After bad light and rain forced an early end to the fifth and final Test, England will need another 35 runs to win the series. It will be a Monday morning thriller to decide the cricket series between England and India.
England was chasing a target of 374 at stumps on day four, 339-6. The series is 2-1 in the end.
For victory and a series tie, India needs to take four more wickets, perhaps three.
Because of Chris Woakes’ shoulder injury, England could only manage three wickets. On Sunday, Wakes was seen wearing his cricket whites at the Oval while wearing a sling with his left arm, which was thought he might bat one-handed if needed.
With 105 runs scored, Harry Brook added 111 as England attempted to complete yet another incredible run chase.
At thecrease are bowler Jamie Overton and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith (both not out).
In its record-breaking run at Headingley, England defeated 371 in the Leeds opener.
Before India stormed back with a humiliating day five finish as the two batters stumbled with victory in sight, Root and Brook had hit what appeared to be series-clinching Test centuries: Root’s 39th and Brook’s 10th.
A terrible shot also fell to Jacob Bethell, putting more pressure on England.
With apparent ease, England had been set for the second-highest chase in its history, the second-audacious chase of the Bazball era. However, Brook’s late stumble came when he hit Akash Deep with a catch in mid-off and tossed his bat and wicket away. Brook became the fastest man to ten hundreds in 70 years when he scored 100 on his 30th test. On 19 before lunch, Mohammed Siraj caught Brook and carried it over the boundary rope, making India pay dearly for failing to let him leave.
Then, with the hosts still needing another 37 runs, the jittery Bethell pulled a nasty swipe down his stumps. Root was then caught behind in a wicket maiden for Prasidh Krishna (3-109).
Source: Aljazeera
Leave a Reply