Key events
47th over: India 334-7 (Sundar 7, Rana 1) Looking again at the wicket, there’s a bit of reverse there, and England have actually come back pretty well here; at 30 overs, the evidence suggested they’d be chasing a fair few more than however many they’re getting set.
REVIEW! OUT!
It pitched in line and Rahul, looking to turn a yorker into the on side, misses; the ball hits his pad and woudl’ve hit leg-stump, a third of the way up.
WICKET! Rahul lbw b Mahmood 40 (India 333-7)
It looked a pretty decent shout, but at this stage of the innings, of course India review.
47th over: India 333-6 (Rahul 40, Sundar 7) Mahmood continues and might Wood not get another over? He’s got three left so definitely won’t bowl out, an avant-garde call from Buttler, all the more so when, after a one and a two, Rahul slashes thruogh backward point for four.
46th over: India 326-6 (Rahul 34, Sundar 6) Duckett gingerly fingers his groin– he fielded to the final ball over the last over – and that doesn’t look good for England. And nor, as Root continues, does the six Rahul smites, clearing the front leg and getting under a full one to hoist down the ground. Four singles follow, and that’s 11 off the over, though the way this pitch is playing, I fancy that Root can score on it.
45th over: India 315-6 (Rahul 26, Sundar 3) Mahmood returns so I guess it’s Atkinson who’ll not bowl his full complement, but he’s still exerting: after a one a dot and a two, he dives at 45 to limit Rahul’s drive to two. Two singles follow, and that’s eight from an over that felt inexpensive.
44th over: India 308-6 (Rahul 21, Sundar 1) Just as we were saying, Root needed to stay on; Sunday knocks the last ball of his over to cover for one.
WICKET! Patel c Banton b Root 13 (India 307-6)
Somehow, England have fought back well at the death; I say somehow, I mean India, with runs in the bank and wickets in the hutch, are going at things, and Root, cunningly sending one a little wider, forces Axar to stretch and he can’t get enough of the ball, picking out Banton at long-off.
44th over: India 307-5 (Rahul 21, Patel 13) I was joking, but Root does indeed continue, ceding four singles and a wide.
“I’m wondering if Shubman Gill was once Shrubman Gill”,” writes Andrew Benton. “I’m reading a book about the great hedge of India (really!) which was apparently planted for hundreds of miles, thick and tall and full of spiky shrubs, to prevent the illicit movement of salt (really!) without it being taxed, which it was 150 years ago. The intrepid author has not yet found any trace of historical hedge, but I’m only halfway through and remain hopeful he will.
It would appear that England have no chance at all now, they’ll not make 300 runs, or so say I.”
Sticking your neck on the line there, old boy! I’d love to see some illicit movement from Salt, though – he’s kept well today, but can he bat well too?
43rd over: India 302-5 (Rahul 19, Patel 11) Mahmood returns and Axar, in the mood, clobbers a poor loosener for four through mid-off. A dot, three singles and a dot follow; will Buttler allow Root to continue even though he can finish the innings with quicks?
“Once again I am grateful to be living in Australia,” brags Phil Withall, “although it is a very mixed blessing. I am about to retire for the night as another disappointing England performance unfolds. Work in the morning will, as had been so often the case, be a painful experience but I do have the bonus of not having to endure anymore disappointment. Never before has a 4.00am alarm been so welcome….”
Just wait till England’s first Champions Trophy match…
42nd over: India 295-5 (Rahul 18, Patel 5) With England now taking wickets at regular intervals, Buttler gives Root another go, I’ve no idea why, and after Rahul takes a single, Axar wallops over extra for four. Still, though, the target now looks like it might be chasable – in theory, obviously.
WICKET! Pandya b Rashid 17 (India 289-5)
“An incredible bit of bowling from an incredible bowler,” coos KP, and rightly so. Drift takes it away from Pandya, who tries to play forward, then the ball straightens and turns back at him. Rashid has bowled beautifully today – that was his last delivery and he finishes with 4-64. If his teammates can support him, he can do something over the next few weeks.
41st over: India 289-4 (Rahul 17, Pandya 17) India might have enough runs already, but need to respect how good England’s batters are at their best. So, after two singles, Rahid tosses one up … and Hardik skips down then smites a monster, six flying over long-off … then six more, this time just clearing Banton on the fence. The sprint is on!
40th over: India 275-4 (Rahul 9, Pandya 2) How many of England’s players are nouns? Salt, Wood, Archer, Root, Smith, Brook, Bethell, Buttler and Overton by my reckoning. Anyhow, three singles off Atkinson’s first three balls, then a dot, then a gorgeous late cut from Rahul, under a bit of pressure to justify his selection never mind his selection at five. And he adds two more from the final ball, flicking to square leg. Nine off the over, and I’d expect India to open shoulders now.
39th over: India 266-4 (Rahul 9, Pandya 2) Hardik gets off the mark immediately, a single allowing Rahul to drive a short, wide one for four. Two singles follow and, though the over yielded a wicket, it also cost 11.
WICKET! Iyer c Salt b Rashid 78 (India 259-4)
It’s a procession! another down leg-side and Iyer looks to glance, but instead tickles an edge that Salt grabs very smartly. A fine knock, though.
39th over: India 259-3 (Iyer 748 Rahul 4) Rashid replaces Livingstone and his first ball is a poor one, Iyer waiting for it and somehow getting it fine, on one knee; it drops just short of the rope, so only adds for.
37th over: India 255-3 (Iyer 74, Rahul 4) Atkinson, 0-45 off five, returns, and begins with a wide, the sends down another after a single to each batter. Two to deep backward follows, this over already worth six and only half-finished; tow singles and a leg bye mean it yields nine with the batters barely risking anything.
36th over: India 246-3 (Iyer 69, Rahul 3) I said England needed one more over from Livingstone or Root – Buttler must’ve decided the all out is unlikely – so the former returns. Good luck, old mate. And, well, his opening delivery is a half-tracker hauled from outside off to midwicket and they run two … but no need to run when he does it again, Iyer getting full value this time by carting off his hip and over the square-leg fence for six. Three singles follow, meaning 11 form the over.
36th over: India 235-3 (Iyer 59, Rahul 2) Shreyas has taken a back seat so far, but now the senior man he rest down the smack so gently it’s barely perceptible, waiting for Wood – yes, you read that correctly, he waited for someone hurling fire – before running down past off-stump for four. That is confidence, bottle and timing right there. I guess, looking down England’s batting lineup, there’s plenty of heat, but is there anyone with the form and application to make something serious? Seven off the over, the tempo soon to crank up again as India lengthen stride with the finish in sight.
35th over: India 228-3 (Iyer 53, Rahul 1) Rashid has been England’s best bowler today and in this series. Much as I’m trying not to say it and unfeasible as it is, I reckon he could do a job in the Test side. I know, I know.
WICKET! Gill b Rashid 112 (India 226-3)
Relief for England because Gill looked set for a granddaddy. But Rashid does him with the wrongun, full and dipping as he tries a tired sweep without bending the knee – you can see his rationale, Danaerys Targaryan-style – and he misses, ending a classy but vicious knock.
35th over: India 226-2 (Gill 112, Iyer 52) Rahsid continues and slows down the pace, causing Shreyas to miss with a sweep; he then adds one to deep midwicket.
34th over: India 225-2 (Gill 112, Iyer 51) Wood continues and we get a false shot, the first in a while: Shreyas turns uppishly around the corner and of course the ball drops shy of deep square. That’s his fifty but he’ll not be satisfied with so poxy a score, though this over yields just two more singles and a wide; if this were a Test, England would be banging in short balls at this point, a tired idea but an idea nevertheless. If they have one here, let us say it is not obviously apparent.
33rd over: India 221-2 (Gill 111, Iyer 49) Desperately needing a wicket, Buttler returns to Rashid and he starts well, two singles from his first five balls … then Gill shuffles outside the line and down the track, tickling six back over the bowler’s heed. That’s drinks, and England will want a stiff one.
“Can you map out any scenario in which England are left chasing fewer than 400 today?” asks Brian Withington. “Just asking for a friend.”
Ey yeah, the OBO is by and for people who don’t have friends, so we’re all good.
Shubman Gill brings up his hundred!
32nd over: India 213-2 (Gill 104, Iyer 48) The shady parts of the grounds are now properly full, and here comes a treat for them: Mark Wood is back into the attack. But his second ball is full and straight, allowing Gill to twizzle for through midwicket; that’s his seventh ODI hundred and it’s been an absolute jazzer, following the 87 and 60 he made in the first two matches. He then gets down the other end via single, so Iyer, quietly and not so quietly accumulating, hoists four more over long off; 11 from the over, and yup, maybe it didn’t make sense for England to hold back their best bowler with India escorting them to Sketchley.
31st over: India 202-2 (Gill 98, Iyer 43) Livingstone finagles his way through a seventh over – so he and Root are needed for just one more – ceding four singles as India raise their 200. Gill is nearly there.
30th over: India 198-2 (Gill 96, Iyer 41) This over they do it the other way around, Shreyas – now on 36 from 27 – turning off the thigh for four through fine leg. Sorry, make that 40 from 30, an inadvertent edge through third, looking to cut, adding a second boundary to the over. A single follows, meaning nine from it, and if the old method – doubling the score at this point to get a ballpark of the likely target – holds, England are in deep. And that’s before we consider what India’s bowlers will make of a track offering help to both spinners and quicks.
29th over: India 189-2 (Gill 96, Iyer 32) Gill is now within one hit of a century, his knock already one of relentless, remorseless devastation. But so far this series, the principal difference between the sides – though there’ve been a few – has been starts converted, and this is another. Anyroad, Buttler restores Livingstone to his, er, attack, and a much better effort cedes just two. the first since the 21st to cost less than six.
28th over: India 187-2 (Gill 95, Iyer 31) Buttler tries Mahmood – I guess he’s saving Wood, but I’d have given him a couple more by now because this is not going well. The first four balls go for singles, and you can probably guess the rest, but for the sake of completeness, a dot leaves us on the cusp of an acceptable over, then Shreyas waits for one, slapping a slow, short one over midwicket for four.
27th over: India 179-2 (Gill 93, Iyer 25) Livingstone replaces Rashid, so at the end of this over, his fifth, England will “only” need three more from him and Root. Meantime, after two singles, Gill – who’s been brilliant outside off – cuts for four yet again, the over yielding eight. India are punishing everything here, allowing no respite; the cruelty is inspiring.
26th over: India 171-2 (Gill 87, Iyer 23) Gill has been almost entirely untroubled today – though, in fairness, he only faced one ball from Mark Wood. But it’s Shreyas who strikes the big blow this over, four singles punctuated by a six: he steps inside the line to help one high around the corner and way over the rope at deep backward square.
25th over: India 161-2 (Gill 85, Iyer 15) Gill turns Rashid to deep backward square for two, then sweeps one to midwicket; Shreyas takes one of his own, then Gill reaches to cut two more to third. At the halfway stage, the hosts look poised to impose a brute.
24th over: India 155-2 (Gill 80, Iyer 14) Now England revert to pace, Atkinson replacing Livingstone and, as KP notes, this is a big spell for him given how his first went – and the squad-spot he’s hoping to clinch. And he does OK, his first five balls yielding four singles … then he offers Shreyas a full one, allowing the batter to swing, secure in the knowledge there’s no mid off to trouble him, and a decent over turns into an expensive one, eight from it.
23rd over: India 147-2 (Gill 78, Iyer 8) The crowd in this colossal arena is growing all the time and those there are being treated to a display from India, Iyer clattering Rashid’s first ball – too full and too wide, like me after a big meal and a few drinks – to the cover-fence. Three singles and two dots complete the over, and runs are coming so easily; if India have wickets in hand at the end, they could set something very significant here.
22nd over: India 140-2 (Gill 77, Iyer 2) Tight from Livingstone, three dots before Shreyas taps to mid off for one, getting himself settled, then Gill waits for one, his cut so late it’s dead, finishing the over with a four.
21st over: India 134-2 (Gill 72, Iyer 1) Drag-down from Rashid, and ye cannae bowl there tae him, son; Gill humps over midwicket for four. A single down the track follows, and India appear to be handling the loss of Kohli. I wondered if Buttler might’ve tried an over or two of pace against the new man just to try and get another wicket, but so far he’s sticking with spin.
20th over: India 129-2 (Gill 67, Iyer 1) I do like this pitch, I must say – it seems to have a bit of everything, good for batters and the better bowlers. I wonder whether, had the wicket not come, Buttler would’ve persevered with Livingstone, but now it has he almost has no choice. His first three deliveries yield singles, Shreyas off the mark with the second, then Gill opens the face and Mahmood chases down, slides, sweeps the ball away from the fence … and, as a replay proves, still concedes the boundary. Good effort, but.
WICKET! Kohli c Salt b Rashid 52 (India 122-2)
Beauty from Rashid, drifting, dipping, gripping, bouncing and turning, away from Kohli while brushing the edge, and that’s excellent work. The problem England have it that both of their wickets have required balls of obscene quality, but goodness me they needed that.
19th over: India 122-1 (Gill 61, Kohli 52) Kohli forces one to cover, then Gill drops and runs for one more.
18th over: India 120-1 (Gill 60, Kohli 51) A wide opens the over, then Kohli goes hard over long-off, just about beating the fielder for the second six of the innings. A further single then raises his 50, before Gill skips down and hoists six more, arms fully extended! We wondered what might happen if Livingstone and Root were hit out of the attack – the batters will have noticed England need 10 overs from them – and we might be about to find out. Sixteen off the over, and this target could be a monster.
17th over: India 104-1 (Gill 53, Kohli 43) Two singles to start this second Rashid over, his line to Kohli on middle-and-leg. He’s looking to force him to hit against the turn, but when he gets down the other end, Gill laces a poor delivery through cover to raise his third fifty on the spin. In Hebrew, Gill means joy or happiness – MS, as in Dhoni, means ultimate truth – and he is that alright.
16th over: India 97-1 (Gill 48, Kohli 41) England, desperately in need of a wicket, try Livingstone, whose first three balls go for singles – though both batters are trying to hit him to the fence, as three dots follow. If he can hold up an end, perhaps Rashid can find something to break a partnership that’s now 92 off 90.
15th over: India 94-1 (Gill 47, Kohli 39) Immediately Rashid, who bowled well last match, is causing problems and in comms, they wonder why England tried Root first. My guess is they hoped to fiddle a few overs before India really went after it, but my exegesis of Bazball tells me it should be pressure first: what does your opponent not want to face? Kohli takes one to long-off, the only run of the over, but can England find similar from the other end? Drinks.
