England beat India by 22 runs in Lord’s thriller: third men’s cricket Test, day five – live
Very good from Mark Beadle:22 isn’t that what Zak scored? The match winning innings then…Ravindra Jadeja is left unbeaten on 61 off 181 balls.An incredible effort from an magnificent all-round cricketer.India were gone at 82 for seven but he was willing to grind, to do it with guts and singles.He wasn’t far off.Bashir continues to toss the ball up to Jadeja, and a single brings three goes at Siraj.
Men crowd around the bat as Siraj defends off the back foot … but the ball spins back and strikes the stumps, bails off! Siraj is left on his haunches in disbelief.Bashir, out of nowhere, is England’s hero.74th over: India 169-9 (Siraj 4, Jadeja 60) Archer appeals but there’s an inside-edge before the blow to Jadeja’s pad.Archer ramps up to 89mph with a ball that slides down the leg side.Jadeja cuts hard but Bashir, with one hand, cuts it off at deep point.
Siraj is on strike for the final ball and he’s hurt,He guided the bouncer to safety but it struck him on the arm,Out comes the doc to spray away the pain,India need 24 to win,73rd over: India 168-9 (Siraj 4, Jadeja 59) Siraj inside-edges on to his pads and while England appeal, India sneak a run, no silly point in place to cut it off.
Bashir tosses up to Jadeja at 48mph, getting some turn and bounce.But, again, they sneak through for one after Jadeja blocks into the off-side.Siraj defends to complete the over.India need 25 to win.72nd over: India 166-9 (Siraj 3, Jadeja 58) Here comes Archer.
His pace is down to Jadeja, lingering in the low 80s, the fourth delivery just sneaking past the outside edge.The penultimate delivery brings a single.Will he ramp things up against Siraj? The bouncer is tucked around the corner and they decide to take a single.71st over: India 164-9 (Siraj 2, Jadeja 57) Jadeja turns the third delivery away for one.Does Bashir float one above the eyeline? He begins quick and flat but does close with a loopy delivery outside off.
Siraj resists.India need 29 to win.Here’s a surprise.Bashir returns, on from the Pavilion End.Let’s play.
Worth a look, this,It’s on,Oliver Smiddy writes in:Seriously though, why is Stokes still bowling himself, while Archer languishes in the field? You’ve got the Indian no,11 in, so give Archer a shot at him, surely? I applaud Stokes’ FIDIM energy, but the Archer comeback story surely deserves to conclude with the winning wicket?Archer to win it at Lord’s exactly six years on from the World Cup final? I like it,Ravindra Jadeja seems less enthused about it.
70th over: India 163-9 (Siraj 2, Jadeja 56) Ben, give someone else a go, man.Archer has to start after the break.Stokes continues and gets Jadeja to swish and miss outside off.An inside-edge on to the pads follows moments later before Jadeja finds one with a ball to go.Siraj does brilliantly to push away the final bouncer.
India’s supporters are starting to believe.We’re going into the final session of day five, a scenario that seemed implausible in the morning.India need 30 to win.69th over: India 162-9 (Siraj 2, Jadeja 55) Jadeja sways out the way of a Carse bumper before cutting for one.Again, it’s with two deliveries left in the over.
Stokes joins Pope in the short-leg region as Siraj, like a proper bat, guides the ball to deep backward square.He remains on strike … and drives a fuller ball to long-off for two! India’s supporters roar.Siraj has his first runs.India need 31 to win.Jadeja jogs back on.
That’s his fourth consecutive half-century by the way – he’s seeing them well.Brydon Carse has the ball as we approach tea.68th over: India 159-9 (Siraj 0, Jadeja 54) Stokes goes short, wide and Jadeja cuts, the thick edge flying over the slip cordon for four.That’s his half-century but he doesn’t do his standard bat twirl – this job ain’t done.As Nasser Hussain points out, the contest has turned into a battle between two great all-rounders.
A single comes with two balls to go.Siraj survives.Jadeja sprints off the field, I presume for a toilet break.India need 34 to win.67th over: India 154-9 (Siraj 0, Jadeja 49) Just short of short leg! Siraj fends at a Carse delivery and the ball doesn’t carry to Pope, who is terrific in that position.
Another ball falls in that region but Siraj stays strong, blocking out the over.India need 39 to win.66th over: India 154-9 (Siraj 0, Jadeja 49) Jadeja pulls Stokes along the carpet … to the fielder in the deep and there’s no run.Surely it’s time for Stokes to have a breather and for Archer to have a go.Oh, what’s this … a boundary! Jadeja whips Stokes behind square on the leg side to close the over.
India need 39 to win,65th over: India 150-9 (Siraj 0, Jadeja 45) India get some love from the crowd as Jadeja takes one off Carse to bring up 150, with two deliveries left for Siraj to negate,He flaps at a bouncer that doesn’t rise, but the ball doesn’t pop up for a grab,Another bumper closes the over,India need 43 to win.
64th over: India 149-9 (Siraj 0, Jadeja 44) “Show some energy,” Stokes shouts to Archer, who is fielding at long-on.England’s captain thunders through for another over, featuring the trademark Jadeja single.William Vincent is already thinking about Old Trafford:Look, l know that this will not be a popular view, but I hope England lose.First, because it will take an heroic performance from India ~ one for the ages.Second, because it might, at long last, provide the spur to put Crawley and Pope out of their misery.
Bethell to open, Smith at three, and Foakes keeping and batting at seven.The joke is no longer funny.Thanks for commentary ~ erudite and entertaining as ever.India need 44 to win.63rd over: India 148-9 (Siraj 0, Jadeja 43) Jadeja, who has faced more than 130 balls, keeps out a potential toe-crusher, the leading edge giving him a single.
Carse gets two deliveries at Siraj, the first blocked out, the second more of the same.India need 45 to win.62nd over: India 147-9 (Siraj 0, Jadeja 42) Stokes, you feel, isn’t going to stop bowling until this is over.Mohammed Siraj hangs in there for the rest of the over.India need 46 to win.
Bumrah is tempted into the pull but miscues horribly, the ball lobbing high into the air, with Sam Cook, on for Bashir, pouching at mid-on,India’s No 10 leaves the field with his head down, the game surely up now,Bumrah does very well to sway out of a Stokes bouncer,He keeps the next one down but then comes the mistake!61st over: India 147-8 (Bumrah 5, Jadeja 42) Carse replaces Bashir, who leaves the field,The first delivery is a bumper that goes too high, resulting in a wide.
Bumrah is happy to try and attack the bouncer but he’s not making any contact with his swishes.Not sure if that’ll please Jadeja.The quick bunts to mid-on for a rare run off his bat, with two balls remaining in the over.Carse does well to keep the dots rolling in.Gary Naylor writes:It’s too comfortable for Bumrah here.
Stokes has to tell Archer to go round the wicket to him and get the ball into his armpit.Harder to get inside those and swing for the bleachers.India need60th over: India 145-8 (Bumrah 4, Jadeja 42) Lord’s is a concoction of nervous murmurs as Stokes continues.He beats Jadeja outside off with the penultimate delivery and in comes the field … Stokes goes wide to secure the dot.India need 48 to win.
59th over: India 145-8 (Bumrah 4, Jadeja 42) Jadeja takes one off Bashir’s third ball.Surely, surely, Bashir’s got to toss one up outside off? He does give his fifth delivery some serious air, and Bumrah swings … but the chip escapes the reach of midwicket.They don’t run … and the last ball of the over is quick, flat and down the leg side for four precious leg byes.India need 48 to win.58th over: India 140-8 (Bumrah 4, Jadeja 41) Jadeja clips Stokes behind square on the leg side and wants two … but Bumrah isn’t up for it.
Ollie Pope was quick at fine leg.The quick must now face four deliveries of Stokesian heat.He defends off the back foot but nearly offers a chance with the final delivery, an awkward half-pull landing close to short leg.India need 53 to win.57th over: India 139-8 (Bumrah 4, Jadeja 40) Jadeja nabs one off Bashir’s third delivery and Bumrah blocks out the rest, the off-spinner deciding against any floaty tempters.
India need 54 to win.56th over: India 138-8 (Bumrah 4, Jadeja 39) There’s an unsuccessful lbw shout with the third delivery, and Bumrah is then seen to by the India doc.Stokes has a chat with Root, leading to a change in plan: England have entered The Bouncer Zone.The first one is a touch too high as Bumrah swings and misses.Another swish of air closes the over.
It should have been given a wide and Bumrah isn’t best pleased by the decision.Arul Kanhere writes:I’ve been hoping for a tie from the moment these teams were tied in the first innings.What a rare one that would be..
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England beat India by 22 runs in Lord’s thriller: third men’s cricket Test, day five – live