This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jul/30/england-india-third-test-day-four-match-report-cricket

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
England set for victory in third Test as India have mountain to climb England set for victory in third Test as India have mountain to climb
(21 days later)
England require six more wickets in 90 overs on the final day to win the third Test. A more unlikely scenario is that India need 333 more runs on a wearing pitch against a team with their tails up. There is no question which is favourite but England will still need to work hard and take nothing for granted if they are to secure their first victory in 11 games in a Test they have totally dominated throughout the first four days.England require six more wickets in 90 overs on the final day to win the third Test. A more unlikely scenario is that India need 333 more runs on a wearing pitch against a team with their tails up. There is no question which is favourite but England will still need to work hard and take nothing for granted if they are to secure their first victory in 11 games in a Test they have totally dominated throughout the first four days.
India have been asked to go into territory hitherto uncharted in terms of successful fourth-innings chases, and have never exceeded in the final innings of any Test the 445 they have been asked to make in four sessions, a total they made in a losing cause in Adelaide against a Packered Australian side in 1978. In this match they lost two early second innings wickets, first to an indolent piece of running and then in the next over to the second ball of a spell from Moeen Ali, brought intuitively into the attack to send down only the 13th over of the innings. There were a pair of wickets towards the close too: one more for Moeen and one for Joe Root. India closed on 112 for four, with Ajinkya Rahane on 18 and Rohit Sharma six, although the latter survived a sharp return catch given to Jimmy Anderson minutes from the end. India have been asked to go into territory hitherto uncharted in terms of successful fourth-innings chases, and have never exceeded in the final innings of any Test the 445 they have been asked to make in four sessions, a total they made in a losing cause in Adelaide against a Packered Australian side in 1978. In this match they lost two early second innings wickets, first to an indolent piece of running and then in the next over to the second ball of a spell from Moeen Ali, brought intuitively into the attack to send down only the 13th over of the innings. There were a pair of wickets towards the close too: one more for Moeen and one for Joe Root. India closed on 112 for four, with Ajinkya Rahane on 18 and Rohit Sharma six, although the latter survived a sharp return catch given to Jimmy Anderson minutes from the end.
There is sufficient in the pitch and atmosphere with which the bowlers can work, however. The Ageas Bowl is just that, carved into a wooded hillside, and possessing a micro-climate that has allowed the ball to swing on all four days. The pitch has not been short of pace either, particularly when England have made intelligent use of the short ball, which the opposition batsmen, mindful possibly of the mess the England batsmen made of things at Lord’s, have been reluctant to take on. Of most encouragement, however, will be the turn that Moeen managed to extract, occasionally sharp but with added fizz and bounce. The secret of success will still be patience, not trying to force the issue. England know they hold all the cards.There is sufficient in the pitch and atmosphere with which the bowlers can work, however. The Ageas Bowl is just that, carved into a wooded hillside, and possessing a micro-climate that has allowed the ball to swing on all four days. The pitch has not been short of pace either, particularly when England have made intelligent use of the short ball, which the opposition batsmen, mindful possibly of the mess the England batsmen made of things at Lord’s, have been reluctant to take on. Of most encouragement, however, will be the turn that Moeen managed to extract, occasionally sharp but with added fizz and bounce. The secret of success will still be patience, not trying to force the issue. England know they hold all the cards.
Alastair Cook had declared the England second innings closed 25 minutes before tea, with the interval taken early and consequently there was an elongated final session. By then they had made 205 for four, at more than five runs per over, extending their first innings lead from 239 to 444.Alastair Cook had declared the England second innings closed 25 minutes before tea, with the interval taken early and consequently there was an elongated final session. By then they had made 205 for four, at more than five runs per over, extending their first innings lead from 239 to 444.
Cook underpinned things with an unbeaten 70, to go with his 95 of the first innings, relying for support on Gary Ballance, who played beautifully for an uptempo 38 before he fell victim to an umpiring error for the second time in the match, Ian Bell, whose damaged left thumb appeared to be no hindrance, and Joe Root, who caught the mood precisely with 56 from 41 balls before he was bowled heaving at Ravindra Jadeja, to precipitate the declaration.Cook underpinned things with an unbeaten 70, to go with his 95 of the first innings, relying for support on Gary Ballance, who played beautifully for an uptempo 38 before he fell victim to an umpiring error for the second time in the match, Ian Bell, whose damaged left thumb appeared to be no hindrance, and Joe Root, who caught the mood precisely with 56 from 41 balls before he was bowled heaving at Ravindra Jadeja, to precipitate the declaration.
The India innings was given a solid start by Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan, who succeeded in surviving the threat of Anderson and Stuart Broad with the new ball, the first stage if they were to get through the match or even engage thoughts of winning it.The India innings was given a solid start by Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan, who succeeded in surviving the threat of Anderson and Stuart Broad with the new ball, the first stage if they were to get through the match or even engage thoughts of winning it.
Now, though, England struck it lucky. Broad had sent down five overs and was replaced by Chris Woakes, whose first delivery was played comfortably to square leg by Dhawan. He set off on a single but reckoned without Broad, who, from square leg, ran in, scooped the ball and, in a full dive, underhanded it on to the stumps, with Vijay appearing not to show undue urgency. The inevitable replay showed him to be short of the crease as the bails were removed from their grooves, and a despondent Vijay was on his way.Now, though, England struck it lucky. Broad had sent down five overs and was replaced by Chris Woakes, whose first delivery was played comfortably to square leg by Dhawan. He set off on a single but reckoned without Broad, who, from square leg, ran in, scooped the ball and, in a full dive, underhanded it on to the stumps, with Vijay appearing not to show undue urgency. The inevitable replay showed him to be short of the crease as the bails were removed from their grooves, and a despondent Vijay was on his way.
The second delivery of the next over, the first from Moeen, caught the outside edge of Cheteshwar Pujara’s bat as he pushed forward and Chris Jordan made short work of a catch low to his right. Moeen had shown that it is not necessarily the turn itself that takes the wickets but the threat of it.The second delivery of the next over, the first from Moeen, caught the outside edge of Cheteshwar Pujara’s bat as he pushed forward and Chris Jordan made short work of a catch low to his right. Moeen had shown that it is not necessarily the turn itself that takes the wickets but the threat of it.
There followed a 51-run stand between Dhawan and Virat Kohli, the former fortunate to get the benefit of the doubt when Moeen appeared to have him plumb lbw. Things, though, were working for Cook. He removed Moeen from the attack temporarily, replacing him with Root’s off-breaks, and in his second over a straightforward edge from Dhawan ended up in the bucket hands of Jordan at slip. Root all but lapped the ground in his joy, streaming team-mates behind him.There followed a 51-run stand between Dhawan and Virat Kohli, the former fortunate to get the benefit of the doubt when Moeen appeared to have him plumb lbw. Things, though, were working for Cook. He removed Moeen from the attack temporarily, replacing him with Root’s off-breaks, and in his second over a straightforward edge from Dhawan ended up in the bucket hands of Jordan at slip. Root all but lapped the ground in his joy, streaming team-mates behind him.
Four overs later, Moeen was back on again, and, as with Vijay, induced an outside edge as the batsman, Kohli played for the turn, Jos Buttler taking the catch. At 89 for four, the India innings was already badly holed.Four overs later, Moeen was back on again, and, as with Vijay, induced an outside edge as the batsman, Kohli played for the turn, Jos Buttler taking the catch. At 89 for four, the India innings was already badly holed.
It had taken England only 20 minutes in the morning to finish India’s first innings, both wickets going to Anderson, who, on his 32nd birthday, thus finished with five for 53, the 16th five-wicket haul of his career, but more significantly the first he has managed since he bowled England to a win at Trent Bridge more than a year ago.It had taken England only 20 minutes in the morning to finish India’s first innings, both wickets going to Anderson, who, on his 32nd birthday, thus finished with five for 53, the 16th five-wicket haul of his career, but more significantly the first he has managed since he bowled England to a win at Trent Bridge more than a year ago.
The lead, and the timing, meant a rare opportunity for England to consider enforcing a follow-on. Teams rarely do so these days, though, and such is the intense scheduling of this series that the worst case scenario of three successive full days in the field for Cook’s bowlers was never an option.The lead, and the timing, meant a rare opportunity for England to consider enforcing a follow-on. Teams rarely do so these days, though, and such is the intense scheduling of this series that the worst case scenario of three successive full days in the field for Cook’s bowlers was never an option.