Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow have given England hope of bettering the miracle Ashes run-chase of three years ago,
England have been set 378 to beat India and level the delayed Test series 2-2, which would eclipse their current record run-chase of 359 – the Ben Stokes-inspired triumph at Headingley.
An intrepid century stand between openers Alex Lees (57) and Zak Crawley (46) carved a huge chunk of the target, before Root (76 not out) and Bairstow (72no) continued their magnificent form to leave the hosts 3-259 at the end of day four.
With 119 needed and belief implausibly high after knocking off 277, 299 and 296 against New Zealand in the last month, England go into the final day as favourites.
A full house of more than 23,000 will be in attendance to watch the latest unlikely victory charge of the Stokes-Brendon McCullum era after Warwickshire followed the example of Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire by offering free entry for the final day.
Root and Bairstow came together with 109 on the board and with India swarming after taking out the top three for two runs either side of tea.
India captain Jasprit Bumrah had ripped out Crawley and Ollie Pope to get his side’s adrenaline pumping, before Lees was run out following a miscommunication with Root.
While England’s fearless approach to batting continues to astound, they would have been staring at an even bigger challenge had it not been for an excellent effort with ball in hand. India held all the cards on 3-125 at the start of play, but lost their remaining seven wickets for 120.
Cheteshwar Pujara carved Stuart Broad to slip for 66 and first-innings centurion Rishabh Pant made a mess of reverse sweeping Jack Leach on 57 as both failed to turn good starts into match-winning scores. Stokes also did a fine job of rounding up the lower order with a barrage of short balls, taking the last three to claim four for 33 – his best figures in almost five years.
Lees then charged his third delivery of the innings and swatted Mohammed Shami for four through mid-wicket to set the tone of England’s reply. He and Crawley put on 100 before the end of the 20th over – England’s fastest century stand for the first wicket.
India pegged England back with that trio of wickets but Root and Bairstow rebuilt before taking the attack back to India.
England joy was tempered by an allegation of racial abuse from the stands which prompted a investigation by ground officials. The England and Wales Cricket Board expressed concern.
La grandeur d'Athéna
Roar Rookie
Weird thing is being unable to digest facts despite it being shown in plain form. While i admit we have pretty big chunk of population having delusion about we becoming world super power sharp next week Saturday morning,which is mostly result of govt propaganda as well as ridiculous bollywood films, the number of people who can see things as they should be seen are not that negligible. Otherwise it would have been pretty hard accepting the ten wicket thumping by none other than our neighbor in western border. But there is a difference between being outplayed by a team displaying all round dominance and a team staying behind in a match sixty percent of the time,only to win it on flattest of surfaces. As long as you are ready accepting the fact that England won because of flat surface, not because of some miraculous approach, we will be okay saying England played good cricket in condition to their liking.
Nick
Roar Guru
Actually, his first three innings against NZ were failures. 1, 16, 8. He however has cashed in BIG BIG BIG time since then with 4 centuries and an unbeaten 70
Nick
Roar Guru
Ball changed 9 times this innings, so ay advantage limited. You keep citing this, but it makes no sense. You say it as if the ball is being replaced with either a new ball, or a ball that is the same age and magically harder. The fact the balls are being replaced so frequently is because they are changing shape...because they are ALL so soft. The replacement ball at 40 overs or 55 overs is as soft as the ball it replaced. The only difference is the shape. The balls get properly bowled on wickets, in nets against batsman who are hitting them, and thus lose their hardness. The stats are clear on these balls. Balls under 30 overs old are taking wickets @ 28 runs. The balls between 30-80 overs are taking wickets @ 58 runs.
Bloke7
Roar Rookie
In hindsight...
Ali
Guest
I look forward to seeing how Baz ball goes against the SA attack in a couple of weeks, if they can destroy Nortje and Rabbada both bowling close to 150 as they have done NZ and India, fair play...however wouldn't surprise me if SA came away with a series victory, but we will see.
Greg
Guest
:laughing: :laughing: every other nations fans can put there hands up and appreciate an opponent winning a test. Apart from Indians!! So weird
Greg
Guest
You clearly didn’t watch aus v Pakistan in Pakistan! Utter nonsense! Just get a grip and give the poms some credit. They beat you, thrashed you fair and square.
Clear as mud
Guest
i reckon Travvie Head takes a bit of credit for this approach too.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
So you gifted the match? You were soundly beaten by a better side. 7 wickets is a thumping. And I’ve zero sympathy for an Indian side who couldn’t run back to IPL and their bank accounts faster last summer. The result – the chance for a rare test series victory in England lost. Some karma there. I confess to barracking for an England side for the first time ever
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Don’t be an arse. The drawn series included only the final victory under new management and you know it. If you want to engage you need to offer something more than just stupid bias
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
The English/NZ connection of McCullum & Stokes takes me back to an era when national cricket teams didn’t have coaches. Then when coaches were introduced, they were all appointed from their own country. For some years now, the best credentialed person is given the job regardless of their country of birth. This “process” has been adopted by other sports worldwide especially football at both club & international level with great success.
Some of the NZ bowling was poor. At other times they had Eng 5-50 , but couldnt finish them off. You have to take your hats off to Eng. As a Kiwi I take some pride that they chose the most Kiwi of Kiwis in Baz to bring his Bazball to their Test team, and the Kiwi born Captain in Stokes who put the Bazball into action. Deeds not words. Well done Poms.
BarmyFarmer
Roar Rookie
Thanks SP. I think you’ve nailed it, this type of cricket is pure entertainment and there to be enjoyed by all cricket fans. Long way to go for us with an average team held together by 3/4 stars but loving this switch in mindset and the form whilst it lasts.
BarmyFarmer
Roar Rookie
Well said HG. A lot of people are overlooking that Eng have taken 80 wickets in the last 4 tests on ‘flat Bairstow friendly wickets’ with what is clearly on paper a weaker attack than our opponents.
BarmyFarmer
Roar Rookie
Removing the emotion Your team certainly played their part. It was a brilliant match that could have swung either way. You were let down imo by your skipper Bumrah who looked out of his depth. I doubt Kohli would have taken his foot off the gas with Thakur bowling medium pace within 5 overs of root and Bairstow coming to the crease and then opening with bouncers this morning with cloud cover and a reversing ball.
La grandeur d'Athéna
Roar Rookie
That is unfortunate. While my reply was to above post, my swipe was towards England cricket, not any person. However now that you have said that it was one of unexpected victories, i have nothing to say further except expressing disappointment for losing a match we should have won by miles as well as for gifting majority of wickets in droves while batting.
La grandeur d'Athéna
Roar Rookie
Misery for what? It was a drawn series. By your own admission, England won one test of their previous seventeen. They failed to win series at home too. As much as astounding the turnaround is, it is like an economy having a GDP growth of twelve perfect after contracting twenty percent previous year. People are entitled to their opinion. But pitching opinion against solid facts is pretty poor thing to do. Money angle is good one. They should have finished the series that time, but they became too greedy. But that does not change the fact that England is still one trick pony on flat surfaces in home unless proves otherwise. That is my opinion. People may feel free to disagree.
Homer Gain
Guest
I've watched pretty much every ball of the summer so far. On these "highways", England took 20 wickets in each match. Their opponents - both notionally equipped with outstanding bowling attacks - were unable to. Of course this does not prove England have suddenly become world-beaters. I'm really taking issue with your rather malicious swipe at the England fan above who was merely expressing his joy at a summer of exciting and unexpected victories.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
OK, enjoy your misery. As an Australian fan who normally cheers for whoever plays England, I watched this series of matches in awe of what England has achieved against the World Champion test team and the mighty money-hungry Indians. I don't need to qualify my view of what has happened this summer by saying it only matters if it works in xxx location or for yyy number of years. They won one test of their previous 17 before this summer. The turnaround is extraordinary and needs no qualification
La grandeur d'Athéna
Roar Rookie
Because the rivals were playing so poorly they were not winning anything.Do not forget that it is still a drawn series. We did not lose it. As i have mentioned many times before, the dust bowls here are responsible to some degree for our player's being complacent. Our bowlers were expecting wicket on every delivery they were bowling, which is a sharp contrast from how we played in Australia. This is why i do not support going overdrive with home advantage, like the surfaces that were dished up in Ahmadabad. While the surfaces in England were bit better for bowlers at first, it became highway road at later stage, that is the reason why England could chase it. Ask anyone who saw it.