London, Aug 3: Rain in the evening session pushed the series deciding final Test to day five after a down and out India managed stay in the game yet again following fine hundreds from Joe Root and Harry Brook that almost sealed the contest for England.
Like it has been the case through the English summer, a spirited India found a way to fight back through their undeterred spirit after England needed just 57 runs to complete the chase at tea.
Root (105) and Brook (111 off 98) were running away with the contest but Mohammed Siraj and Co refused to give up post the break.While Brook was dismissed before tea, Root was caught behind off Prasidh Krishna after the lanky Indian pacer had found the stumps of a struggling Jacob Bethell, leaving the home team at 337 for six.
Root got out soon after racking up his 39th Test hundred, 13th versus India and third of the series.
The old ball which was not doing a thing in the afternoon session started aiding the pacers and the scoreboard hardly moved. Suddenly the remaining 37 runs seemed a long way off.Jamie Overton and Jamie Smith were in the middle when bad light stopped play with the momentum in India’s favour. England were 339 for six and new ball just 3.4 overs away. Rain followed soon, taking the match to day five.
In the afternoon session, an epic 195-run stand off 211 balls between Brook and Root took the wind out India’s sails as England coasted to 317 for four at tea.It was the second hundred of the series for Brook, who displayed special ball striking abilities under extreme pressure. He made most of a life given on on 19 when Mohammed Siraj stumbled to the boundary ropes after taking his catch off Prasidh Krishna.The three Indian pacers could not much out of the pitch with a softer ball and the two spinners Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja too proved ineffective although to be fair to them they weren’t given lengthy spells.
The short ball tactic was also employed but the carry off the old ball was comfortably negotiated by Brook and Root.The drooping shoulders on the field were most visible when Brook creamed Akash Deep through the cover for a boundary. However, two balls later Brook stepped out to smash the bowler over cover but ended up losing his bat and was caught by Siraj at mid-off.While Brook was all brute force, Root collected his runs in his typical effortless manner. He got to 98 with back-to-back fours off Siraj including a majestic straight.In the morning session, Siraj bowled another lion hearted spell of eight overs as India took two timely wickets to leave England on 164 for three at lunch on day four of the final Test here on Sunday.
Having dismissed Zak Crawley on the last ball of the day three, Siraj started the proceedings alongside Akash Deep. Like the first innings, Siraj put his hand up and produced a fiery spell where he troubled Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope.The highest chase at this ground is 263 achieved by England back in 1902. (PTI)
SCOREBOARD
At Stumps on Day 4
India 1st innings: 224
England 1st innings: 247
India 2nd innings: 396
England 2nd innings: (overnight 50/1 in 13.5 overs) Zak Crawley b Mohammed Siraj 14
Ben Duckett c Rahul b Prasidh Krishna 54 Ollie Pope lbw b Mohammed Siraj 27
Joe Root c Jurel b Prasidh Krishna 105
Harry Brook c Mohammed Siraj b Akash Deep 111 Jacob Bethell b Prasidh Krishna 5; Jamie Smith not out 2
Jamie Overton not out 0
Extras: (B-1 LB-8 NB-1 W-11) 21
Total: (For 6 wickets in 76.2 overs) 339 Fall of wickets: 1/50 2/82 3/106 4/301 5/332 6/337 Bowling: Akash Deep 20-4-85-1, Prasidh Krishna 22.2-3-109-3, Mohammed Siraj 26-5-95-2, Washington Sundar 4-0-19-0, Ravindra Jadeja 4 -0-22-0. (PTI)