Summing up
It was, of course, an excellent chase by England, Morgan batting brilliantly and working on the foundations laid by Root, Roy and Moeen, but it wasn’t enough, because their bowling was taken apart much more savagely than India’s was, and England were never quite as rampant as India were during the astonishing assaults led by Yuvraj and Dhoni. While Ashwin, Jadeja, Kumar and Bumrah were just smarter in their bowling than England were. Still, it was a compelling game of cricket, as compelling as your emails about book deals and fonts. Thanks for following, and stay on the site for reports and reaction. Bye.
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England 366-8 after 50 overs, India win by 15 runs
50 overs: England 366-8 (Plunkett 26, Willey 5); target 382). Plunkett drives for a meaningless single to round off a brilliant textbook death-bowling over from Kumar, from which England took only six runs. India have won the series
49.4 overs: England 365-8 (Plunkett 25, Willey 5); target 382). Willey inside edges to the keeper, they run one. Excellent bowling from Kumar.
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49.3 overs: England 364-8 (Plunkett 25, Willey 4); target 382). Willey drives on the offside, Ashwin misfields, they take two
49.2 overs: England 362-8 (Plunkett 25, Willey 2); target 382). Plunkett digs out a yorker square on the offside, and it’s only one
49.1 overs: England 361-8 (Plunkett 24, Willey 2); target 382). Willey carves away for one on the offside
49th over: England 360-8 (Plunkett 24, Willey1); target 382). Morgan brings up a stunning century with a square carve past backward point for four before a single puts Plunkett on strike. And his straight drive back at the bowler leads to Morgan’s dismissal, run out at the non-striker’s end. The crowd are exultant again. A couple of singles and a paddle sweep/ramp for four from Plunkett round off the over – 22 needed off the last over, and I’ll go ball by ball
Wicket! Morgan run out 102, England 354-8
Morgan is run out at the non-striker’s end after Plunkett’s straight drive is cut off by Bumrah who throws down the stumps with the captain halfway down the track.
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Hundred for Eoin Morgan!
A square drive in the air to the boundary brings up the captain’s 100
48th over: England 349-7 (Morgan 97, Plunkett 19; target 382). Ooh this is excellent from the England captain. Morgan takes two from Kumar before another deft legside pull beats the fielder in the deep and goes for four. He then goes one better and carves behind square on the offside for another one. A clubbed single takes him to 96 before Plunkett stretches at what would otherwise have been a wide and inside edges a single towards third man. A single off the last ball keeps Morgan on strike - 33 needed off two.
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47th over: England 336-7 (Morgan 85, Plunkett 18; target 382). Morgan takes a swiftly-run two off Bumrah’s first ball, and then connects perfectly with a shorter ball outside off stump and pulls it over deep midwicket for SIX, his fifth of the innings. He adds another single before he’s initially given out lbw, before a confusing DRS review reprieves him for being outside the line. Plunkett capitalises with two fours to round off the over. It’s very quiet suddenly. This game is still on.
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Review! Plunkett
Plunkett is hit on the pad and refers. And gets away with it
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46th over: England 319-7 (Morgan 76, Plunkett 10; target 382). England can’t afford a single dot ball now but this over begins with two of them, Plunkett swinging and missing at Kumar, and then not going anywhere near a wide attempted yorker outside off-stump that could have been called wide but isn’t. A scurried bye follows (well, we think it’s a bye, the umpire doesn’t signal) before Morgan carves a low full toss high over extra-cover for four. The next such ball is turned round the corner for a single that would have been four but for a smart sprawling stop. Plunkett then hits his straps with a thumping on-drive that bounces once before pinging over the ropes for four.
“If I were a cynic,” writes Matt Emerson (perish the thought), “I would suggest that the best way to tell the OBO readers that you’ve got a book contract without them immediately hating you is to do the following: 1) Pretend that you’re a natural born loser and that you can’t face reading an email that will include crushing rejection2) Wait. This will encourage others to come out of the woodwork to profess solidarity and sympathy3) Inform everyone that you’ve been turned down for something less than you have actually been accepted for 4) Sneak the bit about getting a book deal in at the end5) Wait for the congratulations to trickle in.
Well played, Mr Copestake, well played. And congratulations.”
45th over: England 309-7 (Morgan 71, Plunkett 5; target 382). Confident cricket from Woakes, who belts the third delivery he’s faced in the air through the covers for four, but Bumrah comes back at him with a slower ball, nipping in off the seam, and bowls him. His first ball at the new man, Plunkett, speared in low, looks worth an lbw shout but neither bowler nor keeper fancy it. A slashed edge off the next ball brings four, but nine from the over’s not enough.
Wicket! Woakes b Bumrah 5, England 304-7
Bumrah confounds Woakes with a slower ball. The batsman misses. India aren’t far off now.
44th over: England 300-6 (Morgan 71, Woakes 1; target 382). Kumar’s attempted yorkers are rather better than those of England’s bowlers earlier, and this is a brilliant, potentially decisive over from him. He almost gets one under Moeen’s defences first off but the batsman manages to bunt it down the ground for one. A hurried single to short third man follows. There’s then a pause for a bat change and a chinwag but, as so often, the delay works to the batsmen’s disadvantage as, next ball, Moeen is bowled by Kumar, bringing a valuable little knock to its end. Woakes gets off the mark with a single but England are falling ever further behind the rate now.
A plea to messrs Copestake and Wilson from Damian Clarke: “Please ask them to stop. It’s like my parents all over again. I can’t go through that.” I’m staying out of this now.
Wicket! Moeen b Kumar 55, England 299-6
Moeen inside-edges a slower ball onto his stumps to give the impressive Kumar a second wicket.
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43rd over: England 297-5 (Morgan 70, Moeen 54; target 382). Jadhav tucks Morgan up with a low full toss but the England captain responds with a thumping legside swipe for four. He clubs a single down the ground before Jadhav sends a filthy wide down the offside. Moeen treats the extra ball with disdain, belting it over wide long-on, just eluding the fielder, for four and then reaches a superb 40-ball half-century with another thump through midwicket to the boundary. A single takes the over’s cost to 15, just what England need. An anxious hush descends on this packed crowd.
42nd over: England 282-5 (Morgan 65, Moeen 45; target 382). Kumar’s long-awaited return to the attack: Moeen tries to pull his first ball, but it’s too short, sharp and accurate for him to do anything than top-edge onto his chest. Then Jadeja drops a sitter, completely misjudging a skyer from Moeen down the ground and allowing it to go through his hands. The batsmen run two, as they do off the next ball as well, but Kumar comes back at him with a wide yorker that Moeen can only grub at and the ball dribbles behind to the keeper. A lofted two follows before Moeen carves a low full toss square on the offside that’s well cut off by Jadhav on the boundary. That, too, is two. England now need more than two runs a ball.
“In response to 30th over, and obviously sounding like a massive, joy-sucking pedant,” writes David Webb, invitingly, “I believe the latest position is that there are no peer reviewed studies that support any benefits of comic sans to dyslexic readers. A recent study didn’t include the monstrosity in the fonts used, but states that Helvetica, Courier, Arial, Verdana and CMU are have benefits for dyslexic readers: http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=2513447. The general assumption that it is better seems to just be accepted. Like kale, or soy milk.”
41st over: England 274-5 (Morgan 65, Moeen 37; target 382). Jadhav returns. Moeen lifts him over extra-cover for one before Morgan nudges another fine on the legside. England can’t get on top of him this time and deal only in ones, three more of which follow.
“Crooked Copestake is dead wrong. Fake news loser!” roars Robert Wilson, glaring at everyone’s pint and upsetting the bonhomie. “I’m about a thousand years old and can’t stick T20 at any price. Sad! Notwithstanding, I’m absolutely delighted for him - well played, sir. Is this the first OBO flamewar? The mix of heated objection and clubbish congratulation would seem somehow typical of the form.”
40th over: England 269-5 (Morgan 63, Moeen 34; target 382). Kohli reverse-ferrets and brings Ashwin back for his final over. This England pair know they need to see him off without doing anything stupid, and they take singles off each of the first three balls before Morgan plays out three dots. Ashwin ends with figures of three for 65.
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39th over: England 266-5 (Morgan 62, Moeen 32; target 382). England are still ahead of where India were at the same stage, but then India have better death bowlers and the home side’s pyrotechnics in their final 10 overs will take some emulating. Morgan’s going to try though, thumping the returning Pandya’s first ball straight over his head – and the heads of plenty in the crowd – for SIX. He follows it up with an emphatic pull in front of square for four – this is the England captain right back to his best. A cut off a wide ball outside off stump for one follows, and three more singles complete England’s best over yet.
38th over: England 252-5 (Morgan 50, Moeen 30; target 382). With Ashwin still having one over in hand, Bumrah replaces him – the opening bowlers could wrap this up pretty quickly if they hit their straps. Morgan pushes a single off his first ball before Moeen takes Bumrah on with a brilliant short-arm pull over midwicket for four. A single follows before Morgan reaches a much-needed 50 with a flick on the legside for one.
The Copestake Saga – the latest chapter: “Judging by the level of Robert Wilson’s patience he is a young man who likes his Twenty20. But at his behest I can relate that I opened the note and of course looked for the major rejection signifiers. It took a while (it was a friendly and considered reply) and then came the keyword “but” followed by “I’m afraid he doesn’t think it’s a good fit for the series.” Dear reader, I married him ... no, I mean the note then went on. They have instead offered me a contract for my tome as a stand alone monograph rather than in a series. I am a bit shocked by this turn of event.”
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37th over: England 245-5 (Morgan 48, Moeen 25; target 382). Moeen swivels and pulls Jadhav square on the legside for four. Easy pickings, though it wasn’t too far from being caught by the fielder at square leg. Jadhav tightens his line up a bit after that, and a dots and ones combination characterises the rest of the over. Eight from it, when England might have done with one or two more.
36th over: England 237-5 (Morgan 46, Moeen 19; target 382). Moeen tries to carve Ashwin square on the offside but mistimes and can’t get the distance on it, which is just as well as it was in the air and would have been caught. They can’t work Ashwin away in a brilliant over, which concedes only one run. The rate required is just over 10 now, though the bowling may be about to become slightly less tricky.
35th over: England 236-5 (Morgan 46, Moeen 18; target 382). Jadhav’s angle of attack from round the wicket looks almost 45 degrees, who milk him for singles before Moeen mows emphatically between midwicket and long-on for four. He’s settled swiftly and well, as he needs to. Nine from the over.
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34th over: England 227-5 (Morgan 44, Moeen 11; target 382). Dhoni fumbles a run-out chance as Moeen scurries back for a two – there’s not been a run-out in this match, nor many chances of one. The swift running continues, but there are no boundaries, as England add five from Ashwin’s eighth over.
“Is this bloke Copestake really not going to give us the denouement of the whole is-it-or-isn’t-it rejection stroke life-changing acceptance letter?” asks Robert Wilson. “Seriously!? I hate to be uncharitable but no wonder he keeps getting rejected if this is how he handles an old-school cliffhanger.”
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33rd over: England 222-5 (Morgan 43, Moeen 7; target 382). India turn to their third spinner, Jadhav, who is taken for a fine four from Moeen first up. But his skiddy angled style, from wide around the wicket, looks occasionally awkward to deal with, even if it lacks the obvious control of Ashwin and Jadeja.
Steve Ditchburn adds that he doesn’t have dyslexia. “I just think that Comic Sans actually looks like joined up writing and as I always attempt to make my emails ‘READABLE’ I feel that it is a really nice script. Tell me why, in your more than humble opinion, Comic Sans devalues a comment?” I’m a joyless font purist, mainly.
32nd over: England 214-5 (Morgan 40, Moeen 1; target 382). Are India going to bowl Ashwin through too? Well they might, because he removes the dangerman Buttler, who’s stumped off a wide. Which always feels like a bit of a humilation, or at least it did the one time it happened to me, though I wasn’t facing a bowler or keeper with the craft of Ashwin or Dhoni. Moeen is off the mark with a single, knowing he really needs to step it up now. His captain is doing precisely that, swiping Ashwin high over midwicket for another SIX. For a man out of form, he’s looking decent at the moment. The required rate is now 9.33.
Wicket! Buttler st Dhoni b Ashwin 10, England 206-5
Buttler is stumped off a wide! Buttler tries to hoik on the legside, and neat glovework from Dhoni sees him swivel and whip the bails off. England staring at defeat now.
31st over: England 204-4 (Morgan 33, Buttler 10; target 382). Pandya, erratic earlier, returns from the other end, and finds a skiddy edge from Morgan, but his drive nearly goes for four before being cut off at the third man boundary and they take two, the first of two consecutive twos. Pandya has some threat though, and he induces a play and miss from Morgan, trying to find room to cut where room was there none. He makes no mistake a couple of balls later, meeting one outside off-stump with a towering lofted drive for SIX.
30th over: England 193-4 (Morgan 22, Buttler 10; target 382). Buttler clips Ashwin down the ground for one, before Morgan reminds us of what he can do, meeting a more flighted ball from Ashwin with a brilliantly timed straight six, hitting with the line and spin. A well-run two completes England’s healthiest over for a while.
“Don’t be so quick to dismiss Comic Sans,” adds John Starbuck. “It is not aimed at children or hipsters, but people who have a certain amount of dyslexia. They know what the words are, but sometimes have trouble fitting them together. The semi-italic style helps them to understand a sentence.You might notice that a large fair-’haired’ gentleman has been much in the news lately and his tweets show evidence of such a condition, so we all might try getting used to it.” I wasn’t aware of that. Thanks.
29th over: England 183-4 (Morgan 15, Buttler 7; target 382). Jadeja bowls the final over of a spell that might just prove to have been decisive in keeping England reined in. England don’t take any risks, pushing for singles only, four of the blighters. And so ends a terrific spell, 1 for 44 from 10.
28th over: England 179-4 (Morgan 13, Buttler 5; target 382). The all-spin diet continues, and it’s working. Morgan pushes Ashwin down the ground for one before Stokes is snared by Ashwin again, misreading and misjudging a deceptive slider from Ashwin. Buttler gets off the mark with a single, and Morgan adds another, but England need to be both careful and aggressive now. Buttler signals his intentions with a lofted four that beats two fielders at long-on.
The tone of England’s message to Buttler is probably along the lines of this:
Wicket! Stokes b Ashwin 1, England 173-4
Ashwin masters Stokes once more, his arm ball deceiving Stokes, who gets a slight inside edge onto the stumps. India firmly on top now.
27th over: England 172-3 (Morgan 11, Stokes 1; target 382). Jadeja claims a possibly decisive scalp, turning one away from Roy’s attempted cut and bowling him. Stokes, not Buttler, comes to the crease, knowing how important his contribution now needs to be. He’s off the mark swiftly, but Morgan continues to look relatively becalmed. Jadeja jas 1-41 off nine.
“Thank-you, Ian Copestake,” continues his old mucker John Starbuck, “all compliments gratefully received. Many years ago, I used to be a reference librarian, and therefore knew everything.”
Wicket! Roy b Jadeja 82, England 170-3
Big breakthrough. Jadeja gets the wicket he deserves, beating Roy’s attempted cut with a sharp leg-break.
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26th over: England 170-2 (Roy 82, Morgan 10; target 382). Morgan tries a firm slogsweep off Ashwin but doesn’t fully connect, and it brings him a single to square leg rather than the four it might have brought were he in better overall form. Roy, however, is in rather better form, which is why he finds room to attempt a lofted cut shot over extra-cover, and succeeds, getting four.
25th over: England 162-2 (Roy 76, Morgan 8; target 382). Looks like Jadeja might well bowl through here – and well he might, because he’s as tight as a very squeezed-up tight thing, and concedes only four singles as England reach the halfway stage needing 220 to win.
24th over: England 158-2 (Roy 74, Morgan 6; target 382). Roy turns Ashwin round the corner on the legside and they run hard and well for two. A couple more singles take England to 150 before Roy, out of nowhere, produces a delicious lofted straight drive for SIX, which is a glorious combination of timing, footwork and power. Shot of the innings.
“If I may make a comment about Joe Root’s dismissal, the angle of the bat was completely wrong,” writes Steve Ditchburn in Malta. “If you watch the shot in slow motion you will see that Root’s bat was pointing upwards at the point of contact so he didn’t get an edge, he simply hit the ball in the air. A technical error by Root that he can sort out.” A good point somewhat undermined by the fact that it’s written completely in comic sans font. What madness is this?
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23rd over: England 145-2 (Roy 64, Morgan 4; target 382). Jadeja continues to be used as the middle-overs run-stemmer – this is now his seventh over on the bounce – and the impeccably disciplined line continues. Morgan and Roy can deal only in singles, until Roy gets on top of a quicker, shorter ball and belts it to the fielder at deep extra-cover for two. Required run rate now 8.78.
22nd over: England 139-2 (Roy 60, Morgan 2; target 382). Ashwin gets his tools out now, the flight, drift and spin we saw in the Test matches keeping Morgan honest. And there’s only one from the over.
21st over: England 138-2 (Roy 59, Morgan 2; target 382). Morgan gets off the mark, driving Jadeja to long-on for a single, as the left-armer maintains his discipline, but this time he concedes some runs, and Roy finds the boundary, belting a shorter ball to long-on past the diving fielder.
20th over: England 128-2 (Roy 51, Morgan 0; target 382). Ravi Ashwin gets his first bowl of the innings, and his first ball sees Roy’s 50, an easy single. He’s grown nicely into this innings. Root’s half-century ensues straight away, a confident reverse sweep off the world’s best spinner for four. But the feelgood factor doesn’t last, as Root tosses his wicket away, slog-sweeping straight up in the air for the India captain to catch.
More on the best of English cricket fandom: “Could I just point out that the County Championship starts eleven weeks tomorrow?” asks Romeo. Of course you can. Unjust points deductions aside, looking forward to it. “And that it’s also Chopper1973’s birthday eleven weeks tomorrow?” Ok, if you must.
Wicket! Root c Kohli b Ashwin 54, England 128-2
Say it ain’t so Joe. Root fails to convert a 50 again, swiping ill-advisedly at Ashwin and miscuing. It dollies up for Kohli to complete the catch.
19th over: England 121-1 (Roy 49, Root 49; target 382). Jadeja maintains his probing line and length, and England are wise to treat it respectfully at this point. Root is, however, flummoxed a tad by one that drifts into him and loops off his pad for a leg-bye, but no harm done. Jadeja is going for under four an over.
More from self-criticism’s Ian Copestake: “I imagine it is a rejection because I am more used to receiving them and (thus) have a negative mindset. John Starbuck is correct. He is clearly a winner and should support teams from hot countries. Smiley face.” This entire exchange really does epitomise what English cricket fandom is, and indeed should be, all about. Pessimism and self-mockery.
18th over: England 119-1 (Roy 49, Root 48; target 382). Wide outside off-stump is an absolute gimme to Joe Root in this touch, as he demonstrates with a beautifully placed square cut for four off Pandya. A single brings to the strike Roy, who offers Bumrah at midwicket a quarter-chance with a fierce pull that the fielder can only tip on its way to the boundary for four. Two more singles round off an expensive over.
Kohli might want to rotate his bowlers a bit more proactively here – he’s been a bit, well, orthodox on that front so far, while tinkering aplenty in other areas, such as field placings.
17th over: England 108-1 (Roy 44, Root 42; target 382). Jadeja, at least, is offering some of the economy India need, and yields only three singles from his fourth over. That ebb and flow between bat and ball again.
16th over: England 105-1 (Roy 43, Root 40; target 382). A deft, if fractionally risky, upper cut from Root brings four more off Pandya – that’s a smart way of handling his short stuff – before a hurried single. Roy then takes England to a hundred, punishing a wayward ball outside off stump with a thumping, uppish square drive for four. England are still in this. At the moment.
“Whatever Ian Copestake’s rejection letter is for, at least his emails to the OBO are seldom rejected,” writes David Hopkins. “We’re all winners here Ian. Or, more accurately, we’re equal losers.”
I might get “we’re all equal losers” made up into some sort of OBO logo-ed t-shirt.
15th over: England 94-1 (Roy 38, Root 34; target 382). Jadeja shows some impressive control, offering little width and plenty to think about, though Root does club a shorter one down the ground for two in an over that contains only two other singles.
“How can Ian Copestake be so sure it’s a rejection?” parps Jonathan Gresty, “If he’s offered his services as a bowler of grubbers against India’s middle order for the 3rd ODI, I reckon he’s a shoo-in.”
14th over: England 89-1 (Roy 37, Root 30; target 382). Roy cuts loose to deliver England’s first six, advancing to meet Pandya’s delivery right out of the blockhole and clubbing it high and far into this vast crowd. Agreeably savage. A couple of singles ensue, and this is beginning to look like a very intelligently judged, productive partnership. There’s a very long way to go mind.
Is there any aspect of the news this week that can be kept clear of World War II allusions? No, as Robert Wilson demonstrates with this email: “Copestake’s rejection is quite obviously literary. Tell him not to worry. It’s not the worst thing that can happen to you. He will merely join the ranks of other prominent rejected novelists such as Napoleon, Hitler, Lenin and Stalin. Everything is gonna work out fine.”
13th over: England 81-1 (Roy 30, Root 29; target 382). For reasons not clarified, mobile phone lights go on in the crowd and are waved enthusiastically among the thousands in this cracking-looking old-school Indian cricket stadium. Roy gets a four with a sweep off Jadeja but is otherwise watchful. Six from the over.
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12th over: England 75-1 (Roy 25, Root 28; target 382). Another bowling change, but this one’s pace for pace, with Pandya on for Bumrah. He beats the pull shot of an advancing Root for pace, and confounds Roy with some pace and bounce too, before the Surrey man connects, pulling early across the line and sending it swiftly to the boundary for four. An excellent shot to end a testing over.
Rejection clarification from Ian Copestake: “It is all of those except romantic. Obviously,” while John Starbuck meeows: “Judging by the amount he writes, Ian Copestake’s rejection is probably from his publisher.”
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11th over: England 70-1 (Roy 21, Root 27; target 382). A fifth of the way through the innings and we have our first taste of spin, from Jadeja, whose first ball is driven to long-off for one by Roy. Root does similar to long-on before his partner cuts square on the offside for another single. Only four singles from a tight, stifling over, as we’ve come to expect.
10th over: England 66-1 (Roy 19 Root 25, target 382). Roy is denied a certain four by the stumps at the non-striker’s end – his straight drive off Bumrah was just too straight and gets a crash of ash instead, and a single. Bumrah beats Root for pace outside off. A punch on the offside by Root is then well cut off at mid-off by Pandya, meaning one run rather than four, before Roy does find the boundary with an open-faced glance down to third man. India were 43 for 3 at this stage, so England have this won really. Easy.
“Not that OBOers of an England stripe are experts in failure,” self-pities Ian Copestake, “but any advice about when to open an email containing (I strongly suspect) a rejection? I have missed the chance to get it over with as it is now just sitting there. But should I wait until England provide an uplift and so bury the bad news amid the uplifting joy that is sporting achievement?” What type of rejection Ian? Romantic? Employment? Financial? Psychological?
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9th over: England 59-1 (Roy 13 Root 24, target 382). The length of Kumar’s bowling is impeccable – so unlike England’s earlier – and it’s making Root drive/hoik-and-miss, but he gets it right eventually, taking on the offside-heavy field by lofting a straight cover drive over it and getting four. He ends the over with four more, a not quite timed pivot-pull to the square leg boundary.
8th over: England 51-1 (Roy 13 Root 16, target 382). Root slashes and misses inelegantly at a wide one from Bumrah, as a prelude to slashing and connecting with a similar delivery and getting four, just about finding the gap between backward point and gully – risky but rewarding, on this occasion. It’s a tight over though, with a single off a misfield at backward point the only other scoring shot. Despite my earlier speculations from my expert vantage point in London’s Kings Cross, there’s still no real dew out there, apparently.
7th over: England 46-1 (Roy 13 Root 11, target 382). Kumar tucks Root up with an excellent back of a length ball that jags sharply back into him, which induces enough anxiety in Root to make him prod and miss uncertainly at a subtle outswinger. The batsmen take a single each but that’s England’s lot. A nice ebb and flow to this chase, so far. Neither bat nor ball decisively dominant.
“Would ‘Bumrah’s outswingers’ fall into the Frankie Howard ‘Titter ye not’ category?” asks Chris Drew. The entire cricketing lexicon does really, if you think about it, or even if you don’t.
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6th over: England 44-1 (Roy 12 Root 10, target 382). Nasser Hussain in the commentary box tries to get a ‘tinkerman’ riff going about Kohli’s field changes and – Dilly Ding! - Root finds the gaps in that field with a fine square cut off Bumrah for four. Tinkerman brings his third man up to try to choke off Roy, who responds by opening the face for a square drive backward of square for four. Smart batting. A quietly encouraging over for England, their best so far.
5th over: England 34-1 (Roy 7 Root 5, target 382). Kohli takes his slip out to add a man on the drive for Roy, who nudges a single to mid-on, and reverses the field change for Root, who’s kept on the defensive by some good line and length seam bowling from Kumar, as another of the less-heralded themes of the entire winter (Indian seamers outbowling England’s) is continued. Root rounds off a very tight over with a single.
All of England’s seamers have worse records in the middle overs compared to Powerplay - this is rare in comparison to other teams. #IndvEng pic.twitter.com/TPp6jnP6ss
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) January 19, 2017
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4th over: England 32-1 (Roy 6 Root 4, target 382). Bumrah sends a wide down legside before having a request for an lbw review turned down by his captain, as it was going down legside. The next one isn’t though, but it’s inside-edged across the line and down to the fine leg boundary for four by Roy, who’s not yet settled and is beaten by a challenging outswinger next ball. That line of attack then gets its due, with Hales edging to the keeper. It’s a big scalp, just as I was about to comment chirpily on England being up with the rate so far. Root starts as England hope he means to go on, a sumptuous well-timed punch for four square on the offside.
Wicket! Hales c Dhoni b Bumrah 14, England 28-1
Bumrah’s outswingers off the seam earn some reward, inducing a nick from a hitherto assertive Hales.
3rd over: England 20-0 (Roy 1 Hales 14, target 382). A bit of good cricket all round – a punch to mid-off by Roy, a quick run and a magnificent dive and throw in one movement from Kohli. It doesn’t hit the stumps but it serves notice of India’s menace in the field. Hales then gets another boundary with a slice over the gully area, and dabs down to the fine leg boundary for three more, with Jadhav just about managing to retrieve it before it hits the ropes. Hales finds them with the final ball of the over though, a well-timed cover drive piercing the infield and going for four. A productive over for England.
2nd over: England 9-0 (Roy 0 Hales 4, target 382). Bumrah opens up at the other end and Hales gets England off the mark with a crisp Proper Cricket Shot, a square drive on the offside for four. This outfield doesn’t hang about. The bowler responds with a delicious zippy inswinger that cuts Hales in two but is called no-ball. The resulting free-hit ball goes for four, without the batsman hitting it – it’s an inswinging yorker, cannoning off Hales’ boot and flying down to the fine leg boundary. But Bumrah knows that inswinger is a potent weapon and cuts Hales up again with one that this time isn’t a no-ball. Nine runs from a good over.
Mention of Bumrah (the Show) still gives me an instinctive Public Enemy earworm. It aways will, I guess:
1st over: England 0-0 (Roy 0 Hales 0, target 382). Kumar gets us underway with a couple of wide ones outside off-stump that Roy leaves. The sun has set completely now, so England might hope the dew can give India’s bowlers some problems, though Kumar finds decent movement off the seam and a probing length, and chasing under lights in a place and situation like this is no picnic. Roy knows us much during a defensive first over, which is a maiden. Up goes the required rate.
A nice tribute to Rachael Heyhoe-Flint on Sky in the interval, with heartfelt praise from Clare Connor. Here’s a fine interview with her by Anna Kessel from a couple of years ago:
Thanks Vish. Good luck indeed. Afternoon/evening everyone. Well, we’ve all been here before: a brief period of English hope and breakthrough followed by an absolute flaying at the hands of one master big-batted batsman or other from India. Can England do the same back at them? However handy this England batting line-up is, and it’s one of the best they’ve had, they’re still rank outsiders here. England’s reply coming up …
Right, that’s it from me. Tom Davies will be taking over for the second innings. Good luck all...
@Vitu_E England need to bat not like professional cricketers but a kid who's got 5 mins before coming home for tea.Just as their bowlers did
— Mick Collins (@mickcollins) January 19, 2017
A tough sell this – unless you’re an India fan – but, earlier, Australia beat Pakistan by seven wickets in the third ODI at the WACA. Read all about it:
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@Vitu_E
— Muntazir Fazel (@MuntazirFazel) January 19, 2017
In response to Jonathan McCauley-Oliver's email asking for some faith:
Hahahahaha!
Seriously, have you seen England play lately?
ENGLAND REQUIRE 382 FOR VICTORY
50th over: India 381-6 (Pandya 19, Jadeja 16) Ravi Jadeja finds a four through midwicket and then a six over mid off as India get 14 off the last over. Relative to how the innings has gone, it could have been much worse. Even with that, Chris Woakes returns remarkable 10-over figures of four for 60. If England get these, it’ll be the second highest successful run chase in ODI history...
49th over: India 367-6 (Pandya 18, Jadeja 3) An inauspicious start to Ball’s last over as he brings mid off up into the circle and then bowls a wide full toss to Pandya, who basically has a free hit for four. He saves a boundary moments later but it comes at a cost. Pandya drills a ball back at the bowler, who takes evasive action while also sticking his hands in the air. The ball rebounds off his wrist and away to the fielder at long on for a single. After completing his 10 overs – wicketless for 80 – he leaves the field for some treatment. Meanwhile, Jonathan McCauley-Oliver emails in a rallying cry: “I’m beginning to feel like Otto in Kelly’s Heroes with all these negative waves around. OK it’s fair to say India have had the best of the last 40 overs but we’re not without the capacity to hit a few boundaries ourselves. Come on OBOers – have a bit of faith.”
48th over: India 358-6 (Pandya 12) Three sixes in the over for MS Dhoni before he falls. The first is ridiculous: charging Plunkett and smashing a full toss over midwicket/ The second is hit in the same region, albeit from a short ball. Then third is very un-Dhoni-like: carved inside-out over cover. Having come in at 25 for three, he leaves with 358 on the board...
WICKET! Dhoni c Willey b Plunkett 134 (India 358-6)
Nursing a cramping top wrist – it’s been given one hell of a workout – Dhoni works a full toss to David Willey in the deep. Plunkett has his second wicket.
47th over: India 337-5 (Dhoni 115, Pandya 11) A full toss is driven through the off side by Hardik Pandya before an overcorrection from Ball allows the allrounder to clear the fence at square leg. The slapstick nature of this bowling performance is taken to immeasurable levels as a helpful kid returns the ball straight back to an unsuspecting Ben Stokes, who wears it in the face. He’s not happy... “Earlier on I said England were going to concede over 300,” writes John Ryan, “and that it was looking highly unlikely that they’d win. I was told I need a hug... do you or Ian need one now?” One for Morgan going spare? India have shown just how small this ground is and, with that in mind, England are not out of this (yet).
46th over: India 323-5 (Dhoni 113) Well, at least Liam Plunkett has a wicket now. Granted, it comes at the end of an over that goes for 15, but he’ll take it. He’s sent down the ground by Jadhav and then has a good length delivery upper-cutted over the keeper, but he still has enough about him to run his fingers over one. Paul Newham writes in: “I don’t know about you, but it has been a long, hard winter for me - England take early wickets, let myself get hopeful, India put on a ridiculous partnership and bat England out the game, mood turns as gloomy as the weather. Getting a bit samey, isn’t it?”
WICKET! Jadhav c Ball b Plunkett 22 (India 323-5)
An enterprising 10-ball cameo comes to an end as Jadhav miscues a full toss to Jake Ball at midwicket. To Plunkett’s credit, it looked like a slower ball and the right-hander was early on the shot. The celebrations are minimal...
45th over: India 308-4 (Dhoni 110, Jadhav 11) Stokes bowls his ninth over and you’d imagine we won’t see that 10th. He concedes 12 runs, as Dhoni thumps him down the ground for four before Jadhav smears him through midwicket with the sort of full-blooded hack more at home on a village green. Still mighty effective. A good morning to Rob Wilson: “Just tuned in after a grim morning of Parisian bureaucracy and traffic sieges under a mercilessly blue winter sky. I was hoping to see some fun, warmth and decorous cricket and here I find something more akin to the Somme. Holy Rude Word, this Indian team is brutal. Australia will be touring there next month. I feel some realism coming. I’d better dig out my Gallipoli soundtrack. Ouch.”
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44th over: India 296-4 (Dhoni 104, Jadhav 5) The first no ball of the innings by Liam Plunkett results in a free hit that sees him bowl MS Dhoni... for four byes! Don’t think I’ve ever seen that before: the ball clipped the top of off stump and looped over Buttler. The final ball is ramped by new batsman Kedar Jadhav for four over a would-be first slip.
DHONI GETS HIS HUNDRED!
43rd over: India 281-4 (Dhoni 100) A quite incredible over, that. It started with a full toss from Woakes that Dhoni looked to have smashed out of the ground. However, on its way up, it hits the suspended “Spidercam” and comes back down. A dead ball is called, frustrating Dhoni and Hales, who was out on the square leg fence, right under that delivery, believing he had a chance. A frustrated MS decides the next ball is going to go instead and launches a HUGE six over long on and into the second tier. He then moves to his century with a hoik to square leg that Hales drops after putting in a good scamper and dive. Then Yuvraj goes. And breathe.
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WICKET! Yuvraj c Buttler b Woakes 150 (India 281-4)
A brilliant knock comes to an end. Yuvraj looks to go big over cover once more but edges through to the keeper instead.
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42nd over: India 274-3 (Yuvraj 150, Dhoni 93) Another good, boundary-less over for India – six from it. One of those singles takes Yuvraj to 150.
41st over: India 268-3 (Yuvraj 147, Dhoni 90) More good work from Dhoni, who has been cute and brutal in equal measure. Like a daschund armed with a claw hammer. When the length isn’t hittable, he’s moving across and working off side balls behind square on the leg side, as he does to Woakes’ third ball, for four. The review comes and goes. Seven from the over...
Few greater sights in cricket than Yuvraj in full bloom. Michelangelo would have plastered him all over the Sistine Chapel if he'd seen him.
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) January 19, 2017
REVIEW... NOT OUT!
Now then... it looks like Yuvraj has guided a wide delivery into the left hand of Jos Buttler. It was very full and looks like it may have hit... yep it has definitely hit the ground. The umpire gave it out as the ball was very full and definitely came off the bat... but it also very clearly bounced off the ground soon after.
40th over: India 261-3 (Yurvaj 145, Dhoni 85) A four behind square leg and a sumptuous straight drive for six - both off Ben Stokes - takes Yuvraj past his previous ODI best of 139* (against Australia in January 2004). “Blimey! What happened there?” Don’t ask, Dean Kinsella. “I went whistling off in warm winter sunshine to put my old car through its MOT test with England smashing through India’s top order, Djok out of Andy’s way and a song in my heart. Only to get home to this carnage. And my old opel needs a plate welding onto it. It’ll probably start raining shortly.”
@Vitu_E So, the plan was bowl wokes for 5 overs at the start, then take him off no matter what. And Morgan stuck to it. Great plan so far.
— Billy Mills (@BmillsBilly) January 19, 2017
39th over: England 246-3 (Yuvraj 133, Dhoni 83) Now Chris Woakes is giving the short ball a go. Six more to Yuvraj. Don’t worry, it’ll start being funny. Give it time.
In an uncertain world, Yuvraj putting England round the park is nicely reassuring. Welcome to 2007 again #INDvENG
— Christian Drury (@cj_drury) January 19, 2017
38th over: India 237-3 (Yuvraj 126, Dhoni 81) What starts as a good over from Ball is ruined by two boundaries from Yuvraj, picking up a slower ball over midwicket before bunting a full toss through cover. It could have been a lot worse had Liam Plunkett not put in a great effort at short fine leg to save three runs early on. “India’s batting in the tests and ODIs is the closest I’ve ever seen to what used to happen in my backyard when I was about 10, throwing a ball against a wall and batting,” says Peter Salmon. “Generally (as Australia) I’d run up a score of seven or eight hundred and then roll the Poms for about 70. Australia once scored 1,276 I remember. Great fun doing the interview afterwards. ‘Look, we probably had a bit of luck...’” Did you sledge yourself for the full experience, Peter?
37th over: India 226-3 (Yuvraj 117, Dhoni 79)
Woakes, off at 39-3 after taking 3-14, now back on at 217-3
— Tim (@timwig) January 19, 2017
What Tim said. Chris Woakes returns and immediately hurries MS Dhoni, who inside edges into his thigh, cracking his box in the process. After a replacement is brought out, he charges a shorter, slower delivery and thick edges it down the ground for six! India last five overs have reaped almost nine runs apiece...
36th over: India 217-3 (Yuvraj 116, Dhoni 71) Jake Ball, who presumably hasn’t been watching the last 35 overs, reckons he can undo Yuvraj with a couple of short balls. Guess what happened?
@Vitu_E is it really that bad? They are going at less than 6 an over when we saw you can easily chase 7 an over on these pitches?
— Jordan Wagner (@jordwagner) January 19, 2017
35th over: India 208-3 (Yuvraj 108, Dhoni 70) Gah, that’s trash from Plunkett. Tries to follow Dhoni, who gives himself room by moving to the leg side, but misdirects his delivery, allowing Dhoni to tickle the ball around the corner for an easy four. “Team England should employ John Ryan as resident ‘feet on the grounder’,” says Ian Copestake. “Stokes bowls a hattrick? Get John in to glower at Stokes with arms akimbo and breathe into his ear, ‘Have you forgotten Braithwaite?’”. Right on cue, John emails in: “Pathetic. Nothing else needs to be said.” Can’t disagree. A thick Yuvraj edge flies through second slip to finish the over with a four.
34th over: India 197-3 (Yuvraj 103, Dhoni 65) Jake Ball doesn’t concede a boundary but these two still manage to add seven to the score. England’s fielders, who are starting to look exhausted in this heat, are struggling to hunt down dabs on both sides of the wicket.
Most ODI 100s vs England:
— Deepu Narayana (@deeputalks) January 19, 2017
5 M Jayawardene/ R Ponting
4 S Jayasuriya/ K Sangakkara/ YUVRAJ SINGH *#INDvENG
HUNDRED FOR YUVRAJ SINGH!
33rd over: India 190-3 (Yurvaj 100, Dhoni 62) Brilliant from Yuraj! A single after a sublime drive over the top of extra cover brings up his 14th ODI hundred. Probably his most important given he’s 35 and was seen as a backward step when his name was announced in the squad for this ODI series. He punches his chest and holds back the tears as he salutes the dressing room.
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32nd over: India 183-3 (Yuvraj 93, Dhoni 62) The partnership moves to 151 as Stokes, around the wicket, bowls short and wide to Yuvraj Singh – a batsman whose 17-year international career has been built on taking advantage of such deliveries. When Stokes goes straighter, Yuvraj goes straighter, too, with a brutal on drive to move into the nineties. He’s closing in on a first ODI hundred since March 2011...
31st over: India 172-3 (Yuvraj 83, Dhoni 61) Drinks at the end of a subdued over from Plunkett. Dhoni takes the opportunity to see assess which of his finishing bats he’d like to see out the remainder of the innings with. Morgan could do with a regroup and a strong drink.
DHONI REACHES HIS FIFTY!
30th over: India 167-3 (Yuvraj 82, Dhoni 58) A loose flash of Dhoni’s tree trunk of a bat sends an edge racing past Jos Buttler for four, bringing up his half-century from 68 deliveries. The charge was always going to come after he started with just one from his first 15, but the lack of any kind of reverse swing is allowing him to throw his hands at anything and everything. Still has time for the defter touches as he guides one inside fine leg for four as Stokes tries to cut down on the width offered.
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29th over: India 156-3 (Yuvraj 81, Dhoni 48) DROP! Liam Plunkett comes in and directs a sharp delivery at Dhoni’s pads. The former India captain tries to take it on to the leg side but skews a big fat edge down the ground. It comes back to earth with snow on it and bursts through the hands of a scampering Jake Ball. To add insult to injury, Ball’s attempt to palm the ball away sends it over the boundary. Four.
28th over: India 151-3 (Yuvraj 81, Dhoni 43) Yeah OK, MS Dhoni’s in the building. The sharp two was a sign – the skip down the track and whip over wide mid on for six was proof. Thumping hit. Ominous signs as India’s third fifty comes up in just 38 balls...
27th over: India 141-3 (Yuvraj 81, Dhoni 34) More misguided short stuff from Willey, more welcome runs for Yuvraj. It’s a belter of a pitch and Willey is brisk without being quick so the ball is coming onto the bat very nicely. And, for all his historical troubles against the short ball, Yuvraj isn’t going to be undone on this sort of surface. All too easy for India at the moment...
26th over: India 134-3 (Yuvraj 76, Dhoni 32) Aside from his third over, which went for nine, Moeen Ali has kept these two batsmen in check. Just two from his fifth as he changes his length regularly to prevent Yuvraj or Dhoni from pre-empting what’s coming their way.
MS Dhoni now has ten 100+ stands with Yuvraj Singh in ODIs - most with any partner.
— Deepu Narayana (@deeputalks) January 19, 2017
Goes past nine with Suresh Raina.#INDvENG
25th over: India 132-3 (Yuvraj 75, Dhoni 31) David Willey comes back into the attack, having bowled just three overs up front, and is immediately picked off through midwicket by Yuvraj. A single brings up the century partnership from 119 balls. Just as a graphic comes up showing just how sedate Dhoni has been, he drives Willey down the ground for his fourth boundary. John Ryan – sans hug – is back wondering when England will next take a wicket. So is Eoin Morgan.
24th over: India 120-3 (Yuvraj 69, Dhoni 26) Steady stuff from these two vets, who have gone along at 5.6 an over for the last 10. Moeen gets some good drift in the over, leaking just three runs. Movement through the air proving a good substitute for movement off the pitch so far.
23rd over: India 117-3 (Yuvraj 67, Dhoni 25) Wowsers! Shot of the morning from Yuvraj: a lofted off drive over mid off for six (his 150th in ODIs, as it happens). That’s 2007 vintage Yuvraj. A few balls later, Stokes drops one short and the leftie just hangs back swivels to guide a pull behind square on the leg side. And now he keeps the strike after a misfield from Eoin Morgan, who has much to ponder at cover.
22nd over: India 104-3 (Yuvraj 55, Dhoni 25) Poor from Moeen, sending one down the leg side from around the wicket, meaning Yuvraj has a risk-free sweep for four. A sharp single into the off side brings up the team 100. Dhoni celebrates the milestone with a skip and a thwack back past Moeen for a second boundary in the over.
YUVRAJ REACHES FIFTY
21st over: India 95-3 (Yuvraj 50, Dhoni 21) His 52nd in ODIs. Despite coming in with India in trouble, he’s reached his half-century from 56 balls, while Dhoni has opted for the conservative approach at the other end.
Yuvraj ends a wait of 1149 days for an ODI half-century
— Tim (@timwig) January 19, 2017
20th over: India 92-3 (Yuvraj 47, Dhoni 21) A full blooded drive from Dhoni is cut off well by Alex Hales, who is out sweeping the off side boundary. So far, so good from Moeen.
19th over: India 88-3 (Yuvraj 46, Dhoni 18) Stokes going through a few variations here. The cutter seems to be responding well to the pitch, gripping and carrying through very well. John Ryan is back on the ol’ emails: “35-3 should have led to an India total of around 220-250, which is now going to be 300 plus. Sums up their position in the rankings, which is pretty apt for a team that takes out a slip after it gets them two of three wickets for 35 runs and proceeds to allow a fourth wicket partnership to stroll to near 100. Already hard to see them winning from here.” Someone give John a hug.
18th over: India 86-3 (Yuvraj 45, Dhoni 17) Time for a change of pace as Moeen Ali, England’s sole spinner (Joe Root’s part-time-offies aside), comes into the attack. Yuvraj immediately uses his feet to flick through midwicket for two. Three more singles are taken, as these two milk some easy singles.
17th over: India 81-3 (Yuvraj 41, Dhoni 16) A change for England as Ben Stokes takes over from Liam Plunkett. As is the way with Stokes, it’s out of the hand quick and off the pitch cleanly meaning Yuvraj can just block a ball down the ground for four. An outrageous piece of timing. Seven from the over and this fourth wicket partnership has moved to 56...
16th over: India 74-3 (Yuvraj 35, Dhoni 15) Jake Ball is now around the wicket to Yuvraj. While he is able to tuck him up, the pace of the outfield (and off the bat) means the leftie just needs a smidge of width to guide through the vacant slip region for four. “The question is not if England will win this,” says Mahendra Killedar. “The question is - from which ridiculously superior position will they lose it. This is how this winter has been.”
15th over: India 69-3 (Yuvraj 30, Dhoni 15) Now a second four from Dhoni as he “plays a bit of French cricket” (quality call from Nasser) to guide a ball through where Ben Stokes had been catching pigeons earlier.
14th over: India 64-3 (Yuvraj 29, Dhoni 11) Finally, a shot in anger from MS as he throws his hands into a wide one from Ball to thrash it through point for four. His first boundary of the morning.
13th over: India 58-3 (Yurvaj 28, Dhoni 6) Now it’s time for Yuvraj to catch the maiden bug. He tries to open the face on a few drives but can only find the fielders in the ring on the off side. Much better from Plunkett who is gradually upping his pace.
12th over: India 58-3 (Yuvraj 28, Dhoni 6) Better from Jake Ball as he concedes just three from the over. Though that’s down to Yuvraj taking a single off the first ball and stays at the nonstriker’s end for the duration of the over. “The photo a the top, is Ben Stokes playing football or showing off his Bez style dancing moves?” asks Lee Smith...
Apologies for not getting to your email sooner, Lee, because I’ve changed the photo to Chris Woakes taking centre stage in gaggle of strutting England cricketers, straight outta the Straight Outta Compton video
11th over: India 55-3 (Yuvraj 27, Dhoni 4) After two overs of maidens, Dhoni gets runs off the bat with a bunt to midwicket when Liam Plunkett starts with a full toss. It doesn’t get much better from the bustling quick as Yuvraj drives him through extra cover and then down the ground – both racing away to the boundary sponge.
10th over: India 43-3 (Yuvraj 18, Dhoni 1) Wayward stuff from Jake Ball, who is usually metronomic, especially to left-handers. Another short ball, this one on leg stump, is flayed around the corner for four.
9th over: India 39-3 (Yuvraj 14, Dhoni 1) “England need to avoid doing a Bangladesh or Pakistan, and twist the knife when they can to take control of the game,” writes John Ryan in an email entitled “Twist the knife”. Dhoni looks like he’s in the mood to bat out the overs as he finishes the over with a leave to hand Chris Woakes his third consecutive maiden. Dhoni is one off 15 balls. “India aren’t on the ropes just yet, but another wicket or two and it could be the cricketing equivalent of Floyd Mayweather feeling the effects of Conor McGregor’s left hand...”
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8th over: India 39-3 (Yuvraj 14, Dhoni 1) “Looking forward to seeing how England manage to screw it up from here,” writes Kabir Sethi, just as Jake Ball comes in, digs a couple too short and is given the Heyhoe heave-ho to leg for a brace of boundaries. Ball finishes with a fuller delivery but Yuvraj has his eye in and whips his wrists to get this along the floor through square leg for a third four.
7th over: India 27-3 (Yuvraj 2, Dhoni 1) Two consecutive maidens for Chris Woakes. Without getting too far ahead of ourselves, an old England may look at, say, a score of 300 – still attainable with India’s line-up and on this pitch – and go slow and , eventually, into a ditch. No chance this batting card will take that approach. Still seven wickets to get, mind...
6th over: India 27-3 (Yuvraj 2, Dhoni 1) Just two runs off the last two overs, as Dhoni mistimes a defence into point to get off the mark. We’re about to see whether these two can turn back the clock. The romantic in me wants nothing more...
@Vitu_E we've finally found a tactic that works against Kohli! Don't let him chase!
— Dwight Johnson (@Deej146) January 19, 2017
5th over: India 25-3 (Yuvraj 1, Dhoni 0) Three balls after Woakes puts down a tricky caught and bowled chance off Dhawan, he makes amends by bowling him off the inside edge. That brings MS Dhoni to the crease to accompany Yuvraj. Stuart Broad, look away now...
WICKET! Dhawan b Woakes 11 (India 25-3)
Chris Woakes is unstoppable. Crucially, he’s avoided giving Dhawan any width and so, in an attempt to manufacture a cut shot, the left-hander chops onto his own stumps. England flying!
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4th over: India 25-2 (Dhawan 11, Yuvraj 1) Yuvraj Singh out there like it’s 1999. Willey tucks him up but a whip through midwicket gets the 35-year-old off strike. By the by, the was Kohli’s first single figure score against England this winter...
@Vitu_E Can I claim that? I was just saying how much I was looking forward to watching Kohli bat. I'm as silenced as the crowd
— James Walsh (@jamesofwalsh) January 19, 2017
3rd over: India 22-2 (Dhawan 9) Rahul goes, Kohli arrives – hence the screams you heard, wherever you are in the world – and drives his first ball down the ground for four. Two balls later, he does it again. It’s not bad from Woakes,who is trying to get him to miscue a drive to those two slips. Might have to wait a while... NO HE DOESN’T!
WICKET! Kohli (yes, really) c Stokes b Woakes 8 (India 22-2)
Oh my days – he’s out. Genuinely. Woakes, having been hit down the ground twice, persists with a fuller length and gets Kohli trapped on the crease and playing slightly away from himself. Somehow, he squeezes a very full ball to Stokes. Incredible stuff.
Kohli and Djokovic going down in the same day?
— Sim 🏏🏈 (@SimUKCricket) January 19, 2017
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WICKET! Rahul c Stokes b Woakes 5 (India 14-1)
A brilliant wicket for England, in so many ways: Woakes pulls his length back and gets the ball to move enough to take the edge of Rahul’s bat. Thankfully, though, Morgan didn’t remove the second slip – as many would after a fairly expensive start - and thus Stokes is there to take a fairly routine catch.
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2nd over: India 14-0 (Rahul 5, Dhawan 9) David Willey opens up from the other end and pitches a few in Dhawan’s half to utilise the swing. Consecutive fours through extra cover makes him revisit that tactic. Morgan takes out a slip to reinforce the region as Dhawan goes for a third and misses completely.
1st over: India 6-0 (Rahul 5, Dhawan 1) Two slips, fresh white nut, a wonderfully coiffed Chris Woakes charging in... and four off the first ball. KL Rahul gets on the front foot and drives easily through cover for four. There is a bit of swing, but it’s from the hand rather late, meaning both Rahul and Shihkar Dhawan can play the ball late to pinch a single each.
#cricket pic.twitter.com/yErvED47nq
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) January 19, 2017
England will wear black armbands today in tribute to a true cricketing trailblazer - Rachael Heyhoe-Flint #IndvEng pic.twitter.com/V7lHjA4pvS
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) January 19, 2017
The players are out there standing for the national anthem. While you wait, here’s something from Kevin Pietersen on why the next six hours are a waste of time.
(Worth a read)
Have a read of this - https://t.co/AYoonIcGoI! Read in full! Not just headline! Thoughts?
— KP (@KP24) January 19, 2017
Liam Plunkett back in for England in place of Rashid. Maybe they really are going to UNLEASH a BOUNCER WAR against Kohli*
— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) January 19, 2017
*They're not
ENGLAND WIN THE TOSS AND BOWL FIRST
Virat Kohli has 4823 runs chasing down a score, at an average of 64.30, with 17 hundreds. He won’t add to those monstrous stats today. India to set the score.
“It looks similar to the wicket we played down in Pune,” says Eoin Morgan. “Today’s a little hotter. We’re expecting a bit of dew later on.” One change for both: groovy Bhuvi Kumar comes in for Umesh Yadav, while Adil Rashid makes way for Liam Plunkett – a pitch related decision, says Eoin Morgan, though Paul Collingwood in the Sky studio isn’t convinced. I guess they really will try and test Kohli’s chin. God speed....
India: KL Rahul, S Dhawan, V Kohli*, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni†, KM Jadhav, HH Pandya, RA Jadeja, R Ashwin, JJ Bumrah, B Kumar
England: JJ Roy, AD Hales, JE Root, EJG Morgan*, JC Buttler†, BA Stokes, MM Ali, LE Plunkett, CR Woakes, DJ Willey, JT Ball
MORNING ALL
Probably too late to say “Happy New Year”? Yeah, probably. Anyway, there’s a joke I think about whenever I watch Virat Kohli play the way he did in the first ODI, with all the batting cheat codes activated. It doesn’t really fit, but I’ll tell you it anyway. In fact, it isn’t even really a joke:
Two friends are walking through a jungle and come across a tiger in the distance. The tiger turns and locks its eyes on the pair before sprinting towards them, saliva dripping from its incisors, blood and guts on the mind. One of the blokes starts panicking. The other bends down to tie his shoelaces. “What are you doing – you’re not going to outrun a tiger!” “I don’t have to,” comes the cool response: “I just have to outrun you.”
Kohli, forever and always, is the tiger. And in my mind, the two blokes are bowlers in the middle of a spell together just as Kohli turns the dial to 11. Instead of running away – however smart a tactic that may be in this situation – the chilled one is the bowler lucky enough to deliver most of his over at the other batsman. You see, it stops becoming about suppressing Kohli and morphs dramatically into self-preservation: “How can I get through this with my dignity and limbs in tact?” You’re not bowling in tandem anymore – you’re out there on your own.
In the lead-up to today’s second ODI, in Cuttack, England have vowed to quell Kohli with a barrage of short balls. England have decided the best course of action is not to lace up and dash but to charge straight at the tiger.
The last time England played at this venue, Kevin Pietersen was captain, Alastair Cook opened the batting and they posted 270 for four (they lost with overs to spare and the rest of the ODI world falling about laughing). That and more in Barney Ronay’s preview. In the meantime, you can get in contact with me – Vish – via the usual channels. Tweet me at @Vitu_E or send longer thoughts to vithushan.ehantharajah.casual@theguardian.com.
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