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The Independent
3 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Gus Atkinson shines but inconsistent England fail to punish India at Oval
Gus Atkinson set the standard for a revamped England attack on day one of the deciding fifth Test against India but injury and inconsistency among his fellow bowlers stopped the hosts taking control. Atkinson was handed his first appearance of the series on home turf at the Kia Oval, returning from a hamstring injury with little more than a club appearance for Spencer CC and one tune-up for Surrey's second XI under his belt. But in the absence of Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse – the captain out injured and the latter pair rested – Atkinson stood out from the crowd on an otherwise erratic performance from the hosts. He took two wickets and swooped to run out danger man Shubman Gill for 21, with India scrapping to 204 for six in bowler-friendly conditions. There was a late sting in the tail for the hosts as Chris Woakes suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder in the field. His participated in the rest of the match looks highly doubtful, placing an even bigger burden on a fragile seam unit. While Atkinson took the opportunity to remind the selectors what they have been missing over the past four games, bowling with pace and discipline for figures of 19-7-31-2, it was a different story for England's other returning quicks on the most helpful surface of the summer. The recalled Josh Tongue turned in a perplexing performance, sending down a baffling pick'n'mix of wayward deliveries punctuated by two virtually unplayable balls that accounted for Sai Sudharsan and Ravindra Jadeja. Both batters were undone by gems, speared in from round the wicket and seaming just enough to flick the edge. Beyond that he lacked any sense of control, frequently failing to make India play and sending down three separate sets of five wides. Jamie Overton, back for a second cap three years after his first, was also wayward and lacked cutting edge as his 16 overs cost a leaky 66. Although England's position at the end of a rain-reduced day was respectable, they were guilty of making poor use of the murky clouds and a green-tinged pitch offering good pace and carry. Stokes, Archer and Carse, all of whom spilled plenty of sweat on lethargic tracks, must have been cursing their bad luck. Stokes' stand-in Ollie Pope benefitted from Gill's fifth consecutive loss at the toss and eagerly inserted the opposition as the floodlights kicked into action. Atkinson was on target from the off at a venue he knows well, snaring Yashasvi Jaiswal lbw courtesy of a judicious DRS referral. It was Pope's first ever successful review, ending a streak of 14 unsuccessful calls, and he celebrated just as much as his bowler after ending that sequence. Woakes, the sole ever-present in the English attack, picked up a second when the dogged KL Rahul was drawn out of his comfort zone and chopped a cut shot into his stumps. But a lack of consistent pressure from Tongue and Overton allowed India to wriggle off the hook to 72 for two when showers brought an early lunch. The teams did not get back on until 3pm and they were off for rain again less than half-an-hour later. But that slim window was all Atkinson needed to make his presence felt again. He was bowling to India's emphatically in-form captain Gill when a ridiculous attempt to steal a single presented an opening. Sudharsan refused to be the sacrificial lamb and sent Gill back, allowing Atkinson to extend his follow-through, pick-up and hurl down the stumps for a gift of a wicket. Gill had arrived at the crease on 722 runs at an average of just over 90 for the series – within sight of Sunil Gavaskar's Indian record of 774 – and departed courtesy of a dreadful self-inflicted wound. The weather eventually cleared to allow an extended final session and England picked up another three scalps despite continuing with their hit-and-miss offerings. At his worst Tongue looked well below the level but on two occasions he mustered something the great James Anderson would have been proud of. Sudharsan and Jadeja, who did not know which side of the wicket the next ball was coming from, could do nothing but succumb. Atkinson followed up with a hard-earned second, Dhruv Jurel fencing to Harry Brook at second slip one ball after surviving a tight lbw shout. Woakes' injury, which saw him crying out in pain after he tumbled retrieving the ball on the boundary rope, left England with a headache to resolve as Karun Nair ticked off a calm 52no to nudge his side past 200.
The Independent
6 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Gus Atkinson makes impact on England return but rain blights opening day
Gus Atkinson made an instant impact on his England return but the first day of the Rothesay Series decider against India was blighted by rain. Atkinson injured his hamstring against Zimbabwe in May and has since been restricted to a one-off club appearance for Spencer CC and an outing for Surrey's 2nd XI, but he was England's liveliest performer as India reached 85 for three on day one at the Kia Oval. He took the new ball in a revamped attack missing the injured Ben Stokes and rested duo Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse, promptly dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal lbw in a threatening opening spell. The ever-present Chris Woakes added the wicket of KL Rahul when the opener slashed an inside edge into his own stumps but wayward spells from the returning Josh Tongue and Jamie Overton undermined English efforts in inviting conditions. With heavy cloud cover, floodlights in action early on and good carry from a green-tinged pitch, the pair's failure to hit a consistent line or length allowed the tourists to wriggle off the hook as they reached 72 for two at lunch. The interval came eight minutes early due to showers and the elements continued to win out, with the players finally re-emerging at 3pm only to be forced off again after just under half-an-hour. But that slim window was all Atkinson needed to make his presence felt again. He was bowling to India's emphatically in-form skipper Shubman Gill when a ridiculous attempt to steal a single came out of the blue. Sai Sudharsan (28no) refused to be the sacrificial lamb, sending Gill back and inviting Atkinson to pick and throw at the stumps. As Gill turned, the England quick was more than up to the challenge, running him out by a comfortable distance with a clinical piece of ground fielding. For Gill it was a horrible self-inflicted wound, leaving him on 743 runs for the series – 31 short of Sunil Gavaskar's Indian record with one more innings to play. Another weather interruption followed, with England now narrowly in front of the game despite an occasionally wasteful effort with the ball. Ollie Pope, standing in for Stokes, kept up the home side's 100 per cent record at the toss and made the simple decision to bowl first in helpful conditions. But while Atkinson proved reliable on his return, taking one for 13 in nine disciplined overs, Tongue and Overton disappointed. Both were guilty of losing their radar, Tongue conceding 11 in wides as two stray deliveries slid to the fine leg boundary and Overton unable to build pressure with some inconsistent lines.
The Independent
9 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
England fail to make the most of the conditions after winning toss in decider
England's revamped attack had a hit-and-miss first morning in their decisive fifth Test against India, with the tourists 72 for two at lunch. Without the injured Ben Stokes – captain and leading wicket-taker in the series – as well as the rested Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse, the hosts relied on a new-look lineup at the Kia Oval. Gus Atkinson started well on his comeback from a hamstring problem, removing Yashasvi Jaiswal lbw in his second over with the new ball, and the ever-present Chris Woakes persuaded KL Rahul to drag down his stumps. But, after Stokes' stand-in Ollie Pope continued England's 100 per cent record at the toss, the hosts did not make the most of the cloudy conditions and good carry. Josh Tongue, who took 11 wickets in the first two games of the series, could not find his radar at all, conceding 11 runs in wides across five scattershot overs. Jamie Overton, earning a second cap three years on from his debut, also struggled for rhythm and sent down some wayward balls that let the Indian batters off the hook. The interval was taken eight minutes early as rain arrived, with Sai Sudharsan settling well on 25 not out and the prolific Shubman Gill unbeaten on 15. Atkinson, who has not featured since the Zimbabwe Test in May, was the pick of the bowlers with a sharp and well-directed spell that saw him concede just seven runs in six overs. He also got the better of Jaiswal, nipping the ball back into his front and winning the decision after a DRS review.
Telegraph
12 hours ago
- Climate
- Telegraph
Live England vs India: Teams and latest updates from day one of fifth Test at the Oval
Good morning Morning and welcome to Telegraph Sport's live, over-by-over coverage of day one of the final Test between England and India at the Kia Oval. This should be a huge game. It is a huge game, with England 2-1 up and chasing only their second series win against India or Australia in the last decade. But there has been a slightly strange pre-match atmosphere, largely because both teams are on their last legs after 20 days of extremely hard-fought cricket in little over a month. England are without the injured/knackered Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse. India are yet to name their team but are expected to be without Jasprit Bumrah. The London weather has enhanced the mood: it bucketed down overnight and we're unlikely to get a full day's play today. Stokes sustained a grade-three muscle tear in his shoulder during the Old Trafford Test and is unable to play even as a specialist batsman/captain. 'It was one of those where you were weighing up the risk-reward,' he said, 'and the risk was way too high for damaging us any further than it currently is.' His absence means Ollie Pope – who started the series fighting for his place – will captain England for the fifth time. Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue, Gus Atkinson and Jacob Bethell come into the side for Liam Dawson, Stokes, Archer and Carse. Once the match starts, all the pre-match weirdness will be forgotten. This is such a big game for both teams. You may not have heard, but England have an Ashes series in Australia this winter. Their mood going into that tour will be very different if they win 3-1 or draw 2-2 against India. India are at a different stage of their development, and a 2-2 draw would be an admirable achievement in Shubman Gill's first series as captain – especially as he has also scored runs in industrial quantities. One team will leave The Oval full of the joys; the other will feel like all that hard work was for nothing. Toss 10.30am* First ball 11am*
The Independent
a day ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Stand-in captain Ollie Pope hopes to finish job Ben Stokes started against India
Stand-in England captain Ollie Pope hopes to finish the job Ben Stokes started by sealing a series win over India. A badly torn shoulder muscle meant Stokes had to admit defeat in his battle to be fit for the decider at the Kia Oval, handing over the reins – and a 2-1 lead – to his deputy. As well as filling the leadership void, Pope will have to make up for the absence of Stokes the all-rounder. The 34-year-old picked up player-of-the-match honours in each of the last two Tests and his competitive edge will be a big miss for a side built in his image. Pope, who stood in for four matches last year, is a quieter and less-combative character but has his eyes on the prize. 'It's gutting he's missing the final Test, he'd love to be out there. But the impact he's had on this series with both bat and ball has been awesome,' he said. 'When you've got a cricketer like Ben, you're going to miss them, but we appreciate everything he's done this series and hopefully we can do him proud this week.' Stokes' lay-off means a first appearance for the year for Jacob Bethell, who announced himself as a rising star in New Zealand last December and has since put in some exciting performances in the white-ball arena. Initially seen as a rival for Pope's spot at three, he will now slot in at six and offer some overs of left-arm spin with Liam Dawson dropped from the XI. 'I think everyone knows the skills he's got, everyone saw him smack it in the T20s and one-dayers,' said Pope. 'He's shown he can click straight into Test match mode as he did in New Zealand so that's really exciting. With his personality he'll be pretty excited for the opportunity to try and help us win a series.' Pope's only defeat during his previous stint in charge came at the Oval – where Sri Lanka sprung a surprise in a dead rubber – and he now has the chance to put that right at his home ground. 'I was trying to learn on the job. Last summer was pretty much the first time I've done it for more than one game in professional cricket,' he said. 'I've got some good things to look back on, what worked well and what I could have improved on. I know this ground well and how this pitch plays. 'It's about using what I know about these conditions to make good cricketing decisions.'
