Latest news with #ChrisWoakes
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
England and India deserve better - this box-office series is hobbling over the line while money men count their corn, writes LAWRENCE BOOTH
It says everything about a packed schedule, and even more about the state of England's Test pitches, that Ben Stokes and his team were lying low at their hotel in Kensington only 48 hours before the start of their biggest game since the 2023 Ashes. There was no training, no team announcement, no press-conference mind games ahead of a match that could deliver the most impressive series win of the Bazball era. Instead, the players were knackered, driven to exhaustion by administrators who have concertinaed the summer to keep August free for the Hundred, and by surfaces which have been 'kryptonite' to England's wearyseamers, as the former Test star Steve Harmison put it following the draw in Manchester. The irony as we await the toss at 10.30am on Thursday is that whoever wins it may feel obliged to bowl. You have to go back to April 2023, when Hampshire's James Vince said 'we'll have a bat', to find a red-ball captain at the Oval who bucked the trend. Since then, 20 matches — both county and Test — have come and gone, and everyone has fielded first. With good reason: Surrey like a bit of grass on their pitches, a bit of pace and carry. It's nine first-class games since the team batting first at the Oval finished victorious, and that was last summer when a powerful Surrey side beat Essex en route to a third successive Championship. It should, then, be the kind of surface England have been craving all summer, having banged their heads against brick walls from Leeds to Birmingham and from Lord's to Manchester. Yet a question remains: which of their seamers will be in any fit state to take advantage of a pitch that may finally help them? Their bowlers - including Chris Woakes - are exhausted, with August preserved for the Hundred, meaning games have to be crammed in Stokes prefers continuity of selection, but it is asking a lot of Jofra Archer to play three Tests in a row so soon into his comeback. Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse, meanwhile, were running on fumes during the last five sessions at Old Trafford, where 140 overs brought England just two wickets. Had Joe Root not dropped Ravindra Jadeja shortly before lunch on the last day, they might have been able to rest their first-choice attack with the series already won. Instead, they must contemplate bringing in any or all of Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue and, for only his second Test, Jamie Overton against an Indian team determined to leave with the 2–2 draw they believe their cricket has merited. And their resolve will have stiffened after their ever-prickly coach Gautam Gambhir took offence at Surrey head groundsman Lee Fortis's request to stay off the Oval square during training — the latest flashpoint. The prospect of England fielding a second-string attack is not ideal for a team trying to tick off a 3-1 victory. Neither will it impress the fans who have ensured a five-day sellout in south London to watch the series finale between two teams who have fought like maniacs. India, too, may stick to their pre-series pledge of resting Jasprit Bumrah for two of the five matches, potentially robbing a must-win game of another star attraction. This is not how a blue-riband Test match should be, yet the players are hardly at fault. Despite England's repeated requests for pitches with pace and bounce, chief executives at the Test grounds prefer surfaces that guarantee at least four days of ticket revenue, plus income from merchandise, food and beer. As one member of the England set-up told Mail Sport: 'I think they've made enough money out of us this series.' Groundstaff are overworked by a crippling schedule, their job made harder by the driest summer in living memory. To make matters worse for the bowlers, the Dukes ball has been going unusually soft. In all, England have bowled 5,366 balls. Only once before, in the West Indies in 1929-30, have they sent down more in four Tests, and those games were played to a finish — until the last match, in Jamaica, was abandoned as a draw after 10 days because Freddie Calthorpe's England team had to catch the boat home. If this five-game series had been given more room to breathe, so would the seamers. But the Hundred now has pride of place in August, and so the fifth Test must be over by the time the men and women of London Spirit and Oval Invincibles clash at Lord's on Tuesday. Inevitably, bowlers on both sides have struggled. When the pitches are green and the Tests over inside three days, this is less of a problem. When they are brown and dry, and tempers are flaring, and everything is repeatedly at stake in the final session, something has to give. This series deserves better than to hobble over the line.
Telegraph
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Our experts pick their England teams for India series decider
England travel to the Oval with the series still on the line after a draw at Old Trafford. Our cricket experts pick the XI they would like to see take on India in the fifth Test. Duckett, Crawley, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes, Smith, Overton, Atkinson, Archer, Tongue. It is harsh to leave out Liam Dawson but pitches at the Oval suit seam and we do not know how many overs Ben Stokes is going to be capable of bowling at full pelt. Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton and Josh Tongue give England fresh legs and allow them to use Jofra Archer in very short bursts. Overton's batting – he scored 97 in his only Test so far – replaces Dawson's and India looked very comfortable playing the left-arm spinner. Atkinson and Tongue in Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes, Smith, Dawson, Woakes, Atkinson, Tongue. A 15-man squad indicates that England are not exactly sure what they want – or, more pertinently, who will be fit. Archer and Brydon Carse both look in need of a break; England omitting Sam Cook from the squad suggests that they believe Chris Woakes will be OK. Woakes also has a fine record at the Oval and gives England a batting line-up of rare depth, with Test centurion Gus Atkinson at No 10. For now, broader debates about the future of the side – most notably whether Jamie Smith should play as a specialist batsman – can wait. All-seam attack Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes, Smith, Woakes, Atkinson, Carse, Tongue. It has got to be a three-day green-top, which Surrey have been known to engineer, for some good old-fashioned, ugly, seam-based dogfighting. Stokes, whether he can bowl or not, and four seamers, no spinner (and if you are going to pick a spinner, pick Jack Leach, not Dawson, because he can bat). India do not have the reserve seamers to compete in this sort of game: their main reserve, Prasidh Krishna, bowls too short of a length for this sort of contest. Who England's four seamers are depends on their fitness, if any after four hard-slog Tests, but assuming Archer cannot play for medical reasons, and it is a seam-fest (although Surrey will want five days of receipts) my bowling attack would retain Carse and Woakes. Will Macpherson: Stick with Dawson Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes, Smith, Dawson, Atkinson, Archer, Tongue. In the last 18 first-class games at the Oval, the team who won the toss has bowled first. The pattern is nibble early on, then good for batting on day two and three. Surrey seldom pick a spinner, so I was tempted to leave out Dawson, not least because the seamers are either undercooked or completely knackered. But I'm giving him one more game, partly because they will need him to hold up an end. It is too early to know for sure which of the seamers will be fit, but I am definitely bringing in the fresher legs of Atkinson and Tongue. Then it is the question of which of the three survives. Carse has run his race, and I thought Archer actually looked the freshest of the three. If he is good to go, he plays. If not, Woakes stays, not Overton, because I don't want an all-changed attack.
France 24
2 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
Jamie Overton added to England squad for fifth Test against India
The return of the Surrey paceman is the only change to the group from Old Trafford, where India on Sunday escaped with a draw after batting for five sessions and 143 overs. Ben Stokes' men had been in pole position to move into an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series after taking a first-innings lead of 311. But they were only able to take four wickets in India's second innings, even though Chris Woakes struck twice in the first over. Stokes hinted "fresh legs" might be needed among the bowlers for the fifth Test, which starts on Thursday. Woakes and Brydon Carse have both played all four matches so far while Jofra Archer has featured in back-to-back Tests following a four-year absence. Stokes considers himself "very unlikely" to miss out despite struggling with various injuries at Old Trafford but the tight turnaround means changes seem likely. Overton, who won his only Test cap in 2022, joins fellow seamers Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue in a 15-man squad pushing for a spot in the starting eleven. Tongue featured in the first two Tests of the series and took 11 wickets but was expensive, while Atkinson has not played a first-class match since England's win against Zimbabwe in May. Liam Dawson looks set to be retained as England's frontline spinner despite taking just one wicket in Manchester across two innings.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
IND vs ENG: 'Let's do it for the country' — Rishabh Pant's stirring rallying cry to teammates
Even though won't be on the field at The Oval, his words and actions will continue to lift Team India for the crucial match. The injured wicketkeeper-batter, who played a crucial hand in India's gritty fourth Test draw at Old Trafford, has been ruled out for the series finale. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But speaking in a video released by the BCCI, Pant offered a powerful message to his teammates. "Just a gesture from my side. Whatever it takes to make our team win or put the team forward, instead of thinking about personal goals," Pant said, referring to his decision to return and bat with a fracture on his foot during the third Test. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Pant had taken a painful blow to his right leg off a Chris Woakes delivery and had to be taken off the field in a mobile ambulance. Despite swelling and what was later confirmed to be a fracture, he returned to bat the next day, scoring a fighting half-century and receiving a standing ovation from the crowd at Old Trafford. After the fourth Test draw, he was seen throwing his gloves into the stands and embracing skipper Shubman Gill in a heartwarming moment. India stay alive, England frustrated after draw; handshake drama at Old Trafford and more Pant's courage and commitment earned high praise in the dressing room as well. Head coach , not known for singling out players, made an exception. "You've not only inspired this dressing room, but you've inspired the next generation… the country will always be proud of you," Gambhir said, addressing Pant in a video shared by the BCCI. Poll How do you feel about Rishabh Pant's decision to bat despite his injury? Incredible courage Unnecessary risk Furthermore, Washington Sundar, who himself put on a show with Ravindra Jadeja as he scored an unbeaten 101, singled out Pant for his brave act. Arguing that it would have been difficult for him to just walk around with the state he was in, to come out and bat for his side made it much more commendable. Sundar called him the "son of our country." As India prepare for the series-deciding fifth Test at The Oval starting July 31, spirits will be high and stakes greater than ever.
Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Times
England vs India live: score, updates from fourth Test day 5
Successive near-misses for Gill from Woakes to end the 85th over. The first kept low outside the off stump and Gill bottom-edged it through to the wicketkeeper on the bounce. Gill left the next ball and it cut back like an off spinner, surprising everyone, but it didn't quite do enough to clip the wickets. Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. Runs have been so secondary to the narrative this morning that Shubman Gill's quiet journey towards three figures has only just taken centre stage. There are two captains out there battling for their side, Gill having come to the crease with India at nought for two in the opening over yesterday. Gill's fabulous series with the bat continues. He reaches his century in sedate fashion with a single and celebrations are of restrained relief too, with a short shriek of delight. There is more work to do. The first innings here, and the Lord's Test, were a mini-drought for Gill after his stunning start at Headingley and Edgbaston. This is his fourth hundred of the series, one of which was a monster 269. Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. Woakes induced an edge from Washington Sundar, but it went to ground before it reached the slip cordon. Enough to interest the fielding side. As Brook warned, it will be Jofra Archer from the other end. Gill will face first and England will want him off strike. Archer has been superb to left-handers in this series, and there are a couple to come after Washington (assuming Pant hobbles to the middle at all). Stokes calls it a morning at 8-2-12-1. He has provided endless cause for debate, has removed KL Rahul and has struck Shubman Gill on the finger. England take the new ball immediately and Chris Woakes will have first use, to the left-hander Washington Sundar. 'Jof with the new ball soon,' Harry Brook reminds 'Washy', AKA Washington Sundar, at the non-striker's end after the Indian batsmen turn down an easy single. That bit of chat is perhaps what has convinced Washington to aim a miscued slog sweep at Dawson, which clears Chris Woakes at mid-on but doesn't reach the boundary. The first 15 overs of play have yielded only 22 runs. Sir Humphrey Appleby of Yes Minister fame might have dubbed it a courageous shot. Sky Sports have just put up a statistic showing how important Stokes has been to England's bowling in this series. He has taken six wickets at 32.16 between overs 31 and 80. No other England bowler has averaged beneath 60. Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse haven't taken a single wicket in that phase of the innings. And that's drinks after an engrossing first hour. Dawson has bowled tightly at one end without quite threatening, while Stokes has taken 6-2-9-1 in a spell of mischievous bounce and regular grimaces. Four overs left until the new ball, when a new chapter begins. Seven wickets to go for England, India 118 runs behind. After that low bounce, Stokes has got one to rise up and strike Gill on the hand. The India captain has opted against the old adage of playing down any discomfort and not rubbing the affected area. The ball has reared up and hit him on the fingers of his right hand, ricocheting into his helmet. He threw his bat and helmet down, immediately took off his glove and gave his hand a good old shake. A short delay while he is seen to. And the injured titan has the breakthrough after all. He finds good reason to lift his arm in the air as he hardly bothers appealing, running towards the striker's end in celebration. KL Rahul is gone for 90, his partnership with Shubman Gill over after 70 overs and 188 runs. Low bounce again — not as low as that early ball to Gill, but enough for the wicket. The ball seamed in and snuck beneath Rahul's bat, striking him on the pad. Little doubt over that one. The new man is not the injured Rishabh Pant but Washington Sundar, elevated up to No5 for the first time in his Test career. Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. England will have to do it without any reviews. They ask if KL Rahul has tickled a sweep down the leg side from Dawson, well taken by Jamie Smith. The ball has flicked the pad but no bat. At the other end, Stokes continues (at 85mph, no less) despite his obvious concern over his right shoulder. He keeps placing his hand behind his back towards his rear end, and in his follow-through and return to his mark he has been keeping his bowling arm straight down his side. Dropped catch for England. Gill drove Stokes hard and high to Ollie Pope, not in a silly position but nearer than traditional cover. Pope leapt well but couldn't hold on. It was a difficult chance and would have been a tremendous catch, but England need something special to stick. Forget Stokes's leg for now. He appears to be giving a lot of attention to his right pec/shoulder area. The captain is almost spending every minute that he isn't bowling tending to the area. Early signs of low bounce as Stokes troubles Gill (who has just reached 700 runs in the series). It hardly got above ankle height from a short-ish length. However it was heading down the leg side and the appeal was half-hearted. Positive signs for England, though, that the pitch has demons to capitalise on. Stokes up at 87mph in that over. And at the other end… it's Ben Stokes. The debate over whether or not he would bowl has lasted all of four minutes. England's Superman wants to fashion the Test in his image once more. Liam Dawson will take the first over. Ollie Pope under the lid. Eight wickets required. Rishabh Pant on one leg and then into the all-rounders. Day five has begun. Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. The draw at this ground in the 2023 Ashes was down to the weather. This Test has not been as wet as some predictions, but there could be a few minor delays today. The BBC is showing small percentages of possible rain between now and 3pm, with noon (31 per cent) the highest figure. So that's not washout territory, but one or two bouts could assist India in saving the game. This has been one of those matches that could soon be known as Stokes's Test — but that would probably require another match-winning performance with the ball today. Will he bowl at all? After a five-for and a century — emulating Tony Greig, Ian Botham and Gus Atkinson — the captain was absent throughout yesterday's 63 overs of toil. England said last night they would 'wait and see' if he banishes the stiffness and soreness of his gargantuan efforts. With the fifth Test starting on Thursday, one wonders if, should England take a 3-1 lead, they give Stokes a rest ahead of this winter's Ashes. Morning everyone. Be honest: who thought we would have a fifth day for every Test? When Chris Woakes reduced India to 0-2 yesterday, England will have hoped to have today off (don't mention golf — I mentioned it once but I think I got away with it). Then KL Rahul and Shubman Gill dug in. Trailing by 137, India are unlikely to reach a score that yields a dangled carrot of a chase, but maybe they wouldn't be content with a draw (only the second of the Bazball era, again at Old Trafford). England will be able to call upon the new ball from about 12.15pm, which will be their chance to turn the tide. Good morning and welcome to The Times' live coverage of the final day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford. England need eight wickets to clinch a series win, but India's fourth-day resistance — led by Shubman Gill and KL Rahul — has set up a fascinating finale. Elgan Alderman is at the ground and will be bringing us analysis and reaction throughout the day.
