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Japan Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- Japan Today
India wins test series finale by 6 runs against England in Oval classic
India's players celebrate their win against England on day five of the fifth cricket test match between England and India at The Kia Oval in London, Monday, Aug. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) cricket A gloomy, drizzly London morning. The final day of a fifth test. Just 35 runs or four wickets away from victory. Those are not usually temptations for selling a bunch of match tickets. But the Oval was sold out on Monday in goosebump anticipation of a dramatic end to the England-India series, and a buzzing crowd of 27,000 wasn't disappointed. The action lasted for only an hour and 8.5 overs but every ball drew a roller-coaster of emotions as India won by a measly six runs in a fitting climax to a series that finished in a 2-2 draw. Adding to the drama, England allrounder Chris Woakes came out to bat one-handed with a dislocated left shoulder tucked in a sling under his jersey. Woakes ran a bye in obvious agony — his left arm fell out of the sling — and was protected by teammate Gus Atkinson from facing a ball. But Atkinson couldn't safeguard his own wicket for long and was the last man out, missing his attempted sweep and bowled by a Mohammed Siraj full toss. England, in pursuit of an Oval-record 374, was all out for 367. Siraj took off running with arms out in airplane mode; his third wicket in the hour gave him five wickets in the innings and nine in the match. 'Siraj is a captain's dream,' India captain Shubman Gill said. 'Gave it his all every ball and every spell he bowled.' Gill, the first-time captain who became the all-time leading run-scorer in any single England-India series, was named co-player of the series beside Harry Brook, whose 111 on Sunday lifted England in sight of clinching the series 3-1. 'To rock up with a crowd like this today when we needed 30-odd runs to win is phenomenal,' Brook said. "I don't think we could get support like that in any other series, other than the Ashes. 'We have not left anything out on that pitch. We have been absolutely knackered. A very intense test series, but a very enjoyable one.' Woakes arguably had the biggest effect on the Oval test by his absence, after hurting his shoulder while fielding on day one Thursday. He didn't bat when England replied to India's 224 with 247 for a 23-run lead on the first innings. He also didn't bowl as India racked up 396 to set the target of 374, requiring England to achieve its second highest successful run chase, eclipsing the 371 rundown in Leeds in the series opener. By the time Woakes walked out on Monday to a standing ovation, England was nine down and 17 runs from winning. Atkinson farmed the strike. When he swept Siraj, the ball popped out of Akash Deep's hands and over the cow corner boundary for a six, to reduce the runs required to 11. Atkinson kept Woakes off strike for two consecutive overs but at the start of the third he was dismissed by Siraj and the series was over. India took time out of its on-field celebrations to approach Woakes and applaud his pluck, another fitting end to a series in which emotions bubbled over from the drawn third test at Lord's onwards. India, trying to win a series in England for the first time since 2007, lost the toss in all five tests but exceeded expectations by winning more sessions. It was a tribute to Gill and his inexperienced team that the fight they put up diminished talk about the pre-series retirements of India greats Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin. 'Before the series we spoke about how we didn't want to be looked at as a young team,' Gill said. 'We wanted to be a gun team and I think we showed that today." Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Lokesh Rahul put Sharma in the shade, and Gill met the No. 4 traditions of Sachin Tendulkar and Kohli. Gill was questioned about his lack of scores overseas and began preparing for the series during the Indian Premier League. He stamped his authority in India's first bat with 147, the first of his four centuries in the series. 'We weren't given a chance but we've fought in every game and got 2-2,' 11-year test veteran Rahul said. "For Indian test cricket this will rank right at the top and this is where change begins. The India test team will win a lot more series. 'Not having Rohit, Virat, Ashwin hit me two weeks in. Everyone was coming to me to ask about English conditions. Then it hit me, I've stepped into a different role now. Gill's been phenomenal. He's formed connections. Tactically good, changes have gotten us wickets. He'll go on to become a good test captain.' Gill was the series leading run-scorer with 754, more than 200 more than Joe Root, and Siraj was the leading wicket-taker with 23, playing all five tests and still bowling at 90 mph (145 kph) on the final day. Also remarkably, premier bowler Jasprit Bumrah was restricted for workload reasons to three tests and India's two wins were without him. For England, Root's 500-plus runs lifted him to second on the all-time test runs list behind only Tendulkar. Fast bowler Jofra Archer returned after four years with venom and was keen to be available for the year-ending Ashes. Captain Ben Stokes was England's most effective bowler but exhausted himself into a shoulder injury that forced him to miss the Oval test. He was looking forward to being well rested for the first Ashes test against Australia starting on Nov. 21 in Perth. Stokes praised his Oval seam attack — depleted of himself, Archer and Woakes — for running India so close. 'When one of your bowlers goes down so early in the game, the role of the other seamers changes,' Stokes told the BBC. "Even in the second innings, the heart and desire they showed was amazing. There were many what-ifs in the last five days, makes the game great, but all (coach) Brendon (McCullum) and I asked was to give it everything. (Josh) Tongue, Atkinson and (Jamie) Overton showed it. 'The way in which we've been able to perform throughout the series, I'm looking forward to getting to Australia and doing what we want to go out there and do.' © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Business Recorder
6 days ago
- Sport
- Business Recorder
Oval downpour leaves England-India series on knife edge
LONDON: Harry Brook and Joe Root both hit hundreds before England's series finale against India was left on a knife edge after an Oval downpour cut short Sunday's fourth day. England were 339-6 when play was abandoned at 1703 GMT, with the hosts needing a further 35 runs to reach a target of 374 on Monday's final day. India, meanwhile, require four wickets to end this thrilling five-match series level at 2-2. England were faltering at 106-3 following the loss of stand-in captain Ollie Pope. Jaiswal's hundred leaves England needing Oval-record chase to beat India But the Yorkshire duo of Brook (111) and Root (105) turned the tide with a fourth-wicket stand of 195 that left England cruising to a 3-1 series win with more than a day to spare. But Brook's exit sparked a mini-collapse that saw England lose three wickets for 36 runs, with Root also unable to finish the job. And when bad light halted play at 1630 GMT, England were wobbling, with Jamie Smith (two not out) and Jamie Overton (nought not out) struggling for runs. A huge downpour then effectively prevented any hope of a resumption Sunday. 'It is quite fitting for how the rest of the series has gone,' Root told the BBC. 'We are in for a cracker for tomorrow. It is a weird one going into the fifth day with the sun out now but it will be a great finish.' The most any side have made in the fourth innings to win a Test at the Oval is England's 263 in a one-wicket victory over Australia back in 1902. Aggressive batting has been a cornerstone of England's approach to Test cricket since captain Ben Stokes, ruled out of this match with a shoulder injury, and coach Brendon McCullum joined forces in 2022. England started this series with the 10th highest successful run chase in Test history after they knocked off a target of 371 for a five-wicket win over India in the opener at Headingley in June. Brook made an immediate impact when he came out to bat on Sunday, at one stage hitting 27 runs in the space of eight balls. The talented 26-year-old charged down the pitch to loft Akash Deep for an extraordinary six over cover despite heavy cloud cover in London favouring India's quicks. He almost holed out to fine leg off Prasidh Krishna but Mohammed Siraj was unable to stop himself stepping onto the boundary rope, which meant a six for Brook. India captain Shubman Gill let the game drift and it was not until the 43rd over, with England 190-3, that he introduced spin – in the shape of Washington Sundar. But neither off-spinner Sundar or left-armer Ravindra Jadeja made much impact against two well-set batsmen, who took just 108 balls to complete a century partnership. Brook went to 98 when Deep misfielded a drive on the rope to concede a boundary. Next ball a two to third man took Brook to a 91-ball century, including 12 fours and two sixes, his second of the series. Brook's innings ended in appropriately spectacular fashion when, going for another big hit off Deep, his bat flew out of his hands. As the blade soared towards square leg, the ball looped to mid-off where Siraj held the catch. Root's typically elegant straight-driven four off Siraj took him to 98 not out at tea, with the former England captain completing his 39th Test century following the interval, reaching the landmark in 137 balls, including 12 fours. The recalled Jacob Bethell lost his wicket when he charged down the pitch to Krishna only to be clean bowled for five as his middle stump went flying. Root then fell soon afterwards, when caught behind flicking at a Krishna delivery to leave England 337-6. England resumed Sunday on 50-1 after Siraj yorked Zak Crawley with the last ball of Saturday's play. Ben Duckett, 34 not out overnight, fell for 54 after edging an intended drive off Krishna to KL Rahul at second slip before Pope was plumb lbw for 27 to Siraj.
Business Recorder
6 days ago
- Sport
- Business Recorder
Brook, Root run riot as England eye stunning win in India decider
LONDON: Harry Brook's dashing century put England on the brink of their latest spectacular run chase in the fifth and deciding Test against India at the Oval on Sunday. England were 317-4 at tea on the fourth day, needing just 57 more runs to reach an imposing target of 374 for a win that would secure a 3-1 series victory. Brook, riding his luck at times, was dismissed for 111 shortly before the interval. His fourth-wicket partnership of 195 in 35 overs with Yorkshire team-mate Joe Root turned the tide after they came together with England 106-3 following the loss of stand-in captain Ollie Pope. Root, the world's top-ranked Test batsman, was 98 not out at tea. No side have made more to win in the fourth innings of a Test at the Oval than England's 263 in a one-wicket victory over Australia in 1902. But aggressive batting has been a cornerstone of England's approach to Test cricket since captain Ben Stokes, ruled out of this match with a shoulder injury, and coach Brendon McCullum joined forces in 2022. And England are now on course to finish this series as they started it. They made 371 – the 10th highest successful fourth-innings run chase in Test history – for a five-wicket win in the first Test at Headingley in June. Jaiswal's hundred leaves England needing Oval-record chase to beat India Brook made an immediate impact when he came out to bat on Sunday, at one stage hitting 27 runs in the space of eight balls. The talented 26-year-old charged down the pitch to loft Akash Deep for an extraordinary six over cover despite heavy cloud cover in London favouring India's quicks. Brook escape He almost holed out to fine leg off Prasidh Krishna but Mohammed Siraj was unable to stop himself stepping onto the boundary rope, which meant a six for Brook. India captain Shubman Gill let the game drift and it was not until the 43rd over, with England 190-2, that he introduced spin – in the shape of Washington Sundar. But neither off-spinner Sundar or left-armer Ravindra Jadeja made much impact against two well-set batsmen, who took just 108 balls to complete a century partnership. India were becoming increasingly ragged, with Brook going to 98 when Deep misfielded a drive off Sundar on the rope to concede a boundary. Next ball a two to third man took Brook to a 91-ball century, including 12 fours and two sixes, his second of the series. Brook's innings ended in appropriately spectacular fashion when, going for another big hit off Deep, his bat flew out of his hands. As the blade soared towards square leg, the ball looped to mid-off where Siraj held the catch. Root, however, ensured the runs kept coming with a typically elegant straight-driven four off Siraj taking him to within sight of his 39th Test hundred. England resumed Sunday on 50-1 after Siraj yorked Zak Crawley with the last ball of Saturday's play. Ben Duckett, 34 not out overnight, fell for 54 after edging an intended drive off Krishna to KL Rahul at second slip before Pope was plumb lbw for 27 to Siraj.
