Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow depart at Edgbaston after their unbroken 150-run partnership on the fourth night
England are 119 runs away from mounting their most successful run chase in Test cricket history with seven wickets remaining, setting up a thrilling finish to the rescheduled fifth LV= Insurance Test against India at Edgbaston.
Red-hot Joe Root (76no) and Jonny Bairstow (73no) remained, both bringing up magnificent half-centuries late on the fourth night, helping the hosts recover from a desperate spell on either side of tea that saw them lose three wickets for two run in 16 deliveries.
Earlier, Alex Lees (56) and Zac Crowley (46) got the innings off to a sensational start as they needed less than 20 overs to make a century stand, with Lees particularly impressive as he raced to a 44-ball fifty, his second in Tests.
England vs India
July 5, 2022, 9:45 am
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Crowley, while still not back to his silken best, showed far better judgment off his stroke, leaving superbly, meaning the irony of his eventual dismissal – beaten by Jasprit Bumrah (2-54) without playing a shot – will not lose from it.
The Indian fans, so hushed by the fireworks in the afternoon session, suddenly found their voice and erupted even more when Ollie Pope (0) nicked Bumrah’s first ball after tea and Lees followed soon after thanks to a disastrous run out.
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India claim the wicket of Alex Lees after a huge mix-up between him and Joe Root between the wickets.
India claim the wicket of Alex Lees after a huge mix-up between him and Joe Root between the wickets.
Root, who may have felt some guilt for his role in Lees’ dismissal – having called out to his disoriented partner as he struggled to locate the ball off his inside edge – more than made up for the mistake, guiding England safely to stumps at 259-3 not out additional loss.
With the series looming – the visitors lead 2-1 after the first four Tests played last summer – it all adds up to an incredible finish to Tuesday’s Test match. Watch it live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.30am, with a build-up from 9.45am.
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India are paying the price for a sloppy batting display
Earlier in the day, India – resuming their second innings at 125-3, with a lead of 257 runs – had aimed to bat long into the afternoon to take the game firmly away from their hosts, but instead were guilty of giving away their loopholes.
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Stuart Broad takes the crucial wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara in his first over of the day.
Stuart Broad takes the crucial wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara in his first over of the day.
Cheteshwar Pujara (66), who had batted so patiently the night before, was the first to fall, hitting an innocuous short, wide ball from Stuart Broad (2-58) to Lees at point.
Shreyas Iyer (19) followed suit, again looking uncomfortable against the short ball as he perished pulling the pick of Matthew Potts (2-50) straight to James Anderson at midwicket.
Rishabh Pant (57), dropped on 45 by Crowley off Broad – a tough chance to dive low to his left – cruised to his 10th Test fifty, but was a tamer version of himself than the crafty incarnation who blasted 149 in the first innings. However, it was one such extravagant shot that ultimately led to his downfall as he edged Jack Leach (1-28) straight to Root at slip, who showed remarkable reflexes to take the catch.
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England take the wicket of Rishabh Pant when his reverse shot goes straight into the hands of Joe Root at slip.
England take the wicket of Rishabh Pant when his reverse shot goes straight into the hands of Joe Root at slip.
Shardul Thakur (4) was also bounced by Potts after being troubled by a hit on the helmet from the Durham fast bowler earlier in his spell. England’s short-ball ploy, which was hammered to the gills in the first innings – Broad took a Test record 35 runs in an over – was paying off this time.
Mohammed Shami (13) hit a couple of boundaries but he and Bumrah (7) got away when they hooked Ben Stokes (4-33), either side of England skipper Ravindra Jadeja (23) to end the innings soon after lunch.
The sediment is superb as England will be chased by a flier
He left England chasing a record 378, but with Lees storming the wicket in Stokes style to the Indian seamers and removing spinner Jadeja (0-53) quickly from the attack after just a four-over opening spell, it looked again as if England would make light work of another hard target this summer.
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Alex Lees brings up England’s 50 with this superb reverse hit for four.
Alex Lees brings up England’s 50 with this superb reverse hit for four.
Lees fired eight boundaries to race to 50 off 44 balls, while the alert Crawley eventually found some fluency with a couple of clean drives through the covers as the hundred partnership came in a flash.
India, rattled, finally found a breakthrough shortly before tea, Bumrah sending one back sharply to Crowley, who hugged his arms too much and looked sadly to the heavens as his off-stump was knocked back.
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Jasprit Bumrah finally got a breakthrough for India as he bowled Zak Crawley for 46.
Jasprit Bumrah finally got a breakthrough for India as he bowled Zak Crawley for 46.
Pope bowled a brutal yorker on the first ball but then got another peach of a delivery with his name on it as the evening session began and he couldn’t help but give Pant the upper hand.
With a now boisterous Indian support in full voice, England quickly lost another, the noise from the crowd perhaps even contributing to the misunderstanding between Root and Lees, leading to the latter being run out.
Bairstow joined Root in the middle, but instead of immediately stepping on the gas, as has so often and so successfully been his way this summer, the two eyed and absorbed the pressure before superbly countering late in the day to demoralize both of their opponents. the field and their already hushed fans.
Bairstow benefited from a few pieces of luck, falling on 14 and 39, but both were no more than half-chances, the former firing at lightning speed through the outstretched arms of Hanuma Vihari at second slip and Pant delaying the second slide down the leg side – Mohammed Siraj and Thakur, the unfortunate bowlers.
Root and Bairstow reached fine half-centuries off 71 and 75 balls respectively, with Bairstow in particular switching gears late in the day, beautifully hooking Siraj into the stands for six. Their partnership reached 150 and could prove key for England to secure a stunning victory on the final day and wrap up the series.
Statistics of the day
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Only once have India lost a Test after scoring at least 415 runs first. It was in Bangalore in 1998 when they scored 424 against Australia and eventually lost by eight wickets after slumping to 169 in the second innings.
Sixteen teams were set at least 258 in the fourth innings of the Edgbaston Test. The only success came in 2008 when South Africa scored 283-5 to win. ten…
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