1st Youth Test: England U19 Hold India U19 To Tense Draw
India had threatened to force a result when they reduced England to 62/3 in the 14th over but the hosts fought back through Shaikh's partnerships with Mayes and Rew.
With an hour left on the final day, India gave themselves hope by pulling off two run outs in successive overs -- first removing the prized wicket of Shaikh and then sending back Ekansh Singh in the next over.
But Ralphie Albert (9 not out of 37 balls) and Jack Home (7 not out off 36 balls) showed commendable composure under immense pressure as India threw everything at them with an all-out attacking field.
Close-in fielders crowded the batters with two slips, a silly point, and a short leg forming a tight cordon, but the English pair held their nerves to survive the final overs and secure a hard-fought draw for the hosts.
Earlier, India U-19 resumed their second innings on 128 for three and posted 248 in 57.4 overs, setting England a daunting target.
Vihaan Malhotra top-scored with a gritty 63 off 85 balls, hitting 10 fours.
He and overnight partner Abhigyan Kundu looked settled before Alex Green (2/67) struck twice in quick succession, removing both while Rahul Kumar (11) also got out cheaply as India slipped from 171/3 to 187/6.
With the visitors in danger of a collapse, RS Ambrish played a crucial knock of 53 off 71 balls, adding valuable runs with the tail.
He was the last man to depart, run out as India folded for 248.
India U19, led by Ayush Mhatre, had earlier claimed the five-match Youth ODI series 3-2.
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The Hindu
20 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Tactical twist: batting first and slow does the trick for England at Lord's
It wouldn't be an understatement to say that England's run-rate in the Lord's Test against India was well under its usual lofty standards. Ever since coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes joined hands in June 2022, the Englishmen's run-scoring graph has seen more crests than troughs. It was a different England that set out to bat against India in the third Test, though. Stokes' decision to bat first, too, was unusual for the team under this new regime. Only two times have England chosen to bat first in home Tests since June 2022; the other instance being the 2023 Birmingham Test against Australia. The change in strategy, in accordance with the conditions and the opponent's strengths and weaknesses, bore fruit as England successfully defended its 192 on a tricky day-five Lord's pitch. Underrated virtue The English batters were willing to bide their time and scrap for runs, a virtue often underrated in the modern game. The first-innings run-rate of 3.44 while amassing 387 was England's third-slowest in home Tests in the Bazball era. The record for the most sedate English innings at home in the time period came in its second innings, where England took 62.1 overs to score 192 (3.08 rpo). The Indian bowlers, too, were on the ball on the first day. In fact, England did not get a run for 28 deliveries in a row when Ollie Pope and Joe Root had to survive probing spells from Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj in the post-lunch session. 'Baz, Baz, Bazball. Play Bazball. Come on, I want to see,' Siraj quipped at Root. 'No more entertaining cricket here, lads. Welcome back to boring Test cricket,' said skipper Shubman Gill as India looked to capitalise on England's uncharacteristic batting approach. The Englishmen dug deep, even as the Indians took a dig at them for their new modus operandi. #ShubmanGill, with the most sarcastic sledge of the season kyunki ye seekhne nahi, sikhane aaye hain 😎 "Welcome to Boring Test Cricket." 🫢💭 Who said Test matches aren't spicy? 🔥#ENGvIND 👉 3rd TEST, DAY 1 | LIVE NOW on JioHotstar ➡ — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 10, 2025 'It was a very slow day, but credit to the way India bowled. I don't think the pitch offered loads after lunch… it was pretty placid. India held their lengths well. I think 251 for four is a good score if we can kick on,' Pope told Sky Sports at close of play on day one. England ended up adding 136 more to its overnight total, thanks to some lower-order vigil. Along with the 387 runs it scored, the time England had kept India in the field (112.3 overs) mattered too. A quick turnaround after the Edgbaston Test (where India bowled last) and the harsh London weather were factors to be considered. The temperature not only affected the players but also the pitch as well. McCullum had asked for a track with 'plenty of life in it' for the third Test. The Indian top-order batting long in the first innings of the first two games may have prompted the England coach to request for a surface with 'a bit more pace, a bit more bounce, and maybe a little bit of sideways movement'. While the first three days showed a dormant version of the Lord's pitch and both teams batted rather steadily (though slowly), the demons in the wicket did come out just in time for the third and fourth innings. The scorching weather had its effect on the track as cracks opened up over time, spelling trouble for the willow-wielders. Fine margins The margins were fine in this game (the first-innings play literally cancelled out after a 387-387 tie). The proceedings, just like the Lord's track, were quite quiet until then, too. All that changed once tempers flared late on day three, as India did not appreciate England's tactics to run down the clock. The game went on overdrive from thereon as the cut and thrust of the rivalry and the Lord's track picked up pace from day four. Root (40, 96b) and Stokes (33, 96b) were at the forefront of England's batting effort in the second innings as the host huffed and puffed to 192. This was by no means a daunting total, but scoring runs on the Lord's track had become a lot more difficult by then. The inconsistent bounce and the pronounced seam movement off the pitch were going to be the Englishmen's allies in the last innings. The home team's idea of batting patiently and asking India to chase on a deteriorating pitch would have been moot had the visitor managed to reach the sub-200 target. But it wasn't to be as England made full use of the unpredictable nature of the 22-yard strip to seal the 22-run win. Ravindra Jadeja's gallant effort (61 n.o., 181b) would have made England sweat as India almost pulled off a heist after being 82 for seven at one stage. In a twist of fate, India lost its last wicket from a delivery that Siraj defended perfectly before the ball trickled onto the stumps to dislodge a bail. The game of cricket can be cruel sometimes. For England, though, this marked the vindication of getting a positive result by playing a brand of cricket outside its comfort zone. Stokes shedding light on England's adaptability ahead of the third Test highlighted that his decision to bat first was not taken on a whim. 'We are not stuck in our ways about it. I want to make that clear. It's something that's been built up. We bowled first at Edgbaston because there were decent overhead conditions, but that soon changed; the clouds broke off and the sun came out. I'm not the Met Office, so I can't tell what's going to happen after 10.30 a.m.,' Stokes had revealed. 'Lord's is meant to be really hot this week. Just because we've had good success at chasing down totals in the fourth innings, it doesn't mean that that is our preference.' 'There's a little bit of discussion around in the morning, but when I get the whites out with the blazer on, I look up to the sky more than anything. It's not rocket science,' Stokes had said. The Lord's factor Over the years, the Bazball revolution does tend to take a mellowed form while playing at the Home of Cricket. Lord's has seen six of England's nine slowest innings in home Tests since June 2022. This pattern of cautious run-scoring also applies to other teams also as Lord's has the lowest average run-rate (3.61) among Test venues in England in the time period. Perhaps the hallowed venue's storied history is making teams play cricket the old-fashioned way… or maybe it is the novelty factor in tackling the famed Lord's slope (it has become rather fashionable to point out the venue's uneven nature). The truth is England showed great character by tweaking its style according to the Lord's pitch. Here's something to keep in mind ahead of the fourth Test: England's run-rates are on a downward curve (from 4.61 rpo in its first innings at Leeds to 3.08 in its last at Lord's) in the series. All eyes will be on the Manchester sky now.
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First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi garners huge attention in England as he impresses in U-19 tour
14-year-old Indian batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi continues to impress on the India U-19 tour of the UK, drawing huge attention from fans with his fearless batting and record-breaking performances. read more Beckenham: With his gluttonous appetite for runs, wunderkind Vaibhav Suryavanshi is making his presence felt in England. He has been signing autographs, obliging requests for selfies, and even making fans drive long hours to get a glimpse of him. Having become a household name in India following his record-breaking hundred in the IPL, the 14-year-old from Bihar is now attracting eyeballs on the U-19 tour of UK. VIDEO | United Kingdom: Kids who turned up for the U19 red ball game in Beckenham, see the 14-year-old left-hander Vaibhav Suryavanshi as their role model, having closely followed his exploits in the IPL. A young cricket fan, fresh from school, shared his admiration for teenage… — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 16, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He has been consciously kept away from the media glare but his achievements on the field have not gone unnoticed in this part of the world. Those who are part of a rather large Indian diaspora in the UK and the locals had their eyes trained on the left-hander during the first Youth Test in the sleepy town of Beckenham. 'He is my role model. I like his aggressive style of batting,' said a local kid from Beckenham after getting an autograph from Suryavanshi at the Kent County Cricket Ground on the final day of the red-ball series opener. Ten days ago, Suryavanshi had hammered a 78-ball 143 for India U-19 in a 50 over game against England U-19 in Worcester, extending his reputation as a clean hitter of the ball. England U-19 left-arm spinner Ralphie Albert, who was part of the white-ball game in Worcester and also the Youth Test here, was surprised by the Indian's aggressive approach across formats. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I bowled to him (Vaibhav Suryavanshi) throughout the ODI series. And then coming off the Test series, you'd think maybe he'd pull back a bit, but he's kept going. But yeah, he's a really good player,' said Albert after day four. Suryanvanshi can do without the constant attention but one London-based couple of Indian origin travelled two hours from the British capital to see the flamboyant opener in flesh and blood. 'I came only for Suryavanshi. I hope I can get a picture with him,' said Sanjeev, who has a government job in the UK. His wish for a selfie was not fulfilled as play extended to 7.30 pm local time with both teams pushing for a result. For someone who has a long way to go, Suryavanshi will need to find a way to deal with this global attention.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Watch: Jemimah Rodrigues Pulls Off A Stunner To Dismiss England Captain Sciver-Brunt
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