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Ali Martin’s report has landed which is my cue to knock this OBO humanely on the head:
The final email of the series lands from Simon McMahon:
“A comprehensive defeat for England, in this match and the series, by an excellent India side. There’s no shame in that. Lots of exciting cricket from both sides, and some positives for England. Thanks to you, and all the Guardian team, for keeping us informed / educated / entertained throughout it all.”
Neatly summed up by Simon and the pleasure has been all ours. On behalf of all the Guardian cricket writers – thanks to you all for tuning in and keeping us company throughout. It’s been great fun.
England tasted early success largely thanks to an all-time great overseas innings by Ollie Pope in Hyderabad. A month later and their tour ends with something of a whimper in the foothills of the Himalayas. Taking down India in home conditions was too big a mountain for Stokes’ men to climb in the end, but, as is often the case, it’s all about the journey, isn’t it?
The OBO will return, until then – goodbye!
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Victorious captain and class act - Rohit Sharma:
When you win a Test, everything has to fall into place. We did lots of things right through the match. A lot of these guys are short on experience but they’ve played a lot of cricket. We’ve got to nurture them and make them understand the game. When they were put under pressure they responded pretty well - credit goes to the entire team for that.”
“We talk about scoring runs, but it is as important to take 20 wickets to win the Test match. Everyone - all the bowlers - turned up and responded. They wanted to make a difference with the ball in hand.”
On Jaiswal:
The guy’s got a long way to go, he wants to take on the bowlers. The talent, the shots, he puts bowlers under pressure. He’s come a long way and will understand what he needs to do. A top series for him, he likes to score big.”
No alarms and no surprises – Yashasvi Jaiswal is player of the series.
What a player he is. Have we witnessed the emergence of a future cricketing superstar? 712 runs in the series scored in the most beautiful, dismissive and brutal fashion. Jaiswal is the fastest Indian opener to reach 1000 runs in men’s Tests, he pinches the record held by his captain Rohit Sharma, it took Rohit 17 innings, Jaiswal got there in 16. Keep up skipper!
7⃣1⃣2⃣ runs in 9 innings 🙌
— Cricopia.com (@cric_opia) March 9, 2024
2⃣ outstanding double tons!
Future of indian Cricket 🏏 🔥#YashasviJaiswal #INDvsENGTest #INDvENG #testcricket #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/JUIiTVQhg1
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Here’s POTM Kuldeep Yadav – he took 5-72, scored 30 and then chipped in with 2-40:
“I think it has been my best bowling. It’s been hard work for the last couple of years and I’m now getting the reward. I liked the Zak Crawley wicket. Focusing on the length, landing the ball on a good length. Not thinking about the batter. I’m enjoying the pace that I’m bowling and the rhythm i’ve got.”
What a 100th Test performance from Ashwin… but Kuldeep Yadav takes the player of the match gong!
Nine wickets in the match for Ravichandran Ashwin, including a 36th career Test five-wicket haul 👏
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) March 9, 2024
A 100th Test to remember for one of the greats 🇮🇳#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/2b6Uh6cYkk
England captain Ben Stokes speaks:
Since the first Test match, we’re man enough to say we’ve been outplayed. We’ve got so much cricket coming up and taking the positives is something I’m looking forward to as well as driving this team forward.”
“There have been small moments in the series when we’ve not been able to wrestle momentum back. It’s about trying to understand those moments and be a bit more relentless.”
When India get on top, men around the bat, the quality of bowlers like Ashwin, Jadeja, Kuldeep... you’ve got to find ways of pushing men out and that comes with risk. It can be your downfall but if the intent is there, you hold your hands up.”
Stokes then accentuates the positives:
“Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett continued their formidable partnership. Shoaib Bashir and Tom Hartley showed their quality. We’ve seen Joe Root come into form which is exciting for the summer ahead. Personally, It was nice to be back bowling, too.”
A final word on Jimmy Anderson and his 700 Test wickets:
“It was amazing to be on the field for it, 700 wickets as a seamer is phenomenal. He’s someone every young kid should look up to and want to emulate. He’s as fit as I’ve ever seen him. Great to watch.”
Jerry Wells sends an uncompromising email.
“Dear Jim, we can be upset or even sad that the England Test team have been so comprehensively thrashed by an albeit very strong Indian side but we should never feel embarrassed. England’s abject performance makes for a very uncomfortable watch and I feel sorry for the spectating public who must pay good money only to witness such a one-sided display. This latest failure must surely put to bed once and for all England‘s much touted ‘new approach’ to Test matches which encourages the batsmen to play ‘their natural game’ and basically swing the bat from the first ball faced at the crease. We can lose count can’t we of the number of times in recent years the bowlers have worked so hard to skittle the opposition out for a gettable total only for the top order batsmen to needlessly throw away their wicket before reaching double figures.
The talent in the side is there but their collective mindset for Test match play is clearly inappropriate. The worry is that such an underwhelming Test match series as this has been, merely adds fuel to the fire that the longer format of the game is no longer sustainable and, worse still, is no longer seen as the pinnacle of the sport by the current generation of professionals involved.”
Has anyone got any succour for Jerry? There’s a lot to unpick here. I actually do think that despite the final scoreline plenty of England fans will have enjoyed the series, there were moments for England in each match, a frustration is that they couldn’t capitalise on some of them. Let’s say it again – India are an incredible side and have an iron clad record at home.
India have simply been too good since Hyderabad. England’s approach was always unlikely to close the gap in class. They had their moments in each Test, but weren’t good enough to capitalise. Hats off to India!
— Lawrence Booth (@BoothCricket) March 9, 2024
But also, ouchy:
Even with the separation of teams/management, it's been a winter of discontent for England https://t.co/rZYqX8nfel
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) March 9, 2024
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“Is it time that one talked about how good this Indian team actually is?” says Krisnamoorthy in the OBO mailbag.
“Every close defeat has been written off as England having thrown their chances away but the depth in this Indian team in every position is SCARY! Kohli did not even play! There were a few debutants and all of them performed. In contrast all performances from England have been inconsistent except the machine called James Anderson - Well done to him - 700 wickets as a seamer is another orbit altogether.”
I don’t think any of us are under any illusions as to just how bloody good this India side is. The emergence of a prospective all-time great (No pressure klaxon!) in Jaiswal and the continued excellent of Shubman Gill and Rohit, The spin attack – Kuldeep coming to the fore – Ashwin cementing his status as an an actual all-time great. They are phenomenal and have been a joy to watch.
“Morning, James. Thank you for covering the last rites.”
Always a pleasure Smylers, no matter the result.
“There was praise for five-test series at the start of the OBO for the first day of this Test, but I think on balance we — and cricket — would be better off without them. (Possibly excepting The Ashes.) How many fifth Tests are actually decisive?
Surely it’s more common to have situations like today’s, where a team that dominated the series also dominates the final Test, not telling us anything we didn’t already know. And the downside to five-Test series is other tours only fitting in two Tests, such as India’s recent trip to South Africa or the West Indies in Australia. Surely having series of four and three Tests is better overall than five and two?”
An interesting point, I actually don’t think there has been a fifth Test decider in a five Test series with the score tied at 2-2 in something like 25 years? I do hate have a certain disdain for two Test series and wouldn’t mind four Test series becoming more prominent than five BUT any less than that and I think you start to compromise on the possibility of summer/winter long narratives and all the side-stories that can develop as a result of series’ having space to breathe.
Hello to Colin Fordham who pops up with a quick post match precis:
“I was listening to the News Quiz yesterday and cricket-loving comedian Andy Zaltzman announced Grounds for Optimism for the British economy followed by a long silence… If the subject changed to the England Test team’s performance in India, then it would not be quite so muted but it feels disappointing given the illusion created by Ollie Pope’s daddy hundred in the first Test. (That feels about six months ago doesn’t it?)
“The young spinners Hartley and Bashir are cause for some hope. And Crawley and Ducket (wonderful names for openers) have done well. Jimmy Anderson has done his stuff admirably. And Joe Root is another class. I love your image of the violinist on the Titanic. The Fiddler on the Roof of the Himalayas. Peak Root. I’m just enjoying the views of the mountains and Root’s glorious batting. Well played India! Only Joe Root could be a contender for your wonderful team.”
India win by an innings and 64 runs!
WICKET! Root c Bumrah b Kuldeep Yadav 84 (England 195 all out) Joe Root holes out to long on in search of a big one and that is the final act of this absorbing series. Bumrah takes the catch and drops to his knees to give a flurry of fist pumps. 4-1 is the final series score, a shame Rohit wasn’t on the pitch for the winning moment but he’s the first up to shake the hands of the English players as they make their way onto the field.
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48th over: England 195-8 (Root 84, Anderson 0) Jadeja to Root, just a single off the over.
“Hoping for Anderson to hang around long enough for Root to complete his century. The Rootster is a legend.” Might be bad news on that front Rajesh…
Updated
47th over: England 194-8 (Root 83, Anderson 0) Root reverse sweeps Kuldeep for four and then takes a single to leave Anderson with two balls to survive. Which he does.
46th over: England 189-9 (Root 78, Anderson 0) Mr 700 joins Joe Root at the crease. One wicket needed for India, Root needs 22 for a hundred. Tea will be extended by half an hour. My muesli will have to wait.
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WICKET! Bashir b Jadeja 13 (England 189-9)
Jadeja skims one past Bashir’s defences and into the timbers. The spinner’s resistance comes to an end. Bashir has had a really good first taste of Test cricket. His final act of the tour is to even try to call for a review after being comprehensively cleaned up.
Root reverse sweeps for four!
“Much is made of how, bar a few mistakes, England could be ahead in this series(!), when the truth is 30 runs or a couple of bad batting decisions and India would have won 5-0. England have been soundly beaten. The results tell the true story. Maybe make Joe Root batting coach…”
Chris ‘Privet’ Hedge – his nickname not mine – gets his pragmatic realism on.
Oh, and just as I type that…
45th over: England 184-8 (Root 73, Bashir 13) Siraj is swiped from the attack after just one over. Brutal. A change of ends from Kuldeep. Root tickles a single to keep strike. The field is now spread and the intensity has dropped. “Still a couple of nails to hammer into the coffin” drawls a commentator on the TV. Double Brutal.
44th over: England 183-8 (Root 72, Bashir 13) Jadeja replaces Kuldeep and whistles through a maiden. A burst of Dua Lipa in Dharamshala. And why not.
43rd over: England 183-8 (Root 72, Bashir 13) Siraj is summoned into the attack and Joe Root doesn’t let him settle – a flick off the hip brings four and then spanks a full ball through cover for another boundary. Yes please Joe.
42nd over: England 175-8 (Root 64, Bashir 13) Bashir gets a meaty edge but it fliew wide of gully and safely away for four. He can hang around with Root here – a burning Root ton amidst the wreckage would provide plenty of succour eh?
41st over: England 171-8 (Root 64, Bashir 9) Joe Root doing his best impression of a violinist on the Titanic. Bumrah drops short and is flayed away for four out of the middle of the bow blade.
40th over: England 167-8 (Root 60, Bashir 9) Kuldeep has an over to Bashir, can he finish things off with a flourish here. Bashir keeps him out and then manages to work a single into the leg side. Root then returns the favour to keep strike against Bumrah.
BUMRAH IS ON FIRE 🔥
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) March 9, 2024
Three reds. India are two wickets away.#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/eBaatXYUyb
Play that. I feel a 900 word ode to the yorker coming on…
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39th over: England 165-8 (Root 59, Bashir 8) Thanks Tanya and hello everyone. Bumrah continues after drinks, Root digs out a yorker and breaks his bat in the process. Out come armfuls of spare blades and the next favourite willow is selected. Looks to have a good middle – Bumrah strays onto the pads and Root flicks him through midwicket for four.
38th over: England 161-8 (Root 55, Bashir 8) Kuldeep pokes and pokes at Bashir’s defence, he’s had enough by the final ball, drops to one knee and mows him for four. And that is DRINKS! Jim will take you through the last rites and mop brows/serve drinks at the close. Thank you so much for your companionship during the series – and sorry to all those whose emails fell through the gaps. Bye!
Fifty for Joe Root!
37th over: England 152-8 (Root 51, Bashir 4) A gem of a fifty from Root, with shrapnel and scrap paper underfoot. And an even better shot off to finish the over, an extra-cover purr for four.
36th over: England 148-8 (Root 47, Bashir 4) Root picks up a single off Kuldeep’s last ball, to save Bashir from an over of Bumrah. The emails are pouring in, England inconveniently losing wickets but I shall pass them all on to Jim when he takes over to deliver the last rites.
Hello Alexio Berejena, “My last comment was during the 2019-2021 world test championship final between India and New Zealand. I am in Zimbabwe, and I love to see England losing even when playing Netherlands. Can the scoreboard read “Bazball need 157 to make Jasball bat again” and I am really sorry to England fans. I left home when the scoreboard was 90-3 and the way Johny was taking on Ashwin, a score of 140-3 before lunch was possible, but the game of cricket is a leveler. I think the two teams were balanced throughout the series, India’s strong bowling unit vs England’s experienced batting, and we all know where the battle was lost.”
35th over: England 145-8 (Root 44, Bashir 4) Bumrah just sparkling a little bit of icing sugar on the already cherried cake. Bashir somehow gets a bat down in time on another perfect yorker, and picks up four.
WICKET! Wood lbw Bumrah 0 (England 141-8)
A yorker punches the toe of Wood’s front boot. Wood reviews, because why not, but Ashwin has his arm round Bumrah in congratulations and really there is only one answer. Off he must go.
Updated
WICKET! Hartley lbw Bumrah 20 (England 141-7)
Bumrah brings himself on and collects with his second ball. A slower, perter, zinger that crashes into Hartley’s front pad.
34th over: England 141-6 (Root 44, Hartley 20) A single each, as Kuldeep wheels away.
33rd over: England 139-6 (Root 43, Hartley 19) India burn another review against Root – an lbw off Ashwin that turned out to have hit bat first. Oh and that’s lovely, Hartley makes the most of a short ball and cuts for four.
32nd over: England 134-6 (Root 41, Hartley 15) Against India in India, Joe Root averages 45.56, with five fifties and three hundreds. After a tricky start to the tour, when he seemed muddled by duty to the team method and duty to his method, he’s batting with perfect touch.
31st over: England 133-6 (Root 41, Hartley 15) Hartley bamboozelled by one that bounces off the edge and he fears has spun back onto the stumps. But that’s better, a crunch of a drive to Ashwin, humming across the green, green grass to the rope.
30th over: England 128-6 (Root 40, Hartley 11) Kuldeep weaving his spell, Hartley gets an edge down to the rope.
Updated
29th over: England 122-6 (Root 39, Hartley 6) Watchful defence from Hartley against Ashwin – what a learning experience this tour has been for him. And a season ahead learning from Nathan Lyon – hopefully with a few games at Old Trafford too.
“Hello Tanya,” Good morning, Kandukuru Nagarjun
“I’m in India, so can’t listen to what Cook has been saying on TNT about Anderson in the 2010-11 Ashes. But, an observation:
“Every single one of that all-singing, all-dancing England side (Cook himself, Strauss, Trott, Bell, Pietersen, Collingwood, Prior, Swann, Broad, Finn, Tremlett) has now been retired for at least five years now (some even ten) after long careers. But here’s the thing: every single one of them also made their Test debuts after Anderson did. In same cases, more than five years later. Mind-bending!”
It sure is. He has to be one of the best preserved 41 year olds in the world.
28th over: England 197-6 (Root 38, Hartley 4) Root survives an lbw review from India, as stand-in-captain Bumrah has to negotiate the various views on the matter. “ I don’t think so” says a grim-faced Root to his partner. And he’s right – bat first to Kuldeep’s delivery.
27th over: England 117-6 (Root 36, Hartley 4) Even Stokes is struggling to maintain a smile now on the balcony. Five wickets for Ashwin in his hundredth Test, and that’s nearly a sixth as the ball flies off Hartley’s bat past slip. A strange rush of blood from Foakes, there didn’t seem any need, he and Root were doing ok picking up singles here and there
WICKET! Foakes b Ashwin (England 113-6)
From nowhere, Foakes goes for the sweep and misses with inevitable results
Updated
26th over: England 113-5 (Root 36, Foakes 8) It’s a shame Rohit isn’t on the field for this, to usher in the win. He’s such an entertaining person to watch , a man unable to keep a poker face – one second furious, another grinning. And more astute that he’s given credit for.
25th over: England 110-5 (Root 36, Foakes 5) The cameras pan to Ollie Pope, who looks forlorn, think a ginger Matt Dillon staring wistfully into the middle distance. Foakes and Root carefully pick around Ashwin.
Updated
24th over: England 105-5 (Root 35, Foakes 1) Kuldeep, with a spring. Foakes watchful in defence.
And hello Michael Voss.
“I’ve been sharing this with anyone who’ll listen (which isn’t anybody as they’re all asleep back in England whilst I’m basking in the mountain views in Dharamshala), but as occasional test match goers (this is only my third ever) my brother and I have now witnessed two of the three 700th wickets (he’s not here but was there for Warne) - what are the odds???
“Anyway, here’s bravely hoping they might make it to tea. Apparently most of the hiking guides have been taken for the next couple of days so unless the lovely lady at my hotel pulls something out of the bag, I’m looking forward to a couple of days mooching around McLeod Ganj and Dharamshala, which isn’t too shabby is it?”
Not too shabby at all, and that’s quite some record you and your brother hold – congratulations! You need to keep an eye on the movements of Nathan Lyon and R Ashwin, the most likely, if still unlikely, 700 men.
23rd over: England 103-5 (Root 33, Foakes 0) Foakes survives the one ball remaining from Ashwin’s pre-lunch wicket-taking over.
Afternoon session
They’re back out there on a beautiful afternoon. An Indian huddle and a Joe Root gallop and skip.
I’ve just watched the Stokes wicket again. Through the gate with a hand-delivered P45.
“Morning Tanya.” Hello there Pam. “Thanks for making a huge sacrifice waking up at unnatural hours in order to entertain us with OBO witticisms with a gorgeous Himalayan backdrop.
Regarding this bit about Bairstow’s play:
“ ... on a day when England could have done with a steak and kidney pie.”steak and kidney pie isn’t Bairstow’s natural game, is it? It wouldn’t fit the bazball mandate of “being yourself”.
How about a 21st century steak and kidney pie? The way good old macaroni cheese is now Mac n cheese and served on a rustic platter with a side of red onion drizzle.
An early morning epic from Brian Withington:
“India has more than a great team, it has a magnificent squad of players - a depth of established and emerging talent that is truly astonishing. Away from home they are rarely less than formidable, whilst in India they are almost unplayable.
”And yet we have surely all enjoyed a wonderfully entertaining series, which at times has been much closer and keenly contested than an emphatic 4-1 victory might suggest.
”This series has included something for everybody - fans of the S&M Method can point to the emergence of young English spinning talent and a promising opening batting partnership, encouraged and nurtured by a supportive captain and coach, and look forward to the return of Harry Brook to bolster the middle order. Traditionalists can knowingly point to various batting failures caused by excessive aggressive intent, of hubris before caution. Others can gloat at the reversion to the traditional cricketing forces of gravity after the heady abandon of the first test, and gleefully mock the team’s chutzpah for imagining any other outcome.
”I’m hopeful that there is still life in this old dog of a test format, and that the powers that be can muster the courage and generosity to increase the support for all the test playing nations. Franchise cricket may dominate the eyeballs, but perhaps test matches have the unique ability to nurture the soul.”
Thank you Brian, beautifully put. And I’m sorry that your dreams of a Jonny double hundred – still a possiblity at 5.39am when you pressed send – were punctured by Kuldeep Yadav.
I have coffee.
“Morning Tanya!” Hello Harry! “Looks like this is it, so many thanks to you and the crew for taking us through another captivating series. I’ve been thinking back the misery of following the last England tour here in the depths of the winter lockdown. Things do get better don’t they? We’re so lucky to have the OBO - one of the good things in life.”
What a lovely email, thank you. Those winter lockdown months seem like a dream now. I hope the OBO is as fun to read as it to do – 3.30am alarms notwithstanding.
Just watching that Jaiswal catch again to dismiss Pope – an absolute Friday night banger.
And that, my friends, is nearly that. I must go and make a coffee, but will be back to read your emails and chew the fat in five.
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WICKET! Stokes b Ashwin 2 (England 103-5) LUNCH
22.5 overs: England 103-5 (Root 33) Back comes Ashwin for the last over before lunch. He picks at the shoulder of his shirt and stretches those long legs. Root takes a single leaving Stokes to face two balls. Stokes stretches forward to the first and the ball sneaks through the gap.
Updated
22nd over: England 102-4 (Root 33, Stokes 2) Root takes a single from the fourth ball which leaves Stokes with two to survive against Kuldeep. Three fielders crouch around his right ear.
Updated
21st over: England 101-4 (Root 32, Stokes 2) Its all quiet up up Jadeja’s end, a couple of singles.
”I’m following the OBO from Brisbane and couldn’t help but notice your description of the Crawley dismissal.” writes Peter Leybourne.
“Australia has many animals with pouches so I feel I’m somewhat of an expert. Last time I checked hamsters were pouchless. So too guinea pigs, gerbils, ferrets and stoats.”
Oh Peter, that’s very picky at this time in the morning. Though you’re quite right. But I do think Sarfaraz might store cricket balls in those charmingly chubby cheeks.
20th over: England 99-4 (Root 31, Stokes 1 ) A Root off drive of perfection to lighten the gloom.
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19th over: England 95-4 (Root 27, Stokes 1 ) Just a single from Jadeja.
18th over: England 94-4 (Root 24, Stokes 1 ) Bairstow sees off Ashwin, only to fall to Kuldeep. A brilliantly entertaining little starter of a knock, full of flavour, on a day when England could have done with a steak and kidney pie.
WICKET! Bairstow lbw Kuldeep 39 (England 92-4)
Kuldeep’s fourth ball turns and arrows in on Bairstow’s pad. It looks very out. Bairstow reviews – he’s going back, almost standing on the stumps, ball misses the bat… and yes – umpire’s call. Off he walks, with a mutter and a head shake.
Updated
REVIEW!
Kuldeep traps Jonny…
17th over: England 90-3 (Root 23, Bairstow 33) Just two off Jadeja’s measured over. Rohit, Ali informs me, won’t field today with a stiff back.
An email arrives entitled “The lead is below 250…”
‘morning Tanya,” Hello Dan.
“Just thought I’d inject some optimism into England’s day. Gallows humour is all that’s left - and respect for the Indian attack. Likewise for Jimmy.
“Here’s hoping England learn the lessons, rather than just hearing them going on in the background.”
16th over: England 84-3 (Root 23, Bairstow 33) Is Jonny trying to hit Ashwin out of the attack? Starts the over with six flying over long on, ends it with four off the back foot. Furiously, he chews his gum. At the moment, Jonny is winning the battle of the 100-club boys.
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15th over: England 76-3 (Root 22, Bairstow 26) Jadeja. Four off the pads, and Root is quietly playing into the zone.
Updated
14th over: England 69-3 (Root 16, Bairstow 25) YJB isn’t going to die quietly. Bang! Ashwin is dispatched over long on. Crash! Slog swept for six more. The next is defended immaculately away. Ashwin scratches his chin.
13th over: England 52-3 (Root 16, Bairstow 11) Time for Jadeja – which isn’t particularly good news. No real weak link in this India attack is there. Pushes here and there.
12th over: England 52-3 (Root 13, Bairstow 11) That’s the way to do it – Bairstow sweeps without doubt or hesitation and the ball flies square to the boundary. And England have their first fifty.
“I know it must be very early in the morning in England, and I’m wondering if the caffeine has taken effect yet.....Rohit is off the field.” Ah, thank you Arul Kanhere! Come to think of it, I haven’t seen him yet. That’s the problem with oversleeping, I haven’t had my tea yet.
“Also..... I’d love to see Bumrah captain India next.” Agreed.
11th over: England 47-3 (Root 12, Bairstow 7) And another four, as Bairstow turns Bumrah off his pads. Yorkshire v India – can they last till lunch?
10th over: England 41-3 (Root 12, Bairstow 1) Bairstow scratches himself into place, like a rabbit digging himself a crease. The commentators identify an arm ball “ with Pope suckered into playing the sweep shot by the ball that shot through him the over before.” And there’s a gorgeous cover drive from Root to lift our spirits.
WICKET! Pope c Jaiswal b Ashwin 19 (England 36-3)
Pope sweeps, but it’s a top edge, Jaiswal sprints after it and collects on the run. Super, super catch and Pope can barely pull himself off the middle.
Updated
9th over: England 35-2 (Root 7, Pope 19) Pope squints into the brilliant sunshine as he defends the last two balls from Bumrah stoutly. An earlier single to Root from an outside edge.
Good morning Ajay Patta! “Morning Tanya. Asking as a son of the tropics, is a temperature of 12 degrees a close approximation of English grounds? Or are the English used to to colder temperatures at this time of the year?” The season won’t start for another month but in early April and late September it can be 12 degrees, especially in the morning. But we don’t usually have the brilliant sunshine! (or the Himalayas)
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8th over: England 34-2 (Root 6, Pope 19) Root has had enough of Ashwin’s pressure and neatly reverse-sweeps him for four – and wow, the last ball rips through Pope, misses the leg stump by a sheet of tracing paper, beats the keeper and zips down to the rope. England will do well to survive a day of those.
7th over: England 24-2 (Root 1, Pope 18) A testing over from Bumrah, Pope twice beaten on the outside edge. Bumrah smiles his inevitable smile.
6th over: England 23-2 (Root 1, Pope 17) Bounce and turn from Ashwin had put doubt into Crawley’s mind and two balls after Rohit pulled in a backward short leg, the irrepressible Sarfarz collected.
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WICKET! Crawley c Sarfaraz b Ashwin 0 (England 21-2)
Brilliant from Ashwin, Crawley pushes forward and turns the face but Sarfaraz is waiting at backward short leg and pouches it like a hamster.
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5th over: England 18-1 (Crawley 0, Pope 16) Pope purring along here, tickle his tummy and watch him drive through mid-on for four. Another four from a thick edge, but it flies wide of the slips - he’s got luck today too.
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4thover: England 9-1 (Crawley 0, Pope 7) That’s more like it, Pope cuts a loose one for four, picks up two more through midwicket. He’s looking calmer today.
3rd over: England 2-1 (Crawley 0, Pope 0) Another immaculate maiden from Bumrah.
2nd over: England 2-1 (Crawley 0, Pope 0) Duckett had already been beaten in the sweep and looked perilously close to popping the ball to short leg. I guess he wanted to impose himself. Full marks anyway for a purposeful gallop and swipe, just a shame he missed the ball….
“You may be subconsciously running away from reporting about England team. That is my psudo- psychological interpretation of your sleeping through alarm!
You could be onto something there Nitin Deshpande.
“Anyway, chin up. Scriptwriter for Stokes may yet come up with a blockbuster, after more recent string of flops.”
WICKET! Duckett b Ashwin 2 (England 2-1)
Oh dear, dear, dear. Duckett advances down the pitch to his fifth ball and loses his stumps.
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England's second innings innings - India lead by 259
1st over: England 0-0 (Crawley 0, Duckett 0) Bumrah it is, on the money straight away. A strangled lbw appeal from the fielders. More Jerusalem from the Barmy Army. An immaculate maiden.
Oh and here’s a stat, Bashir is the first England bowler to claim a five wicket haul before he was 21.
“Morning, Tanya” Hello there John Starbuck!
“First thing I have to do at 04:00 is feed/water the cat. Is your dog so demanding? And incidentally, we learned yesterday that he goes over the road to a neighbour and gets fed biscuits. Dogs don’t work that way, I think.”
Dog will take biscuits but really only wants endless love. She is not actually with me as I left my youngest watching the boxing with friends last night and I think she and he must have broken the rules and she’s tucked up with him.
Updated
Arghgh, England are out already and I haven’t made a cup of tea. Anyway, here we go, heart in mouth etc.
In the TNT studio, they are talking all things Jimmy. “I think the greatness came when he honed his skills in 2010, when people said he could only take wickets in England when it was swinging,” says old captain Cook.
Steven Finn, “He always made you feel awful as a bowler, I remember fielding at mid-off and watching him shouting at himself when he bowled one bad ball in a brilliant spell.. It was that attention to detail and always making sure he was mentally on it to deliver. He’s not lost pace or zip or bite off the surface and is even posting photos of himself topless on instagram.”
WICKET! Bumrah st Foakes b Bashir 20 (India 477 all out - lead by 259)
And that’s the lot! A fifth for Bashir as Bumrah is drawn forward and the third umpire takes a look – he doesn’t get his boot behind the line in time. England have rattled through India in 20 mins, but now the real challenge begin. Bashir and Anderson squabble over who should lead the team off, in the end they put their arms round each other and cross the line together.
Updated
124th over: India 477-9 (Bumrah 20, Siraj 0) England’s greatest bowler collects 700 in the most beautiful cricket ground in the world. I hope there’s a reward in that for the old boy. What a perfect bowling machine.
WICKET! Kuldeep c Foakes b Anderson 30 (India 477-9) Anderson's 700th!
Roughs Kuldeep up with a bouncer, picks him up next ball with an edge to Foakes. And that’s the magic 700! From 187 Tests at 26.52. He allows himself a small smile and holds the ball aloft.
Updated
123rd over: India 477-8 (Kuldeep 30, Bumrah 20) Lots of “come on Bash” enthusiasm from the fielders, a bit of Free Fallin from the DJ and a neat clip for one from Kuldeep.
Updated
122nd over: India 476-8 (Kuldeep 29, Bumrah 20) It’s Jimmy, on the search for number 700. The pitch is true, the sun is out, though it is only 12 degrees out there. Kuldeep picks up a single from a thick edge.
121st over: India 475-8 (Kuldeep 28. Bumrah 20) Just in time to see the first over to the strains of Jerusalem. Sun is out and all is beautiful. A single off Bashir.
Apologies! I slept through my alarm.
Preamble
Hello! Is this the last 3.30am alarm clock for this series? I think it might be. England are looking the wrong way down a kitchen roll tube at this Test match – two days down, 255 runs in areas, two Indian wickets yet to get.
If Friday’s play was enlivened in English eyes by Ben Stokes’ barnstorming re-emergence as a bowler, and the patience and skill of rookie spinner Shoaib Bashir – the bald reality is that Gill and Rohit got off to a flyer and the next two bright young things, Devdutt Padikkal (65) and Sarfaraz Khan (56), ensured that India were not going to collapse into a convenient pile.
Of course Stokes may make a hundred tomorrow, buoyed by the return of his second/third skill. Ollie Pope will be out to prove that he is everything that the first Test suggested, not what the subsequent ones slipped into. Root will be elegantly diligent, Crawley has one more chance to turn an excellent 70 into a hundred. But first they. must overcome Bumrah, and then must overcome Siraj, while Ashwin, Jadeja and the wizardry of Kuldeep Yadav and his unpickable googly awaits. Your bets, ladies and gentlemen, your bets.
Play starts at 4am GMT.
