Close of play
20th over: India 60-0 (trail by 417; Rahul 30, Patel 28)
That’s it for day two in Chennai. It wasn’t the most mesmeric day’s play – the highlight was probably Liam Dawson’s patient unbeaten 66 - but the game is well poised with three days to play. Thanks for your company, bye!
19th over: India 58-0 (Rahul 29, Patel 27) Ah, Liam Dawson is going to bowl – he replaces Rashid for what should be the penultimate over of the day. His fourth ball is a nice delivery that beats Rahul’s tentative defensive stroke, and he starts with a maiden. He’s had a very good day.
18th over: India 57-0 (Rahul 29, Patel 27) There are three overs remaining, and I don’t think we’re going to see Liam Dawson get a bowl tonight. Moeen gets one to turn sharply if slowly at Rahul, who is hit on the elbow as he reaches forward defensively.
17th over: India 55-0 (Rahul 28, Patel 26) Patel picks the googly from Rashid and glides it for three to bring up the fifty partnership. Later in the over he splits the field with a delicious extra-cover drive that scoots away for four. The Indian batsmen look ominously comfortable, especially when you think that the masters, Pujara and Kohli, are still to come.
16th over: India 47-0 (Rahul 27, Patel 19) “It’ll be fine Rob, never fear,” says Guy Hornsby. “We’ve got three spinners.”
And thanks to their batting, they’ve got 272 runs to concede before they are in debit!
Lord, India are going to be two down at tea on day four, aren’t they.
15th over: India 44-0 (Rahul 26, Patel 17) Adil Rashid, who batted splendidly early in the day for his 60, is coming into the attack. He has 22 wickets in the series, easily the most by an England bowler. He induces a false stroke from Patel, who gets a leading edge towards cover off a nice, flighted delivery.
14th over: India 39-0 (Rahul 25, Patel 12) Rahul gives Moeen the charge and drives handsomely over mid-off for four.
13th over: India 32-0 (Rahul 19, Patel 12) Rahul slashes a poor delivery from Stokes through the man at deep point for four. There are seven overs remaining, and England could really use a wicket or two. In truth, they don’t look like getting one.
12th over: India 26-0 (Rahul 14, Patel 11) Patel thick-edges Moeen onto the knee of Bairstow, who would have needed preposterous reactions to claim that. I suppose it goes down as a missed chance.
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11th over: India 24-0 (Rahul 13, Patel 10) Stokes replaces Broad. His first ball is a wide half-volley that is driven deliciously between mid-off and extra cover for four by KL Rahul. This already looks like seriously hard work for the England bowlers.
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10th over: India 17-0 (Rahul 7, Patel 9) Rahul reverse-sweeps Moeen, with Stokes making an excellent stop at slip. That counts as an exciting incident in the context of this uneventful session. Moeen almost gets a quicker 63mph delivery through Patel with the final ball.
9th over: India 16-0 (Rahul 7, Patel 8) Another maiden from Broad to Rahul, and that takes us to drinks. It’s all pretty sleepy at the moment. England have fairly defensive fields, presumably to keep control of the scoring rate and try to take an India win out of the equation.
8th over: India 16-0 (Rahul 7, Patel 8) An early bowl for Moeen, who replaces Jake Ball (3-0-9-0) and starts with a maiden to Parthiv Patel.
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7th over: India 16-0 (Rahul 7, Patel 8) Rahul throws various sinks at a wide delivery from Broad and is lucky not to edge it through to Bairstow. It was such a vigorous stroke that he hurt his knee in the process, and there’s a break in play while he receives treatment. He looks pretty unconvincing and it beaten again by the last ball of the over.
6th over: India 16-0 (Rahul 7, Patel 8) Some good bounce for Ball in that over, with KL Rahul forcing one lifting delivery just short of gully. It might not be long before Alastair Cook turns to one of his spinners while the ball is still hard.
5th over: India 13-0 (Rahul 6, Patel 8) A few technical problems here – apologies – but you haven’t missed much. Broad is trying to tempt Rahul into something inappropriate outside off stump; Rahul waits for Broad to straighten his line and tucks a single off the hip. Patel is then beaten as he tries to hook a leg-side bouncer, a short of airy-fairy abandon.
3rd over: India 12-0 (Rahul 4, Patel 7) Patel is an irritating little opener, both in his cocksure manner and because of his scoring rate, and he has given India a decent start here.
2nd over: India 8-0 (Rahul 3, Patel 5) Jake Ball almost strikes third ball, with Patel edging an attempt cut just short of the slips and through for four. Root hurt his little finger in his attempt to stop the ball but he hasn’t asked for treatment.
1st over: India 2-0 (Rahul 1, Patel 1) Murali Vijay is struggling with a shoulder injury, so professional spin-bowling critic Parthiv Patel will open the batting. Stuart Broad takes the first over in the absence of Jimmy Anderson, and Patel benefits from an overthrow to get off the mark in an otherwise uneventful over.
“Cutters, mate,” says Ian Copestake. “Cutters.”
Updated
WICKET! England 477 all out (Ball b Mishra 12)
Mishra replaces Jadeja and ends the innings second ball, cleaning Ball up with the googly. Liam Dawson ends on 66 not out, a very impressive, level-headed performance. England will have around 90 minutes with the new ball. Wickets please!
157th over: England 476-9 (Dawson 65, Ball 12) Dawson lifts Ashwin high to deep midwicket, where the substitute Axar Patel takes a terrific catch above his head before falling backwards onto the rope. It’s given as six, and Ball makes it two sixes in the over with a decisive clout over long-on. Shot!
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156th over: England 459-9 (Dawson 58, Ball 2) A maiden from Jadeja to Ball. Nobody really knows what a good score is on this pitch. The consensus in the commentary box is that it’s especially important to strike with the new ball.
155th over: England 459-9 (Dawson 58, Ball 2) Dawson is content to sweep Ashwin’s first ball for a single and give the strike to Jake Ball. I’ve never been sure about that approach, not even when Steve Waugh did it every second innings against England. Two from t’over.
154th over: England 456-9 (Dawson 57, Ball 1) Jake Ball is the new batsman, and he’s almost the old batsman when he inside-edges Jadeja just wide of leg stump.
“Hi,” says Paul Moody. “I’m in kampot ,Cambodia, wondering where next? Following ,your wise words as England try and get their former dead rubber title back. Re: Jardine and Verity,either would make a partnership seem more catchy or steadfast.”
What about Jardine and Dyer’s Washing Machines?
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WICKET! England 455-9 (Broad run out 19)
I love the smell of farce in the morning. Broad has been run out after a mix-up with Dawson and some excellent work from KL Rahul on the fine-leg boundary.
153rd over: England 453-8 (Dawson 55, Broad 17) Ashwin, from around the wicket, turns one sharply to hit the pad as Dawson works across the line. Marais Erasmus says not out but India are going to review. I think this turned too much. Indeed it did, and it bounced too much as well.
152nd over: England 453-8 (Dawson 56, Broad 17) Hello again, my worthy children. Ravindra Jadeja is going to start after tea, with Liam Dawson 45 runs away from one of Test cricket’s more unlikely fairytales. Make that 44; he has just pushed a single into the off side.
TEA
151st over: England 452-8 (Dawson 55, Broad 17) That’s tea. It was a sleepy session but a good one for England, who lost just Adil Rashid for a bright 60. Liam Dawson made a calm half-century on debut, and England are slowly inching towards a position of safety. See you in 15 minutes for the final session!
150th over: England 452-8 (Dawson 55, Broad 17) Jadeja misses a run-out chance when Broad is sent back by Dawson. His throw seemed to be on target but it hit a footmark and bounced miles over the stumps. Dawson then drives the new bowler Ishant for a decidedly pleasant boundary.
149th over: England 448-8 (Dawson 51, Broad 17) Broad misses a vile hack at Ashwin, with the ball skidding past leg stump and through Parthiv Patel for three byes. Actually they were given as runs, so maybe there was an under-edge; yes, the replay shows there was, and that he would have been bowled without the deflection. Great shot! Broad, who is here for a good time rather than a long time, clouts four over extra cover to move to 17 from 12 balls.
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148th over: England 440-8 (Dawson 50, Broad 10) Broad half-edges, half-steers Umesh to third man for his first boundary.
147th over: England 435-8 (Dawson 50, Broad 5) Dawson drives Ashwin for a single to reach an impressive, temperate half-century on debut. He’s faced 121 balls and hit four fours. Good lad.
“I slightly worry that Jennings is the new Frank Hayes,” says Ian Forth. “Older readers may not recall Frank but he scored an attractive ton on debut against the West Indies in, naturally, a losing cause in 1973. Then got just 122 runs over the course of eight more Tests, admittedly all against the powerful West Indies of the time. Hoping I’m wrong and he is in fact the new Graham Thorpe.”
I think he looks really promising, though whether he starts the Test series next summer I’m not sure – it’s probably him at No3 or Moeen at No5.
146th over: England 430-8 (Dawson 49, Broad 1) Broad misses a mercifully wide yorker first ball, which sneaks under his bat but wide of off stump. The days of Broad being compared to Sir Garry Sobers are long gone: in Tests this year he averages 8.33.
“You mentioned the 100 partnership, which it seems (TMS aver) is now the best eighth-wicket for England in India,” says John Starbuck. “Mind you, Dawson & Rashid doesn’t ring quite the same as Jardine & Verity. Rather more mundane, but maybe a little earthier?” Yes, Jardine & Verity sounds like a cravat shop in a Poirot film.
WICKET! England 429-8 (Rashid c Patel b Yadav 60)
Oh dear. Rashid falls one short of his highest Test score, slashing outside off stump and edging through to Parthiv Patel. That was a fine innings though.
145th over: England 429-7 (Dawson 49, Rashid 60) Ashwin has switched ends and starts around the wicket to Rashid, who glides a couple more to third man. It’s been a story of wrist and reward for Rashid, who has played some really lovely strokes. England are batting with such comfort on such a benign pitch that both these players may never have a better chance to reach a Test hundred.
144th over: England 424-7 (Dawson 47, Rashid 57) The lively Umesh Yadav replaces Ashwin, and does nothing that will be remembered in 10 minutes’ time.
“This situation calls for a bit of creative captaincy,” says Kimberley Thonger. “Declare on 550 when Dawson and Rashid both have their hundreds. Then, pack the infield and bowl underarm from both ends, all day. With this slow outfield it will take India three days to reach our total. Voilà, we have a draw, which will seem like a victory.” If it wasn’t for those pesky laws of the game…
143rd over: England 422-7 (Dawson 47, Rashid 56) Rashid drives Jadeja through extra cover to reach a chipper half-century from 141 balls, and then squeezes another boundary through point. This is lovely batting. That boundary brings up the hundred partnership.
142nd over: England 416-7 (Dawson 47, Rashid 46) Rashid survives a run-out referral after a marvellous piece of fielding from Jadeja. Dawson flicked the new bowler to Ashwin to mid-on, where Jadeja collected the ball and fired in a row for Ashwin to break the stumps. Rashid had been backing up but was able to slide his bat in safely.
141st over: England 410-7 (Dawson 46, Rashid 45) England will know they aren’t immune from defeat - not with 400, probably not with 500, so there is unlikely to be a push for a declaration any time soon. They are scoring fluently enough now anyway, particularly Rashid.
“I saw talk among OBOers of Batty being our best spinner, before it turned out he was truly stuck in the 1980s and even voted for Thatcher at the last referendum,” says Ian Copestake. “Now our latest debut centurion opener is in fact a golden duck walking. This is post-truth cricket at its most infuriating.”
140th over: England 410-7 (Dawson 46, Rashid 45) Poor old Mishra, who has a series average of 79, goes round the wicket and induces a false stroke from Dawson, a top-edged sweep that lands safely between short fine leg and fine leg. Rashid then drives expansively through the covers for three. He plays some extremely good-looking strokes.
139th over: England 404-7 (Dawson 44, Rashid 41) “Exciting news from Yorkshire!” says John Starbuck. “It’s Dawn! in a near-cloudless sky! Conditions are probably a bit different where you are. And in Chennai.”
138th over: England 403-7 (Dawson 43, Rashid 41) Dawson drives Mishra comfortably for a single, and then Rashid chips wristily over midwicket for four to bring up the 400. Lovely shot. These two have played really well, though that observation is accompanied by the thought: what will Virat do on here?
“Top of the morning to you, guvnor,” says Ian Copestake. “This pitch is so mauve. We don’t know what it’s planning.” A Liam Dawson spin-bowling masterclass, that’s what it’s planning, pal.
137th over: England 398-7 (Dawson 42, Rashid 37) Jadeja continues to Rashid, who has played some beautiful strokes while also putting the risky in frisky.A maiden. These runs might be important when it comes to selecting the Test team next summer: Rashid needs to show he’s a good enough No8, especially if England now decide to treat Moeen as a batsman. It’s a tricky balance. I suspect they might play Moeen at No5, leave out Jennings and play Rashid at No8. But then can you see Moeen getting enough top-order runs in Australia? But then how can you drop him after 140-odd? Oh I don’t know.
Morning. Since you asked, here’s a list of England players who have made a fifty on Test debut batting at No8 or lower. Liam Dawson might join the list in the next half-hour. The last man to do so, Tim Ambrose, was only batting at No8 because of a nightwatchman, so in a sense you have to go back to Darren Gough’s swaggering 65 against New Zealand in 1994. What a thrilling introduction that was.
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136th over: England 398-7 (Dawson 42, Rashid 37) Good cricket from these two. With four people adopting various cover positions, Rashid strikes to the side of the one at point and calls early. Dawson responds immediately and a comfortable single is taken. That’s drinks and I now depart. Don’t fear, I leave you in the more qualified, capable hands of Rob Smyth. Enjoy your Saturdays!
135th over: England 397-7 (Dawson 42, Rashid 36) Dawson starting to eye up that maiden half-century, stepping across to manufacture runs and working Jadeja through square leg for two. He’s looking very solid.
134th over: England 395-7 (Dawson 40, Rashid 36) Just as I say the pitch is flat, Mishra starts to get some serious turn. After doing Rashid’s outside on the back foot, he brings him onto the front foot and repeats the trick. He decides to throw up the delivery after, but Rashid makes sure he is right to the pitch of the ball and threads it through extra cover for four.
133rd over: England 390-7 (Dawson 39, Rashid 32) A very flat over from Jadeja, as he, well, tries to york Rashid. Nothing doing.
132nd over: England 390-7 (Dawson 39, Rashid 32) Typically, just as Mishra loses his bat pad, Dawson squirts one in that direction to end the over. “Good afternoon from Sichuan,” writes Kevin on email. “Wonderful application from these two at the crease. Would you say the grit, determination and general limpe-like demeanour currently on display on par with Hameed’s Bildungsroman knock earlier in the series?” It’s not been quite as stoic because the pitch is very flat indeed, but it is good application. They might want to conserve some energy, though, as they’ll have to put in quite a shift to get 10 Indian wickets on this.
England spinners: 304/2
— Dave Tickner (@tickerscricket) December 17, 2016
England non-spinners: 71/5
131st over: England 390-7 (Dwason 39, Rashid 32) The straight fielders are set fairly deep to the spinners – there for the shot over the top – so Dawson takes the single despite driving straight at mid on. It seems Virat Kohli is happy to let the game meander, so long as boundaries are kept to a minimum.
130th over: England 389-7 (Rashid 32, Dawson 38) Rashid starting to have some fun: Mishra flights one up on middle and leg, Rashid steps down and flicks him through midwicket like royalty dismissing the help.
129th over: England 385-7 (Dawson 38, Rashid 28) Just a single from the over, with the most noteworthy moment coming at the over’s conclusion, as Virat Kohli’s loose throw nearly takes Dawson’s head off. Neither party budges in the staring contest, as Marais Erasmus comes in and calls it a tie.
128th over: England 384-7 (Dawson 38, Rashid 27) A chance! Rashid closes his wrists on a ball he should be trying to work through point than midwicket. As a result, a leading edge is sent over Amit Mishra (the new bowler) but just short of the man running in from mid off. The next delivery, Rashid gets it right, executing a picture-perfect back cut for four.
127th over: England 379-7 (Dawson 38, Rashid 22) Hmmmm... a very thick outside edge from Dawson runs through third man for four. Might have been deliberately played, on reflection: Dawson did seem to open the face on impact. We’ll give him that. The following shot is definitely an edge, mind, bringing just two through the same region.
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126th over: England 372-7 (Dawson 32, Rashid 22) Finally, a four to Rashid. And yes, you’ve guessed it – wristy and risky. A full sharp delivery gets edged well beyond second slip for four down to third man. And another boundary, this time worked classily inside fine leg.
125th over: England 361-7 (Dawson 30, Rashid 13) Jadeja on – a change of ends. Seems there’s more turn for him here: Rashid presses forward and is left for dead by a one that grips.
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124th over: England 360-7 (Dawson 30, Rashid 12) Umesh Yadav replaces Ishant Sharma and Dawson fees for one outside off stump. Very sharp bumper to finish, which Dawson gets right under – no header this time. Maiden.
123rd over: England 360-7 (Dawson 30, Rashid 12) “Morning from Minne-Snow-ta,” begins Krishnan Patel. “It’s been relentlessly snowing outside and cosily curling up and reading the OBO is awesome. Not sure what to make of Dawson’s innings. You should always be happy for your team getting runs but this is encouraging the selectors to pick bowlers who can bat rather than... Well.. Bowl (you know the thing they are needed for).” Dawson’s place is a lesson to all county cricketers out there. Your best hope for national selection is to make it on a Lions tour. Is that a bad thing? Perhaps not, given the Lions is a handy step between the domestic and international game. But it also shows just how influential Andy Flower still is, especially given how little county cricket Trevor Bayliss watches. Two from that Ashwin over.
122nd over: England 358-7 (Dawson 29, Rashid 11) A bit of an impasse between Rashid and Sharma. A lovely, flowing straight drive is well stopped by Sharma, who gets low to his left to save four runs. When he goes for the stumps, Rashid whips him behind square leg for one. Ian Copestake on Moeen and his dismissal: “He has plenty of time to sort out his one glaring weakness as an anti-Hilditch complusive non-hooker. But it is not as if we have not all known he had this problem. I find the recurring ways some England batters get out to be a worrying aspect of what is no longer some shoddy amateur national outfit.” It might stem from the encouragement to “play their own game”. Pro-sportsmen should never be allowed to do things themselves. They simply cannot be trusted.
121st over: England 357-7 (Dawson 29, Rashid 10) Same combo from this morning as Ashwin opens with Sharma. Oooooo, bit of glove from Rashid onto pad but just short of bat-pad, who looks a touch too deep. After a few failed wristy drives, Rashid gets a full delivery on leg that he turns to midwicket for a single.
120th over: England 356-7 (Dawson 29, Rashid 9) Bit of a floater to start for Ishant, who has reapplied his suncream and, coupled with the top knot, looks primed for Kabuki theatre. “Morning from Cabella Ligure (which strangely enough is in Piedmont). Minus two with light snow forecast – What’s the temperature in Chennai?” Morning Finbar Anslow – it’s currently 29-degrees-centigrade over there. Four from the over.
“I’m a bit concerned by England’s collapse,” writes Simon Ward. “The game must go to the fourth day, not least because I have agreed to give a lift to the airport at five’o’clock on Monday morning to my teacher brother, Fran, who, to judge from his Facebook timeline, was out last night celebrating the end of his term. A bit like the feed from Chennai, the pictures stopped at some point.” A lot of very kind souls giving the gift of airport lifts at this time of year. If any of you fancy a jaunt with yours truly, from west London to Heathrow on Thursday afternoon, well, you know where to find me...
Off for more coffee. We’ve got another OBO running parallel to this one – link here – where Steve Smith is doing ridiculous things, like this:
What a shot from the skipper! #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/FfSuFLNu5E
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) December 17, 2016
LUNCH
119th over: England 352-7 (Dawson 27, Rashid 8) Mishra to finish the session against Dawson. While Rashid was unable to hit the rubbish, Dawson has no problems, driving a full ball through the covers for four. A single allows Rashid to dot out the remaining four balls. That’s lunch. The morning session sees 68 scored for the loss of three. Very much India’s session, but a decent push back from Dawson on debut.
118th over: England 347-7 (Daswon 22, Rashid 8) Sharma still getting that shape into the right-handers, which is impressive given this ball is more than 30-overs old. He even delivers a slower ball for good measure. A shorter length ball dies through to Dawson who, in his attempt to play it off the back foot, doubles over and falls flat on his back. There’s a strong appeal, but the ball is going well down the leg side. “Has England got the hang of Ashwin finally?” asks Nabakrishna Hazarika. “One wicket for 109 runs.” I wouldn’t say so. He’s bowled very well in parts. But he does seem to be trying a few more things, which might explain the economy rate in excess of three.
117th over: England 346-7 (Dawson 21, Rashid 8) Some Alanis Morissette irony in Adil Rashid’s inability to hit long hops and full tosses of India’s hot-and-cold leggie. What it all comes down to is one of the stranger maidens you’ll see. But everything’s gonna be fine, fine, fine.
@Vitu_E My fave Amul ad is from '83, after Zaheer Abbas hit 3 successive ODI 100s v Ind. "Zaheer ab bas" it said, Hindi for "do stop now".
— Nagarjun Kandukuru (@knagarjun) December 17, 2016
116th over: England 346-7 (Dawson 21, Rashid 8) Ishant Sharma returning to the attack after his excellent opening spell and my pictures have returned! And a run! What a time to be alive. “One positive of having to get up at 3am to take No1 son to Gatwick is that I’m in front of the telly at 5.30 with a coffee and the OBO up. At least my Christmas party was on Thursday.” Great to have you with us, Matt Emerson. “I can imagine the Australian quicks looking at Moeen’s dismissal and rubbing their hands with glee. I can’t see him making a big score in Perth next winter.” That’s a fair shout, Matt. Though it’s worth pointing out that next year’s Perth Test will be played at a new ground, not the Waca, so perhaps Mo won’t be totally blown out of the water. It’ll still be quick, mind.
115th over: England 344-7 (Dawson 20, Rashid 7) “That was perfect,” responds Ed Battison, “... until you overcooked it by suggesting they’d sorted out the transport at the Rose Bowl. Even with a splitting head and churning stomach I’m not falling for that one.” There’s that third maiden. By the way – I’ve lost pictures so have taken to the wireless. It all feels so retro. Do they still do the shipping forecast?
114th over: England 344-7 (Dawson 20, Rashid 7) The battle of the left-arm spinners also ends in a draw. That’s two maidens in a row. A third and Shane Warne’s sense will be tingling. *shudders*
113th over: England 344-7 (Dawson 20, Rashid 7) The battle of the leggies ends in a draw.
Bravo
Jimmy A even copping stick from the local butter & milk company!!@jimmy9 @bbctms @Vitu_E pic.twitter.com/RLRCxQSCCA
— Paul (@chirpycrow) December 17, 2016
112th over: England 344-7 (Dawson 20, Rashid 7) Rashid and Jadeja collide at the nonstriker’s end, as a throw from the deep has both scrambling to the same patch of grass. It’s a very nobbly coming together and Jadeja is worse off, receiving a Rashid elbow to the ribs. He’s down for the count. A good morning to Ed Battison: “Much like Paul I’ve been forced awake by the hangover that follows the works Christmas lunch. Not entirely surprising as lunch continued on through the afternoon and I have a definite memory of shots in a Wetherspoons before I managed to make it home at some point, around closing time. Can you lie to me about the score until we get to at least 600 to help take the pain away? I’m a Hants fan too so a century for Dawson would be good!” Good news, Ed, he’s just completed his double. Oh look – James Tomlinson has come out at no.9, resplendent beard regrown. And, what’s this – they’ve finally got some suitable transport sorted for the Ageas Bowl? What a few moments for England and Hampshire cricket. Better?
111st over: England 343-7 (Dawson 20, Rashid 6) Smart move to get Amit Mishra into the attack, giving India their full compliment of fielders. Plus Ashwin.
110th over: England 339-7 (Dawson 17, Rashid 5) Jadeja and Rashid cancel each other out for a maiden. “Dawson seems to have settled. This makes him my current favourite person in cricket,” says Ian Copestake, as he punctures his Moeen Ali blow-up doll.
Test cricket is dying yet today is "sold out". Plenty of free seats to me and 100s of fans turned away this morning @bbctms pic.twitter.com/YJp1oFNFe4
— Dane Satterthwaite (@Satterthwaite_D) December 17, 2016
Irritating scenes out in Chennai. India don’t seem to do ticket offices.
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109th over: England 339-7 (Dawson 17, Rashid 5) Not sure where the bounce has gone, but little to speak of in that Ashwin over. The first delivery dies, leaving Dawson to forehand one through extra cover for two. Ashwin bowls the carrom ball, but the length is short enough for Dawson to play it off the back foot, through point for four. Lovely shot.
Moeen Ali (146) failed to find the rope with any of 7 pull shots - the last of which brought his dismissal - and 2 hook shots #INDvENG
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) December 17, 2016
108th over: England 333-7 (Dawson 11, Rashid 5) Spin from both ends as Jadeja replaces Yadav. After a few drives into fielders, Rashid pierces the ring with a lovely inside-out extra cover drive, which brings him three. Dawson then gets his first taste of Jadu, defending with an open face to get a single behind point. Well played.
107th over: England 329-7 (Dawson 10, Rashid 2) Rashid camps on the front foot to Ashwin, so the off spinner comes around the wicket. That presents Rash with an angle to thread one through the leg side.
106th over: England 328-7 (Dawson 10, Rashid 1) A single to both batsmen before Dawson gets his first Test boundary with a leg glance. Aniket Chowdhury writes in: “The quick fall of English wickets today morning perfectly illustrates why your best batsman (Root) needs to bat longer. From a statistical perspective, scoring a 50 every inning is awesome, but it will rarely be a match winning knock, and the other batsmen will be unable to feed off that. Root needs to work on this aspect of his game to make a real impact against stronger teams.” Agreed. I have a theory about Root. He has been attacking from start to finish in his innings for the last two years: a period which coincides with England consistently being reduced to 21-3 (or thereabouts). However, even now that he has a bit more solidity, he’s still stuck in that fast forward.
105th over: England 322-7 (Dawson 5, Rashid 0) Rashid getting well forward to the spinner, after Dawson gives him the strike with single through square leg off the back foot. A chance for the Hampshire allrounder to be a bit selfish here. Rashid is more than capable of batting for himself.
104th over: England 321-7 (Dawson 4, Rashid 0) Nice pull through midwicket to get Moeen Ali going after the short break. Umesh is a bit too wide from around the wicket, but he corrects his line to tuck up Moeen Ali and pin him on the right pectoral. And another: this one is an attempted leave down the leg side which strikes the lower arm, just before the arm pit. The very next delivery, he finds Jadeja, who runs in from a position about three-quarters deep in front of square leg. Rashid’s first ball cuts right through him, well taken by Patel diving to his left. Patel, though, stops Kohli from reviewing due to the absence of bat. England reeling.
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WICKET! Moeen c Jadeja b Umesh 146 (England 321-7)
A brilliant knock comes to an end in predictable circumstances. After being worked over with two sharp bouncers, Moeen goes after one and finds Jadeja in the deep.
“Beefy is at his most Brentesque when DRS is deployed,” emails Ian Forth. “’Was the review successful? I’ll let you be the judge of that. Hello, impact outside off, playing a shot, going over the top? Nothing to see here, next! I like to think that the third umpire couldn’t do what I do, commentary with humour, and, well actually I could do what he does. And I think he knows it.’”
If we’re talking about Beefy and Brent, I offer this. Ian and everyone else, if you haven’t seen this already, enjoy...
103rd over: England 319-6 (Moeen 144, Dawson 4) Jeepers... Ashwin bowlers an off spinner that doesn’t turn, skipping on past Moeen Ali’s leave and, importantly, off stump. The next does turn and is left with just as much conviction from Moeen. Drinks.
102nd over: England 318-6 (Moeen 143, Dawson 4) Better from Dawson, covering movement into him from Yadav, yet still able to push the ball to midwicket for a single. Moeen, too, plays a short ball better, but is nearly run out as Ravi Jadeja gathers first time and throws at the nonstriker’s end. On target and that is oh so very out.
101st over: England 315-6 (Moeen 141, Dawson 3) A lot of men around the bat ramping up the pressure on Liam Dawson and it nearly does the trick. Two horrendous deliveries are missed: the second, a full toss, is nearly chipped back to the bowler. Luckily, a leading edge takes it over Ashwin’s head and away for two runs. The over ends with Dawson looking to turn one around the corner, forgetting there’s a man right there. It bounces just short. Ashwin’s pace – slow, alluring – is doing work.
100th over: England 312-6 (Moeen 140, Dawson 1) Ishant Sharma’s excellent morning spell comes to an end, having picked up a deserved wicket. Umesh Yadav – skiddier, fuller – takes over. Dawson plays out a maiden with relative ease.
99th over: England 312-6 (Moeen 140, Dawson 1) Dawson off the mark in Test cricket with a solid sweep around the corner, off the last delivery of this Ashwin over.
98th over: England 310-6 (Moeen 139, Dawson 0) Liam Dawson gets right behind his first delivery and is then sconned by the second: a cracking short ball from Sharma follows the right-hander, who looks to have ducked out of the way to safety. But movement off the surface cracks the forehead of Dawson’s helmet. After a little break, Sharma gives him another one. This time, the sway does the job. He’s a top five batsman, is Dawson, though only one season has brought him a thousand runs (2013). The last season, broken up by a few white ball games for England, saw him return 644 runs, with one century and five fifties. Yet to get off the mark.
@vitu_e no goss except lots of overworked teachers complaining about their job being impossible because tories. But thats for another thread
— paul (@pfon73) December 17, 2016
A shame. I was hoping to live vicariously through your Christmas do. I missed the Guardian one on Thursday. Similar topics of conversation, I’d wager.
97th over: England 310-6 (Moeen 139, Dawson 0) Oh hello. Moeen, with the two wickets going early, decides to punch back, flaying Ashwin over extra cover for six before hitting against the turn through midwicket for four.
96th over: England 300-6 (Moeen 129) Sharma sticking to over the wicket and the same movement he gets in to Buttler nearly squares Moeen Ali up. Luckily for Mo, with 127 to his name, he’s able to cover the change of direction at the last moment. Another short ball and Moeen Ali bites again. He checks the shot, at least, but there are two men waiting in the deep. “High risk for one,” says Nasser Hussain, with the tone of a frustrated father watching his son sticking his knife in the toaster. Again. Buttler’s gone.
@vitu_e don't worry, Vish. I'm here. Had end of term drink (I'm a teacher) and now I can't sleep because of middle age.
— paul (@pfon73) December 17, 2016
Glad to have you with us, Paul. Any goss??
Updated
WICKET! Buttler LBW Sharma 5 (England 300-6)
One of those LBWs where, as a batsman, you should really be walking off. Buttler, having moved across his stumps, is done by the one that comes in. This time, it’s full and clatters into the front pad at about shin height. Oh, so very out.
95th over: England 297-5 (Moeen 127, Buttler 4) Buttler decides to use his feet to Ashwin, as the off spinner goes for a straighter line and a few more carrom balls as the right-hander plants himself outside off stump.
94th over: England 294-5 (Moeen 126, Buttler 2) Moeen! Stop that right now. Ishant, with the most telegraphed of bumpers, and Mo bites, hooking a delivery from outside off stump behind square on the leg side. Luckily, the ball lands well short of Amit Mishra waddling in from fine leg. Criminal shot, all things considered. But he lives on. Buttler survives that appeal and starts to use his bat.
Updated
NOT OUT!
Impact outside off, Buttler playing a shot. Move on! [/Beefy]
REVIEW
Another nip-backer, this time Buttler plays but misses, as the ball clatters into his front pad. Looks outside off stump, but the umpire gives it not out. Kohli reviews...
Updated
93rd over: England 291-5 (Moeen 124, Buttler 2) Brisk over from Ashwin, as Moeen and Buttler play him with relative ease. Buttler seems to be getting himself well outside off stump when defending. Silly point an option? “My advice,” offers Mahendra Killedar, “don’t leave your seats! This is shaping up nicely - The Flat Track Bullies vs. Dead Rubber Bullies!!!” I’m not really sure who is who, there. England have a horrendous record in Dead Rubbers.
92nd over: England 288-5 (Moeen 123, Buttler 0) Ishant Sharma with this over. No doubt he’ll be short to Moeen Ali when he gets a decent set at hi, but Mo avoids the examination this time around with a single off the first ball. Wide and enticing to Jos Buttler, who plays and misses first time. The final delivery nips back and clatters high into Buttler’s pad, who was leaving that out of the hand.
91st over: England 287-5 (Moeen 122, Buttler 0) Ravi Ashwin starts us off, as Jerusalem gets an airing. Certainly wasn’t builded in Chennai, and if it was, it would be well behind schedule. That is unless Ashwin is in charge of the project – he’s a man who gets things done. Stokes, gone, edging behind. Jos Buttler comes in and is immediately beaten on the outside edge.
WICKET! Stokes c Patel b Stokes 6 (England 287-5)
Quality bowling from Ashwin: full, bit of flight, a lot of spin away from the left-handed Stokes. Shnick. Stokes looked like he followed the ball as it turn away, but credit to the bowler for a belting delivery. Here we go again...
“Vish, we really should stop meeting like this,” tell me about it, Ian Copestake. “The prospect of a bit of Buttler to fall back on should things go awry has me all in a tizzy.” It’s comforting, like when professional help fails to effectively remove a hornet’s nest from your garden but you know a flamethrower will do the trick. Players out there and cricket imminent...
Shameless, this, but if you’re looking for a review of cricket in 2016 featuring a guitarist from the year’s best British band and the man who Kumar Sangkkara wants to play him in a movie of his life, might I recommend the following...
It's the most wonderful time of the year...
There’s been moaning about Moeen, reservations over Buttler’s driving and Liam Dawson is here. Really, *this* is the most wonderful time of the year. A Test that won’t count for much. Unless of course England win, in which case it’ll be chucked into a pot with some cinnamon, nutmeg and a year’s worth of wine, then simmered to extract all those delicious positives out that we can sup on until we’re all utterly Christmas tree-ed. England proved, beyond reasonable and unreasonable doubt, that 400 is no longer a score to build your house on. They need 500 today, maybe even 600, to keep us contented over the next few weeks. They’ll resume on 284 for four soon, with the new ball about five overs old and Ishant Sharma and Amit Mishra expected to do some bowling at some point today. Grounds enough for optimism. Before you stock up on Dead Rubber Cheer, Barney Ronay looks into the imminent future of Alastair Cook and wonders: “Why isn’t Cook getting pelters?”
I want the wonderfully overblown Michael Henderson calling Cook’s England “buttock-clenchingly awful” as he did the class of 1999, causing swoons in the press box. I want Henry Blofeld accosted by Ian Botham, or the excellent Stephen Brenkley being throttled across a dinner table by the chairman of the ECB. This has to matter, and to a stupid degree.
True story: the chairman of the ECB has a habit of throttling journalists across dinner tables. If you’d like to throttle me, you can do so via email or Twitter. It’s probably a bit cleaner done through one of those two channels. Less spittle.
