Key events
23rd over: India 101-2 (Jaiswal 61, Deep 19) A couple of singles then a well-run two from the last ball that brings up the hundred. Lots of flag waving from the Indians in the crowd and applause from the team, feet up on the balcony.
“I dont know if my plaintive plea will be heard,” writes Will Ellen, “but if, or rather when, Harry Brook comes on to bowl please please please can whoever’s in charge of the Sky graphics have the courage of their convictions. In light of the hideous pies he was chucking down towards the fag end of the Old Trafford Test, Slow Right Arm filth seems fairly appropriate.”
I will ask Ali to pass on your request. Things won’t be going to plan for England if he bowls today though…
22nd over: India 97-2 (Jaiswal 58, Deep 18) A friend of mine once said of a boyfriend that he was “dipped in Dettol.” Jaiswal also has this look, neat as a freshly laundered shirt. He doesn’t play like that though, and picks up four through the slips off Tongue – a risky flay that he gets away with. Four more from Deep, steered between gully and backward point. India motoring nicely this morning.
21st over: India 88-2 (Jaiswal 53, Deep 14) Bethell’s bowling stint is done – he was purely a devise so the bowlers could switch ends. On comes Atkinson, the pick of England’s bowlers. Deep lets fly at a a very full ball and picks up another useful four. A no ball adds to the total.
Good morning Andrew Benton. “ India need a win to draw, and England need a draw to win. It’s been such a competitive series and is surely better for England’s preparation for the Ashes than if it had been a whitewash either way.” Very true.
“What learning do you think they will take from it? Getting Joe Root not to take the bantz to heart is certainly something to work on.”
20th over: India 82-2 (Jaiswal 52, Deep 10) Josh Tongue at the other end, who bowled much better and with more venom yesterday evening than he had in the first innings. Starts with one that swings down the legside, but then on the money. India are watchful.
Morning session – India lead by 52
19th over: India 81-2 (Jaiswal 51, Deep 10) Jacob Bethell with the ball, which wasn’t what I was expecting. He seems to have modelled his hair on Robin Smith. Deep swipes him for four third ball. And again, on one knee – but just for two this time.
Here come the players. Jaiswal fiddles with his bat grip and squats behind the boundary as Jerusalem plays over the sound system. “India can’t win today, says Dinesh Karthik, “but they can lose.”
“Has Allen MacDonald seen Sunday’s weather forecast?” asks Matthew Doherty. As you mention it, I’ve checked. It doesn’t look too bad? Cloudy with spells of light rain.
Nasser asks Broad if he misses the dressing room. No, says Broad, because he’s walked into another, with Sky. “I feel really content,” he says. Long may it continue.
Nasser Hussain and Stuart Broad are wandering around the England dressing room at The Oval. Ollie Pope has 14 bats in his locker. There’s also an ice bath and sauna. The biggest bat throwers of their different eras? YJB and Stokes and Nasser himself and Ramprakash.
Time for a quick coffee, back shortly.
An email! “Good morning Tanya! Hello there, Allan MacDonald.
”Looking forward to seeing how they manage to stretch *this* Test to the 5th day…
”Will be solely relying on your own excellent updates until after the Rugby’s over.
”In some ways think it’s probably time for this grumpy series to end, great though it’s been. But will miss the companionship of you and your colleagues!”
Thank you! We will miss it too. For all the issues, good and bad, of the Hundred, the disappearance of Test cricket in August has been the hardest to digest. Though having said that, next year Pakistan’s men come over and play two Tests in August.
Sky are showing England’s three drops yesterday evening. Alas, poor Liam Dawson. Letting Jaiswal slip through the fingers twice is certainly sub-optimal.
Michael Atherton is very exercised by Akash Deep putting his arm around Duckett after dismissing him – “cricket is a non-contact sport and should stay that way.”
And Barney’s rhapsody to Gus Atkinson – I’m very keen on his description of Duckett’s Hedgehog Sweep. Incidentally, he mentions Sonny Baker, who took three wickets at pace yesterday as Hampshire pressed Worcestershire at New Road.
This was Ali’s take on a memorable day two:
Preamble
Good morning! After the fiery furnace of day two, we roll into day three – which could be the crucial one in the series. And yes, we have been here before. The pitch is spicy, the players tetchy, the house full – and the weather promises to behave – barring the odd light shower.
India have a 52 run lead, eight wickets left, and Jaiswal, whose series has drifted, will have his eyes on three figures and beyond. England’s stand-in fast bowers, Atkinson excepted, will want to perform with more bells and fewer whistles second time around. Play starts at 11am, don’t miss a ball of the last Test Saturday of the summer.
