A recent ascent to No 1 in the men’s T20 rankings saved one half of Brendon McCullum’s job as England head coach and yet half of that half – one-day international cricket – continues to be a struggle.
A six-wicket defeat by India in the series opener at Edgbaston was England’s 13th ODI loss since McCullum took charge of the white-ball teams at the start of last year. Just six victories have come in this time – including three against lowly West Indies – and they have now slipped to eighth in the world overall.
For India this was just the tonic after a chastening 4-0 defeat in the T20 series. Shubman Gill delivered a silken 80 to help chase down a target of 259 with 28 balls to spare, having earlier marshalled his bowlers superbly. After plundering 430 runs on this ground during last year’s Test, his love affair with Birmingham continues.
McCullum and Harry Brook misread a dry surface that was offering variable bounce for the quicks and resulted in knuckles being rapped throughout the match. Brook had five spin options in his XI but just three seamers, leaving him short on genuine wicket-taking threat and forcing him to use the bulk of Jofra Archer’s overs early.
Harry Brook’s reaction
Losing five wickets for 20 put us on the back foot, but the way the boys fought after that was phenomenal. We’d like to have played better in that period of the game. After that we did well to reach 260, a total I thought we could potentially defend.
We thought the pitch changed quite a bit – it got a little bit slower and that allowed them to cruise along. At the break we thought we might have had enough if the pitch stayed the same.
We try and make selections based on the pitch. If we’d got a few more runs then our spinners might have been able to tie them down. It comes back to us losing five for 20.
That’s a thumping win for India, a welcome palate-cleanser after their T20 woes. England were always playing catch up after collapsing from 61-0 to 80-5 this morning. They also picked the wrong team, though this is a hindsight-based observation.
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India win by six wickets with 28 balls remaining!
452. overs: India 262-4 (Washington 52, Axar 57) Axar takes a single off Rashid, which allows Washington to kill two birds with one stone: he swipes Rashid for a straight six to bring up his own fifty and finish the match in style.
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45th over: India 255-4 (Washington 46, Axar 56) Washington spanks Curran back over his head for four, then flogs a pull over midwicket to move to within four of his own half-century. He might not have the chance to get there: India need four to win and Axar wiill be on strike at the start of the next over.
44th over: India 245-4 (Washington 37, Axar 55) Adil Rashid returns after bowling only four of the first 43 overs. He wasn’t at his playful best, but nor did he bowl badly.
Three singles move India closer to their end goal. In this format, they are just too good.
43rd over: India 242-4 (Washington 35, Axar 54) You can log off if you like; we’ll see it through. India need 17 from 42 balls. CAN THEY DO IT HAVE YOUR SAY.
42nd over: India 239-4 (Washington 32, Axar 54) Josh Tongue ends a promising ODI debut with figures of 10-0-50-1.
41st over: India 235-4 (Washington 29, Axar 52) Axar rushes to a 39-ball fifty with two boundaries in three balls off Jacks, a lofted drive down the ground and then a lusty slog-sweep.
With four wickets earlier in the day, Axar is the player of the match by a distance.
40th over: India 223-4 (Washington 29, Axar 42) Axar crashes Tongue between extra cover and mid off for four, a brilliantly placed shot. Axar has raced to 42 from 37 balls yet his innings has felt largely risk-free.
39th over: India 216-4 (Washington 29, Axar 35)
Washington is not out!
Never mind missing leg; it pitched outside leg. Washington tried to pull and got in a tangle; replays show the ball actually hit the stumps without dislodging the bails.
England review for LBW against Washington
The ball from Jacks kept very low but is probably missing leg stump.
38th over: India 212-4 (Washington 27, Axar 33) The last ball of Archer’s spell is a searing yorker that is defended expertly by Axar. Archer, who bowled some ferocious deliveries, finishes with slightly harsh figures of 10-0-60-1.
37th over: India 211-4 (Washington 26, Axar 33) A single off Jacks brings up a quietly superb fifty partnership – no fuss, few frills, but it has settled a match that was in danger of getting away from India.
“All very chucklesome seeing the guy in the crowd soaked in booze having tried to catch the six from Washington,” writes Gary Naylor. “Tomorrow night, blokes all over the country will be doing that by choice. Yep - me neither.”
At least the chap at Edgbaston didn’t have any flares in his pocket.
36th over: India 207-4 (Washington 24, Axar 31) Curran off, Archer on. His first two balls are loose and put away to the fence with a flourish by Axar.
This has been an impressive, two-paced partnership: nine runs from the first four overs, 38 from the last four.
35th over: India 196-4 (Washington 24, Axar 20) Washington slog-sweeps Jacks handsomely for six. Have some of that! The ball is dropped in the crowd by some poor guy who falls backwards in his seat and ends up covered in Sticky ABV Product. We’ll be seeing that clip in a few montages.
India, who were wobbling slightly at 160 for 4, have regained control with the minimum of fuss.
34th over: India 184-4 (Washington 22, Axar 10) Curran enquires unsuccessfully for LBW against Axar, who missed a whip across the line. Curran was bowling round the wicket so it pitched well outside leg stump.
Four singles are followed by a pull for two from Axar. India need 75 from 96 balls.
33rd over: India 178-4 (Washington 20, Axar 6) Adil Rashid, on in place of Jacks, is swept firmly for four by Washington. This pair have dealt very calmly with an awkward situation.
32nd over: India 169-4 (Washington 13, Axar 4) Curran is a whisker away from making the breakthrough. A slower yorker beats Washington all ends up and misses off stump by this much. Beautifully bowled but no cigar.
31st over: India 166-4 (Washington 12, Axar 2) Four singles from Jacks’ over. Washington and Axar are both very smart cricketers and it’s hard to see them being bored out, so presumably England’s plan is to slow the game down until somebody produces a jaffa.
30th over: India 162-4 (Washington 10, Axar 0) Archer and Tongue each have two overs left. Harry Brook decides to save those overs and goesback to Sam Curran, who tightens the screw a peedie bit with five dot balls out of six. The run-rate isn’t yet an issue for India, who need 97 from 120 balls.
29th over: India 161-4 (Washington 9, Axar 0) A good over from Jacks, one from it. Though India remain strong favourites, England have given themselves a sniff. What more can anyone ask for?
28th over: India 160-4 (Washington 8, Axar 0) Axar Patel is the new batter, so England have two left-handers to explore.
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WICKET! India 160-4 (Rahul b Tongue 1)
Hello. KL Rahul drags a cut onto his stumps to give Josh Tongue his first ODI wicket. India have lost two in six balls, and Shubman Gill is being force-fed pickle juice as we speak.
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27th over: India 157-3 (Washington 6, Rahul 0) Replays show that Shreyas made a terrible mess of that run. First he veered away from the ball, which gave Brook a clear path to hit the stumps, then he looked over his shoulder to see where the ball was. After the fortnight he’s had, that will frustrate the hell out of him.
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WICKET! India 157-3 (Shreyas run out 35)
Jofra Archer’s return brings a wicket, though not as England intended. Washington takes a quick single to mid-on, the non-striker Shreyas doesn’t run in a straight line and Brook beats him with an excellent direct hit.
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26th over: India 150-2 (Shreyas 34, Washington 1) Washington Sundar walks out at No5.
Gill retires hurt on 80
Yep, Shubman Gill is walking gingerly from the field. He has played a charming innings, 80 from 75 balls with 11 fours and a six, and could potentially return after on to complete his hundred. Not sure it’s worth the risk though.
Those 80 runs have lifted Gill’s average to extraordinary heights: 60.57. That’s an all-time record among the Test-playing nations. Dawid Malan is fourth on the list as well.
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25.4 overs: India 149-2 (Gill 80, Shreyas 34) Gill pulls Josh Tongue easily for four, shouts “Fakk off!” after missing a cut stroke and then calls the physio on for more treatment. He might have to retire hurt.
25th over: India 145-2 (Gill 76, Shreyas 34) For most of the 21st century England have been good at either red-ball or white-ball cricket, but rarely both at the same time. This time are taking that to the next level by splitting their form in the two white-ball formats. Defeat today will be their 13th in 19 ODIs since Brendon McCullum took over, which contrasts pretty heavily with a record of 20 wins in the last 23 T20Is.
24th over: India 141-2 (Gill 74, Shreyas 32) Gill winces with cramp after sweeping Jacks up and over for four. This is like an elegant variation on the old line about Gordon Greenidge batting on one leg.
Ignore that change-of-ends business: Will Jacks is coming on, the fourth different spinner in as many overs. But first, Gill needs treatment for cramp.
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23rd over: India 135-2 (Gill 69, Shreyas 31) That Bethell over was to facilitate a change of ends for Rashid, who has been replaced by Dawson. Gill inches closer to a hundred, India to their victory target.
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22nd over: India 129-2 (Gill 65, Shreyas 30) Jacob Bethell is brought into the attack before Liam Dawson, a surprising decision that doesn’t have the desired effect. Shreyas helps a poor ball to the fine-leg boundary; Gill lifts a regal drive over extra cover for four. India are officially cruising.
21st over: India 119-2 (Gill 59, Shreyas 26) Gill decides to go after Rashid, hitting him for two fours in three balls. He’s batting beautifully and has 59 from 56 balls.
Fifty for Shubman Gill
20th over: India 110-2 (Gill 51, Shreyas 25) A short ball from Curran is under-edged for four by Gill to bring up an elegant and authoritative half-century from 51 balls. We shouldn’t be surprised: he scored 430 runs in last summer’s Edgbaston Test.
Another bouncer from Curran, this time to Shreyas, whooshes away for five byes. That’s an especially risky delivery with Buttler up to the stumps. England are trying everything but it feels like a futile endeavour.
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19th over: India 97-2 (Gill 45, Shreyas 23) Not much spin for Rashid, who is mixing up his pace and flight as usual. India have started watchfully against him, an eminently sensible approach with the required rate still below a run a ball.
18th over: India 94-2 (Gill 43, Shreyas 22) A double bowling change: Archer off, Curran on. He almost buys a wicket when Shreyas top-edges a pull just short of the man at fine leg.
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17th over: India 89-2 (Gill 41, Shreyas 21) Adil Rashid replaces Tongue. He’s on the money from the start and concedes three singles from a quiet first over.
16th over: India 86-2 (Gill 40, Shreyas 19) Archer is still getting to lift unpleasantly from a length. But Gill is playing his well, Shreyas is hanging in there and India have already seen off seven of Archer’s ten overs.
Drinks: India need 179 from 210 balls
15th over: India 80-2 (Gill 39, Shreyas 16) Tongue beats Gill, this time through lack of bounce. Gill parks that, nothing he could do, and persuades the next ball to the cover boundary. He is just beautiful to watch.
14th over: India 75-2 (Gill 35, Shreyas 15) England are putting all their eggs in the wicket basket. No, wicket. Jofra Archer replaces Sam Curran and bowls very straight to Shreyas, everything just back of a length. Shreyas fences a couple of runs to fine leg before snicking through the vacant slip cordon for a single.
With the required rate irrelevant at this stage (5.11 per over), every wicketless over moves India closer to victory.
13th over: India 70-2 (Gill 34, Shreyas 12) Harry Brook punches the ground in frustration after his misfield allows Shreyas to get off strike.
Tongue soon has another look at Shreyas, who is beaten outside off and then spoons one just short of backward point. Lovely bowling from Tongue, who is an intriguing addition to this ODI team. Next year’s World Cup is in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, where the pitches should have plenty of life.
12th over: India 67-2 (Gill 33, Shreyas 11) A wide half-volley from Curran is dealt with appropriately by Shreyas. Later in the over he edges a forcing shot just wide of the diving gully.
His partner Gill has played some beautiful strokes already. There’s another, a hold-the-pose cover drive that races away for four. Not for the last time today, England need a wicket.
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11th over: India 58-2 (Gill 29, Shreyas 6) Tongue changes ends to replace Archer, so England are still hunting wickets. Might as well, it’s their only chance of winning. Shreyas wallops a cover drive that is brilliantly stopped by the diving Duckett.
10th over: India 56-2 (Gill 28, Shreyas 5) Sam Curran has a zingy bouncer that could be awkward on this pitch. He tries one to Gill but it’s too short and called wide. Three singles complete the scoring for the over.
9th over: India 52-2 (Gill 26, Shreyas 4) Archer beats the new batter Shreyas Iyer, then throws his hands out in frustration when Shreyas flicks between the keeper and leg slip for four. It was in the air but also in the gap. Archer has bowled far better than figures of 5-0-30-1 suggest.
“For any readers wanting to know,” writes Eddy Nason, “this week’s lottery numbers will be 3, 15, 22, 48 and 72...”
You missed one. It’ll be 58, Sam Curran’s shirt number.
WICKET! India 48-2 (Kohli LBW b Archer 5)
With Kohli on strike, Archer is given a fifth over – and it pays off! Kohli has gone for 5. It was a classic set-up, a short ball that Kohli gloved for four and then a full, straight delivery. Kohli missed a flick to leg and was plumb LBW, so plumb that he and Shubman Gill barely discussed a review. Excellent bowling.
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8th over: India 44-1 (Gill 26, Kohli 1) Kohli denies Curran a wicket maiden by turning his third ball round the corner for a single. He’s probably already eyeing an unbeaten century.
WICKET! India 43-1 (Rohit c Brook b S Curran 11)
Sam Curran, never in doubt. He strikes third ball when Rohit gallivants down the pitch and slices the ball high to Harry Brook at mid-off.
Rohit’s dismissal is greeted by huge cheers from the India fans; here comes Virat Kohli.
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7th over: India 43-0 (Rohit 11, Gill 26) Rohit flick-pulls Archer delightfully over square leg for four. There’s still plenty in this pitch, as Archer proves with a sharp lifter that beats Gill later in the over. Gill responds with successive square drives for two, both high-class strokes.
“What are your thoughts on Sam Curran’s bowling on this track?” writes Eddy Nason. “He normally manages to find a way into a game (and it definitely wasn’t with the bat today).”
I’d prefer Vincent van der Bijl’s bowling on this pitch for sure, but Curran has become an important part of the team so I wouldn’t have left him out. Had they played an extra seamer I think it would/should have been instead of Jacks or Dawson.
6th over: India 32-0 (Rohit 4, Gill 22) A short ball from Tongue is picked up for six by Gill. There was a hint of top edge but the line (too straight) and the length (not short enough) made it a fairly safe shot.
Two balls later, Gill plays a stunning back-foot punch through extra cover for four more. That’s an unbelievable stroke!
5th over: India 22-0 (Rohit 4, Gill 12) The bounce in this Edgbaston pitch evokes the West Indies Test of 1995, when England were bulldozed inside two-and-a-bit days and Robin Smith batted with extraordinary skill and courage. That pitch was worse, downright dangerous, but we haven’t seen too many Edgbaston surfaces with such extreme bounce since then.
4th over: India 19-0 (Rohit 4, Gill 9) The extra bounce continues to cause trouble, with Rohit cutting Tongue just short of gully. Another threatening over from Tongue – but another wicketless one too. If India get through this new-ball spell unscathed, they will almost certainly win the game.
3rd over: India 18-0 (Rohit 4, Gill 8) Rohit is beaten twice by Archer – a spectacular whiffy lifter and a nipbacker that cuts him in half. England would love to have another quick bowler, either Saqib Mahmood or Gus Atkinson, on this pitch; then again, that would have meant leaving out Liam Dawson, so they might be defending 180 rather than 258.
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2nd over: India 16-0 (Rohit 2, Gill 8) Josh Tongue takes the new ball on his ODI debut. His last List A game was in August 2022, when Glamorgan’s batters left him with figures of 9-0-87-0.
His first over starts unpromisingly when Gill flicks imperiously through midwicket for four. But Tongue is in the team to take wickets and almost does so with consecutive deliveries. First Gill gloves a lifter short of gully; then he slices fractionally short of the diving Jacks at point.
Gill’s response is to back away to the next delivery. Tongue tries to follow him but overdoes it to the tune of five wides.
1st over: India 6-0 (Rohit 1, Gill 4) In the T20 series, Jofra Archer was bowling to a 15-year-old opener. Now it’s a 39-year-old, Rohit Sharma, who gets off the mark with a single to mid-off. Just before that he tried to leave outside off stump and deflected the ball past the stumps.
The captain Shubman Gill clips his first ball to fine leg for four. A poor delivery to end an otherwise good over.
Cheers Jim, hello everyone. I come bearing stats: since his recall to the ODI side in 2025 – he didn’t play a game in 2024 – Joe Root is averaging 71 with a strike rate of 93. He has also scored nearly 200 runs since his last ODI dismissal.
The problem for England is that most of the other batters are still working out their best ODI tempo, and until they do not even Root will be able to stop them from posting under-par totals. Even allowing for a pitch that is spicier than expected, India are strong favourites to chase this down. England need wickets plural with the new ball.
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Right, I’m off. Rob Smyth will be along in a short while to bring you India’s chase.
Ta and Ta-ra.
Here’s a Guy Hornsby I prepared earlier:
“Considering the muck we were in after 22 overs, this is an excellent recovery to something that’s defendable. But having got to 225-odd it didn’t feel smart cricket from Jofra going for a second six. We end up all out for under 260 when 280+ was on. And with that batting line-up, India will probably have fancied chasing 300, too. But chapeau to Joe Root and especially Liam Dawson. We’ve seen Joe do this in 50 and red-ball formats so many times, we forget how hard it is to do that. I have loved watching him more than any other batter in this century, and I will be distraught when he’s gone. But Dawson has really shown his worth. He may not be a big hitter but he’s no nurdler, so I hope he can take that impetus into the India innings. He’s a canny spinner in the same vein as the excellent Axar. This isn’t over yet, however much India will feel content. Tongue and Archer with the new ball(s) will feel crucial to the result.”
England all out for 258!
Bowled him! Tongue is cleaned up and so are England. Root remains unbeaten on 76 and can polish his halo a bit more as they walk off. Without him and the gutsy knock from Liam Dawson England wouldn’t have a hope in heck. As it stands they have a wafffer thin chance IF they get on a roll with the ball as India did.
WICKET! Adil Rashid st Rahul b Patel 1 (England 258-9)
Rashid dance down, misses. Stumped. Josh Tongue arrives as the last man for England.
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Brar has to depart, hopefully it is just a bad dose of cramp. Axar Patel comes on instead and…
Gurnoor Brar pulls up with cramp as he runs in to start the 48th over. The physio comes on for a stretch and no doubt a slurp of something.
47th over: England 257-8 (Root 75, Rashid 1) Lovely from Root, Bumrah goes short and Root ramps over the keeper for four. Seven off the over and crucially zero wickets.
46th over: England 250-8 (Root 69, Rashid 0) Four overs remain and Jasprit Bumrah will bowl two of them. Adil Rashid strolls out to join Joe Root.
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WICKET! Jofra Archer c Washington Sundar b Patel 12 (England 250-8)
Valuable runs from the over as Root shimmies down and hits Axar for SIX only to see Jofra match him with a meaty pull over midwicket and into the crowd! Ah, fun is over for Archer, he holes out to Sundar in the deep on the leg side.
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45th over: England 235-7 (Root 61, Archer 5) Shot! Archer smashes Krisha past point for four… and then nearly runs himself out with a stuttering single – Rohit Sharma missing with the throw at all three from backward point.
44th over: England 228-7 (Root 59, Archer 0) Jofra Archer joins Root in the middle, he’ll have a bit of pad rash no doubt.
Loved this from the great Yas Rana on Dawson’s fifty:
Liam Dawson is England’s oldest ODI half-centurion since Alec Stewart scored 60 against Namibia at the 2003 World Cup”
WICKET! Liam Dawson c Sharma b Patel 68 (England 228-7)
Partnership broken finally! Dawson pulls Axar down Rohit’s throat on the leg side fence and a crucial 121 run stand between himself and Root is broken.
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43rd over: England 223-6 (Root 57, Dawson 65) Lovely batting from Root, he spots the gap is at fine leg and manipulates a back of a length ball from Krishna for four down to the vacant region.
42nd over: England 214-6 (Root 51, Dawson 63) Gill only gives Bumrah the one over, a sign that he thinks England may well bat through now and he’ll need his star bowler at the death to limit the damage. Root clips Brar for a single to bring up his 46th ODI half century.
In Case of Emergency Break Glass For Joe Root.
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41st over: England 210-6 (Root 49, Dawson 61) Dawson sweeps Axar fine to bring up the 100 partnership. Into the last ten overs, I didn’t think we’d get here. Admit it, neither did you. Admit it!
40th over: England 203-6 (Root 47, Dawson 56) Bumrah attempts the yorker but gets it wrong, Joe Root can’t believe his luck as he pings a full bunger away to the midwicket fence. 289 is apparently the par score from the past ten ODIs… do we almost have a game on our hands here?
38th over: England 196-6 (Root 41, Dawson 55) Dawson pulls Brar to the leg side fence. That has forced Gill’s hand, he brings Bumrah back, the big man has got three overs up his sleeve. I’ve misplaced an over somewhere (careless, Jimmy) but a crucial passage incoming. Here’s Jasprit.
37th over: England 190-6 (Root 40, Dawson 50) Root and Dawson are getting England up to something that they could defend if they have a MEGA ONE with the ball in hand. Eight an over from here gets them 285… Liam Dawson has played so well and goes through to a maiden ODI fifty. Batted.
36th over: England 186-6 (Root 38, Dawson 48) Shot! Liam Dawson slog sweeps Axar and gets hold of it nicely for SIX! England’s first since Duckett hot a couple in the early overs.
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35th over: England 171-6 (Root 35, Dawson 40) Dawson has 18 first class hundreds, he’s looking comfortable out there now, worryingly for England really, there are no demons in this pitch.
34th over: England 166-6 (Root 34, Dawson 36) This partnership annoying India (and scuppering my chances of a half hour snooze in the garden before a demonstrative five year old re-enters the fray…).
33rd over: England 162-6 (Root 31, Dawson 35) India have been good in the field today, apart from Shivam Dube. Sorry Shivam. Just two runs off Patel’s fourth over.
32nd over: England 160-6 (Root 30, Dawson 34) A couple of boundaries to England as the partnership between Root and Dawson goes past fifty, Root elegantly times Krisha through midwicket for four and Dawson shows his credentials with a crisp cover drive for four more.
31st over: England 150-6 (Root 25, Dawson 29) England bring up the 150, Dawson pulls Axar behind square for four. Time for Bumrah, surely?
30th over: England 143-6 (Root 23, Dawson 24) Dawson looks in decent nick with the bat, he clips Prasidh off his pads for a sweetly time four.
29th over: England 139-6 (Root 23, Dawson 20) Slow and steady from Root and Dawson. Five off Axar Patel’s latest over and time for a drink.
It’s seven years to the day since the 2019 World Cup Final! Forgive the self indulgence (hey if Ben Stokes can do it…) but that’s where this whole gig started pour moi.
By the time of the final, we were on the Aeolian Islands. You’d struggle to find a more picturesque place. We spent our entire first day there indoors as the whole bonkers game played out. By the time of the Super Over I was losing it, prowling around in my pants, using a curtain pole as a bat, shadow playing every delivery from Boult. T sat on the same cushion, as long as she stayed in contact with that cushion, England were still in it. When Jimmy Neesham launched Archer into the Mound Stand it was a gut punch similar to heartbreak. T looked at me, concerned. “What does that mean?” I couldn’t answer. Couldn’t speak. And then.
Archer. Guptill. Roy, Buttler, Bails! Relief. Joy. Tears.”
28th over: England 134-6 (Root 22, Dawson 16) Dube drops short and Dawson pulls slightly mechanically for four.
“Terrible from England! Sack the coach!” A droll Peter Salmon in the OBO mailbag.
27th over: England 128-6 (Root 21, Dawson 11) Root releases the shackles with a reverse lap for four off Patel. Bumrah is off the field but if I were captain of India – BIG IF – I’d have him back on and try and get this finished off.
26th over: England 122-6 (Root 16, Dawson 10) More singles than a speed dating event in Clapham.
Root has 11 of ‘em in a row. Axar Patel is coming on for his first bowl of the day.
25th over: England 117-6 (Root 15, Dawson 6) As if the crowd don’t love him enough already, Bumrah pulls off an incredible diving stop on the fine leg boundary to prevent a Dawson pull for four. That got as big a cheers as one of his wickets.
24th over: England 113-6 (Root 14, Dawson 3) Three singles off Dube with Rahul stil up to the stumps.
“Do you have any idea why Root and Brook seemingly can’t deal with medium pace with the keeper up?” asks Billy Vignoles.
“They both seem to manage just fine against spinners and yet the keeper comes up to the stumps to a seamer and it suddenly looks like they haven’t held a bat before. Maybe I’m just being a simpleton but surely the extra KpH can’t be making that much difference to their footwork?”
I think it is a rhythm thing more than anything, both like to get out to the ball and cut down the angles but having the keeper up prevents that approach and means you are much more static in the crease, that affects your timing and is why we see so many caught and bowled a la Neser and Boland in the last Ashes. It’s been a fascinating development in the Test game over the last year and I really enjoy watching keeper’s excel at it, like Tom Blundell did for NZ in the Test series just gone.
23rd over: England 111-6 (Root 12, Dawson 2) I wonder how Root and Dawson will approach this? Will they look to occupy and accumulate rather than try and hit out a little? Two singles suggests the former but India’s bowlers are really giving them very little to work with.
22nd over: England 108-6 (Root 11, Dawson 1) Liam Dawson joins Root and is off the mark right away with a compact push into the covers. He can certainly bat and Joe Root needs someone to stay with him, he’s seen the carnage unfold from the other end.
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WICKET! Will Jacks c Rahul b Dube 20 (England 107-6)
Flying one handed catch by KL Rahul behind the stumps sees the end of Will Jacks! Outside edge taken with a smidge of extra bounce, Rahul gets it in his pouch mere millimetres above the turf.
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21st over: England 104-5 (Root 9, Jacks 19) Brar replaces Prasidh but gets some tap from Will Jacks! A ping off the pads followed by a flick off the toes. Jacks then drives for two into the covers to bring up the England hundred. Yeh, but they’ve lost five wickets.
20th over: England 93-5 (Root 8, Jacks 9) DROP! Shivam Dube replaces Bumrah, KL Rahul calls for the helmet to stand up to the stump and the ploy should have worked right away with Root crease bound and driving on the up, a return catch is plinked back to Dube and he spills it! That’s a bad drop, Dube has been poor in the field on this tour and he’s now shelling them off his own bowling!
19th over: England 89-5 (Root 7, Jacks 8) Jacks edges Krishna past his stumps and away for four. England will take then any which way… and that was loose.
18th over: England 82-5 (Root 7, Jacks 1) India sense the quick kill and keep Bumrah on for the seventh. England survive it, just, and take two singles. Bumrah has 1-17 from his seven overs.
17th over: England 80-5 (Root 6, Jacks 0) Will Jacks joins Root with England all over the shop. They won the toss and chose to bat first remember! Jacks leaves alone and Krishna finishes a double wicket maiden.
WICKET! Sam Curran c Rahul b Prasidh Krishna 0 (England 80-5)
Sam Curran comes and GOES! Booming drive and massive nick through to the keeper. uh-oh. England were 61-0… they are now 80-5!
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WICKET! Jos Buttler c Gurnoor Brar b Prasidh Krishna 5 (England 80-4)
England are in deep doodoo! Buttler gets a leading edge to Krishna, Brar and Gill bump into each other as they converge on the catch behind the bowler but it is taken and no damage done. India well on top now.
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16th over: England 80-3 (Root 5, Buttler 6) A purr goes round Edgbaston as Root pings Bumrah off his pads through midwicket for four. Drink it in people.
15th over: England 74-3 (Root 1, Buttler 4) Root dabs to third to get off the mark and Buttler clips two off his pads.
14th over: England 69-3 (Root 0, Buttler 1) England lose three quick wickets and Jos Buttler now joins Root in the middle fresh off his T20I century in Southampton. He’ll need to be on it right away as Bumrah has his dander up – the Brook dismissal was his 150th in ODIs.
Four byes fly over KL Rahul behind the stumps and Buttler gets off the mark with a single to mid on. Bumrah has bowled five, surely Gill will let him have another at this pair?
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WICKET! Harry Brook c Sharma b Bumrah 1 (England 64-3)
Brook goes to Bumrah’s first ball! A huge moment and the players and crowd know it! Steepling bounce and Brook’s attempted glide ends up as a simple catch for Rohit at slip.
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13th over: England 64-2 (Root 0, Brook 1) Phew. Harry Brook joins Root after two wickets fall in Brar’s third over. Jasprit Bumrah is being recalled, this is now a key passage in this match. Do not adjust your set!
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WICKET! Ben Duckett c Bumrah b Gurnoor Brar 43 (England 64-2)
Joe Root arrives in the middle… but he’ll have a new partner as Duckett is caught neatly on the boundary by Bumrah who juggles the upper cut on the boundary rope at deep third and hares off in celebration. The fast bowler is pleased with that one, as well he might be!
WICKET! Jacob Bethell c Washington Sundar b Gurnoor Brar 14 (England 61-1)
Gone! Bethell’s scratchy stay comes to an end as he pulls Brar to Washington Sundar who takes a good catch tumbling forward in the deep.
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12th over: England 61-0 (Duckett 43, Bethell 14) Three singles worked off Sundar’s tall tweakers. This is now England’s best opening partnership in ten ODIs.
11th over: England 58-0 (Duckett 42, Bethell 12) Bethell edges Shivam Dube’s first ball through the vacant cordon for four. Gill moves Sharma in there the next ball but the edge/horse has bolted for the time being. England continue to target everyone except Bumrah. India bring on Washington Sundar, their fourth bowling change in five overs.
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10th over: England 51-0 (Duckett 41, Bethell 6) Oh yes. Duckett has come alive since Bumrah has been taken off, he spanks Brar for four twice over with two meaty cuts past point. A top edge on the drive brings him another boundary over the slip. That’s the powerplay done with.
9th over: England 42-0 (Duckett 33, Bethell 5) Bethell steals a quick single to Dube who hits with his throw from mid on but the young’un makes it home safe. Duckett charges Krishna and nails him over cover for four. Shades of the Harry Brook special in that shot.
8th over: England 37-0 (Duckett 29, Bethell 4) Kohli denies Bethell four with a sharp stop at shot cover. Say that ten times fast. Duckett gets the next on through though, lots of bottom hand in the drive for four. SIX! Duckett moves across his crease and scoops over the keeper and beyond the rope. Brar didn’t like it and he hurls the ball back at Duckett/the stumps after fielding off his own bolwing the next ball. Fetch that! Duckett has the last laugh with a top edged pull for SIX more to make it seventeen off the over.
7th over: England 20-0 (Duckett 13, Bethell 3) Just a couple off Bumrah as Duckett clips off his hip. It’s been a quiet start from England but India’s openers have been right on it. Gurnoor Brar is coming on with his medium pace actually quite fast seamers, we might see a few more shots played now…
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6th over: England 18-0 (Duckett 11, Bethell 3) Bethell has a thick tramline of zinc across his chops, reminding me momentarily of Dominic Cork in his pomp. Two runs off Krishna, the crowd comes to life as Kohli pulls off a smart stop in the covers. He looks perky does Virat, when does he not?
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5th over: England 16-0 (Duckett 10, Bethell 2) Bumrah gets some steepling bounce with his bullwhip action and beats Duckett twice in the over. Just a Bethell glance for one to fine leg.
Do you remember the first time last time these two sides met at Edgbaston in this format?
4th over: England 15-0 (Duckett 10, Bethell 1) A brief pause while Duckett gets some magic spray on his poorly hand. Bethell is still on nought off ten balls, if this was T20 cricket he’d be having a shocker but there’s plenty of time to catch up in this format. A quick single up to mid on sees him off the mark, maybe he picked his fielder there – it was Shivam Dube who had a bit of a mare in the field during the T20 series. Four to Duckett who flicks Krishna off his hip with ease. The outfield looks rapid.
3rd over: England 9-0 (Duckett 5, Bethell 0) Ouch! Bumrah generates some bounce and thuds a nasty delivery into Duckett’s glove. Duckett shakes his hand instantly like a man handling a hot plate with a wafer thin tea towel. He gets some respite by stealing a single into the off side. Close! Bethell pokes with no foot movement and is lucky not to nick off. Bumrah is, as you’d expect, an absolute handful.
2nd over: England 8-0 (Duckett 4, Bethell 0) Prasidh Krishna is sharing the new nut and he runs in to bowl to Jacob Bethell. His first ball keeps low, scuttles under Bethell’s bat and beats the keeper too. Prasidh is nippy and there is movement through the air and off the pitch. Bethell defends and misses an attempted pull. Nowt more off the over.
1st over: England 4-0 (Duckett 4, Bethell 0) Bumrah’s first ball snakes off the pitch, Duckett watches it closely, defending into the off side. He plays and misses at the next one… and the next! Bumrah gives Duckett a cheshire cat smile, he’s getting some big movement away to the left hander with the new white ball. Inswinger coming surely… sure enough a booming inducker is next up and it smashes into Duckett’s shin! BUT it pitched outside leg, so no dice.
Four! Duckett slams a cover drive. Decent cat and mouse in the first over.
Give us a shout if you are tuning in? Go on!
Bumrah lurks at the top of his mark. Ben Duckett is on strike for England. Up for this. Let’s play!
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The players emerge onto a sunny Edgbaston outfield, there’s a breeze blowing across the ground and the temperature is in the low 20s. Ideal conditions for cricket. England sport their powder blue kit and India are in their customary sky blue. Fitting as it is ‘Blue for Bob’ Willis day.
India aren’t exactly flying in ODIs either by the way. They have lost three of their last six bilateral ODI series - to Sri Lanka and Australia away and New Zealand at home. Their team is packed with heavyweights – Kohli, Rohit, Bumrah, Gill and KL Rahul but they haven’t played a lot recently and there could be some rust on their usual gleam. Bumrah hasn’t played in this format since the World Cup in 2023!
TEAMS:
England have gone with a spin heavy attack. India have opted for pace.
India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Washington Sundar, KL Rahul (wk), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Gurnoor Brar, Prasidh Krishna.
England: Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jofra Archer, Liam Dawson, Josh Tongue, Adil Rashid
Jos Buttler is playing his 200th ODI. His family were with him in the huddle as Eoin Morgan presented him a commemorative cap. A lovely moment.
Buttler will bat down the order today as Jacob Bethell is going to open up. Jasprit Bumrah will be steaming in at him in about 20 minutes. Good luck, lad.
England win the toss and choose to BAT first
Ravi Shastri conducts the toss in customary sonic-booming fashion and Harry Brook gets the rub of the coin. He sounds a little unsure but confirms England will have first use of the wicket and look to get a commanding total on the board.
Shubman Gill says he would have bowled first anyway. So there.
England have gone to number one in the world in the T20 format, they’ve won 20 of 23 completed games under Harry Brook’s captaincy and deserve plenty of credit for that. It’s a different story in the 50 over stuff though, with just three wins in nine matches and a feeling that it has been the lesser loved cousin compared to Tests and T20s.
Preamble
Who likes fifty over cricket? C’mon, hands up, don’t be shy. What do you mean you don’t remember fifty over cricket? It’s the one in between the really long one and the really short one. It’s got elements of both, what’s not to like? Oh and there’s a World Cup in this exact format next year. Remember England won that one in 2019? You do! ‘The barest of margins!’ Yes! That was fantastic, wasn’t it? Well, erm, yes - they did stink the place out four years later and have an incredibly patchy record in the format in recent years but now the white ball stuff is Brendon’s sole focus and him and Harry have got them flying in the 20 over stuff so surely it is going to rub off or transfer into the fifty over squad. Surely. That’s just obvious. Its osmosis or something, right? Plus Rooty’s back! Love Rooty, he can do it all. Virat’s playing too? And Rohit? Whaaaat – Bumrah as well! ICC Ambassador, you’re spoiling us.
Welcome to the OBO of the first ODI between England and India from Edgbaston. It’s a three match series and should be a belter. There’s plenty to get stuck into, in more detail than the above paragraph too, would you believe.
Play starts at 11am BST. Shall we?
