Reaction and analysis
That’s it for today’s blog, but Ali Martin’s match report will be up shortly. Thanks for your company and emails - goodnight.
A bit of news from earlier, in case you missed it
Close of play
45th over: India 125-3 (Pujara 50, Pant 29) Pujara works Root for a single to reach an admirable half-century from 139 balls, an innings that has extinguished any hopes England had of winning this game.
In fact that’s the last action of the day, which means a whopping 16 overs will be unbowled. India lead by 257 and will surely win this series 3-1 - probably on Tuesday, maybe tomorrow.
Updated
44th over: India 123-3 (Pujara 49, Pant 29) Now Pujara receives an official warning for running on the pitch. Nobody thinks he’s doing it deliberately, but rules are rules and another warming would mean a five-run penalty.
Anderson, meanwhile, has gone round the wicket to bowl some short stuff. I’ll be honest, I didn’t see this coming. Imaginary statistics show he is the first 39-year-old to take on the enforcer role in a Test match. Pujara deals with everything pretty comfortably, and it’s another maiden.
43rd over: India 123-3 (Pujara 49, Pant 29) Root’s first ball to Pant is so far outside off stump that it’s called by wide by Aleem Dar. He gets straighter as the over progresses, which allows Pant to whack a short ball through midwicket for four. Pant is batting with contemptuous ease.
42nd over: India 118-3 (Pujara 49, Pant 25) Pujara gets an unofficial warning for running on the pitch, then works Anderson off the hip to move to within one run of an excellent half-century.
41st over: India 116-3 (Pujara 47, Pant 25) Time for spin - but it’s Joe Root rather than Jack Leach who comes into the attack. That’s understandable with Pant, who eats Leach’s bowling for larks, at the crease.
Root starts by bowling very wide of off stump, the same line that led to Pant’s dismissal in the first innings. Pant isn’t playing, at least not yet: he ignores all six deliveries, and it’s a maiden.
40th over: India 116-3 (Pujara 47, Pant 25) James Anderson returns in place of Stokes, who bowled a pretty good spell of 7-0-22-1. Pujara survives another biggish LBW appeal, with the ball hitting him outside the line of off satump. There’s an argument Pujara wasn’t playing a stroke, but Richard Kettleborough would have been guessing.
39th over: India 113-3 (Pujara 47, Pant 22) Pant flogs Broad for four, which inadvertently leads to another ball change, the third of the innings. Broad gets the new old ball to zip past the outside edge later in the over. England have beaten the bat a lot today, and have arguably bowled better than they did when they reduced India to 90-odd for five in the first innings.
“I’ll tell you what, Rob,” says Matt Dony, “Bairstow’s match-winning innings is going to have to really be something…”
38th over: India 108-3 (Pujara 47, Pant 17) Pujara flashes Stokes past backward point for his fifth boundary, a really lovely stroke.
“Greetings from sweltering Berlin!” says Eva Maaten. “I wonder if anyone else has noticed that Coach Beard from the Ted Lasso series has made an appearance on the balcony of the Indian dressing room? Perhaps the series producers are exploring moving from football to cricket for series four?”
I haven’t seen Ted Lasso, on the grounds that it looks a bit cringeworthy, but am reliably informed it is extremely funny. Is that fair? And will the cricket spin-off be called Ted Bazball?
Updated
37th over: India 103-3 (Pujara 43, Pant 16) It was hard work for Pujara against the new ball, with plenty of playing and missing, but he has looked ominously solid in the last hour or so. Pant, meanwhile, is breezing along at close to a run a ball. India lead by 235.
36th over: India 102-3 (Pujara 43, Pant 15) A poor delivery from Stokes, well wide of leg stump, is flicked easily for four by Pant. Actually, it might be a plan from Stokes, because the next ball is also full outside leg stump. It runs away for a couple off the pad, and a few bits and bobs complete a productive over for India - 11 from it.
35th over: India 91-3 (Pujara 39, Pant 10) There’s been a bit of uneven bounce this evening, which reinforces the feeling that India are a sure thing. Happily for Pujara, the grubber from Broad is well wide of off stump.
There are still 26 overs remaining tonight, though we’ll do well to get half of them.
34th over: India 90-3 (Pujara 39, Pant 9) Bazball has hit the Wall. Pujara has faced almost as many deliveries for his 39 as Pant did for his 146 in the first innings, 106 to 111, and has inched India into a formidable position.
An absolute jaffa!! 😍
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 3, 2022
Rooty's reactions 😅
Scorecard/Clips: https://t.co/jKoipF4U01
🏴 #ENGvIND 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/IzNH1r5V1g
33rd over: India 88-3 (Pujara 38, Pant 8) “If the ball goes out of shape so regularly, shouldn’t Dukes look at its composition and make a change?” says Richard Holmes. “It is becoming an annoying feature of every Test. Moan over.”
Bloody Brexit. (Apparently it’s to do with the quality of the leather.)
32nd over: India 86-3 (Pujara 37, Pant 7) “What an impressive performance from Pujara,” says Robert Ellson. “At the risk of seeming grumpily preBazerian, I would suggest that a couple of hours spent rewatching his innings would be more useful for Lees, Crawley and Pope than any number of tub-thumping motivational speeches.”
Different strokes, I guess. I do think there should be room for at least one grinder in the top three, especially in a summer like this where the old ball does so little. Dom Sibley has a higher average in England Test victories than Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan, Ben Stokes, Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff. There’s a moral in that story. Possibly one about sample size, sure, but defensive batters can be matchwinners.
Updated
PUJARA IS NOT OUT! It was closer than I thought - umpire’s call, so England do at least keep their review.
REVIEW! 32nd over: India 86-3 (Pujara 37, Pant 7) Pujara pads up to a big inswinger from Stokes, with Richard Kettleborough rejecting the ensuing LBW appeal. Stokes decides to review, which looks a poor decision to me. We’ll soon find out.
Updated
31st over: India 84-3 (Pujara 36, Pant 6) Broad has an LBW appeal against Pujara turned down by Aleem Dar. It kept low, but it also hit the underedge of the bat rather than the pad. While Broad was appealing, Root (I think) tried to run out the non-striker Pant and gave away three overthrows.
Those runs bring Pant on strike, and he flicks Broad wristily through midwicket for four. Shot!
30.3 overs: India 77-3 (Pujara 33, Pant 2) Broad, back into the attack, raps Pujara on the glove with an unpleasant delivery. The ball was changed again a few overs ago, and the replacement has bounced nastily on a couple of occasions. Pujara has cut his forefinger, in fact, so there’s a break in play while he receives treatment.
“Hello Rob,” writes Sidhartha. “I would think writing off England already is not wise given their recent history. They may chase even 400 and India has still a long way to get there!”
You might be right – and it’ll be a helluva ride if you are – but I can’t see them chasing 250+ against this Indian attack.
30th over: India 76-3 (Pujara 33, Pant 1) Evening Rishabh.
WICKET! India 75-3 (Kohli c Root b Stokes 20)
Stokes has got Kohli with a snorter! It burst from a fullish length to take the glove and, though Billings parried a relatively straightforward chance to his right, Root reacted smartly to grab the rebound.
Kohli’s poor run continues, though he was entirely blameless. That was a violent delivery, utterly unplayable. It was also an extremely good reaction catch from Root.
Updated
29th over: India 75-2 (Pujara 33, Kohli 20) This has been India’s most dominant performance of this elongated series. They had to come from behind to win famously at Lord’s and the Oval. It’s slightly surprising to recall that they only took a first-innings lead in one of the four Tests last summer, the draw at Trent Bridge.
28th over: India 75-2 (Pujara 33, Kohli 20) Pujara has left well all day, and does so a few more times in that Stokes over. Every dot ball helps build a foundation for the devastating hitters down the order: Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah and the rest.
27th over: India 73-2 (Pujara 32, Kohli 20) Anderson beats Kohli on the inside with another fine delivery; Kohli responds by punching a half volley through mid-off for four. Anderson was disgusted with himself for bowling such a rank bad ball, especially as he had kept Kohli quiet until that point.
Actually, I think Anderson was annoyed with the footholes rather than himself, though the two aren’t mutually exclusive.
Updated
26th over: India 69-2 (Pujara 32, Kohli 16) Stokes replaces Potts and concedes a single from his first over. With India’s lead moving past 200, England urgently need wickets plural. Realistically it’s already over, though Stokes won’t feel that way.
25th over: India 68-2 (Pujara 32, Kohli 15) Anderson goes a bit shorter in this over, particularly to Pujara, who leaves a handful of deliveries on length. He’s fought really hard to see off the new ball, making 32 from 77 balls, and you’d imagine at least one of the Indian middle order will be the beneficiary of his graft.
24th over: India 66-2 (Pujara 31, Kohli 14) This is the eighth over of Potts’ spell, so it might be his last. Three singles from it, and India’s lead is 198.
Potts runs off the field at the end of the over, so I guess there will be a change. He bowled expertly, far better than figures of 8-2-20-0 would suggest.
Updated
23rd over: India 63-2 (Pujara 29, Kohli 13) No bowler has dismissed Kohli in Tests more often than Anderson - he has him seven times, the same as Nathan Lyon. Kohli has plenty of credit in the bank as well, mind, most notably from the 2016-17 and 2018 series.
The second over is similar to the first - Kohli walking down the wicket with intent, Anderson making him play and giving him nothing; another maiden.
Updated
22nd over: India 63-2 (Pujara 29, Kohli 13) Pujara flicks Potts for two, with Billings again complaining that Pujara is running down the middle of the pitch. Then he survives another LBW appeal after pushing around a good delivery. Missing leg I suspect, and possibly too high.
Despite the best efforts of England’s seamers, and they really have bowled well, India lead by 195.
21st over: India 61-2 (Pujara 27, Kohli 13) Here we go: Anderson v Kohli, one more time. Kohli looks in bullish mood and is walking down the track to Anderson from the off. But Anderson is right on the money, forcing Kohli to play all six deliveries, mostly defensive strokes. A maiden.
20th over: India 61-2 (Pujara 27, Kohli 13) This really is a high-class spell from Potts. Pujara survives a big LBW appeal, and this time Stokes goes for the review. I think Pujara was outside the line.
In fact he was hit in line, but replays show the ball was bouncing over the stumps. England aren’t happy - they thought there was an inside edge, and that Pujara should have been given out caught behind by Billings. Wrong!
The next ball is another jaffa from Potts, which Pujara edges through the diving Billings for four. Technically it was a chance, but it would have been a miraculous low catch. Potts’ figures of 6-2-15-0 are a minor scandal.
Updated
19th over: India 57-2 (Pujara 23, Kohli 13) Kohli, who has started with intent, pushes Broad through the covers for another thrilling boundary. There’s a break in play shortly after, with England successfully appealing for a ball change.
Reckon Jimmy Anderson v Virat Kohli incoming. One of the great battles of Test cricket's modern era - probably for the last time too
— Chris Stocks (@StocksC_cricket) July 3, 2022
Updated
18th over: India 53-2 (Pujara 22, Kohli 9) Kohli survives a huge shout for caught behind after pushing defensively at a jaffa from Potts. Stokes decides not to review, mainly on the advice of Sam Billings, and it’s the correct decision. The noise that got England excited was bat on pad.
Kohli fiddles a boundary to third man and then takes a quick single to move to nine from six balls. Potts completes an outstanding over by snapping one past Pujara’s defensive push.
17th over: India 47-2 (Pujara 22, Kohli 4) The new batter is Virat Kohli, who apparently hasn’t scored a century in his last 120 innings in all formats. That’s an barely believable statistic. He’s 96 away from righting that statistical wrong, having just got off the mark with a glorious cover drive.
“Ahoi Rob,” says Dan. “Much as we cherish YJBs clubbing of centuries this summer, England fans are already getting used to the idea of his latest being in a defeated cause. Being a world-beating numpty in the stats department I’d love someone to tell us where he stands in the pantheon of centurions who are also match winners.”
WICKET! India 43-2 (Vihari c Bairstow b Broad 11)
Vihari’s shift is over. He leans into a drive at a full delivery from Broad and snicks it straight to Bairstow at third slip. That was nicely done by Broad - and by Stokes, who is rewarded for sticking with three slips.
Updated
16th over: India 43-1 (Pujara 22, Vihari 11) Pujara opens the face to steer Potts for four. He and Vihari are doing a fine job here, slowly batting England out of the series (if they were still in it). But they are having to work pretty hard against some good bowling, and Pujara is beaten again later in the over.
15th over: India 39-1 (Pujara 18, Vihari 11) Broad returns in place of Leach. His first over back is accurate but unthreatening - two from it.
“Hi Rob,” writes Simon Brereton. “Since we announced our engagement on your OBO it would be remiss of me to point out that Suzy is having a great career playing for Germany!”
This is brilliant!
Moeen Ali to return to Warwickshire
A bit of news here from Ali, and about Ali - Moeen is set to return to Warwickshire when he leaves Worcestershire at the end of the season.
14th over: India 37-1 (Pujara 17, Vihari 10) Potts charges in to bowl the first ball after tea ... and then Pujara pulls away because of some oblivious eejit behind the bowler’s arm.
When the over does start, Pujara fences short of gully before playing and missing at an excellent delivery. Potts looks a seriously good bowler to right-handers.
“Hello Rob,” says Matthew Doherty. “When does the semi-customary Broad magic spell begin?”
Now you mention it, it’s been a while since the last one. Johannesburg 2015-16, or have I forgotten a more recent rampage?
“England are going to rue two things: Broad’s crazy over to Bumrah and Stokes’ insistence on slogging instead of playing second fiddle to Bairstow as Jadeja intelligently did when Pant was on song on Friday,” says Colum Fordham. “We’re now 132 runs behind and, bar a miracle, India have got this match in the bag. There’s attacking cricket and there’s foolhardy cricket.”
I agree that Stokes is overdoing it, though I understand the logic – if he wants his team to run towards the danger, he needs to be at the front of the pack. Eoin Morgan did a similar thing in 2015 before settling down slightly. I’m sure the same will happen to Stokes.
Tea
13th over: India 37-1 (Pujara 17, Vihari 10) Jack Leach, who was ransacked by Rishabh Pant in the first innings, comes on to bowl the last over before tea. It’s a harmless affair, with five runs from it, and that’s tea. India lead by 169 and are on course for a 3-1 series victory. See you in 20 minutes for the evening session.
Updated
12th over: India 32-1 (Pujara 16, Vihari 6) Potts boings a spectacular delivery past Vihari’s defensive push. Sheesh, that really bounced. England have bowled excellently this afternoon, and without much luck.
11th over: India 31-1 (Pujara 15, Vihari 6) A loose ball from Anderson is flashed past backward point for four by Vihari. Anderson’s response is predictable, an immaculate delivery that beats the outside edge. India lead by 163.
Updated
10th over: India 27-1 (Pujara 15, Vihari 2) Potts replaces Broad, who bowled a decent spell of 4-1-11-0. He starts well, forcing Pujara to play at pretty much every delivery. A maiden. Pujara has 15 from 36 balls, Vihari 2 from 22. England need a wicket, if nothing else to preserve Tim’s great stat from the previous over.
9th over: India 27-1 (Pujara 15, Vihari 2) Pujara is beaten by another beauty from Anderson that is angled in and then straightens sharply. Two from the over.
Meanwhile, this is a tremendous spot from Tim de Lisle. Get it while it’s hot, though, because Pujara and Vihari will ruin it if they hang around after tea.
#ENGvIND England have taken part in 1052 men's Tests over 144 years, and there has never been one as fast-scoring as this. Among all the Tests that have taken place anywhere (2470 of them), it's lying third https://t.co/NMEn8hPgvg
— Tim de Lisle (@TimdeLisle) July 3, 2022
Updated
8th over: India 25-1 (Pujara 14, Vihari 1) “Just to check, is the standard of proof needed to overturn a soft signal for a catch higher than that required to sustain a criminal conviction?” says Tom Hopkins, referring to the wicket of Matt Potts earlier this afternoon. “Seems a tall order, although at least not quite as meaningless as ‘clear and obvious’.
“In general, DRS is way better than the shambles in some other sports (ok, one other sport in particular), but it do wonder if those low catches are best left just on field. Easier to accept then that sometimes you eat the bar and sometimes the bar, well, he eats you.”
I’d probably go the other way – get rid of the soft signal and ask the third umpire to make a decision on the balance of probabilities. I don’t think there’s an ideal solution though.
7th over: India 25-1 (Pujara 14, Vihari 1) Anderson still has four slips and a gully, even though India are well in front, and they are almost in the game when Vihari misses a drive at a gorgeous outgswinger. Another excellent over is tarnished slightly when the last ball, a rare poor one from Anderson, runs away for four leg byes.
6th over: India 20-1 (Pujara 13, Vihari 1) A much better over from Broad, with Pujara showing terrific judgement of what to play and what to leave. Two or three deliveries only just missed the off stump, but Pujara knew what he was doing. India lead by 152.
“Broad’s having a helluva game Rob,” says Jon Salisbury. “The only thing left is a collision with Bairstow which breaks his ankle and denies Jimmy another five-for.”
It’s a shame there isn’t a ‘Rare Old Stinker’ button on Statsguru.
Updated
5th over: India 19-1 (Pujara 12, Vihari 1) A maiden from Anderson to Vihari, who is leaving as many deliveries as possible. He has 1 from 13 balls, Pujara 12 from 15.
4th over: India 19-1 (Pujara 12, Vihari 1) Pujara, given a soupcon of width by Broad, forces the ball through point for four. Terrific stroke. Though he isn’t bowling badly, Broad looks a bit like a 36-year-old playing his fourth Test in five weeks.
“Hi Rob,” says Arvind. “What is a good fourth-innings target on this ground? 400?”
I suspect 300 would be enough, certainly 350. Though England have chased brilliantly this summer, this India attack is alternative gravy.
3rd over: India 13-1 (Pujara 7, Vihari 0) Pujara softens his hands to thick edge an Anderson outswinger wide of the slips for four. But this is masterful new-ball bowling from Anderson. Pujara survives a big LBW appeal - missing leg - and then Vihari edges just short of Crawley at second slip.
“My hottest sporting takes in real time,” begins Paul Griffin. “Bradley Wiggins should stick to the track; debutants Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen are respectively far too gangly and far too small to make it at the top level; and Jimmy Anderson lacks the mental strength to make it in Test cricket. I’m available if anyone is looking for an Elite Director of Performance Fiascos.”
2nd over: India 8-1 (Pujara 3, Vihari 0) Stuart Broad, who so far in this match has covered himself in ignominy, shares the new ball. Cheteshwar Pujara flips his first ball for two, with the aid of a misfield, and is told off by Sam Billings for running straight down the middle of the pitch.
Pujara digs out a good yorker later in the over and then inside-edges wide of the stumps for a single.
Meanwhile, here’s that Matthew Potts wicket. Out? Not out? YOU ARE THE THIRD UMPIRE.
England 284 all out! ✖️ #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/pD7p3FazdO
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 3, 2022
Updated
1st over: India 4-1 (Pujara 0, Vihari 0) The new batter Hanuma Vihari is beaten second ball by a beauty. James Anderson, bloody hell. The man’s an animal. That really was a lovely delivery to dismiss Gill, with extra bounce and just enough seam movement to take the edge. I’m running out of ways to say that I’m running out of superlatives.
Updated
WICKET! India 4-1 (Gill c Crawley b Anderson 4)
The preposterous James Anderson needs just three balls to take his 657th Test wicket. Shubman Gill, who had driven the previous ball for four, fenced a superb delivery to Crawley at second slip. India lead by 136, and England have a sniff of a sniff.
Updated
Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeere’s Johnny department
“Rudimentary statsguruing shows Bairstow had a sequence of 501 runs from 436 balls when he reached his 100,” says Tom Bowtell. “Best sequences I could find for other likely contenders are: Sehwag: 527 from 494, Afridi: 549 from 501, Gilchrist: 511 from 508 those were end of innings totals so we can’t be sure but YJB’s run right up there. Guess there might be a Southee-style sloggy tailender who could sneak it.”
Erm, Tom, you’ve missed someone.
Updated
WICKET! England 284 all out (Potts c Iyer b Siraj 19)
We’ve been told all summer that Matthew Potts can bat, and he is starting to walk everyone else’s talk. He hooks Siraj for four, with a whiff of top-edge, and then smears emphatically over midwicket for six.
The next ball is edged towards third slip, where Shreyas Iyer takes a low catch at the second attempt. The decision goes upstairs, with the soft signal of out, and the third umpire Marais Erasmus upholds the decision. I’m not entirely sure about that - on balance I think it bounced - but the evidence wasn’t conclusive so I can understand why he went with the on-field signal. Had the soft signal been not out, Potts would have survived.
The upshot is that England are all out for 284, and India lead by 132.
Updated
61st over: England 274-9 (Potts 9, Anderson 6) Thanks Jim, hello everyone. We start with news of more dumb luck for Shami, first when Potts clunks one short of mid-off, then when Anderson is beaten once twice thrice.
60th over: England 273-9 (Potts 8, Anderson 4) Jimmy Anderson ambles out with his blade, he survives a Siraj appeal for caught behind first ball and then glances his fellow fast bowler for four. A bit of a fend sees the Burnley Lara pick up a couple more. Jimmy is stony faced amongst the chatter from the fielders.
And that is me done, thanks for your company. Here is the mighty Smyth to guide you through the final knockings of England’s innings and the rest of the day.
I’ll be back in the morning, goodbye!
WICKET! Billings b Siraj 36 (England 267-9)
Billings drags on! Looking to glide a Siraj delivery on fifth stump away, he chops on and has to go, England staring down the barrel of a hefty first innings deficit. They trail by 149.
Updated
59th over: England 267-8 (Billings 36, Potts 8) Billings skips down but only gets a bit of it, the ball ballooning away for a couple. Potts then plays a lovely flick through mid-wicket for four. I take it all back Matthew!
58th over: England 260-8 (Billings 33, Potts 4) Billings plays a half ramp shot to get Siraj away to the fence for four. He might want to think about farming the strike as Potts looks a little out of his depth. England will have to chase, as is their wont, but it may depend on how many Billings can eke out with the tail as to how steep that chase is. If he can get the lead down to 70 or 80 then it will be game on. As it stands, at over 150 it feels a big advantage to India.
Updated
57th over: England 255-8 (Billings 28, Potts 4) Potts picks up a spawny four off his gloves to a rising delivery from Shami. His instructions seem to be clear as he aims a few wild drives but doesn’t connect.
An email pings in from Tom Van Der Gucht titled:
‘Bairstow and Buttler - the Barker vs Wade of cricket’
“Over the last few years, there seems to have been a propensity to put Buttler up on a pedestal for his batting genius whilst Bairstow has operated in his shadow. However, with his current test renaissance hopefully leading to an extended period of late career excellence alongside his statistically superior ODI record to Buttler in terms of average and strike rate, I’m wondering if he might get more due and we’ll enjoy the cricketing equivalent of Barker vs Wade, Coe vs Ovett, Audley Harrison vs David Haye... where both are appreciated for their individual excellence.”
56th over: England 250-8 (Billings 25, Potts) Billings picks up two with new batter Potts but is then clattered on the shoulder by a slippery bouncer. He turned away and the ball followed him and struck him with a dull thud. He seems fine. Shakes it off...
Wicket! Broad ct Pant by Siraj 1 (England 248-8, trail by 168)
Siraj replaces Jadeja and Broad greets him with an almighty hack that goes straight up in the air... Pant takes the simple catch. That plan did not work.
Updated
55th over: England 247-7 (Billings 25, Broad 1) Broad is the new man, a sign of further aggression you’d think. Billing’s may well go into T20 mode here too, he’s been happy to give Bairstow the strike till now but can definitely move through the gears. Shami whistles a bouncer past Broad’s grill and it takes off, flying over Pant for four byes.
WICKET! Bairstow ct Kohli b Shami 106 (England 241-7, trail by 175)
Shami comes into the attack and Bairstow has a wild swing first ball, nicking off to Virat Kohli in the slips who safely pouches the catch. England’s talisman has to go and they are still adrift by 175 runs.
Updated
54th over: England 241-6 (Bairstow 106, Billings 24) Jadeja whirls through another over. Bairstow and Billings are watchful.
53rd over: England 239-6 (Bairstow 103, Billings 23) Bumrah traps Bairstow with a yorker but the umpire says not out. The Indian skipper goes upstairs straight away without consulting his team. He should have taken a breath, ball tracking shows the ball sliding down past the leg stump and India lose a review. They have one left.
52nd over: England 237-6 (Bairstow 103, Billings 23) Jadeja into the attack. It’s a change of pace on the field and also on the OBO as the spinner rattles through his overs at a lick, my keyboard starts to groan under the pressure. Just a single off it.
51st over: England 236-6 (Bairstow 102, Billings 23) Bumrah goes to his deadly yorker a couple of times in the over and very nearly sneaks one under Billing’s blade, an under edge means the ball is trapped and bounces just over the stumps.
"He is a run MACHINE right now Jonny Bairstow!" 😍🦾
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 3, 2022
Another outstanding performance with the bat to reach his century 💯🙌#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/IGUMGqZK34
50th over: England 235-6 (Bairstow 102, Billings 23) Billings collects a couple from Thakur who also keeps overstepping and gifting England No-Ball runs. Lucky! Billings then gets a thick leading edge that just loops over Bumrah at mid-on. England trail by 181.
49th over: England 227-6 (Bairstow 100, Billings 20) Bumrah sends down a maiden to Billings.
Don’t poke the Bair https://t.co/Uv0j2PtDzN
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) July 3, 2022
48th over: England 227-6 (Bairstow 100, Billings 20) England avoid the follow on with a scampered two. A very light ripple goes around Edgbaston from those in the know. Bairstow swishes at a wide one down the leg side and the ball flies away wide of Pant for four. He didn’t get a tickle on it so remains on 96...
BUT THEN HE BRINGS UP HIS CENTURY! Jonny Bairstow has three centuries on the spin!
A push to the off side boundary and Jadeja, of all people, misfields and the ball goes through him for four! Bairstow removes his helmet and lets out a primal roar before a smile unfurls and lights up his face. He looks to the sky. Well batted.
Updated
47th over: England 215-6 (Bairstow 96, Billings 17) Bumrah is wayward with his first ball and Billings clips it away for four to fine leg. Both batters pick up a single before Billings cue ends a wide Bumrah delivery for four for the second boundary of the over. Thakur will continue.
46th over: England 204-6 (Bairstow 95, Billings 7) Bairstow clips the first ball back for four! Timed away perfectly off his pads through mid-wicket. He moves onto 95. Thakur beats him with the final ball of the over, it zips off the seam and into Pant’s gloves at chest height.
Good news! The players are heading back out. Bumrah has his men in a huddle and is giving them an animated team talk. Bairstow and Billings emerge. England are 200-6 and still trail by 216 runs. Bairstow is 91*. Shardul Thakur has three balls to complete the 46th over.
Plenty of you debating the Stokes dismissal:
Alexis Norman weighs in:
“Isn’t the point according to Stokes to entertain us? Are people entertained by the way he’s currently batting? I’m not. I think its just daft. Play each ball on its merits I say.”
Jazz parps up:
“G’Day James,
Loving the KP views on the telebox. Stupid approach from Captain Stokes; should be anchoring with Young Jonny going strong. As for England now, with these clouds presumably lingering, get the deficit below 150, look to skittle India cheaply and chase another score circa 290? Fanciful, I know.”
And here’s the G’s Barney Ronay:
Maybe the real ball along has been Bairsball
— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) July 3, 2022
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Play to resume at 13:30
If there’s no more of the wet stuff. A fascinating chat on Sky with KP, who goes through some of his old batting notes:
"Don't be stupid and go after the spinner straight away" 🤣
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 3, 2022
Kevin Pietersen looks through some of the notes to himself from when he was playing 🔊 pic.twitter.com/plZaYJwsuG
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LUNCHTIME READING:
Our main man Ali Martin has a very interesting chat with former England Head Coach Trevor Bayliss. Have a goosey why don’t ya.
What a pulsating morning of cricket. I’m off for a lie-down some sustenance and will be back shortly to sift through some of your emails.
What a morning of cricket we've had here!
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 3, 2022
Scorecard/Clips: https://t.co/jKoipF4U01
🏴 #ENGvIND 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/jB6qYjvuo5
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RAIN STOPS PLAY - early lunch taken.
The cricket is so riveting that no one noticed the clouds gathering, the rain comes and the players are ushered off, it looks like more than a shower so an early lunch is being taken, my sources tell me the re-start will be at 12:55 if the rain stops.
There was drama, more drama in the over before the break as Bairstow swiped across a straight ball from Thakur and was given out lbw by Aleem Dar. He reviews quicker than you can say “inside edge pal” and sure enough the hot spot shows a snick. NOT OUT. Bairstow chews his gum insouciantly, never in doubt.
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45th over: England 198-6 (Bairstow 88, Billings 6) Just a couple off the over. Bumrah managing to curtail the scoring, however briefly.
And here is Virat and Johnny engaging in a little trash talking earlier in the morning.
It's tense out there between Virat Kohli and Jonny Bairstow 😳#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/3lIZjERvDW
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 3, 2022
44th over: England 196-6 (Bairstow 88, Billings 6) Atherton is seemingly right, this is Jonny’s IPL bat - he smears Thakur over mid-wicket into the Hollies stand for a huge six! A swivel pull also brings four more, splitting the boundary riders perfectly.
Here is the story of the Stokes dismissal which it is fair to say is causing some ripples on the emails.
A tale of two balls...
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) July 3, 2022
Thoughts on that dismissal? 🤔
📺📱💻 Watch Today at the Test at 19:00 on @BBCiPlayer and BBC Four#BBCCricket #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/YTq02tsRIc
43rd over: England 185-6 (Bairstow 78, Billings 6) Shades of Trent Bridge as Bairstow pulls Siraj into the stands for six!
OBO guru Tim de Lisle emails in with a JonnyStat:
“Bairstow was on 13 off 63 balls, now 72 off 93, so his last 59 have come off 30”
He’s now 78 from 99 balls. And he’s just called for a change of bat. “This one is for even bigger sixes” notes Mike Atherton on commentary.
42nd over: England 178-6 (Bairstow 72, Billings 6) Bairstow plays an audacious late cut that goes up and over the cordon. It’s a brilliant shot as there are men out on the boundary on the leg side making the pull/hook a much riskier proposition. He then backs away to leg and glides a length ball from Thakur through the covers for another four. This is rare form, the sort that you really have to make the most of and Bairstow is very much doing just that.
41st over: England 169-6 (Bairstow 63, Billings 6) Not for long though as Bairstow plays a Viv Richards esque flick from off stump that flies over wide mid-on! Some shot that. He made it look so simple, Sam Billings at the other end is playing a ‘normal’ (What is normal anymore?) Test knock which only serves to accentuate the blistering form Bairstow is in. Nine runs come off the over.
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40th over: England 160-6 (Bairstow 55, Billings 5) A no ball adds a single to the score and everything calms down a little bit as Thakur bowls a tidy over to a watchful Sam Billings.
39th over: England 159-6 (Bairstow 55, Billings 5) Bairstow goes over the top again and picks up four, again! England not taking their foot off the gas, as Stokes walked off he merely shrugged and gave a rueful grin and it was all smiles on the England balcony from McCullum and Collingwood. Worth pointing out that England still trail by 256 runs.
38th over: England 153-6 (Bairstow 50, Billings 4) Sam Billings is the new man and he crisply flicks his first ball away off his pads for four!
WICKET! Stokes ct Bumrah b Thakur 25 (England 149-6)
Gone! In a frenetic passage of play Stokes is caught on the dive by Bumrah at mid-off after the India skipper had shelled a far easier catch just the ball before. Thakur atones for his drop too.
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37th over: England 148-5 (Bairstow 50, Stokes 25) England are running well and picking off the runs. Stokes gets three for a hack into the leg side and Bairstow picks up a couple of singles to bring up his FIFTY.
Sriram emails in:
“I’m writing from Chennai, India, in defense of the new ‘attacking cricket’ strategy (I can’t bring myself to call it Baz... to call it THAT). But I’m concerned that it just took two lost sessions for the journalistic knives to come out against the strategy, even after all it did for English morale and fortunes just a few short weeks ago. I see altogether too many articles pointing out that the new strategy had failed on day 1 and 2.
Give it time, I say. When Virat Kohli’s and Ravi Shastri’s India started playing this brand of cricket a few years ago, it didn’t exactly work out brilliantly from the get-go for them either. In 2018, India played exhilarating cricket but went down - heartbreakingly - 1-4 to England - with a lot of the same players in the team: Kohli, Shami, Bumrah, Jadeja, Pujara, Pant, Rahul, Ashwin.
Looking even further back, remember Lloyd’s West Indians playing free-flowing calypso cricket and going down 1-5 to Australia in 1976. And then taking it out on the world for the next ten years.Give it time. The strategy’s OK.”
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36th over: England 141-5 (Bairstow 48, Stokes 20) DROP! HUGE DROP! Stokes skies Shami and Shardul Thakur spills it! Shami turns away in disgust, he’s bowled 18 overs on the bounce and has grafted for that chance. It was an easy catch, the ball going so high that the crowd got involved with some “Woooaaa-ing” as the ball came down and Thakur snatched at it with fingers raised. Bairstow then plays a couple of beautiful shots for four, a clip off leg stump and a checked drive down the ground. Some of his shots have been a little bit agricultural this morning but those two were all timing and class.
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35th over: England 130-5 (Bairstow 39, Stokes 18) Siraj comes into the attack to replace Bumrah and Bairstow takes him for a couple of fours, a wristy pull into the leg side and another aerial cover drive.
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34th over: England 121-5 (Bairstow 31, Stokes 17) 11 runs come from the Shami over - Stokes plays a violent cut shot for four that whistles to the fence and Bairstow goes up and over again to get four down the ground. The two batters then scamper a rapid two, Bairstow in particular is lightning between the wickets. Shami bowls a beauty last up that moves away late and Bairstow follows it. Every ball feels like an event.
33rd over: England 110-5 (Bairstow 25, Stokes 12) Bumrah jags one back into Stokes and an inside edge saves him. Bairstow comes onto strike and short arm jabs Bumrah aerially down the ground for four. The Yorkshireman then leans on one into the covers to pick up two. Absorbing first half an hour this.
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32nd over: England 100-5 (Bairstow 16, Stokes 11) It all gets a little spicy out there as Virat and Bairstow seem to have terse words and the umpires step in. Not sure what about, probably Kohli trying to get into Johnny’s noodle. Bairstow’s beans are well and truly up as a result and he has a wild few swipes before connecting with a flay over point for three. Fair to say he is ticking.
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31st over: England 97-5 (Bairstow 13, Stokes 11) OUCH. Bumrah decks one into Stoke’s “midriff” and floors the England skipper. Deep breaths and eventually a wry smile. An inside edge is nearly chopped on to the stumps but gets Stokes off strike. Bairstow is then beaten by consecutive deliveries outside off before flicking a single off the final ball.
John Little has the first email of the day:
“Morning James, fine choice of music to start the day. Kristofferson often used a key change to take things up a notch after the first chorus. Take note, Johnny Bairstow and Ben Stokes”
There are notches and there are notches John. Will we have a rousing chorus or fading feedback squall in this England innings?
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30th over: England 95-5 (Bairstow 12, Stokes 10) Bosh! Stokes skips down and bunts Shami back over his balding pate for four. Shades of Rishabh Pant about that shot. He then nurdles a single to get off strike. Ayayayay - Shami then nips one back to Bairstow that misses his stumps by a gnat’s eyelash. It is not dull.
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29th over: England 90-5 (Bairstow 12, Stokes 5) Stokes skips down to Bumrah but the fast bowler holds back his length and beats him on the outside edge. It looks like both men are relishing this battle and neither will take a backward step. Sure enough Stokes clips Bumrah away through mid-wicket for four! He’s up and running.
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28th over: England 84-5 (Bairstow 12, Stokes 0) Shami is finding a bit of movement and there’s some wobble as the ball passes through to Pant behind the timbers, he spills one and does well to cling onto another. Shami starts with a maiden. Stokes v Bumrah up next!
The players are out on the field in the hazy Birmingham sunshine, Bairstow is scratching his guard, Shami has the ball. PLAY!
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And this by Jonathan Liew, provides quite a sobering reality check:
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Here is Andy Bull with those bullish Anderson quotes:
Preamble
Sunday Morning Coming Down.
Welcome to the day three OBO of England v India, Jim here with the Sunday morning call before the mighty Rob Smyth takes over this afternoon. And what position might the match be in by then?
England we’re chastened yesterday by the Indian juggernaut and if they are to come back from this far behind in this Test then it will take something even more crackers than anything we’ve seen in ‘BazBall’ thus far.
The day started with Stuart Broad being flogged for the most expensive over in Test history, winding up on his belly in the dirt of the popping crease from whence he had been slayn by Jasprit Bumrah.
Bumrah, the smiling assassin with the bullwhip action then got to work on England’s top order with the ball, whipping away Lees, Crawley and Pope and England find themselves 84-5 trailing India by 332 runs.
Stokes and Bairstow are at the crease and it would be wise to tune in from the get-go as Jimmy Anderson’s rallying call that “attack will be the best form of defence” suggests that they aren’t going to change their aggressive approach and will try to hit themselves out of strife once more.
Play gets underway at 10:30AM BST - a little over ten minutes time (the earlier start has caught me out already...)
Time for a quick splosh of coffee and we’ll be ready to go. Gulp.
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