Play abandoned for the day! India 83-1 (Sharma 18, Verma 55) trail by 82 runs
Darn that rain. There are now 108 overs scheduled for tomorrow. Is it enough time for England to squeeze the win? Enough time for Verma to cross to three figures? Tune in tomorrow to find out. Thanks for bearing with us during the bad weather, have a good evening. Good night!
An email winds its way from across the Atlantic.
“Hey Tanya,” Hi Jonathan Horowitz!
“Writing in from Chicago again. Shafali Verma has had such a great debut. Who are some of the best test debuts of all time? Best teenaged debuts?”
I found this on male debuts to remember: from 287 for Tip Foster, downwards. It doesn’t include recent debutant Devon Conway who made 200 on Test debut for New Zealand, as England’s bowlers will never forget.
As far as the women go, these all made two scores of fifty on debut, as of course did Shafali Verma.
Shafali Verma becomes the 4th woman to make two 50+ scores on Test debut:
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) June 18, 2021
Lesley Cooke (ENG) v IND, 1986
Vanessa Bowen (SL) v PAK, 1998
Jess Jonassen (AUS) v ENG, 2015
Shafali Verma (IND) v ENG, 2021#ENGvIND
Below is the lunchtime coaching clinic I mentioned earlier. Oh my, the cameras return to Bristol where the umpires’ umbrella has just blown inside out. It is very dark, and the covers are wet, but in the crowd, hoods are down.
Loved this chat on @SkyCricket with @lydiagreenway and @C_Edwards23 talking all things coaching kids the basics of grip, stance, power hitting, playing swing bowling. #coaching #cricket https://t.co/UjgjqX0FZU
— Mel Jones (@meljones_33) June 18, 2021
This is how the players are passing the time...
Mario Kart it is for English players. #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/fDSHVSkqoL
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) June 18, 2021
Today is the funeral of Guardian cricket write David Foot, who died last month aged 92.
This is the short John Betjeman poem that was read at the funeral.
I made hay while the sun shone.
My work sold.
Now, if the harvest is over
And the world cold,
Give me the bonus of laughter
As I lose hold.
The rain continues unfortunately. If you’re feeling bored, there is a great little documentary on Sky following England women on tour in West Indies.
As we watch the ground sheets sit damply, let’s return to the discussion of an all-time XI. Big thanks to Twitter’s Hypocaust and our own Raf Nicholson for the following:
Jan Brittin, Neetu David , Suzie Bates, Stafanie Taylor, Sarah Taylor, Charlotte Edwards, Molly Hide, Enid Bakewell and Betty Wilson. Especially Betty Wilson!
Betty Wilson.
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) June 18, 2021
This scorecard is unbelievable.https://t.co/UxguFGm8eC
Rain stops play! They'll take a (slightly) early tea.
24.3 overs: India 83-1 (Verma 55, Sharma 18) Three balls into Cross’s over, just after she’s beaten Sharma’s bat with a beauty, the stewards are dragging the giant sized ground sheets onto the grass. Imagine the tablecloth in children’s classic The Giant Jam Sandwich.
24th over: India 83-1 (Verma 55, Sharma 18) Swing-biff! Verma flouts the rules and dumps Ecclestone down the ground for four.
Timings: tea at 4.10-4.30pm, with the cut-off time for stumps at 6.58pm.
Shafali Verma reaches her second fifty of the match!
23rd over: India 77-1 (Verma 50, Sharma 17) Sharma drives, through the covers, but the timing isn’t quite there to make it over the rope, and it is pulled back by Beaumont. That’s better! An almost identical shot to ball a little over pitched from Cross, but this time it fizzes to the rope. Verma has to stand at the non-striker’s end till the fourth ball of the over - but then the run comes, and the fifty comes, with a squirt into the leg side. What a debut!
Shafali Verma becomes the 4th woman to make two 50+ scores on Test debut:
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) June 18, 2021
Lesley Cooke (ENG) v IND, 1986
Vanessa Bowen (SL) v PAK, 1998
Jess Jonassen (AUS) v ENG, 2015
Shafali Verma (IND) v ENG, 2021#ENGvIND
22nd over: India 69-1 (Verma 49, Sharma 10) Kiss me quick, that’s a beautifully timed two off Ecclestone. Will she have a rush of blood here close to her fifty like she did before her hundred. Good by England to keep her restricted.
21st overs : India 65-1 (Verma 47, Sharma 8) These conditions must be a challenge for Verma and Sharma: dark, cold, damp. Cross sprints in, all bright-eyed and bushy tailed., Sharma eases her down to fine leg for a single. India now trail by 99.
20 overs : India 65-1 (Verma 47, Sharma 8) Ecclestone wheels through another parsimonious over, just two from it as Verma defends the last ball with her trademark step-away press.
19 overs : India 63-1 (Verma 46, Sharma 7) Sharma finds the accelerator after scoring one off 45 balls: a slice through gully, then a finger-kissing cover drive as Cross completes her rain-interrupted over.
Play restarts!
Verma side-steps onto the grass, swinging her bat, we’re back on!
Updated
News! via Robert Coates. “They’ve taken the covers off (past tense I was getting chips)“
I hope they were hot! My son is obsessed with piri-piri chips.
How about an idle, rain delay, women’s all-time XI? I’ll throw a few names into the hat: Belinda Clarke, Catherine Fitzpatrick, Charlotte Edwards, Betty Snowball, Mithali Raj, Rachael Heyhoe-Flint, Karen Rolton, Shafali Verma ( no pressure).....
On the television, they’v reverted to talking heads, and I’m worried about Mel Jones who is only wearing sandals. Cold feet: nothing worse. A few umbrellas are visible round the ground but the stewards aren’t cowering, so I think it is slow drip rather than torrential.
Will keep you posted on the weather, reports from the ground suggest persistent drizzle and grey. In the meantime, please do send me an email or two and we can chew the fat.
They are bringing the big, grown-up covers on at Bristol; and while we'd love to tell you it looks brighter in the distance, that would be a lie. #ENGvIND
— CRICKETher 🏏 (@crickether) June 18, 2021
Updated
Rain stops play
18.2 overs : India 57-1 (Verma 46, Sharma 1) There’s time for Verma to unveil a punchy push off the back foot and pick up one, before the umpires call the players off. 58 overs left remaining today... in theory.
18th over: India 56-1 (Verma 45, Sharma 1) Ecclestone’s hair is being blown back by the gentle June gale. Ecclestone bowling full, Verma defends.
Thanks William! And yes, I agree. This England team are under reported, and I’m a huge fan of Heather Knight, always the grown-up in the room.
@tjaldred Thanks for the entertaining and illuminating commentary, Tanya. Sometimes wonder if this England team doesn't deserve more recognition.
— William Hargreaves (@billhargreaves) June 18, 2021
Do email
17th over: India 56-1 (Verma 45, Sharma 1) Verma lifts her back leg, like a dog approaching a hydrant, and sends Cross soaring with the angels down the ground. Next ball, she edges her through the slips. Sharma gives her a pat and Verma imperceptibly nods her acknowledgement of a moment of error.Then comes a leading edge - Verma has been prickled.
16th over: India 48-1 (Verma 37, Sharma 1) Verma takes her time, squirting an edge down to third man to pick just the single off Ecclestone’s second over.
Just want to quickly express love for Charlotte Edwards, Lydia Greenway and Mel Jones talking at lunch - articulate, knowledgeable, and somehow hitting the right balance between being chummy and professional.
15th over: India 47-1 (Verma 36, Sharma 1) Verma has a complete bed-head slog at Brunt, misses, and Brunt shakes her head almost affectionately. Brunt must have the most expressive face on a cricket field, got to love it. We see the crowd, hands in pockets, hunched against June.
14th over: India 46-1 (Verma 35, Sharma 1) Thanks Daniel! Lovely to be back, though I read that it is grim and grey and cold for the players. Ecclestone, in short sleeved cable knit, wheels through her first over of the innings - a maiden.
NEWS: Play has been abandoned for the day in Southampton. There is, remember, a reserve day with power to add.
13th over: India 46-1 (Verma 35, Sharma 1) Yup, Brunt has another, but it’s Verma on strike and, let’s be real, she’s not looking especially threatened. I’m sure we’ll see Ecclestone and Sciver soon, perhaps immediately after this is done, because although it’s another maiden, Shfali missing or leaving bad balls was its key factor. Anyhow, that’s the end of my watch; here’s Tanya Aldred to continue the rhapsodising.
12th over: India 46-1 (Verma 35, Sharma 1) It surely won’t be long before we see Sophie Ecclestone, but Shrubsole is having another and I daresay Brunt will too given her previous one. Eesh! Verma inside-edges onto the meat of her thigh, a right sair yin, which makes precisely as much difference as you think it will. A dot, then another brilliant boundary through point, this one slightly more cross-batted and hit a little harder. Before lunch, she peppered the cover fence, now she’s going squarer; perhaps in the evening we’ll enjoy some leg-side behaviour.
11th over: India 41-1 (Verma 30, Sharma 1) Brunt has a full over at Sharma and incites her to play a half-batter that squirts away on the off side – she’s found her line now, and this is her best over of the innings by far. Maiden.
10th over: India 41-1 (Verma 30, Sharma 1) Shafali declines a single to cover because she has other plans, and what plans they are! Offered a smidge of width, she plays a kind of run-down, but through point! It races away for four and it’s absolutely outrageous how good she is ... and then she tries a second time, only Shrubsole to beat her outside off. This game. Three dots follow, then Amy Jones gets the helmet to stand up, preventing Shafali from batting outside her crease ... and then she opens the face to steer four more to backward point. This game!
Updated
9th over: India 33-1 (Verma 22, Sharma 1) The umpires meet for a schmooze, then one approaches Shafali. I’ve no idea what’s said, but we keep going and Brunt tries a bouncer – Shafali ignores, then takes one to midwicket. She really does seem to have everything you need and everything you want – power, timing, technique, temperament – it’s mad.
8th over: India 32-1 (Verma 21, Sharma 1) It’s stopped raining in Southampton and there’ll be an inspection at 3pm. Meantime, Shrubsole finds a nice, testing line, slanting across Sharma to outside off – she’s adjusted to the lefty quicker than Brunt did and sends down a maiden.
7th over: India 32-1 (Verma 21, Sharma 1) Brunt charges in at Verma – with a deep cover, notes Ebony, following the gorgeous drives we saw before lunch. A leg bye quickly gets her down the non-striker’s, but then a single to fine leg gives both another go. Verma defends well.
6th over: India 30-1 (Verma 21, Sharma 0) Shrubsole’s finding plenty of tail, but needs to start a little wider to threaten the edge and stumps; her first ball is turned easily to midwicket for one. But the left-handed Sharma makes that trickier, and she defends nicely – though the final delivery is on the money, forcing her to play in front of off.
5th over: India 29-1 (Verma 20, Sharma 0) It’s Shafali time! And she’s joined by Sharma, whose nifty first-innings showing earns her a promotion up the order; Brunt will finish the over interrupted by the wicket of Mandhana and lunch. Sharma sees away three challenging dots confidently enough.
Play is about to resume!
There’s no rain scheduled for tomorrow ... but excuse me while I interrupt myself!
Elsewhere, they’re underway in St Petersburg. Check out a bit of Sweden v Slovakia.
They're taking the covers off!
Yes Rob Coates, who emails from the County Ground with the glad tidings. I guess we can hope for play in the next 20-30 minutes.
On the India v New Zealand blog, they’re talking about barbecue, so allow me to recommend American Barbecue Showdown on Netflix. I can’t think of many reality shows in which I’ve enjoyed the cast more – the contestants, in particular, are brilliant.
Bad news: we’ve gone to the Zone. On the other hand, Anya Shrubsole and Tammy Beaumont are in it, so.
Strange thing is, it was drizzling during a fair chunk of the morning session. I guess you can’t really compare without being there.
“Notwithstanding they’ve been completely on top since 167-0,” tweets @Mysteron_Voice. “England a tiny bit fortunate that Dunkley’s *foot off the gas* over didn’t ultimately cost them the chance to enforce the follow on.”
I don’t know, I guess it was a show of faith intended to give confidence. Given the guns England had waiting for a bowl, I’d probably have gone to one of them, but Dunkley will be better for it.
Rain stopped play
Ah, perhaps not. The dreaded rain stopped play chyron is now at the bottom of the screen. It doesn’t look heavy, so hopefully we’ll be back underway soon.
In the background of the lunchtime discussion, I can see covers over the strip. But with none over the outfield, I’m minded to assume precaution.
Lunchtime email: “So England’s bowlers are fresh enough to enforce the follow-on?” snarks Gary Naylor. “Amazing what losing overs every day can do.”
I fully expect Bruntsole to continue until they’re well into their 60s.
We’re still actionless in the World Test Championship final. But join Tim de Lisle for a chat.
And that is lunch. It’s been England’s morning, and they’ve got a great chance of forcing a win either later today or tomorrow. But also, when we return Shafali Verma will be batting and you’d be very silly to miss that. See you in 35.
WICKET! Mandhana c Sciver b Brunt 8 (India 29-1)
Mandhana chases a wide one moving away and edges to second slip! Following on, with just three balls left in the session, that is very bad behaviour.
4th over: India 29-0 (Mandhana 8, Verma 20) Ah man! After Mandhana takes one to mid off, Verma again stretches down the track to drive through cover for four! She bats like God, she really does – her timing is just an absolute joke – and all things being equal we’ve got in the region of two decades to enjoy her. But let’s just focus on today, because there she is glancing away four more to deep backward square! We’ll have one more over before lunch.
3rd over: India 20-0 (Mandhana 7, Verma 12) After three dots, Verma takes a step down the track and introduces full face to ball, that back leg again coming up in a flourish as she earns four through the covers. That is a glorious shot and perhaps it affects Brunt, who slings down a leg-side wide, then offers width ... and again Verma goes after it, reaching out in front to drive four through cover point. Her timing in simply sensational, and Brunt can only gurn in response. She’ll be ticking.
2nd over: India 11-0 (Mandhana 7, Verma 4) Shrubsole takes the ball from other end, of course, and after three dots Mandhana clips her off the pads for two to midwicket. They’re the only runs from the over, and I wonder if the bowlers would have preferred to keep the globe they used to polish off India’s first innings.
“Nominative determinism clearly doesn’t apply to the women’s game – Bhatia didn’t last long at the crease and Sciver is anything but!” says Andrew Benton. “India’s batting collapse, and England are in the ascendancy! This whole test match is back to front. What is this alternative reality? Will it last?”
Updated
1st over: India 9-0 (Mandhana 5, Verma 4) I can’t believe there was much debate about enforcing the follow-on; the bowlers should be fresh, the weather is unreliable, and England will fancy themselves to get this done today.But Mandhana has other ideas, rocking back to time Brunt’s second ball away through cover for four; lovely shot. A single follows, which brings Verma onto strike; will she play the way she played yesterday, or will she look to bat time? Ask a silly question, get a definitive answer! Verma times a gorgeous glance off her pads for four! She barely touched that, but it careered away nevertheless! Nine off the over.
Back come the players!
Anyway, who’s up for a bit of Mandhana and Verma? Oooh yeah.
Credit to Deepti Sharma, whose 29 not out was a decent effort. It can’t’ve been easy batting against this attack in these conditions, but she guttsed it out well.
Sophie Ecclestone tells Adam Collins that she was getting drift today, and she thinks the seamers will love bowling in these windy, mizzley conditions. She’s also pleased that thy got the last two wickets, because last night they were aggravated at the 0s in their wickets columns.
England enforce the follow-on!
It’s raining a bit, but hopefully they’ll be straight back out.
WICKET! Goswami b Shrubsole 1 (India all out 231 and trail by 165)
This is another belter, swinging in, swinging quick and swinging late, cleaning up Goswami. Will England enforce the follow-on? Surely they will.
82nd over: India 231-9 (Sharma 29, Goswami 1) Shrubsole takes the meteorite from the other end...
81st over: India 231-9 (Sharma 29, Goswami 1) Heather Knight deserves credit for that delivery too, giving Brunt an over with the old pill to get warm and loose. They’ll both be desperate to get the final wicket before the follow-on is avoided, but not in this over – Goswami gets off the mark via inside-edge, then Deepti is beaten by one that yanks her forward then leaves her. “Yesssss Brunty!” comes the holler from the infield.
“England women may be on course for a handsome win in this Test,” says Tom Wein, “but here in the crowd, we’re facing a low total and tricky atmospheric conditions. Hunching down in pursuit of an unglamorous long sleeved draw.”
I hope you’ve got a decent coolbox to keep you warm.
Updated
WICKET! Vastrakar b Brunt 12 (India 230-9)
That isn’t just a jaffa, it’s a JAFFA! Brunt takes the new ball and with her first delivery she slants one in, finds a bit of extra bounce, moves it away, and pecks off the off-bail. A thing of absolute beauty.
80th over: India 230-8 (Sharma 29, Vastrakar 12) Sharma drives two to extra, then rocks back and times a really nice-looking drive through cover for four. That takes the partnership to 33 and it might just save the match for the tourists; 17 needed to avoid the follow-on, and the new ball is now available.
Updated
79th over: India 224-8 (Sharma 23, Vastrakar 12) We’re only two overs away from the new sphere, should England take it, and perhaps with that in mind Knight gives Brunt the old one to find some rhythm. She took a fair bit of tap last afternoon, but it’s rare she has consecutive dodgy days and hammers down a maiden to begin this one.
78th over: India 224-8 (Sharma 23, Vastrakar 12) These two are building a decent partnership now, and Sharma nails her third ball for four to square leg, Dunkley unable to stop it despite diving on the fence. I wonder if, given the follow-on situation, she’ll be entrusted with another over, and two twos later, India are looking likely to resolve that themselves. In the context of the match – only one day left after this and with rain possible – that’d be huge.
77th over: India 217-8 (Sharma 15, Vastrakar 12) Now then. Knight thanks herself and tosses Dunkley the ball for a few leggies; she looks absolutely delighted, as you might. But her first delivery is short and Sharma heaves it away to square leg ... where it drops short of Brunt, just. They run one. She’s not quite there yet, her second effort well wide and her third dragged down, so helped around the corner for four by Vastrakar who, when offered width next up, cuts four more. That’s a huge over for India in the context of the match, eight from it, and now they only need 30 to avoid the follow-on.
76th over: India 207-8 (Sharma 14, Vastrakar 4) Ecclestone is forcing Vastrakar back here – she barely gets forward even when challenged with a yorker. But then she waits for one, stands tall, and times it away beautifully through cover for four; decent way to get off the mark in Test cricket. Those are the only runs from the over, and that’s drinks.
75th over: India 203-8 (Sharma 14, Vastrakar 0) Knight sends down a further maiden and now has figures of 11-8-7-2. That is rrrridiculous.
74th over: India 203-8 (Sharma 14, Vastrakar 0) Update: Julie Beaumont is not crocheting today, she’s wrapped up in what looks like a towel. It’s not actually cold in London, it’s just miserable, but it looks windier in Bristol – perhaps that’s why the rain hasn’t settled in – and Ecclestone sends down another maiden, her fifth.
73rd over: India 203-8 (Sharma 14, Vastrakar 0) Breaking: Tammy Beaumont’s mum, who we said was o camera knitting yesterday, was in fact crocheting. Apologies. Anyhow, Knight sends down a full-bunger and Sharma opts for a slog-sweep, a slightly strange call ... but because she commits to it she nails it and earns four through midwicket. They’re the only runs off the over, and 44 more are required to defeat the follow-on.
Updated
72nd over: India 199-8 (Sharma 10, Vastrakar 0) This is Ecclestone’s first fourfer in Tests, and she’s got to fancy herself for more. She’s doing a really good job of cramping Vastrakar, and her fourth ball drifts into the pads; the batter does a really good job of adjusting to dig it out when, for a split-second, she looked done for. Maiden.
71st over: India 199-8 (Sharma 10, Vastrakar 0) In commentary, Ebony notes that Ecclestone is bowling a bit slower today than yesterday, and she’s getting more turn as a consequence – every pitch has its pace. Meanwhile, Sharma sweeps Knight hard for two to deep square – the only runs from the other.
“Sophie Ecclestone is such a great bowler,” says Guy Hornsby. “A fluid, classic action and really gives it flight. Almost 100 international wickets and 5 years experience. Between her and Heather Knight, England have been relentless today. India digging in, this is superb Test cricket.”
Agree with all of that. She’s so consistent, and that makes it so hard for batters.
Updated
70th over: India 197-8 (Sharma 8, Vastrakar 0) Vastrakar comes out to play her first test knock in engaging circumstances and pokes at her first ball, which dies just shy of silly point. Another wicket maiden.
WICKET! Rana c Jones b Ecclestone 2 (India 197-8)
Oh yes! Ecclestone absolutely rips this, off a length and away from Rana, who can’t help but feather behind. That’s why she’s the best in the world!
Updated
70th over: India 197-7 (Sharma 8, Rana 2) Rana is looking to score, and she cracks a cut hard, only to pick out cover point.
68th over: India 197-7 (Sharma 8, Rana 2) Sharma cuts hard when Knight offers her some width, but she picks out cover and gets nothing for her effort. She’s starting to settle though, and navigates her way through a maiden. Fifty needed to avoid the follow-on.
67th over: India 197-7 (Sharma 8, Rana 2) Ecclestone turns one away from Sharma who fences an edge and spawns two through leg gully. “You’re on top here Soph,” says someone, as Sharma nurdles a single to off, after which Rana defends well enough.
“Back to slow over rates,” tweets @Mysteron_Voice, “Ecclestone seems to be taking an inordinate amount of time between deliveries, although, in mitigation, they’re not actually showing us if she’s waiting for the batter...”
Before she started this over, the umpire told Sharma to get on with it, but as you say we don’t know if that’s a frequent problem.
66th over: India 194-7 (Sharma 5, Rana 2) There’s drizzle in Brizzle but they’re still out there for now and it’s not Shrubsole or Brunt we see but Knight, looking to improve on last evening’s extraordinary figures of 6-5-1-2. She doesn’t find as much spin as Ecclestone, but sends down a maiden nonetheless.
66th over: India 194-7 (Sharma 5, Rana 2) The leg slip has gone as Ecclestone twirls in to the left-handed Sharma, who gets down on one knee to help a poor delivery to the fine leg fence for four. But Ecclestone, or “Soph” as the 69 fielders continually call her, is quickly back into stride, sending down five dots – though the last requires a diving stop from Knight at midwicket.
65th over: India 190-7 (Sharma 1, Rana 2) I wonder if we might see Brunt or Shrubsole soon, but in the meantime Sciver is bowling nicely and Sharma is happy enough to survive before nudging her final delivery around the corner for one.
64th over: India 189-7 (Sharma 0, Rana 2) This is like watching England’s men! And here come some tail-end runs, Rana edging two to backward square, so England inset a leg slip to go with their slip, silly point and short leg – Rana is boxed in, with a lot of patter in her ears. But she plays Ecclestone well enough, surviving three dots.
REVIEW IS OUT!
That was clattering leg stump. India still need 60 to avoid the follow-on.
Updated
INDIA REVIEW!
Good luck with that.
WICKET! Bhatia lbw b Ecclestone 0 (India 187-7)
Goodness me! India have now lost seven for 20, including two this morning without adding a run! This is open and shut, Ecclestone again straightening one that again hits low on the pad, and that’s gone! Welcome to Test cricket!
Updated
63rd over: India 187-6 (Sharma 0, Bhatia 0) Bhatia is the last of the batters – something something nominative determinism – but it’s Sharma on strike as Sciver pounds through another maiden. Sharma almost gets into trouble when she goes to play down into the off side and withdraws the bat, only to feather the ball anyway – but it drops shy of gully.
62nd over: India 187-6 (Sharma 0, Bhatia 0) Bhatia is another India making her Test d’boo and she arrives into the middle of a mess. There’s a slip, a silly point and a short leg as Ecclestone wheels in from around – what a bowler she’s become – and the fielders are up! Bhatia defends well enough, and that’s a wicket maiden.
Updated
WICKET! Kaur lbw b Ecclestone 4 (India 187-6)
It doesn’t hit the boot as it turns out, it pitches and straightens just before, cracks the bottom of the pad, and was going to hit the top of leg! That’s six wickets for 20 runs and India are in all sorts!
62nd over: India 187-5 (Kaur 4, Sharma 0) Ecclestone begins from the other end as you’d expect and immediately she introduces ball to boot! It’s full, it straightens, there’s a confident appeal ... and it’s rejected. England review...
61st over: India 187-5 (Kaur 4, Sharma 0) There’s a lot of chatter coming from the fielders – England know that they can settle this in this sesh, and they’re up for it. Sciver begins with one that shapes away, well, away, but by her third delivery she finds her line, moving one off the seam and off a length that leaves Deepti, who plays and misses. Great stuff, and a maiden.
It’s beautifully grimy out there, and Nat Sciver has the ball.
Here come the players!
Housekeeping: this is a four-day Test, so the follow-on mark is 150, not 200 behind. That makes it 247, meaning India need another 60.
Updated
Does Bristol have its own micro-climate? Both yesterday and today things have changed – for the better – out of nowhere.
Anya Shrubsole calls Verma “incredible”, but also talks about the “power hour” at the end of play that saw England take control of the match. Her team plan to come out, be disciplined, and try to get some early wickets.
Now Mel compares her to Virender Sehwag. You’d take it.
Verma tells Sky that she enjoys the English weather – seriously – and conditions, and that Mandhana was advising her how to play England’s various bowlers. Today, she says the plan is to stay at the crease and make runs. Simple game.
In her intro to today’s play, Mel Jones talked about “an hour of chaos” and “the best day” she’s ever seen. That’s some praise.
Watching the highlights of yesterday, it really was a truly bonkers affair. If England can knock India over this morning, there’s a pretty good chance they can enforce the follow-on then force the win tomorrow. However, Harmanpreet is at the wicket and, as we know, she can make the impossible possible.
Now then! In the time we’ve been here, things might just’ve changed! Come on Bristol!
In Southampton, play has already been abandoned for the morning. This country.
Hope! Matt Potter emails in as follows: “Hoping the forecast is being overly negative. It’s pretty bright and dry as it stands out my window 10 minutes from the ground, certainly no worse than yesterday (yet!).”
Come on Bristol!
Back to Verma, just as the outcome of this match won’t matter, nor will her getting out on 96 matter. Much as cricket is about numbers, sport is about memories and feeling, neither of which can be quantified.
😱 WOW - what a finish to the day! 😱 #ENGvIND
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 17, 2021
Sophie Ecclestone reflects on a thrilling climax that left India on 187-5, 209 runs behind
Live blog 👉 https://t.co/H0U4l8fsJl
Watch on Sky Sports Cricket 👉 https://t.co/s6ofy7HUc0 pic.twitter.com/kn0mAGOB77
Yeah, and it’s not looking great at Southampton either – though that Test has a sixth day while this is expected to be done in four.
That weather then. It’s not looking good, I’m afraid. I guess we can hope for a bit of play in the (crucial) first hour, but otherwise we’re struggling.
Preamble
Wow! In the many decades we’ve all been watching this thing of ours, rarely we have seen a day like yesterday, dominated by two brilliant and different comings of age that’ll be remembered long after the outcome of this match is forgotten.
Only Sophia Dunkley will know how she absorbed the pressure of being the first Black woman to play cricket for England, never mind absorbed it to go out into the middle and play a definitive innings of skill, intelligence and composure – but she did it. Similarly, only Shafali Verma will know how she went out into the middle, aged 17 and on deboo, to take apart one of the best attacks in the world, with an innings of skill, enterprise and joy – but she did it.
So much as it’s brutal that, after two great days of Test Match KrikkitTM, we’re struggling for a result because we’re struggling for weather, in a sense it doesn’t matter. We’ve already been given much more than we came for, and the heroes who made it happen are just getting started.
Play: 11am BST
Updated
