Stokes strikes after Brook 99 in tight first Test

First Rothesay Test, Headingley (day three of five)

India 471 (Gill 147, Pant 134, Jaiswal 101; Stokes 4-66, Tongue 4-86) & 90-2

England 465 (Pope 106, Brook 99, Duckett; Bumrah 5-83)

India lead by 96 runs

England captain Ben Stokes checked India’s progress after Harry Brook’s breathtaking 99 on a helter-skelter third day of the first Test at Headingley.

The tourists were painstakingly building their lead when Stokes had Sai Sudharsan clip to mid-wicket, leaving India 90-2 and with an advantage of 96 runs at the close.

India were only six ahead on first innings when they finally bowled England out for 465.

Brook, who was caught off a no-ball late on day two, was dropped twice. He played some outrageous strokes and looked set for a century on his home ground until he top-edged a hook to long leg.

England were still 73 behind when Brook became the seventh man out, only for the hosts to be taken to virtual parity by a rapid stand of 55 between Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse.

Woakes was eventually bowled by the irrepressible Jasprit Bumrah, who did the same to Shoaib Bashir to end with 5-83.

England had the momentum, even more so when Carse had Yashasvi Jaiswal caught behind. Headingley was rocking, which made the stand of 66 between debutant Sudharsan and KL Rahul all the more impressive.

This has been three days of wonderful, see-saw Test cricket, living up to the pre-match billing of two high-quality and evenly matched teams.

After England gifted away the chance to bat first, India have been just as generous in return. The visitors should have got many more than their first-innings 471, then dropped four catches, including three off Bumrah, the man culpable for Brook’s no-ball reprieve.

For as well as they have battled back, England can also reflect on their own wasted opportunities and moments of recklessness.

A blustery Sunday showed the best and worst of Bazball. Jamie Smith fell into a bouncer trap two balls after hooking a six, in the over before the second new-ball was due, while Brook was also bounced out.

In contrast, the attacking intent of Woakes and Carse scrambled Indian minds and kept England in it.