England v India: fourth Test, day three – live!

34th over: India 83-1 (Rohit 36, Pujara 0) This is interesting. Despite a big spike on UltraEdge, KL Rahul is convinced he didn’t edge that. He walks off with a face like the apocalypse, never mind thunder.

And he has! England are finally rewarded for a superb bowling performance this morning. Rahul pushed defensively at another immaculate delivery from Anderson that shaved the edge and was pouched with glee by Jonny Bairstow. It was given not out by Alex Wharf but England reviewed immediately, and with success.

ENGLAND REVIEW! Anderson is certain that KL Rahul has edged through to Jonny Bairstow.

33rd over: India 83-0 (Rohit 36, Rahul 46) Batting has been more challenging since the lights went on, so the openers have decided to sit in for a while. Another tight over from Robinson means there have been only 13 runs from the last nine overs.

“Rob,” says Harpo, “that clip of Garner from the 26th over is fascinating. Gower tries to cut one that hits the top of his off stump, he’s just bowled four out and has no slip, and I wonder whether the crowd would self-regulate in the same way today with the absence of any stewards?”

It was right at the end of the World Cup final, with England needing 10 an over, which is why there were no slips. Interesting point about the crowd, especially after yesterday, although there was a spectacular pitch invasion at the end of the match.

32nd over: India 82-0 (Rohit 36, Rahul 45) A great stat from Nasser Hussain on Sky. Since July 2020, Jimmy Anderson has taken 41 wickets at an average of 17.88 in the first innings and only six at 61.00 in the second. He almost changes the stat to seven wickets at 52.29 with a textbook outswinger that beats Rohit’s defensive push.

“Please give a message of good luck to my club, CIPA ITMA CC (Chartered institute of Patent Attorneys and Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys) who are on tour in Corfu,” writes Stuart Lumsden. “Game today is a 4pm start to aid recovery. First tour I’ve missed – family duties helping to look after young children, Angus and Fraser (I know…). Would have loved to be there after tours to Serbia, Croatia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Spain and Portugal.”

Ladies and gentlemen of CIPA ITMA CC, godspeed. Please don’t be sick on a good length.

31st over: India 82-0 (Rohit 36, Rahul 45) The game of patience continues with another low-key over from Robinson. Rohit and Rahul, who have batted so well in this series, are laying a terrific platform here.

30th over: India 80-0 (Rohit 35, Rahul 44) Anderson replaces Woakes, who bowled a top-class spell of 6-2-16-0. Rahul – who might be pleased to face Anderson for once, as he was really struggling against Woakes – works a single round the corner. India trail by 19. The match and the series are poised as deliciously as Simon Adebisi’s hat.

“Garner,” says Jeremy Boyce. “Brilliant. I’d forgotten what a short run he had, nine or 10 paces then KAZAAAAAM! Anyway, never mind big Joel, wasn’t that Dickie standing at the bowlers’ end? Joel was kind, no real work for Dickie with any of those five England wicket. Wonder what Dickie would have made of all these new-fangled reviews and whatnot. I reckon he was mostly spot on regardless of technology.”

It was indeed Lord Dickie. I think Barrie Meyer was the other umpire, though I’m not sure whether it was him or Dickie who gave Viv Richards not out to Mike Hendrick early in his innings.

29th over: India 79-0 (Rohit 35, Rahul 43) Joe Root has moved Overton to third slip. Had he been there two overs ago, Rohit’s edge would have gone straight to him. He wasn’t, it didn’t, and India have negotiated the first hour. Drinks.

28th over: India 77-0 (Rohit 33, Rahul 43) England are in the uneasy position of desperately needing a wicket while knowing they can’t bowl like a team who are desperate. Thus far they’ve done all the right things, concentrating on accuracy and discipline.

Woakes, who has led the way, beats Rahul with another marvellous delivery in the channel. The lights have just been switched on, which usually means more movement, and the commentator Mark Butcher implores Joe Root to put in a third slip.

27th over: India 77-0 (Rohit 33, Rahul 43) Now Rohit is dropped off Robinson! He reached outside off stump and edged a push-drive to the right of second slip, where the diving Burns put the chance down. It was a pretty tough chance, low and a fair way to his right. But it’s the sixth catch that the England cordon have failed to take in this match.

“By rights,” says Robert Speed. “Umpire’s call should equally apply where the ball’s just missing the stumps. It doesn’t make sense to have an umpire’s call only when it’s just clipping.”

That would play out well on Twitter.

26th over: India 74-0 (Rohit 31, Rahul 42) Woakes is bowling superbly here. A clever off-cutter to Rahul leads to an LBW enquiry, turned down by Alex Wharf. I’m pretty sure there was an inside edge and it might have been outside off stump as well.

“Joel Garner was at Lutterworth Cricket Club yesterday for a charity day in memory of Jack Patrick,” says Stephen Walkley. “Half the people (like me) were in awe of him the other half said, ‘Who’s Joel Garner!’”

Anyone who doesn’t know who Joel Garner is deserves to face an over against him, barefoot.

25th over: India 73-0 (Rohit 31, Rahul 41) Rohit squirts a drive to third geezer for a couple more runs. Robinson has been unusually expensive in this innings: 6-0-29-0. Has Ollie Robinson taken Ollie Robinson as far as he can?

“Morning Rob,” says Guy Hornsby. “A great stat on TMS just now that opening away in England is one of the hardest endeavours in world cricket. This pair have been one of the best from a touring side in many years, so kudos. And getting away with that lbw is going to give them even more of a boost. You have a worrying feeling this could be a lot of hard yakka today. England’s bowlers have to be disciplined and accurate and keep on their plans or it could be a long day. Getting past the deficit for no loss could be a hammer blow. You surely feel we were a good 50-75 short last night. Ach.”

24th over: India 71-0 (Rohit 29, Rahul 41) England could really have done with that wicket. It’s too early to say the game is getting away from them, but they are certainly second favourites. They are bowling well, Woakes in particular, and he follows that LBW review by shaping a beauty past Rahul’s attempted drive. A superb over from Woakes. There was a run-out chance at the start, too, when Rohit took a dodgy single to mid-on. Anderson’s throw missed the stumps with Rohit scrambling to make his ground.

IT’S MISSING LEG STUMP! Rahul, who top-edged a pull for six off the previous ball, played around a delivery that was angled in and hit the flap of the front pad. Alex Wharf thought about it for a few seconds and then gave it out. But Hawkeye showed it was just sliding down the leg side. Oof.

RAHUL IS GIVEN OUT LBW – BUT HE’S REVIEWED! This is really close; my hunch is umpire’s call and therefore out.

23rd over: India 64-0 (Rohit 28, Rahul 35) A change of pace isn’t an option for Joe Root with this seam attack, but he can at least introduce a change of bounce. Ollie Robinson comes on for James Anderson, who bowled a pretty good three-over spell, but there’s no movement for him either and Rahul leans into a crisp square drive for four. India trail by 35.

“Third man?” writes Paul Mills. “I thought we’d moved on from that fielding position.”

Fair point, though ‘third’ sounds a bit weird, don’t you think? From now, Rob Smyth is calling it the third-person boundary.

22nd over: India 58-0 (Rohit 27, Rahul 30) Good bowling from Woakes, who beats Rahul with a tempting, slightly wide delivery. An even wider short ball bounces over Rahul’s attempted cut, and finally a thick edge runs to third man for three runs. Hameed did well to save the boundary.

21st over: India 55-0 (Rohit 27, Rahul 27) A maiden from Anderson to Rohit. India’s batsmen look very comfortable, and Joe Root might already be thinking about introducing Moeen Ali.

20th over: India 55-0 (Rohit 27, Rahul 27) A full ball from Woakes is driven sweetly down the ground for four by Rahul. That was another beautiful stroke, and slightly ominous for England.

19th over: India 50-0 (Rohit 26, Rahul 23) Anderson beats Rohit with a lovely delivery that straightens from a fourth-stump line. He’s made a decent start, with a hint – nay, a suggestion – of movement. I think it’s seam rather than swing, though it’s hard to be sure.

“Delayed reading your preamble when my eye caught this excellent piece,” says Brian Withington. “Am now reflexively reminiscing about the Pine Barrens episode (and wondering what gabagool tastes like). I wonder if Tony Soprano might have appreciated the subtle rhythms and occasional high drama of Test cricket? And what can the Sopranos teach us about a potentially decisive day four of an Oval Test match?”

Ask me tomorrow. (I know what you mean, though, this doesn’t particularly feel like day three.)

18th over: India 49-0 (Rohit 25, Rahul 23) Chris Woakes, not Ollie Robinson, will start from the other end. His first over is a maiden to Rahul – accurate, but with no sign of any sideways movement. That’s a concern for England, but it’s important we don’t jump to conclusions after only two overs. The only thing we can say with any certainty is India 521-3 declared (Kohli 221*, Rohit 147).

“Young Rob,” begins Robert Wilson. “It’s my first Saturday off in six weeks. The cats and I have the place to ourselves, the fridge is filled almost exclusively with Guinness West Indies Porter (harder to find in Paris than Shergar) and the plan is unmitigated cricket and an old Joan Rivers standup. I don’t care who wins or fails or succeeds or if it rains or snows, almost monotonous rapture is guaranteed. Maybe life can be better than this but I can’t quite see how.”

I hope our algorithm doesn’t put an advert for Age UK’s befriending service below this.

17th over: India 49-0 (Rohit 25, Rahul 23) James Michael Anderson OBE has the ball in his hand. Two slips and a gully for Rohit Sharma, who has reached double figures in all 10 innings this summer. If he gets his eye in again this morning, he’ll have a decent chance of finally making his first Test century overseas.

Anderson has an early LBW appeal against Rohit turned down by Richard Illingworth. Too high. He’ll will be encouraged by a bit of movement back into the right-handers, less so by Rohit’s pristine straight drive for four off the final delivery. Lovely.

It’s overcast at the Oval, a little brisk, and England will hope that’ll help the ball to swing. We’ll soon find out – the players are ready for action.

This is India’s 29th Test innings of the decade. They’re yet to score 400, which is a pretty extraordinary stat*. It’s also a vulnerable one: the consensus from the Sky Sports team is that the pitch is now a belter.

* The only other Test-playing nation who haven’t managed it are Ireland, and they have a decent excuse: their last Test was in 2019.

There’s plenty of great sports writing around, and plenty of great sports photography. But there aren’t many pieces that combine the two.

“Good morning, and a tense one it promises to be,” writes John Starbuck. “So much so that I shall, this evening, avoid the football match broadcast in favour of Today at the Test and have instead set the video to record the highlights show, which means I can watch that tomorrow morning. I gather it’s not that important a game but I’ll be happy to fast-forward through the razzle-dazzle and the experts’ chunterings. I like my football rare and my cricket top cuisine with all the trimmings.”

I had no idea Vancouver Whitecaps v Austin FC was being televised.

Morning. Who’s got that Saturday feeling? No not that one, the good one. The cricket one. We’ve got a cracking weekend ahead, in a match and series that appear to be crescondoing towards a memorable climax. It’s 1-1 with one and a half Tests to play – but there’s a but. With a mixed weather forecast for Manchester next week, this could effectively be the deciding Test.

India will resume this morning on 43 for none, a deficit of 56, and you can make a case for either team being in the ascendancy: England because they are still ahead, India because they will be in the lead by lunch and have probably the best batting conditions of the series.

Yesterday was big, today will be bigger, tomorrow will have people double-checking the meaning of ‘superlative’ before they throw the word around willy-nilly. Don’t miss it.