hoddle.

I fear you’re right, although Pope’s debut was incredibly assured despite falling for a middling score.

“This game is being played like both teams have somewhere else to be on Monday and are determined to make up for time lost to the weather,” emails Brian Withington. “Can we expect to see Buttler promoted up the order to help “move things along”?”. Well, yes we can, but only because he’s scheduled to bat six anyway and England lost four wickets in the session.

Time to catch up on some correspondence.

Peter Salmon asked a question before the start of play about which country has had the most debut centurions in the same line-up. I presumed he knew the answer, but apparently not. “Not got the answer at my fingertips but three looks about right having found the following clusters – Doug Walters, Greg Chappell and Gary Cosier; Dirk Wellham, Kepler Wessels and Wayne Phillips; Lawrence Rowe, Allvin Kallicharran and Gordon Greenidge; Alisatir Cook, Matt Prior and Jonathan Trott. Although if anyone can find a test with Cook, Prior, Trott, Andrew Strauss and Graham Thorpe then we’d have five...”

Lunch - England 89-4

This game refuses to slow down with India plugging away to snare four English wickets in the session. That makes it 14 dismissals in just 60 overs for the match. Three LBWs this morning, two failed reviews, and plenty more fun to look forward to this afternoon.

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24.4 over: England 89-4 (Bairstow 4) And with that, lunch will be taken.

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WICKET! Root LBW Shami 19 (England 89-4)

Nearing lunch here at Lord’s but England are happy to take any runs on offer. Bairstow adds to his total first with a two then a one before Root clips a couple through midwicket.

And would you believe it, Shami nabs a wicket with a jaffa. Just short of a good length outside off stump the ball nips in sharply and skids lower than you might expect to pin Root bang in front. No reviews left, but it wouldn’t have mattered.

Joe Root walks after being dismissed by Shami.
Joe Root walks after being dismissed by Shami. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

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24th over: England 84-3 (Root 17, Bairstow 1) This pair of right-handed Yorkshireman should know each other’s games inside out but they have run-out history and they almost add to it before Root turns heel and dives to reclaim his ground. Another decent over from Hardik Pandya who is executing his third seamer role to perfection so far (6-0-15-1).

“My tongue in cheek suggestion for getting the overs in is to force the players back for a sixth day to make up any that are considered short. This obviously doesn’t include stoppages for rain or bad light or whatever.” Harsh but fair Graeme Thorn, harsh but fair.

23rd over: England 82-3 (Root 16, Bairstow 0) Root chases and misses a wide one from Shami that has the cordon chirruping. It’s amazing what a wicket can do. England cruising a minute or two ago, now it’s game on again. Well, that is until Root rolls his wrists across a slanting Shami delivery, prompting a flurry of four signs from the Lord’s patrons.

22nd over: England 77-3 (Root 11, Bairstow 0) This game continues to rattle along at a fair clip. Pope looked very good for his 28. Composed at the crease, solid technique, ran well, looked to score, plenty to build on. The wicket was reward for some hard work from Pandya who has bowled a consistent line and length all morning and asked questions from that awkward angle wide of the crease. He poses a couple more to Bairstow before he’s had chance to settle but the Yorkshireman survives, just.

Here’s what messrs Cook, Jennings and Pope can look forward to this afternoon.

WICKET! Pope LBW Pandya 28 (England 77-3)

A promising innings ends sooner than hoped for Pope. Pandya has been ploughing a furrow from wide of the crease, angling the ball into the right-hander’s pads and eventually Pope missed one. It looked a good shout live but Pope gambled there was enough in the Ntini-like angle to miss leg or bounce over to call for a review. As with Jennings’ earlier, it was a wasted call.

Ollie Pope is trapped by Hardik Pandya.
Ollie Pope is trapped by Hardik Pandya. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

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REVIEW! Pope LBW Pandya...

21st over: England 75-2 (Root 11, Pope 26) It’s no surprise to see Kuldeep removed from the attack but in his place it’s the returning Shami, this time from the pavilion end, not Ashwin. Shami begins with a hint of width that Pope pounces on to smear a cover-driven four, but the wily bowler is having none of that from the debutant, beating him with perfect outswingers from his next two deliveries.

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20th over: England 70-2 (Root 11, Pope 21) Pandya still running in hard and hitting a tidy line and length from wide of the crease at the nursery end. Four dots are followed by two singles as the game continues in this increasingly promising phase for England.

Yes, yes, so much yes, Boris Starling. “Surely it’s high time that cricketers, like boxers and darts players, got their own intro songs played over the PA to accompany their walk to the wicket? If so, Ollie Pope could do worse than this one: an underrated Prince classic.”

19th over: England 68-2 (Root 10, Pope 20) Kuldeep continues but this partnership is blossoming with both batsmen getting well forward or well back, putting bat to ball with increasing regularity. Ashwin can’t be far away now, surely.

Tony Cowards, take a bow son. “To take Oman Jundi’s enquiry (17th over) one step further, I was wondering whether there are any oboe playing OBOers with an OBE?”

18th over: England 63-2 (Root 8, Pope 17) A couple of singles and a two keep the scoreboard ticking over with Pope looking every inch a Test batsman at the moment. Hugely impressive debut so far.

Dizzy’s on board with my crusade. “Simple cure,” reckons Ian Hunter. “If a team does not meet the allocated overs per hour (with allowances for wickets etc ), penalty runs are added to the opposition score in real time - let’s say 10 runs per hour , could be additional 60 runs at the end of the day - I think that would get things moving on at the required speed very quickly.”

17th over: England 59-2 (Root 7, Pope 14) Kuldeep still doesn’t seem to be doing exactly what he wants, but his variations are such when he gets one right he is hard to pick. He makes Root look a little silly with one that spins to off but the England skipper escapes.

Oman Jundi has asked if any of you OBOers actually play the oboe? It reminds me of an old Vic and Bob sketch about doing voodoo that I can’t find a link for.

16th over: England 59-2 (Root 7, Pope 14) Hardik is flinging them down in the mid-80s mph and on a nice tight line and length, bringing all the obvious modes of dismissal into play. He looks to be using the crease smartly, stepping wider every so often to create an Ntini-like angle into the right-handers. From one of those he induces the drive from Pope but the ball holds its line and beats the outside edge to a chorus of “oooohhhs”. Unruffled, Pope steps inside the line of the next delivery and milks a couple on the legside.

“Much has been made of Pope batting at 5 or below in 1st class cricket,” emails Robert Taylor, “but isn’t that just because he’s their keeper? CAUTION: MOCKERS INCOMING: he’s looked more comfortable than Root so far.” Indeed he has. He’s looked to the Apostolic manor born.

15th over: England 57-2 (Root 7, Pope 12) Kuldeep hasn’t settled into a groove yet and Pope capitalises, spanking a boundary through the off side.

Oliver Deed agrees with me about over rates. “12 overs in an hour is an embarrassment. If cricketers want the Test match format to survive and flourish they must up the over rate. A large fine for each member of the team and a sizeable run penalty for a slow rate would sort the problem out very, very quickly.”

14th over: England 52-2 (Root 7, Pope 7) Double change for India with Hardik Pandya replacing the impressive Shami (6-3-12-1) from the nursery end. Line and length stuff from the allrounder is respected by England with Pope dabbing one into the offside, Root squirting a couple in the same area.

“Morning Sir,” morning Alisdair Gould. “Large audience for the Pope this morning in the Square?” Boom, and indeed tish. Keep them coming.

13th over: England 49-2 (Root 5, Pope 6) First bowling change of the day has Kuldeep Yadav replacing Sharma from the pavilion end. There’s some slow turn for the left-arm wrist spinner, who is coming over the wicket to the two right-handers, but there’s not much control. Along with six byes from two legside deliveries Pope sweeps for one and Root drives forcefully through the covers for four.

If you’ll permit me a brief whinge, this 13th over was the first of the second hour of play. 12 overs an hour is pitiful. Something has to be done to speed up play. We’re supposed to have 98 overs today with just an extra 30 minutes allocated to fit in the extra eight. Teams can rattle through the game in white ball cricket, why do we stand for such sluggishness at Test level?

12th over: England 38-2 (Root 1, Pope 5) A slight break in momentum as Root pulls away late but Shami releases anyway and obliterates middle stump, causing some DIY to get the timbers back up to scratch. Maiden over, Shami straight, Root increasingly secure.

Here’s a TMS link for OBOers in parts of the world where there is no contractual impediment to listening live.

The middle stump is taken out as Joe Root moves away from the crease late.
The middle stump is taken out as Joe Root moves away from the crease late. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

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11th over: England 38-2 (Root 1, Pope 5) Ishant has two square legs to Pope, one slightly forward of square, clearly the plan being to angle the ball in to the debutant and induce the miscued flick. Pope undoes that plan immediately with a single through the off-side. It is a run that exposes Root to more trauma though, the skipper playing and missing immediately before Sharma lets him off the hook with some looseners outside off, the last of which is a duck-dodging single. 14 nervy balls for that one run.

10th over: England 36-2 (Root 0, Pope 4) Shami is bang on the money first ball over the wicket to Root, almost inducing the edge with a beauty. Root gets an awkward leading edge off the second before the third skews off another leading edge just in front of gully. Shami really into his work now, hitting almost 90mph and presenting a beautiful seam. Root defends the fourth then plays and misses at the fifth before leaving the last. It’s incredible how this morning has transformed in a matter of minutes.

9th over: England 36-2 (Root 0, Pope 4) In the blink of an eye England have gone from a pair of left-handers and cruising to a pair of right-handers and rebuilding. One of those new batsmen is the England captain, the other is debutant Ollie Pope, who whips his second ball in Test cricket Ponting-like off middle stump behind square for four. This game is rattling along. 12 wickets in 44 overs so far.

“Will Oliver Pope come out to bat by means of an ornate chair?” asks Matthew Doherty. No, no Popemobile for young Ollie.

WICKET! Cook c Karthik b Sharma 21 (England 32-2)

Deary me, what is happening out there!? Cook carves Sharma’s first delivery to point for four and then tickles a tiniest edge through the keeper off the next. Good delivery from Sharma, the line and length forced Cook to play and the seam away from the left-hander coaxed the nick. Game on!

A rueful Alastair Cook leaves the field after being dismissed by Ishant Sharma.
A rueful Alastair Cook leaves the field after being dismissed by Ishant Sharma. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

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8th over: England 28-1 (Cook 17, Root 0) Breakthrough over for India after England’s positive start.

Indeed, it also reflects poorly on Cook who really should have seen that was plumb.

WICKET! Jennings LBW Shami 11 (England 28-1)

Out of nowhere England are one down. Fast and full from around the wicket by Shami, Jennings is late onto a flick to leg and Aleem Dar’s finger goes up. Jennings takes a review, perhaps thinking he found an inside edge which was in fact bat on pad. Cheap dismissal and India have something to build on.

A cheap dismissal as Keaton Jennings is given out.
A cheap dismissal as Keaton Jennings is given out. Photograph: Anthony Devlin/PA

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REVIEW! Jennings LBW Shami...

7th over: England 28-0 (Cook 17, Jennings 11) Jennings is showing lovely hand and wristwork so far, letting the ball come to him and using its pace to fashion runs. Three from the opening delivery are guided down to third man, followed up by the shot of the morning so far, a gorgeous checked drive for four by Cook through straightish mid-off. Sharma almost exacts his revenge at the conclusion of the over, beating Cook’s outside edge with one that held its line from around the wicket.

It is glorious in St Johns Wood this morning. Just what India did not want after suffering in yesterday’s gloom. As if to ram home the point, a TV graphic shows the average swing today is 1.2 compared to yesterday’s 1.8.

6th over: England 21-0 (Cook 13, Jennings 8) Jennings has looked composed this morning, leaving well and dabbing singles from anything he’s forced to play at. He nudges a single from a decent Shami over that is largely bowled at Cook who defended from the crease in the main.

“Ageing English cricket hero fails to convert after a solid and promising 48. Mick Hunt paying tribute to latter-day Alistair Cook. All the best, Mick!” That’s from Matt Dony on the email, a form of communication you simply have to be on these days.

While Niall Mullen comments, “can’t believe Mick Hunt is declaring on 48. I guess it shows what a team player he is.”

5th over: England 20-0 (Cook 13, Jennings 7) After a ropey couple of overs Sharma has now moved around the wicket and his second, third and fifth deliveries show why, all angling in to Cook before straightening and then moving away off the seam. The shift brings a maiden. Why on earth did India’s brains trust allow Sharma to begin over the wicket on such a bad line?

“Hi,” hello Bruce Murphy. “After a remarkable amount of rain not preventing a great day’s cricket yesterday, here’s Daniel Day Lewis with a tribute to groundsman Mick Hunt and the Lords pitch.”

4th over: England 20-0 (Cook 13, Jennings 7) Shami continues around the wicket and once again Jennings’ ability to rotate the strike creates a run scoring opportunity for Cook, this time driving solidly off the front foot for three through extra cover. Shami has overpitched a couple of times and he’s lucky to see Jennings pound a drive into a fielder when a boundary was beckoning.

A nod to a couple of wags on the email: Kimberley Thonger enquiring about the follow-on, and Justin Rigden who rather indelicately suggested a comparison between Ollie Pope and Shaun Pollock.

3rd over: England 14-0 (Cook 9, Jennings 5) Sharma’s first over from the pavilion end featured five deliveries pitching outside leg stump. He begins his second over with a similar line but a considerable amount more zip allows him to beat an English bat for the first time this innings. Jennings is unruffled and rotates the strike with ease before Cook clunks yet another leg stump half-volley to where a white picket fence would formerly have been. Poor start from India so far.

“Can you keep an eye on the fielding positions today?” asks John Starbuck. “It will indicate if India have prepared anything special for individual batsmen, specifically to keep the runs down rather than taking wickets. Apart from the spinners at work of course, where we expect a slew.”

All pretty straightforward so far for the new ball bowlers John, based around three very tightly packed slippers and an acute gully.

The sun is out at the start of the third day.
The sun is out at the start of the third day. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

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2nd over: England 9-0 (Cook 5, Jennings 4) Mohammed Shami shares the new ball and like Sharma he is also coming over the wicket to England’s pair of left-handers. Not for long though. After conceding a single to Jennings he comes around the wicket to Cook to subsequently flicks Shami off his hip to the square leg boundary. England on the front foot immediately.

1st over: England 4-0 (Cook 1, Jennings 3) Just the start Alastair Cook was hoping for, a gentle half-volley on leg stump first up from Ishant Sharma allowing the veteran opener to jog to the non-striker’s end and breathe a sigh of relief. The remainder of the over to Keaton Jennings is harmless with three more runs arriving off the final delivery, another leg stump half-volley.

The players are striding onto the outfield at Lord’s under clear blue skies. Huge opportunity for England to take a stranglehold on this series.

Not a bad life’s work, eh? 48 years tending to some of the most sacred blades of grass in the world. Chapeau.

Ashwin’s been in touch with a morning update from Germany. “The sun’s bright and shining here in Göttingen, Germany as I patiently set my laptop for video, mobile for the TMS commentary and a thick book on kinship and slavery in Africa for my Anthropology paper. The weather took a giant dump on such an intricate arrangement of cricket and reading and I hope today’s conditions fulfil the semantic function of the English word, ‘summer’ instead of the words ‘English summer’. Let’s leave with the one question all of us are asking - how long before Root gets out after getting another 50?”.

Former India batsman now globetrotting media personality Sanjay Manjrekar is ringing the five-minute bell. Play will be underway in, um, well, five minutes or so.

Before play gets underway I encourage anyone who hasn’t yet enjoyed Vithushan Ehantharajah’s superb video series exploring the state of modern cricket to bookmark the link and tuck in during the intervals.

Today’s order of play is as follows:

  • 98 overs scheduled in the day
  • 11am-1pm - Morning session
  • 1.40pm-3.55pm - Afternoon session
  • 4.15pm-6.30pm - Evening session
  • Extra half-hour available if required
Only 35.2 overs have been possible so far in this second Test at a rain-soaked Lord’s.
Only 35.2 overs have been possible so far in this second Test at a rain-soaked Lord’s. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA

As well as news of this Test near the back of the paper, cricket also makes a couple of appearances near the front, thanks to this selection of feedback on the state of English cricket...

... and the ongoing trial of Ben Stokes.

The revelation that Ollie Pope is the first Oliver to play Test cricket made me wonder if this England side has a higher rate than usual of uniquely named players. A cursory search suggests Mr Jennings is the first Keaton and Mr Buttler the first Jos (although he is technically a Joseph). While there are other Adils, Mr Rashid is the first of his name to play for England.

Blue skies over the famous old pavilion at the start of day three at Lord’s where England are in the ascendancy against India.
Blue skies over the famous old pavilion at the start of day three at Lord’s where England are in the ascendancy against India. Photograph: Alex Davidson/REX/Shutterstock

Peter Salmon is in early with some Pope chat. “Exciting day! Worth noting that when Ollie Pope gets his ton on debut the entire English top four would have achieved this feat, except Joe Root, obviously, who was out for 73 (in a match where Kohli scored 103).”

He goes on to ask: “Which team do you think has had the most debutant centurions?”. Presumably he also has the answer up his sleeve, or we’re all set to be really frustrated until someone does a big Google.

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No shortage of nickname opportunities for this young man.

Pope, the 687th English Test cricketer. Improbably, the first Oliver.

We should get our first glimpse of Oliver Pope at the crease for England today. Familiarise yourself with England’s latest debutant here.

Andy Bull completed The Guardian’s four-man attack at Lord’s yesterday and his takeaway was all about India’s reliance on Virat Kohli.

Kohli has been involved in five run-outs in Test cricket but has been dismissed only once. He is not a man who gives up his wicket for the sake of a teammate. In the end it turned out that Kohli’s decision bought India only another handful of runs. But it all added to this impression that Kohli is a captain who seems to think that, if a thing has to be done, he had best do it himself. Which seems to mean that, if he does not, it does not get done at all. Brilliant as he is, it feels as if India have invested too much power, and too much hope, in just one man.

Barney Ronay was also at Lord’s yesterday and he marvelled at the performance of the ageless Anderson.

It has become a habit to wonder idly how long Anderson can keep on doing this. But why stop at all? His method is so settled, his action so easy, his management by England so sympathetic, the results are increasingly remarkable.

Ali Martin was in the bowels of Lord’s yesterday to hear from the man of the hour, James Anderson.

They were the ideal conditions. It’s so much fun when it’s like that. You don’t often get conditions like that in England any more, when the ball does that much through the air and off the pitch.

Vic Marks was in the shiny Lord’s media pod yesterday to witness England take a stranglehold on this match and possibly the series.

It was an idyllic day for England with little play but lots of progress. Seldom have they made such significant inroads with such minimal effort. Despite the regular intrusions of heavy showers England took a stranglehold on the game after putting India in to bat. For everyone else – and the Indian side in particular – it was a day of torment, for the spectators so frequently sheltering under the stands or the batsmen surrendering their wickets against the devious Duke ball.

Day Three Preamble

Hello everybody and welcome to live OBO coverage of day three of the second Test between England and India from Lord’s.

Let’s cut to the chase: it’s not raining! Even better, it’s forecast to remain dry for the entire day.

This means that once play gets underway at 11am we should be able to pack in something close to the scheduled 98 overs. Who knows what might happen in that length of time? Yesterday India only withstood 35.2 overs of England’s swing and seam masterclass, the second-shortest first-innings at the home of cricket in 100 years. However, conditions today should be more in the batting side’s favour, and India don’t have James Anderson among their attack.

Friday was all about Anderson. The premier swing bowler of his generation was handed perfect conditions (and perfect opponents) to showcase his craft. The Lancastrian didn’t disappoint bagging 5-20, the 26th five-for of his Test career, his sixth appearance on the honours board at Lord’s, and a haul that took him to a record 99 Test wickets at the venerable old ground.

If yesterday belonged to the veteran Anderson, today could be a chance for the debutant Oliver Pope to shine. Scheduled to come in at number four we should see the Surrey prodigy mark his first guard in Test cricket at some point. England have shown catholic taste in their search for top order batsmen and they will be praying they have found a Pope they can put their faith in. (Unfortunately I’m sure these will not be the last pontiff puns of the day, or Mr Pope’s career.)

As always, please feel free to join in the conversation. Anything pithy can be sent to @JPHowcroft on Twitter while anything requiring more deliberation should be directed to jonathan.howcroft.freelance@guardian.co.uk.

Updated

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