That was a fantastic last over from Woakes, recovering from 10 off the first two balls and following it with four dot balls, one of which was the wicket of the man on 90. You can feel a bit sorry for India given the fantastic efforts of Pandya and Jadhav, but at long, long last, England have won a match in India. They won’t be happy to have lost the series, even if we have seen three excellent competitive matches, but there must be a sense of exorcised demons given what happened the last time they played on this ground.
Stokes, Ball and, to a great degree Woakes, were excellent for England. They can put to bed murmurs of a crisis and look forward to the Champions Trophy safe in the knowledge they are at least able to beat the best teams. To have performed as they did in this series really is reason for optimism for Eoin Morgan and co.
India then take the series 2-1. Will this result prove to be akin to kicking the hornet’s nest or will England go on from here with renewed confidence? We’ll be able to find out in the T20s, the first of which takes place on Thursday. Do join us then.
That’s all from us for this ODI series though. Do stick around for the match report and all that goes with it. In the meantime, thanks for your tweets, emails and bad cover versions. Bye!
England win by five runs
49.5 overs: India 316-9 (Kumar 0, Bumrah 0) 6 to win Six to win off the last ball, Bhuvi Kumar on strike. It’s wide, it’s full, he swings and misses! England win!
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Wicket! Jadhav c Billings b Woakes 90
49.5 overs: India 316-9 (Kumar 0) 6 to win Gone!!! Jadhav reaches for a wide one, goes inside-out over extra cover but this time doesn’t have the distance. Billings comes in and, nerves of steel intact, holds on!
49.4 overs: India 316-8 (Kumar 0, Jadhav 90) 6 to win Wide yorker outside off and Jadhav can’t lay bat on it. Dot ball...
Seriously, Cricinfo, how do you do this ball-by-ball thing?
49.3 overs: India 316-8 (Kumar 0, Jadhav 90) 6 to win No run, pushed into the off side.
49.2 overs: India 316-8 (Kumar 0, Jadhav 90) 6 to win Full, outside off and he’s smeared it through extra cover for four more!
49.1 overs: India 312-8 (Kumar 0, Jadhav 86) 10 to win Woakes with the final over. First ball, to Jadhav, is smashed inside out, high over extra-cover for six! Not again! What a shot though.
48.6 overs: India 306-8 (Kumar 0, Jadhav 80) 16 to win from the last over Mistimed hoik to midwicket, jogs a single. Good over from Ball conceding just seven. He finishes with two for 56 from his 10. Bowled.
48.5 overs: India 305-8 (Kumar 0, Jadhav 79) 17 to win Full toss but doesn’t make a clean connection. Two to deep midwicket.
48.4 overs: India 303-8 (Kumar 0, Jadhav 77) 19 to win Wide yorker, stretches to run it down to third man but declines the run.
48.3 overs: India 303-8 (Kumar 0, Jadhav 77) 19 to win Looks to smear a wide full one through the off-side, gets a thick inside edge down to fine-leg for four.
48.2 overs: India 299-8 (Kumar 0, Jadhav 73) 23 to win Should be a wide outside off-stump but not given. Another dot ball.
48.1 overs: India 299-8 (Kumar 0, Jadhav 73) 23 to win Ball to bowl and it’s a dot ball.
48th over: India 299-8 (Kumar 0, Jadhav 73) target 322 How are your nerves? More importantly, how are Ben Stokes’, Ravi Ashwin’s and Kedar Jadhav’s? Just two from the first four balls and then the wicket! A wide mere inches down the leg-side when Jadhav misses out on a pull, then a single off the last means he’ll keep the strike. Stokes finishes with excellent figures of 10-0-63-3. Well done him. Meanwhile India need 23 from 12 and we’re going ball-by-ball!
Wicket! Ashwin c Woakes b Stokes 1
Ashwin looks to hit a full one down the ground but can only sky it to mid-on!
India are seven down, not nine. Refresh the page and that last entry has been corrected.
47th over: India 295-7 (Ashwin 0, Jadhav 71) target 322 For what it’s worth, the required rate is above 10 now. Woakes is on and begins with a beamer when the wet ball slips out of his hand. One run to Jadhav from it, plus the extra, but more importantly it’s a free hit. Jadeja can only get one from it though, as Woakes bowled it well, a wide yorker outside off. It’s encouraging to see that first no-ball hasn’t put Woakes off searching for the yorker but a couple of full-tosses are then put away for back-to-back fours; first inside out over mid-off and then absolutely smashed back past the bowler and forcing the umpire to take evasive action. He’s gone off the fifth though, with 31 needed off 19. Ashwin comes in, but the batsmen crossed and Jadhav chips the last ball back over the bowler for four! 27 off 18 needed. We’ll go to ball by ball after the next one.
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Wicket! Jadeja c Bairstow b Woakes 10
Absolutely smashed, but flat and straight down deep midwicket’s throat!
46th over: India 279-6 (Jadeja 1, Jadhav 65) target 322 Out comes Ball, in comes Stokes. England need a wicket or two and they need to bowl full, even though it’s very slippery out there now. Stokes sees this and it pays off as he removes Pandya for an excellent 56 from 43. Still, Jadjea is the new man so it’s by no means job done. He’s off the mark with a very quick single to mid-off, whence Woakes misses half a run-out chance throwing with his left hand. Four from a cracking over.
Wicket! Pandya b Stokes 56
A fine innings comes to an end. Full from Stokes, Pandya looks to slog, misses, Stokes hits the stumps.
45th over: India 275-5 (Pandya 54, Jadhav 64) target 322 Six off the first ball, a short one again, hooked just over the leaping man at deep backward square to take Pandya to 50 off 38 balls. He took three wickets too, what a performance this has been. Four fours and a couple of sixes in his innings so far. A pair of singles brings up the 100 partnership from 78 balls. 47 needed from 30.
44th over: India 264-5 (Pandya 46, Jadhav 62) target 322 It’s conference time: Morgan, Stokes and the new bowler Ball – who has two for 42 from eight good overs so far – get together but it’s no good: another short ball gets pulled away for four behind square leg. India are going to need 19 off the last over with Stokes to bowl it, aren’t they? We have an England review and my first instinct was that there was an edge, but replays show it wasn’t even close. Pandya misses out on a full-toss, only able to clip it out to deep midwicket for a single. There was a wide, too in that over, but a couple of dot balls mean that on balance it was a good one for England.
Review – not out!
Length ball, rears up and England reckon Pandya has nicked it. It’s give not out but there was a noise. They review but the ball was nowhere near the bat, the noise caused by the ball brushing the shoulder.
43rd over: India 257-5 (Pandya 45, Jadhav 57) target 322 I’m not convinced bowling short to Jadhav is a wise move: the ball after Plunkett cuts him in half with a length ball, he nails a short one square on the leg-side for four. And another to Pandya, again slicing an attempted slog off the edge and down to third man! Woakes dives well on the boundary rope at fine-leg to save two, but that’s 11 from that over.
42nd over: India 246-5 (Pandya 39, Jadhav 52) target 322 It’s worth mentioning that England have fielded very well, although the man running round to deep mid-on can do nothing to prevent a first-ball boundary for Jadhav, who thwacked Stokes over the top to bring up a fine 50. Pandya gets in on the act too, smashing a lame half-volley wide of mid-off for four more. Strangely, he changes his bat immediately after despite having nailed that one. With the new bat he slices one up in the air, not far from cover. 76 from the last eight needed at exactly nine and a half.
41st over: India 234-5 (Pandya 33, Jadhav 47) target 322 Plunkett replaces Woakes, after a brief delay to lay some sawdust. That suggests the dew is getting heavier, which isn’t going to help the bowlers one bit. Still, just five runs off this over means it’s round one to England in the death overs.
40th over: India 229-5 (Pandya 30, Jadhav 45) target 322 Ridiculous. Pandya takes aim and tries to slog over long-on, gets an edge and sends it deep into the crowd at third man. Bat sizes, ground sizes, etc. Five more runs make 11 from the over and bring up the 50 partnership. The crowd volume has gone noticeably up; 93 needed off the last 10 and it’s time for the powerplay.
Meanwhile AB de Villiers has made his return to competitive cricket for Northerns in South Africa’s Provincial One Day Challenge. He made 134 from 109 balls.
39th over: India 218-5 (Pandya 21, Jadhav 43) target 322 Resolutely ignoring my advice, Morgan keeps Woakes on for over No8. After neither an attempt at a dab to third man nor a wild charge come off, Jadhav slashes up and over extra cover with no footwork, then flicks a yorker off leg-stump to fine-leg from successive balls. Four from each.
“Afternoon Dan,” begins Simon McMahon, “and happy (belated) birthday. As well as following the OBO, the radio is of course always on. Brix Smith Start of The Fall is currently on 6 Music and coincidentally discussing and playing cover versions. Apparently her version of Hurdy Gurdy Man was Donovan’s favourite cover of any of his songs, and she’s just played the Sonic Youth version of Delaney and Bonnie’s Superstar, as well as Hurt by Johnny Cash. England should win this from here, eh?” Cheers Simon. Cocktails on me if they don’t.
38th over: India 209-5 (Pandya 20, Jadhav 35) target 322 The required rate has departed nine and, if it squints very hard, it can kinda make out 10 on the horizon. Jadhav cracks off a fine, fine cover drive but there’s a sweeper out there to keep him to just a single. And England will be happy to concede those.
37th over: India 205-5 (Pandya 18, Jadhav 33) target 322 It’s very much a two-paced pitch: Woakes bowls two short balls on the, er, bounce: the first flies through at great pace and beats Jadhav, the second looks much slower and is pulled away in the air – safely enough – for a single. That’s a good over from Woakes but England should probably save him now.
Looks like a million, a million and a half to me. https://t.co/h0d2SY35Kh
— Tom Hamilton (@thhamilton) January 22, 2017
36th over: India 202-5 (Pandya 17, Jadhav 31) target 322 This could really go either way now: Stokes is back on. Runs, wickets, a fight ... we don’t know what to expect but expect something. Pandya tries to smear him through the off-side but toe-ends it streakily along the ground to cover for nothing at all. The lighter touch proves more effective, as he brings up the 200 by guiding a loose one to fine-leg for four then gets a thick outside edge with something a bit more extravagant, away to backward point for a couple.
35th over: India 193-5 (Pandya 10, Jadhav 30) target 322 Chris Woakes, with nowt for 33 from his five overs so far, is back. He was expensive in that first spell but Rahul really went for him in the first over and then he did have to bowl at Kohli. Unsurprisingly, therefore, he’s tighter here and they can only get four singles from the over.
34th over: India 189-5 (Pandya 8, Jadhav 28) target 322 A stray bumper down the leg side is helped round the corner for four with a wafty hook by Jadhav, but Ball responds by beating him with the bounce. Moeen saves three runs with a good dive at mid-off. Pandya adds a couple off the last.
33rd over: India 182-5 (Pandya 6, Jadhav 23) target 322 England’s tails are up now: Pandya drives gloriously through extra-cover but Plunkett is hotter than the original Pink Power Ranger the sun, getting across and sliding to save three. Jadhav then slices a mistimed heave in the air but it lands safely at cover.
Robert Wilson is with us (what have you done to Ian Copestake?). “Cover version is too small a word for this breathtaking masterpiece. A twin ukulele rendering of Gary Numan’s Are Friends Electric? Are you familiar with Aristotle’s definition of beauty? No need now. This happened in our lifetimes!!! (Trigger Warning: contains strongly Scottish elements)”
32nd over: India 177-5 (Pandya 4, Jadhav 20) target 322 It is a shame this is a dead rubber, because this is shaping up for a cracking climax: India have brought the required rate below eight but no sooner have I written that than their Finisher (capped up) goes. At first I thought it was a replay of the Kohli wicket but no, his predecessor has gone in absolutely identical fashion. It’s very much on these two now, even with Jadeja and Ashwin to come. Pandya, the new man, lives a charmed life, nicking his first ball wide of Stokes at slip and away for a streaky four and then getting cut in half by his second. God knows how that missed the stumps.
Wicket! Dhoni c Buttler b Ball 25
Ball very much makes up for his drop off Kohli earlier with a massive wicket! It’s actually a carbon copy of the Kohli wicket: Dhoni tempted into the big booming drive and Buttler snatching it high to his right. He’s kept marvellously.
31st over: India 171-4 (Dhoni 24, Jadhav 19) target 322 Five singles.
"Which of you is Simon Bird?" pic.twitter.com/T8VXoHgheX
— Amitai Winehouse (@awinehouse1) January 22, 2017
30th over: India 166-4 (Dhoni 21, Jadhav 17) target 322 Ball is back and begins with a long-hop, which Dhoni cracks hard through midwicket, the bat on ball making a sound like an old-fashioned musket going off and sending it away for four. Oh and then a glorious late dab by Jadhav to send the ball down to wide third man for four more. That’s sublime. He repeats the shot but Ball has realised Jordan was miles out of position at third man and moved him round. Two more through midwicket off the last and England are just starting to leak runs.
29th over: India 153-4 (Dhoni 15, Jadhav 10) target 322 Jadhav rides his luck in this over. It’s starting to turn for Moeen now; Jadhav backs away and tries to run it down to third man and immediately realises he’s in a bit of bother. He’s lucky to get some glove on it and squeeze out a single behind square. Two balls later he top-edges a paddle sweep over the fielder on the 45 and the ball trickles away for a boundary. He does better off the final ball, backing away and running it wide of Buttler to the rope at very fine third man. That brings up the 150.
28th over: India 143-4 (Dhoni 14, Jadhav 1) target 322 It’s probably on Dhoni to get a score here and he nearly doubles his with a top-edged pull that sails miles over the long-leg boundary for six. His next shot is marginally less convincing, a drive that sees the ball squirting off a thick outside edge and going airily to the fielder at backward point. Jadhav is off the mark with a dashed single.
Peter Salmon writes: “Yes the Celine Dion/Anastacia cover of You Shook Me All Night Long is horrible, but it gets worse if, like me, you forget to turn it off at the end. You then get Shania Twain covering it, managing to make a song entirely about sex completely sexless. She even changes the line ‘he asked me to come but I was already there’ into ‘I wanted to run but he was already there’, all while looking utterly confused as to what the song is about. It’s not that baffling Shania!”
You’re not the first to point this one out, Peter. But well done on making it to the end of the Celine/Anastasia version.
27th over: India 134-4 (Dhoni 7, Jadhav 0) target 322 For the second consecutive over, India score just the one run. More than eight an over needed now.
“Poop,” begins Yong Sin Kwong, following that with “I am” and nought more. That’s the kind of correspondence you get at a broadsheet newspaper in 2017, I guess.
26th over: India 133-4 (Dhoni 6, Jadhav 0) target 322 It’s game on as Plunkett removes the set batsman, although the new man did score a 65-ball century two matches ago. He plays a lovely looking square drive that goes straight to the man at cover and is only worth aesthetic runs. Which are worth nothing in terms of actual runs.
Wicket! Yuvraj c Billings b Plunkett 45
A deserved wicket for Plunkett. Yuvraj picks him up off middle stump and lifts it straight to Billings at deep midwicket. The fielder hardly had to move and took the easiest of catches.
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25th over: India 132-3 (Dhoni 5, Yuvraj 45) target 322 Moeen is going to continue and he nearly gets a caught-and-bowled when Yuvraj’s push drops a yard or so short of him. Earlier, from the first ball of the over in fact, Yuvraj missed out going for a big heave into the leg-side. Actually Mo saw him coming and pushed it through pretty well. Four off the over and the required rate has slipped just north of seven and a half. Nothing to worry about for India, mind. At the end of the over, Moeen jogs off – hopefully nothing serious or England could be in some difficulty with Willey injured.
24th over: India 128-3 (Dhoni 3, Yuvraj 43) target 322 These two could easily take the game away from England in double quick time. Eoin Morgan knows this so he brings Plunkett into the attack; perhaps a touch surprising he’s replacing the strike bowler Stokes rather than the toothless-on-this-pitch Moeen at the other end. No wicket, but just two runs. Plunkett has bowled well.
23rd over: India 126-3 (Dhoni 2, Yuvraj 42) target 322 Four leg-byes when a quicker, flatter off-break turns just a bit, breezes past Dhoni’s bat and clips his front pad on its way to the fine-leg boundary. Yuvraj ends the over with an effortless slog over midwicket and into the stands for what I think is only the second six of the innings.
22nd over: India 114-3 (Dhoni 1, Yuvraj 35) target 322 Yuvraj doesn’t just believe he can play a match-winning innings. He doesn’t even expect it. He bats with the air of a man who just assumes it’s going to happen and, on the evidence of another sweet woody pull through midwicket for four, you’d be hard-pressed to disagree with him. That bouncer from Ball into his face feels like another match now.
Peter Inglesby has sent me this, which is weirdly great.
21st over: India 107-3 (Dhoni 0, Yuvraj 29) target 322 Undeterred by the loss of his partner, Yuvraj drives sweetly with what little turn there is, through extra cover for the first boundary since the 17th over. Add a single and I’d be disappointed if you couldn’t work out how many runs came from the over.
Lee Smith responds to Gary Naylor’s 14th over effort on bad cover versions. “The thing with the monstrosity supplied by Gary Naylor (have you actually met him? Is he actually the one singing in that clip?) is that the it is a joke and everyone is in on the joke. Celine Dion actually thinks she is chanelling the reincarnated spirit of Bon Scott (God rest his soul) and that is what gives that extra edge, that extra kick. Possibly she is a representative of the Old Nick himself!”
I have met Gary. It might be him.
20th over: India 102-3 (Dhoni 0, Yuvraj 24) target 322 Is anyone else slightly uncomfortable with the commentators talking about how Kohli is/was destined for greatness? In his interview with Nasser Hussain earlier this winter you saw how hard he works on his game, the depth of analysis he puts into it and the sacrifices he makes in his personal life. It feels a bit unfair to say he was “destined” to be great rather than that he’s given a hell of a lot to make the most of his immense talent.
Anyway, he’s out now so we won’t have any more of that.
Wicket! Kohli c Buttler b Stokes 55
This is an excellent catch. Stokes tempts Kohli by hanging it outside his off-stump on a good length. Kohli goes and goes hard, gets a thick outside edge and Buttler snatches a very sharp chance high and off to his right.
19th over: India 100-2 (Kohli 54, Yuvraj 23) target 322 Time for some spin and Moeen Ali. David Willey is still off the field, by the way. There is absolutely nothing in the pitch for him, but India resist the temptation to go for it. Four off the over brings up the India 100.
Ravi Raman writes: “You really shouldn’t be going down that road when something as beautiful as cricket is happening. Here’s an antidote to those monstrosities and an example of how to turn dross into gold.”
Oh no that’s horrible, it’s like being in a bar in a posh hotel and not being allowed to just enjoy your drink for the offputting music. And did you call Radiohead dross? That’s not how the OBO works!
18th over: India 96-2 (Kohli 52, Yuvraj 22) target 322 Sure as the sun will rise in the east and set in the west, Virat Kohli brings up his 50 with a nice checked drive for two back past the bowler. It comes up from 54 balls, with eight boundaries, detail fans. A couple of wides, a sprinkling of singles, and that’s six runs India won’t turn their noses up at from the over.
Ina writes back: “It’s 7pm here in India and it’s Sunday and I’m sitting here with my bunch of 16 year old not-jocks-sports-nerds watching cricket while I read out an English blog. This has been the most entertaining experience of my life. Ah, the contrasting reactions. Also, thank the lord Kolkata is far, far, faaarrr away those people are LOUD.”
17th over: India 90-2 (Kohli 49, Yuvraj 21) target 322 So, with drinks done Poor Ol’ Liam Plunkett continues. Yuvraj adds four more with his best shot so far: a languid swivel-pull that looks something like an inverse, musclebound Michael Vaughan. It goes flying off the bat at incredible pace and bounces once before skipping over the rope. Round the wicket comes Plunkett and Yuvraj follows one down the leg-side, pulling it over long-leg for four more.
Mike Summers-Smith offers this up for the worst cover version:
I raise you this; it’s unwatchable.
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They appear to be taking drinks. No one told me this.
16th over: India 79-2 (Kohli 48, Yuvraj 13) target 322 Ben Stokes into the attack, from the same end from which he bowled that two-thirds of an over to Carlos Brathwaite. Too short to Yuvraj and, though the punishment is less severe this time, punishment it is as Yuvi whacks it from outside off through mid-on for a bicep-pumping four.
15th over: India 74-2 (Kohli 47, Yuvraj 9) target 322 You have to feel for Plunkett, who seems such a likeable bloke as well as a fine bowler. He has a sort-of wide fly-slip in place to trap Kohli when running it down to third man, bowls accordingly, but the batsman is able to place it wide of that fielder and pick up four runs anyway. He exudes an air of “screw you, bowlers.”
Guy Hornsby is back from his holidays: “Afternoon Dan, afternoon everyone. Is there nothing so exciting as a dead rubber? Ok, so there was some inauguration thing, but I was still in India then and apparently nothing of note happened. Having got back from knob Kochi this morning to Narnia-like Britain, I’m so cold my brain isn’t working properly so I’m hoping the OBO can jump start it, preferably with a Ball five-for, but more likely it’ll be a Kohli ton. Again. Is there such thing as Kohli-lag?”
14th over: India 69-2 (Kohli 42, Yuvraj 9) target 322 That drop from Ball brought just about the biggest cheer of the day from the crowd. You imagine he might feel he owes England a wicket here; perhaps that’s not fair but this is a decent enough over and he actually finds a bit of movement, albeit very late and long after the ball has passed the batsman. Just two off the over.
Bad covers Dan? https://t.co/oQFqHkpdJY @DanLucas86
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) January 22, 2017
Oh my days.
13th over: India 67-2 (Kohli 41, Yuvraj 8) target 322 “Oh you [REDACTED]!” shouts an OBOer who will go unnamed a little too loudly for an office environment. Kohli goes for the pull and top-edges it straight to fine leg, where Ball drops a very simple chance. IT WAS IN YOUR DAMN HANDS, JAKE. I like Ball but he really is an awful fielder. To compound English frustration, Kohli inside edges past his leg-stump for four. Lovely bowling from Plunkett, who could have had the Indian captain twice.
12th over: India 60-2 (Kohli 35, Yuvraj 7) target 322 This probably wasn’t exactly the plan, but needs must so Ball continues into his fourth over. Yuvraj attempts to regain some confidence by clambering into a short one, but he doesn’t get much on it and has to settle for a scrappy single. Four off a forgettable over.
“Remember that time India chased down Australia’s 261 at Kolkata, the WC’11 QF?” asks Ina. “And the world promptly lost its shit? Yep. I cannot cope with how wayward this ‘good score’ game has become, and I’m 16. GET A BUGGERING SCALE TO DETERMINE WHAT A GOOD SCORE IS. Alternatively, just play that Celine Dion cover at Eden. Might just make sure Morgan gets to do the ‘I beat Cooky’ dance.”
Australia actually only made 260. But I’ll let you off for being – Christ – 11 at the time.
11th over: India 56-2 (Kohli 33, Yuvraj 5) target 322 More pace as Plunkett, no slouch himself, replaces Woakes. The received wisdom is, therefore, that he should bang it in but it’s a fuller delivery that beats Kohli for pace and takes the inside edge into the pads. Kohli drills an attempted yorker through midwicket and Billings, sliding on the boundary, does brilliantly to save a couple.
10th over: India 52-2 (Kohli 30, Yuvraj 4) target 322 Ouch, Ball has Yuvraj in trouble here. He comes round the wicket to the left-hander and sends a nasty bouncer straight into the batsman’s grille. Ball came from wide on the crease and got a lot of lift off a not particularly short length. It was by no means his quickest delivery yet, just 82mph. Just a single off the over, to Yuvraj who is, though a bit shaken, fine.
9th over: India 51-2 (Kohli 30, Yuvraj 3) target 322 An insect in the eye forces Woakes to abandon his run-up second ball. He might wish he didn’t have to bowl any of this over, because Kohli is well into his groove: a clip off the pads brings him four through midwicket and a liquid cut behind point does likewise.
Lee Smith hates everyone. “As interesting as that cover of Creep is, if Edmund King is looking for the worst cover version of all time then I present you this absolute horror.” This really is the worst thing that ever happened.
8th over: India 43-2 (Kohli 22, Yuvraj 3) target 322 Ball finds Kohli’s edge with a slight lifter, with the batsman looking to run it down to third man, but it was played with soft hands and lands well short of second slip. Yuvraj gets two with a nicely timed nudge through midwicket. Five off a decent over from Ball, who is in the highest echelons of the 80s according to the speed gun.
7th over: India 38-2 (Kohli 21, Yuvraj 0) target 322 The new man is the old man Yuvraj, in on the back of a personal best 150 in the previous match. Kohli’s single from the first ball brings him on strike but Woakes has switched to “magnificent” mode. His line and length are such that Yuvi is unable to contrive a way to score.
“Is there a lesson that England could take from ‘Marge vs Monorail’?” asks David Wall. “Like Homer searching around for something to use as an anchor, when England are trying to put a brake on Kohli and the rest of the Indian middle order when they get going, they need to ‘think harder’, and look for a solution in sugary foods. Perhaps they can chuck jelly babies on to the wicket again.” Whatever the answer is, IT’S NOT BATMAN.
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6th over: India 37-2 (Kohli 20) target 322 Willey is in a fair bit of pain out there; he looks to have knacked his shoulder bowling in the last over. Off he goes and Jake Ball comes into the attack. With no Joe Root to send down a couple of overs this could be a problem for England. Back with the game, short, wide and dirty from Ball, who gets the treatment from Kohli, carving it over point for four. A single then take Kohli to 1,000 runs as ODI captain at 71 with a strike-rate of 100. He’s the fastest captain to the landmark.
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Wicket! Rahul c Buttler b Ball 11
There goes the other opener: he gives the new bowler Ball (more on that shortly) the charge and takes a massive tennis-style swipe at the ball. Up, up, up it goes, shakes hands with the moon, nods politely at the stars, then drops safely into Buttler’s waiting hands.
5th over: India 32-1 (Kohli 15, Rahul 11) target 322 Raiders of the Lost Ark. Pigs in a blanket. The Bends. Marge vs the Monorail. Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Agüeroooooooooo! Quoting The Office. Some things are impossible to tire of and you can stick add Virat Kohli’s cover drives to that list: Woakes goes a touch too full outside his off stump and four runs are the inevitable consequence. Meanwhile Willey is having a touch of treatment on the boundary from the England physio.
4th over: India 27-1 (Kohli 10, Rahul 11) target 322 A couple more big booming wides from Willey but, that slight lack of control aside, he’s bowling very nicely and beats Kohli twice in the over, the first time with a gorgeous late inswinger that raps the India captain high on the pads. A third wide follows to make it five off an over from which just two singles were taken.
3rd over: India 22-1 (Kohli 9, Rahul 10) target 322 It’s not like Chris Woakes to be wayward but wayward he is here. He donates back-to-back boundaries to Kohli, the first a short ball whanged down the leg-side that Kohli whips through the on-side; the second overpitched and driven through midwicket. Isn’t it nice to give Kohli a helping hand? More of that and he could look right at home in international cricket. Ahem.
Meanwhile Jen Oram has a quibble over the end of England’s innings: “Why’s everyone so sure Woakes did the right thing in giving up his wicket? Stokes may be the “senior partner” but Woakes was scoring a lot faster. And with only two balls to come - off which Stokes scored one and Plunkett scored one, though Woakes couldn’t have known that. But it was a pretty pointless sacrifice.” I think it’s fair enough to back Stokes.
2nd over: India 14-1 (Kohli 1, Rahul 10) target 322 Willey from t’other end and his is an extended over, thanks to a couple of wides swung well down the leg-side but it’s not something we can criticise, really, as it’s that same swing that brings the ball through a massive gap and curtails Rahane’s comeback. On Sky, Nick Knight says Willey needs to contribute more in the middle overs, which feels harsh given Morgan never gives him any of the middle overs. He goes up for an appeal for lbw when Rahul swishes across the line and misses, but it was going down leg I’d wager.
“Hi Dan.” Hi, Edmund King. “It’s 2017 and I can’t even tell anymore if 320 is a competitive total batting first in ODIs. Time is out of joint, up is down, etc. In that spirit, I can’t tell if this vocal cover of ‘Creep’ is the best thing or the worst thing so far in the history of human achievement.” A warning to anyone clicking that link: it features Smashmouth and a man who looks like Newman from Seinfeld.
Wicket! Rahane b Willey 1
That’s a beaut from Willey. He bowls it full outside off and gets it to swing, late, back into the batsman, past the edge of his bat and into off stump.
1st over: India 11-0 (Rahane 1, Rahul 10) target 322 A slightly different challenge then for Woakes with two right-handers opening. Oh and Woakes strikes with his first ball, a lifter that brushes the recalled Rahane’s glove only no one appeals! A single brings Rahul on strike and he gets off the mark in remarkable fashion: backing away and lifting a drive over extra cover for six! Woakes arrows the final ball down the leg-side and Rahul whips him through midwicket for four more.
A good spot from our friends at Cricinfo. The last time India chased 300 in an ODI here, some bloke called Virat made his maiden one-day century. Wonder what happened to him?
This is outstanding.
Cheers Vish, hello, folks. Welcome to this strange world [TRUMP GAG] in which England can score 321 for eight in an ODI and still the reaction of their fans is “well that’s not awful I suppose.” Bairstow, Roy and Stokes have ensured that they have a chance of avoiding a whitewash here. There is a soupçon of life in the pitch for their seamers; the easy thing to say is that early wickets will be key but that hasn’t helped them much so far, so they could do with including Kohli, Yuvraj, Dhoni and Jadhav – brilliant centurions in this series all – among them. You have a while to dream of that before India win this by three wickets with eight balls to spare.
Do get in touch, if you’re reading. We’re an inclusive lot here in the OBO’s cruel twisted gothic* towers. It’s dan.lucas@theguardian.com for those who like to email, or @DanLucas86 if you’re pithy and tweet. Other forms of social media are available but I turned 31 on Wednesday and am therefore far too old to know how Snappagramr works.
In the meantime, let’s take a moment to remember Twin Peaks’ greatest character, the magnificently droll Albert Rosenfield. RIP Miguel Ferrer. Here’s the greatest speech in TV history.
*Kings Cross.
Right all, Dan Lucas is taking over to ensure the bowlers stick to their plans and execute skillsets and blasphemers. Thanks for your company this morning.
Most runs scored in a 3 match ODI series
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) January 22, 2017
1892 - Asia XI v Africa XI, 2007
1844 - South Africa v India, 2010
1774* - India v England, 2017
ENGLAND SET INDIA 322 FOR VICTORY
50th over: England 321-8 (Stokes 57) A couple of run outs, including Plunkett off the final ball, attempting to steal a second run, and a four from Woakes see 10 runs come off the final over. A fine end to the innings. I’d say this score is a bit over par, especially considering how much movement there is on offer with the new ball.
It's now almost a year since England failed to make 300 batting first.
— Jonathan Liew (@jonathanliew) January 22, 2017
WICKET! Woakes run out Dhoni 34 (England 319-7)
Dhoni stops an attempted run off a wide. Good thinking from Woakes, getting Stokes on strike no matter what.
49th over: England 311-6 (Stokes 54, Woakes 29) 300 up! It’s that man Woakes – Bumrah’s short ball is whipped high and over a nonexistent deep fine leg for six. And the next ball is thumped for four! Brilliant from Woakes: picks the over-correction (full, wide of off stump) and check-drives him through extra cover for four. A man goes deep to protect the region, so Woakes goes deep in his crease and opens the face to beat point this time! A slap to midwicket off a slower ball is brilliantly fielded by Virat Kohli, meaning Woakes has to use his legs to get two more. Two dots, though, as Bumrah resorts to some length seamers. A good end to a costly over. Last six on the way...
48th over: England 295-6 (Stokes 54, Woakes 13) Excellent from Stokes, who brings up his half-century – off his 34th ball – with a square drive for four, as Bhuvi Kumar searches for a wide yorker.
47th over: England 284-6 (Stokes 45, Woakes 11) Chris Woakes’ attempts to get Stokes on strikes adds five to the score. He’ll just have to gamble on himself with balls running out.
46th over: England 277-6 (Stokes 43, Woakes 6) Ten off the first three balls as Stokes gives himself room to baseball down the ground for six – then he whips one through mid on for four. There’s a review for caught behind, instigated by the standing umpire for no good reason. It’s not out because it bounced before Dhoni’s gloves – something which was evident from the bowler’s end. Absurd, really.
45th over: England 263-6 (Stokes 29, Woakes 6) The computer says England are looking for two boundaries an over. They only get one off Bumrah – Stokes helping a short ball around the corner for four – but they use their legs for six more to make it 10.
44th over: England 253-6 (Stokes 21, Woakes 5) Hope Moeen was paying attention – Woakes keeps his shape to control a pull shot through midwicket for four. Pandya’s last over goes for seven, giving him figures of three for 49. As it happens, this is the first time he has bowled his full allocation in ODIs.
43rd over: England 246-6 (Stokes 19) After a grossly misdirected bouncer goes for four byes – it was still on its way up as it passed Dhoni – Bumrah is spot on to remove Moeen. If anything, that ball should have gone the distance, but Moeen, unsettled by previous deliveries, was unable to commit fully to the shot.
WICKET! Ali c Jadeja b Bumrah 2 (England 246-6)
Another short ball pickle for Moeen, as he top edges into his helmet for a simple catch to Jadeja at point.
42nd over: England 239-5 (Stokes 17, Ali 1) With all due respect to Pandya, he is being made to look better than he actually is. Though, he might not be as bad as I have previously made out. After removing Bairstow for his third wicket – another will give him a career-best in ODIs – he catches Moeen Ali unawares with a bouncer, which Mo takes his eyes off and fluffs into the legside for a single.
Can't see moeen getting a lot in his half here...
— Charles Dagnall (@CharlesDagnall) January 22, 2017
WICKET! Bairstow c Jadeja b Pandya 56 (England 238-5)
Bairstow tries to give himself room to flay through the off side but can only find a diving Jadeja at backward point.
41st over: England 235-4 (Bairstow 55, Stokes 15) Big Bad Benjamin Stokes goes downtown as Ashwin dares him with some air. Ten from the over. The final straight ton is ON!
40th over: England 225-4 (Bairstow 53, Stokes 7) Ben Stokes powers a cut through backward point for four. It didn’t look too wide a delivery, but there was enough to allow Stokes to extend his arms. Ten overs left for 100 more, you’d say? At least.
England about to win ODI series but Brexit-hating Guardian claiming it's a dead rubber. Sad. #Trumpdoescricket @Vitu_E
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) January 22, 2017
39th over: England 220-4 (Bairstow 53, Stokes 2) Another sweep off Ashwin – this one a reverse – gives Bairstow a half-century from 58 deliveries. His third of a stop-start ODI career.
38th over: England 212-4 (Bairstow 47) For India, a wicket lost and a wicket gained. Buttler gone, Bairstow remains.
Updated
WICKET! Buttler c Rahul b Pandya 11 (England 212-4)
Oh Jos. Pandya’s worst ball – a half volley that screams “HIT ME” – is slapped straight to Rahul at cover.
REVIEW – NOT OUT!
Pandya gets one to climb into the hip of Bairstow, who flicks at the ball at it carries through him and onto Dhoni. The appeal goes up and the umpire gives it out... but Bairstow reviews it and the replays show that the ball nicks the pocket rather than the bat.
37th over: England 210-3 (Bairstow 46, Buttler 10) Aerial and to midwicket, but no trouble of a catch or a boundary. But Bairstow gets the strike and again sweeps Ashwin with relish for four. “Look what you’ve done, though,” writes John Starbuck. “No sooner do you go on about Morgan’s ginger forearms (would you remark on the hair of dark or exceedingly fair-haired people?) than he takes umbrage and gets out.” One of the stranger jinxes I’ve implemented.
36th over: England 203-3 (Bairstow 41, Buttler 8) Very good from Pandya, hitting high on the bat to prevent Buttler from getting after him effectively. For this reason, and so many others, I find myself nodding along and sighing at this statement...
A pitch that makes you pine for Mark Wood. Pandya making it spit through at the batsmen.
— Rory Dollard (@thervd) January 22, 2017
35th over: England 202-3 (Bairstow 41, Buttler 7) First signs of proper turn, as Bairstow wears a spitting delivery from Jadeja on the glove. Buttler’s undone later, but goes hard at the ball for a boundary just beyond Kohli at fist slip.
34th over: England 195-3 (Bairstow 40, Buttler 1) So Morgan goes and his vice-captain, Jos Buttler, replaces him. Pandya with the breakthrough. The replays show he ran his fingers down one side of the ball, but the delivery was off-line. A yard either side of Bumrah and that’s four. Ten feet higher and it’s six, too. On such margins....
WICKET! Morgan c Bumrah b Pandya 43 (England 194-3)
Oh Morgs. Just when he was starting to get going, overtaking Bairstow for the first time in this innings, he clips a tame delivery from Pandya to Bumrah, who doesn’t have to move a muscle to take a routine catch.
33rd over: England 193-2 (Bairstow 40, Morgan 43) Another six to Morgan, this one against Ashwin, over midwicket as a short delivery sits up nicely, allowing Morgs to get those ginger-tinted forearms under and through the line of the ball.
32nd over: England 185-2 (Bairstow 39, Morgan 36) Helloooo.... “Keep belting him!” implores Nasser Hussain from the commentary box, like a Roman emperor yearning for carnage. After Bairstow hits Jadeja inside-out over extra cover for four, Morgan dents the sightscreen with a power six down the ground.
31st over: England 172-2 (Bairstow 33, Morgan 29) Quality from Morgan – his shot of the innings so far, charging Ashwin and hitting him down the ground for four.
Elsewhere, Will Macpherson caught up with Monty Panesar in Australia, where he has just taken a job to work with their spinners.
30th over: England 164-2 (Bairstow 31, Morgan 23) Jadeja into his eighth over. Morgan has a bit more spring in his step and punches a few singles, combining with Bairstow for five runs.
29th over: England 159-2 (Bairstow 28, Morgan 21) While Bairstow is looking at ease, Morgan is at sea. Bumrah hurries him with a shorter ball and then a couple into the body (including the shout reviewed). Then again, maybe Bairstow finding it all too easy, as he ramps a short ball over the top and straight into the hands of Ashwin... BUT IT’S A NO BALL! A look at the front line shows Bumrah has nothing behind it. What that does is allow Morgan the chance to free his arms for the free hit... which he duly smashes for six over square leg! What a couple of deliveries that might prove to be. Bairstow reprieved, Morgan with the satisfaction of feeling one out of the middle.
NOT OUT!
There is a spike, but the noise that causes that is from ball on pad. As a courtesy, they check the LBW, too, but that’s pitched well outside leg stump.
REVIEW
Bumrah, from over the wicket, moves one sharply off the surface to cut through Eoin Morgan. The ball carries through to Dhoni and the appeal from behind the wicket is loud and vociferous. Umpire Dharmasena says not out so Kolhi opts for the review...
28th over: England 150-2 (Bairstow 28, Morgan 14) A fine over ruined by Bairstow again, who looks keen to cash in on (another) rare ODI appearance. Jadeja’s final ball is too wide and Bairstow uses his arms to power it through cover.
27th over: England 143-2 (Bairstow 23, Morgan 12) Lucky for Morgan, unlucky for the new bowler, Bumrah. The England captain advances down the track to hit down the ground: Bumrah sees him coming and takes a heck of a lot of pace off the ball. Morgan’s through with the shot early but manages to get the faintest inside edge past his stumps and beyond the dive of Dhoni for four.
26th over: England 136-2 (Bairstow 22, Morgan 7) More spot-on-ness from Bairstow. Jadeja’s first ball is thwacked back over his head for six. England were in danger of letting him and Ashwin settle, but the boundaries in the last 12 deliveries might have Kohli thinking of a bowling change. Morgan paddles over his shoulder for a couple.
25th over: England 127-2 (Bairstow 15, Morgan 5) Well in, Bairstow. Quick onto the length out of the hand and strikes a thumping sweep shot through square leg for four. It’s off the second ball so gives Ashwin something to think about. Excellent batting.
24th over: England 121-2 (Bairstow 10, Morgan 4) Another quickie from Jadeja – Bairstow, facing, has to be convinced that the over is done.
23rd over: England 120-2 (Bairstow 10, Morgan 3) Ashwin concedes four but not a very convincing set from England’s perspective. He’s not getting turn, but his variation in length is causing a modicum of indecision here.
22nd over: England 116-2 (Bairstow 7, Morgan 2) Jadeja taking about two minutes per over, which is doing wonders for India but really testing my digits. The last delivery is a beaut: pace of the ball luring Morgan forward before leaving him off the surface. Muted appeal, queries over whether they should send it upstairs. MS Dhoni steps in and tells everyone to move on.
21st over: England 113-2 (Bairstow 5, Morgan 1) Get the impression that Ashwin is just going to bowl straight through, though if these two stay in for the next 10 overs, it might be worth taking out Ashwin and saving him for Buttler and Stokes. Just three from that over.
20th over: England 110-2 (Bairstow 4, Morgan 0) A wicket and just one run from the over. Tidy from Jadeja. Eoin Morgan, fresh from that blistering, futile hundred in Cuttack, comes to the crease. Crucially for India, two new batsmen.
And left arm spin gets Roy again. Becoming an issue for him as it was for his mentor Kevin Pietersen.
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) January 22, 2017
WICKET! Roy b Jadeja 65 (England 110-2)
That’s three in three for Jadeja against Roy. Flatter, straighter – Roy tries to go harder and squarer on the off side. Bowler middle and off.
19th over: England 109-1 (Roy 65, Bairstow 3) Ravi Ashwin gets his first go and it is a promising one. He seems to have already decided that he’s going to bowl a bit quicker on this surface and finds the outside edge of Roy’s bat. However, Roy is driving hard and there’s no slip. Four.
18th over: England 102-1 (Roy 60, Bairstow 3) Billings goes and the other series newbie, Jonny Bairstow, comes in at first drop (a direct replacement for Joe Root’s number three- and Yorkshire-ness). Bit of housekeeping. Feel free to email in – Vithushan.Ehantharajah.casual@theguardian.com - or tweet. John Starbuck is wondering where you all are: “Does everyone fancy a lie-in? Not too surprising if they were watching the late snooker, but around the world there must be an OBO reader, somewhere.” It might be me, to be fair.
WICKET! Billings c Bumrah b Jadeja 35 (England 98-1)
Right after the drinks break, Sam Billings goes to his banker – the reverse sweep – but mistimes to Bumrah, fielding around the corner at short third man. So ends the highest opening partnership for either side this series.
17th over: England 97-0 (Roy 57, Billings 35) Yuvraj tries to fire one through Roy this time, but Roy somehow manages to late cut behind point with enough power to beat the covering fielders on the off side.
16th over: England 91-0 (Roy 52, Billings 34) Ravi Jadeja into the attack. He’s had the better of Roy for most of their battles but Roy takes the flight on offer to come down and smash him high and handsome for six to bring up his third successive half-century.
Updated
15th over: England 80-0 (Roy 45, Billings 30) Good work from Billings to use some pace on the ball from Yuvraj to sweep hard around the corner for four.
14th over: England 73-0 (Roy 44, Billings 30) An inside edge nearly sees Roy off. Instead, he gets four and 11 come from the over. As many have pointed out, this is all just a Crufts-style wander out, tail’s up affair ahead of the big prize that is a spot as an IPL franchise’s fourth choice overseas player but front and centre of some truly horrendous adverts
13th over: England 62-0 (Roy 37, Billings 24) Huge ovation for Yuvraj Singh as he takes the ball. The cheers last all the way through to his third long hop.
12th over: England 57-0 (Roy 35, Billings 21) An over of singles – four, to be exact – suggests these two are starting to develop a bit of an understanding of each other and the pitch. Billings looks more comfortable, opening the face on a couple of drives.
11th over: England 53-0 (Roy 33, Billings 19) Despite taking pace off the ball, Pandya’s still able to get the ball moving away from the right-handers off the surface. Nae bad. However, he follows that up with a delivery far too full that Billings can punch back past him for four. Back of a length seems the way to go for the bowlers (England take note). While the short ball has caused discomfort – there’s only been one, to be fair – there are nicks to be had and catches to be taken with the new nut. Pandya proves that first bit by digging one in which Roy punishes in front of square leg for his eighth boundary.
10th over: England 43-0 (Roy 28, Billings 14) Seven plays and seven misses don’t discourage Billings who is able to fire back with a crunching extra cover drive when Bumrah gets one right in his half. When the length is pulled back, the ball nips through Billings. With a four already in the bank, he’s able to smile and nod in appreciation.
9th over: England 39-0 (Roy 28, Billings 10) Four dots to start mean no run has been scored off the previous 11 deliveries, so Jason Roy takes it upon himself to break the streak with a charge and a skew over cover for a rather unconvincing boundary. A dab to midwicket for two ends the over.
8th over: England 33-0 (Roy 22, Billings 10) Jasprit Bumrah replaces Pandya and his single fin action runs rings around Billings. By my count, there are about five plays and misses – six if you’re willing to stretch to “misjudgements” for an outside edge that falls short of second slip. Maiden.
7th over: England 33-0 (Roy 22, Billings 10) Billings is struggling, snatching at anything within reach, while also leaving the odd one that threatens to cut in (a couple do). Needs to stay out of his own head during this period.
6th over: England 32-0 (Roy 22, Billings 9) This entry was going to champion Pandya and his wrestling back of initiative. Instead, it’s about Jason Roy and his ability to straight drive for days. Pandya can’t get out of the over without offering Roy a half-volley that he mooses down the ground with all the smugness of your parallel parking old man.
5th over: England 27-0 (Roy 18, Billings 8) Have these two already hit the swing out of the ball? Can happen, especially if both sides are scuffed and the fielding side hasn’t had enough time to work on it. After beating Roy, Kumar drops his length and is flayed over backward point. Another ball on middle stump doesn’t swing, another carefree boundary is taken through midwicket.
4th over: England 19-0 (Roy 10, Billings 8) KP-esque from Roy, as Pandya arrows in on middle stump but is checked through the leg side for the second boundary of the innings. You could see what the bowler was thinking but whatever swing there was deserted him that ball. Two balls later, Billings gets off the mark with an extra cover drive for four, before Bilbo doubles his tally with a tuck to midwicket. And we’re off...
3rd over: England 6-0 (Roy 5, Billings 0) Yep, nice Jason. Knowing that Kumar is looking to set-up camp on off stump, he walks forward and across to push through midwicket for four. A single off the next ball and Billings has four balls to get off the mark. Should have done off the final ball of the over but a creamed square drive is straight to point.
2nd over: England 1-0 (Roy 0, Billings 0) Kohli decides that Hardik Pandya will open at the other end. There were three slips for Kumar but Pandya starts with two. However, after beating Billings, Kolhi tinkers his field to move a man on the drive to third. Maiden.
1st over: England 1-0 (Roy 0, Billings 0) As expected, Sam Billings opens up, having done so with distinction against Bangladesh in his previous ODI. He spends the first over propped on his bat at the nonstriker’s end as Jason Roy plays out six dot balls (plus a wide). Not by choice – never by choice – but Bhuvi Kumar manages to get some movement and even a bit of bounce to unsettle Roy.
Milestones for Morgan and Stokes
.@Eoin16 It's also a landmark day for @benstokes38 - he plays his 5️⃣0️⃣th ODI for England today. Go big, Ben! 👊 #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/EOuokJEVWN
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) January 22, 2017
Sorry, we’ve got to mention it – the last time England were in Kolkata...
INDIA WIN THE TOSS AND BOWL FIRST
“It’s a decent surface – I don’t think it will change much,” says Virat Kohli, who fancies his chances chasing today (doesn’t he ever). The big news is England have not one but two injury replacements. Alex Hales returned home with a broken finger but Joe Root has a niggle, too, meaning Sam Billings and Jonny Bairstow come into the XI. For India, Ajinkya Rahane replaces Shikhar Dhawan.
TEAM NEWS
INDIA: KL Rahul, AM Rahane, V Kohli*, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni†, KM Jadhav, HH Pandya, RA Jadeja, R Ashwin, JJ Bumrah, B Kumar
ENGLAND: JJ Roy, SW Billings, JM Bairstow, EJG Morgan*, BA Stokes, JC Buttler†, MM Ali, CR Woakes, LE Plunkett, DJ Willey, JT Ball
Great to see Billings get a go. He’s in good nick, too, after a decent BBL spell and a 93 in a warm-up against India A...
Updated
MORNING ALL
What can we do? I’m not too sure. I don’t understand where we can go.
Vish here bringing you some OBO action on this chilly Sunday morning. No, that’s not Bob Dylan. It’s Chris Woakes on the torment that is white ball bowling.
Modern ODI cricket has just become about the bowling. Let’s be honest, other than a few outliers – Brendon McCullum (retired), Virat Kohli, Jos Buttler, Andre Russell – from the top to the bottom of a batting card there are pretty much like for like hitters throughout. As a result, it’s probably fair to assume that most scores are gettable for a side batting first. The first team that scores 500 will probably do so on a flat pitch and short boundaries (as ever) and, chances are, the side chasing (provided the encounter isn’t too much of a mismatch) will inevitably achieve the second highest ODI score, while falling a fair bit short.
Looking at the 2nd ODI, as well as Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni batted, England really did a number on themselves to allow India to get to 381 for six from 25 for three. Even the reply didn’t exactly get off to the quickest start: both Alex Hales and Jason Roy scratched around before Hales fell and Roy found his feet. The difference? Jadeja and Ashwin. The 50-over game is well on the way to replicating T20’s boundary-a-ball approach and having a bowler that batsmen are willing to “see off”, without risking much allows the fielding captain to use that bowler as road bumps to put the brakes on batting sides just when they start getting ahead of the rate. To quote senator Linton Barwick from In The Loop: “In the land of the truth, the man with one fact is king.” And India have two.
[WARNING: This thought has been fleshed out on a morning commute which included a lot of shivering and nowhere near enough coffee.]
Hello. Vithushan will be here shortly. Here’s Barney Ronay on whether this final ODI, and the three T20 games to come, could serve as an IPL audition for England players:
All professional sports are built on anxiety and ambition, and it was inevitable that T20’s global franchise circuit would change both cricket and cricketers. The real A-listers have been lavishly enriched but the expectations of a decent top-grade player have shifted too, every career shot through now with a sense of some other level to be mined, a world‑in‑waiting. The IPL remains the key, a presence that touches every surface however lightly.
And now it’s back, already looming over an England team in which four of the top five to date have expressed an interest in being offered for sale as lots in the auction on 4 February. Finally England’s players have not just the acquiescence of their board but its blessing, although there has still been a peculiar dance of interests, with the ECB keen to ensure a credible team to face Ireland in early May, while on the other side agents and interested parties fret over their clients’ full availability.
The expectation is Eoin Morgan will be made part-available, decreasing his value to the extent he may even duck out. Ben Stokes and Jason Roy have already declared. Alex Hales’s broken hand, which has ruled him out of the rest of the limited overs series and may keep him out of the West Indies tour to follow, might just have thrown his chances of doing the same. Jos Buttler and Sam Billings are already going.
