35th over: India 103-4 (Kohli 22, Vihari 0) The young man on debut, Hanuma Vihari, has one ball to deal with from Anderson after the drinks break and he defends off his pads.
Some nearing-the-end-of-day stats from the guns at CricViz.
Wagging Tails
England’s last four batsmen have batted for just over 22 hours this series. India’s last four have batted for 12 hours and 41 minutes.
Alternatively…
England’s last four batsmen have faced 850 balls this series – India’s have faced 413.Unlucky Shami
Mohammed Shami found 42 false shots, but remains wicketless. Only eight times in the CricViz database has a bowler drawn more false shots without any of them taking a wicket.Curran Pitching It Up
The ball from Sam Curran which dismissed KL Rahul was the fullest the English left-armer had bowled to the Indian opener. It was also the only one which was hitting the stumps.Edge of Glory
Sam Curran has found the edge with 8.4% of his deliveries this series, with Stuart Broad the only England bowler to do so more often.Mo on Go Slow
The 2015 Ashes is the only series that Moeen has bowled at a slower average speed than this one. His average speed here and at Southampton is 84.03kph.Lured into a Loose Shot
The ball from Anderson which dismissed Pujara was 0.9m fuller than the previous ball, and seamed more than twice as much.
Outstanding! Angling in, seaming away – it’s an Anderson masterclass. Cook makes no mistake at first slip, pouching the chance just above his waist. Two wickets in six balls for Jimmy has quickly changed complexion of this session. And with that, drinks are called.
34th over: India 102-3 (Kohli 21, Rahane 0) I wouldn’t be surprised if they get Stokes on soon with Rahane out there given how often he’s picked him up this summer. Isn’t this a joyous part of a five-Test series, that these storylines – Anderson v Kohli, Stokes v Rahane – have a chance to fully mature? More! More! It’s nearly a moot point as far as the all-rounder is concerned when Broad gets a ball to jag back at Rahane, beating him on the inside edge and going within an inch of collecting the off-stump! Phew.
“Greetings Adam.” Hi, Gregor Salsa. “Since it’s the last test of the series, I have to write this. Especially since Mac Millings (over 113) did the album title I’ve been thinking of all series (Yo! Bumrah’s The Show). Sam Curran reminds me of Henery the Chicken Hawk from Looney Tunes Foghorn Leghorn. He’s young, he’s not the biggest, but he’s determined.”
I’ll shoulder arms at the reference (not my bag) but your character assessment is spot on.
Jimmy finds the edge of Pujara! It is against the trend of play from the number three, prodding at an away swinger than he did not need to offer a shot at. YJB does the rest with the gloves and Anderson lets out a mighty roar. For his next trick: doing the same with Kohli for the first time in the series. Don’t go anywhere.
33rd over: India 101-3 (Kohli 20, Rahane 0)
32nd over: India 101-2 (Pujara 37, Kohli 20) Pujara is the other man with a plan out there right now: not to take any risks while this game is hot. He looks at his happiest in this watchful mode. But after five dots – one ball away from a third maiden on the spin – he turns a ball from middle stump almost all the way to the boundary for three. Lovely.
31st over: India 98-2 (Pujara 34, Kohli 20) Anderson v Kohli – this is proper box-office stuff; one champion to another. Jimmy starts wide, Virat leaving then leaving again. He moves onto the stumps, or near enough to have him use his bat to defend. The pattern then repeats. Kohli will know that this is part of Anderson’s grand plan, to be executed over several overs if necessary. This is captivating cricket. Back to back maidens.
“Even as you readers start responding to Mr Collins with witty responses,” begins, err, Boris? “I would like to defend myself. I know I have been the face of the campaign that has led Britain to one of its worst political crisis, and I do not help my image by sleeping and texting at the site of an utterly compelling Test match. Even as you laugh your arses off at the hilarious suggestions which will now greet you, I present to you the real reason for my actions — I have fallen asleep after working on my hair throughout the night (it’s worth the effort, yes, because it looks amazing; also, to those asking, I did indeed sleep on my chair to conserve my well-done hairstyle). I was using the phone merely to inform my hair stylist that I would go over to the clinic at once to work on my hair once more, because the windy and overcast conditions have helped neither England nor me — my hair is a mess once more. If this continues any more, I will stop attending cricket matches (including the local ones, I’ll get votes in other ways), and will need to shave off my very real hair so that I can put on the wig President Trump informed me he uses during a late night conversation. Thanks and Regards, Boris Johnson (nah really just Abhijato Sensarma).”
You’ll make a diligent method actor yet.
30th over: India 98-2 (Pujara 34, Kohli 20) Broad is also back for another spell from the pavilion end, replacing Moeen, which makes a lot of sense for mine. But he’s sending them down at Pujara rather than Kohli, who defends throughout. Maiden.
“Thinking over the series it’s heartening to note how many different England players have made a game-shaping contribution,” emails Tom Bowtell. “Cook here, Jennings in 2nd innings at Rose Bowl, Moeen at Rose Bowl, Root at Edgbaston, Bairstow at Edgbaston, Stokes with ball at Edgbaston, Woakes at Lord’s, Buttler, Woakes, Broad, Jimmy in several places. Just need a 5-fer from Rashid this afternoon…”
29th over: India 98-2 (Pujara 34, Kohli 20) KOHLI SURVIVES A REVIEW! Anderson, replacing Curran, is convinced he has the captain leg before and goes upstairs immediately when his appeal is turned down by Umpire Dharmasena. The inswinger was hitting the stumps but it was umpires’ call on impact. So England retain their review, but that’s cold comfort given how close they were. Amazingly, the England superstar is yet to dismiss Kohli in this series. Of course, the champion batsman hits back, fllicking a misdirected delivery to the midwicket boundary. That’ll hurt. Oh here we go: at the end of the over it is all action, the umpires bringing the captains together. Aggers on TMS is speculating, based on the body language of the chat, that Jimmy may have said something unpleasant. All kicking off!
28th over: India 94-2 (Pujara 34, Kohli 16) Moeen does get another go and it doesn’t work, conceding nine runs with both batsmen finding the boundary, which bookends the set. The captain put away the long hop then to begn then number three drove beautifully down the ground to finish.
27th over: India 85-2 (Pujara 30, Kohli 11) Curran beats Kohli! That’s twice in two overs. But the Indian star responds as you would expect, picking up two runs through cover then claying a perfect drive through that same region to the rope. Once again he keeps the strike, helping the left-armer’s yorker to fine leg for one.
26th over: India 78-2 (Pujara 30, Kohli 4) Pujara has brought his first-dig form from Southampton with him to London, looking very good against Moeen, from whom he collects a couple to fine leg then another past short leg – all along the carpet. Kohli keeps the strike with one to midwicket to finish. Time for Adil Rashid before the captain is set?
25th over: India 74-2 (Pujara 27, Kohli 3) Beaten! Curran draws a false stroke from Kohli with the first ball of his new over, coming within centimetres of removing the Indian numero uno. He collects a couple through midwicket later in the over before seeing off the rest defensively. It’s already a nice little contest between these two.
24th over: India 72-2 (Pujara 27, Kohli 1) Close call! After Pujara takes a single, Moeen gets a crack at Kohli and sneaks an off-break past the inside edge. The appeal is turned down but Moeen likes it enough to talk DRS with Root before deciding to play it safe. Kohli then turns the final ball around the corner to get off the mark.
“The cricketing brotherhood/sisterhood is an unsually inclusive one in that it’s just niche enough that everyone can feel a part of it,” continues Robert Wilson. “So some OBO bod comes up with a great zinger or quip, we feel partial authorship. Gideon Haigh writes something sparkling and unforgettable, most of us feel like taking a bow. That’s cricket people. This is us. And never more than today. After a tricky and stressful week, the richly human cricket-ground reaction to BoJo really made my day. That’s a Venn Diagram which I will always want to a part of.” Very well said, mate.
23rd over: India 70-2 (Pujara 26, Kohli 0) We know it is Virat Kohli is walking out from the roar that goes around The Oval from Indian fans. The brilliant Bharat Army, sitting to my right, are immediately into song as well. The touring skipper is keeps it simple to begin, defending the dangerous Curran with a nice, straight blade.
What a beauty! Sam Curran has sorted Rahul out with a delivery that pitched on about leg, beat the outside edge then clipped off stump! That goes straight to the young left armer’s highlights reel. What a summer he is having.
22nd over: India 70-1 (Rahul 37, Pujara 26) Three singles, all off the legs, as the Indian pair get to work against Moeen. Nothing silly this time around.
21st over: India 67-1 (Rahul 35, Pujara 25) Curran to Pujara, who is looking better by the over. In the middle of the over the game is stopped to ask one of my colleagues sitting outside on the other side of the sightscreen to get out of the way. I’m looking forward to finding out who that was. Pujara then picks up a couple off his legs then two more down the ground. Nice.
20th over: India 63-1 (Rahul 35, Pujara 21) Moeen continues his spell, which was handy before tea. Pujara is defending then attempting to drive straight for runs but the spinner does well, fielding in his follow through. A boundary does come at the end of the over but could easily have been the end of Rahul, who got down low to sweep before the delivery left Moeen’s hand. Missing with the shot with this bat, the ball also just avoided leg stump and then the gloves of YJB. Four byes.
19th over: India 58-1 (Rahul 35, Pujara 20) Shot! Pujara gets visitors heading in the right direction for this final session with a punishing crunch past point. You get four for that. The Indian number three keeps the strike with one to midwicket.
“If we can safely assume that he was not contacting the OBO (?),” concedes Brian Withington, “I am forced to conclude that BJ was sharing sweet nothings in Latin (suavis nullis) with the Right Hon. Jacob Rees-Mogg, (biggus dickus), Member of Parliament for the 18th Century.”
Pollies. I know I’ve talked on here before about my days working for the Australian PM (we’ve had about 16 since) but with BoJo in the stands, we’re on-theme. Remember the dodgy dagwood dog? Ah, weren’t they the days. It is fair to say he didn’t like getting booed by the crowd. For your amusement, though, this is footage that will surface again over the next few weeks during AFL finals when they write stories about pollies pretending to care about footy – it always does. I’m that young idiot clapping along.
“BoJo was watching a meme of Adolf Hitler in his bunker, ranting at the prospect of Johnson ever becoming leader of a Conservative Party which has just lost a general election,” says John Starbuck. And we’re away! On the field too, where the players are back. Sam Curran to continue his spell from the city end. PLAY!
18th over: India 53-1 (Rahul 35, Pujara 15) Moeen has another chance to probe before they get a cuppa. But it’s a productive over for the visitors instead, Rahul bringing up the 50 with a single to midwicket, Pujara giving the strike back with one in the same direction, then the opener finishing the session with a lovely push through cover for a couple. Tea!
Bobby Wilson gets the final word before I grab a sandwich: “TREATING HANGOVERS WITH METHAMPHETAMINE IS A TRULY DREADFUL IDEA! Once you’ve absorbed that, life is pretty unchallenging.” Oh my, the life you’ve led. Back with you shortly.
17th over: India 49-1 (Rahul 32, Pujara 14) Curran zips through a relatively pedestrian set, Pujara taking no risks in response with tea around the corner.
“Regarding the 10th over sighting of the [disgraced buffoon] former Foreign Secretary on his mobile phone at the game, can you now reveal what pearls of wisdom he was attempting to share with the OBO community, and using which moniker?” asks Brian Withington. “Invasion of privacy be damned I say in this context. Blame any excessive candour on your part on an overdose of paracetamol.”
I have a better idea: why don’t you tell me what you reckon he was reading/watching? If he was writing into the OBO, I expect that he’d be asking for the overseas TMS link.
16th over: India 48-1 (Rahul 31, Pujara 14) Spin it is, via Moeen Ali, and he immediately creates a chance: Pujara dropped at short leg! The replay is kind to Cook, the man under the lid, showing that he didn’t do much wrong when the ball jumped off the inside edge – it was in then out of his left hand. But Moeen drops short with his next ball and the Indian number three makes no mistake, carting it to the midwicket boundary.
15th over: India 43-1 (Rahul 30, Pujara 10) Slammin’ Sammy Curran on for his first twist on his home ground. He’ll be keen to redeem himself after a fairly ordinary dismissal late yesterday, but to be fair, the young man has plenty of credits in the bank. He takes a few balls to find his preferred length, Rahul moving into the 30s with an ODI-style glide to third man. We’re about ten minutes away from the tea break. Spin?
14th over: India 42-1 (Rahul 29, Pujara 10) Jimmy is right on it to Rahul and Pujara, a single from the former past point the only chance to score. He’s sending them down at a decent clip, too. Would it be right to say that Anderson is bowling faster now than at pretty much any stage since his first stint for England in 2003?
Boris watch: he’s nodded off. Go home, champ.
13th over: India 41-1 (Rahul 28, Pujara 10) Better from Stokes, keeping Pujara quiet with a combination of full/straight deliveries and well-directed bumpers.
12th over: India 40-1 (Rahul 27, Pujara 10) All action in this Anderson over, beating Rahul on the outside then the inside edge to begin, getting the crowd excited in the process. He gets off strike, leaving Pujara one ball to negotiate and he is in strife too, hit on the pad just above the knee. Root took his time to consider the DRS option but thought better of it. On reflection, it was probably going over the top.
11th over: India 39-1 (Rahul 26, Pujara 10) Stokes is giving away a boundary an over here, again via Rahul here who strikes another lavish drive on the up through cover. He then keeps the strike with one out to point. On the available evidence, the opener is trying to smash his way back into form.
10th over: India 34-1 (Rahul 21, Pujara 10) Jimmy is back, swung around to replace Broad from what must be the favoured Pavilion End. He’s straight back into his groove, Pujara only able to defend and watch. Maiden.
9th over: India 34-1 (Rahul 21, Pujara 10) Stokes drops short and Rahul goes whack, pulling behind square for four. It was in the air for a while but well clear of any potential catchers. He moves to 21 from just 23 balls. “It is indeed possible to overdose on paracetamol,” Bob adds. “It just takes ages and is NOT recommended. You wouldn’t like renal failure.” We are all learning today. Any other quick fixes? Asking for a friend.
8th over: India 30-1 (Rahul 17, Pujara 10) Rahul is more watchful of Broad this time around, taking only a casual single to point when it was on offer. Pujara finishes with the stroke of the innings so far, creaming a drive on the up through cover to the rope. Shot. Oh, and nowBoris Johnson appears on the big screen at the end of the over with th crowd booing in response – rather loudly. Remind me at the tea break to tell you a story from my former life about politicians and booing at sporting events.
Abhijato Sensarma has emailed me a rhyme about Jos Buttler, which I’ll also share at tea as it’ll require some formatting at my end to get it in. As for Phil Withall, he’s doing it right. “It’s near midnight,” he writes. “My wife goes to bed saying “your not watching football all night are you?” She didn’t mention cricket. I did not lie. I’m happy.” And Bob Wilson wants you to see me batting at HQ the other day. I’ll allow it.
7th over: India 25-1 (Rahul 16 Pujara 6) For the third over on the trot Rahul scores from the first delivery, using the pace of the Stokes to deflect a single behind point. The all-rounder finds his range against Pujara, the Indian number three playing out the remainder of the set respectfully.
6th over: India 24-1 (Rahul 15 Pujara 6) It is difficult to know why Rahul attempted to loft Broad’s first delivery over mid-off; he’s lucky to survive with the top edge clearing extra cover. It reminds me of how he got himself out in Pune against Australia last year, triggering an epic collapse. More convincing from Pujara when he gets his turn, clipping a boundary past square leg.
“Slightly tender?” asks John Starbuck. “Why does Rob say this? Is he referring to your maturity as an adult man (difficult for Aussies, perhaps) or is it just a euphemism for being hungover (complimentary for Aussies, perhaps).”
I don’t want to dwell on this (I’m in better shape now) but I did asked Siri earlier if it was possible to overdose on paracetamol. It has been a long summer.
5th over: India 19-1 (Rahul 14 Pujara 2) Thank you, Rob. Afternoon everyone. I’m coming to you from what must be the best seat in the press box: outside tribunes, front row, looking straight down at the pavilion. It’s a delightful spot to OBO for the rest of the afternoon for you. From our end it is Ben Stokes is into the attack replacing Jimmy after just two overs. That’s a fraction odd but we’ll roll with it. Rahul likes the change, nailing the first delivery of the new spell through point for a splendid boundary. He takes one to midwicket from the next ball and his shoe comes off, the bowler picking it up and giving it back. How kind of him. Two further singles are exchanged through the legside later in the fairly ropey over.
It’s time for me to hand over to a slightly tender Adam Collins. You can email him on [email protected] or tweet @collinsadam. Thanks as always for your company and emails. Bye!
4th over: India 12-1 (Rahul 8, Pujara 1) Pujara defends a big inswinger from Broad and is beaten by the next delivery, playing away from his body. Broad is getting some sharp movement back into the right-handers.
3rd over: India 10-1 (Rahul 7, Pujara 0) That wicket moves Broad above Sir Richard Hadlee and up to eighth on the list of Test wickettakers. He should be seventh by the end of the game. Meanwhile, Rahul flashes a back cut for four off Anderson.
2nd over: India 6-1 (Rahul 3, Pujara 0) Dhawan would have been out even if he had been able to review, as the point of contact with the pad was umpire’s call. Broad starts with a wicket maiden. After a difficult 2017, he is quietly having an excellent year.
Stuart Broad strikes with his first ball! Dhawan played defensively outside the line of a delivery that angled in to hit the pad. I thought he might have been outside the line of off stump as well. Dhawan wanted to review it but was told by the umpires he had taken too long.
1st over: India 6-0 (Rahul 3, Dhawan 3) KL Rahul drives Jimmy Anderson’s first ball confidently for three, and then Dhawan gets off the mark with a nice cut stroke for two. A quiet first over from Anderson. The ball didn’t swing for India until it was 20-30 overs old yesterday, so England may have to be patient.
“Has Jimmy been not out more often than any other batsman in Test history?” asks Peter Hulme. “If so, it would be a batting award to set alongside his many bowling ones, and maybe we could call him an all-rounder?”
He certainly has. It’s interesting to note the proper batsmen who are high on that list.
There will be no birthday century for Buttler. He falls 11 short, edging Jadeja to Rahane at slip, but walks off to a standing ovation for another fine innings: 89 from 133 balls with six fours and two sixes. It took a while for him to work it all out, but he’s a fully fledged Test batsman now.
121st over: England 330-9 (Buttler 87, Anderson 0) Breaking news: Jos Buttler is batting. No no no, Jos Buttler is batting. He has just smashed Bumrah for two sixes in three balls, with a mighty swipe to cow corner followed by a top-edged hook that was pure Botham ’81.
120th over: England 317-9 (Buttler 74, Anderson 0) This time Buttler takes a single off the fifth ball of Jadeja’s over, and Anderson survives the last delivery This could get very repetitive.
119th over: England 316-9 (Buttler 73, Anderson 0) Buttler doesn’t seem too fussed about farming the strike. He takes a single off Bumrah’s third ball, and Anderson survives the rest of the over.
Incidentally, that catch by KL Rahul was his 13th of the series, equalling the Indian record for an outfielder in a Test series.
118th over: England 313-9 (Buttler 70, Anderson 0) Earlier in the over Buttler scored his 1000th run in international cricket this year, which is more than anyone else in the world.
Broad’s perky innings is ended by a spectacular catch from KL Rahul. He lofted Jadeja high towards mid-on, where Rahul ran back towards the boundary and swooped to take a superb two-handed catch.
117th over: England 311-8 (Buttler 68, Broad 38) Broad edges Bumrah just short of second slip.
“Jagged Ultra Edge,” says Dan Woodward, continuing the theme of cricket film titles. “Allan Donald travels back in time to Trent Bridge 1998 and calls for a review.”
116th over: England 308-8 (Buttler 66, Broad 37) Ravindra Jadeja returns to the attack after lunch. Buttler adds three to his score, which takes him to within 34 of an unlikely hundred.
“Valid point made previously about Bairstow’s contribution to reviews,” says Ian T. “Under Cook we were excellent with using them (if I’m being harsh it was probably his best captaincy trait) – Root and Bairstow seem intent on wasting them by over 10. We need to review the reviewers.”
It’s become an important skill, hasn’t it? Matt Prior was extremely good. Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler seem much calmer in the limited-overs teams. That’s right, I said limited-overs teams. I’m waging war on contemporary white-ball phrases.