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109th over: India 290-4 (Washington 40, Jadeja 39) Carse is under a bit of pressure here – he’s shown plenty across this series but he’s not taken many wickets and, with Wood soon to return, his position is vulnerable. Paradoxically, perhaps all the more so if England win here, because if they do, they’ll most likely rotate for the Oval. Maiden.
108th over: India 290-4 (Washington 40, Jadeja 39) “All I have’s my honour, a tolerance for pain, a couple of World Cup wins and my top-notch brain,” as Lin-Manuel Miranda almost said of England’s absurd captain. He begins with a wide and no-ball in two of his first three deliveries, then Jadeja plays into the off-side for one and it’s still pretty comfortable for the batters.
107th over: India 287-4 (Washington 40, Jadeja 38) We’ve got 47 overs left in the day and India need to bat most of them to be safe; it now looks inevitable England will have to bat again if they’re to win this. Carse, though, finds exactly what he’s looking for with a short ball, spitting at Sunday around armpit-height; he just about fends it off, behind square, so away from short leg; they run one. India are navigating this session really well, which means it’s time for Ben Stokes to personality a wicket out of nowt.
106th over: India 285-4 (Washington 39, Jadeja 37) Root’s bowled nicely this afternoon, so I’m not surprised he’s confident enough to slow one right down and give it some air, looking to temp Jaddu into the drive … problem being it’s angling towards leg, so easily sent to the midwicket fence for four. Two byes follow when Jadeja misses a hoik and Smith can’t get to it, then a beauty, gripping, bouncing and turning away from Jadeja’s forward push.
105th over: India 279-4 (Washington 39, Jadeja 33) Carse is around to Jadeja, who turns around the corner for one, and though I guess we – OK, I – have criticised India for covering faults with all-rounders not specialists, this is where the formula comes into its own. In fairness to poor me, I grew up watching Capel, Ealham, Irani, Watkinson – a Lanky legend nevertheless – and so on, so am scarred, but Jadeja and Washington are a different class to those. Jadeja, in particular, is a fantastic cricketer, wringing every last drop from a very significant talent, infused with unstoppable attitude.
Thanks Tanya and good afternoon everyone. Just when we thought we were getting a trouncing, this series has again advised us that we were incorrect. Here we go again, Carse with the ball.
104th over: India 278-4 (Washington 39, Jadeja 32) 49 overs left in the day, India trail by 33. Meticulously knocking off the deficit
“Following the obo from a sun lounger in Skiathos.” Very nice Jez D! “No fabulous cricket jumpers required here. Speedos and factor 30 all that is needed.
”Given the runs in hand, the rate India are scoring at and the ability of England to score runs fast I reckon England will need about 10-12 overs to give themselves a chance. So they have about 40 overs to bowl India out, what do you reckon?”
Sounds about right. Though if they were set 100 in five, I reckon they’d still go for it. Can’t wait to find out, but Daniel will be your guide for the rest of the day. Thanks for all your messages and sorry I didn’t get to them all. Bye!
Updated at 09.51 EDT
103rd over: India 274-4 (Washington 38, Jadeja 29) 50 overs left in the day, India trail by 37. Carse throws his weight into a bouncer, Jadeja pats it down, then nearly gets through his defences with the penultimate ball. A huge lbw appeal – but the umpire says no, and it’s a no ball anyway.
102nd over: India 270-4 (Washington 37, Jadeja 27) 51 overs left in the day, India trail by 41. Root finds some devil in the pitch, one shimmies past Washington’s bat.
101st over: India 269-4 (Washington 36, Jadeja 27) 52 overs left in the day, India trail by 42. Carse steams in – this session is, so far, much easier for India that the morning’s trial by Stokes.
Updated at 09.33 EDT
100th over: India 267-4 (Washington 35, Jadeja 26) 53 overs left in the day, India trail by 46. A double change, as Joe Root is whistled into action. Not much to report other than a slight misfield by Stokes which gives away a single.
“Morning from an English expat living in Mendocino county, Northern California. Enjoying the OBO and catching up on an absence from all forms of cricket for fifty years. The heroes of my youth were Sobers, Kanhai, Barrington, Graveney, Trueman and Underwood, among others. Got back into the best format, Test cricket, in last year’s Ashes series. It must have been the Bazball buzz that drew me in. Use ESPNCricinfo as well as your enjoyable OBO to catch up. It appears to be a great time to follow England again.”
Welcome back Michael Coad! So glad you found us. There’s so much great cricket writing around, all over the place. Do stick with us for the Ashes – the timing will be a little friendlier for you.
Updated at 09.33 EDT
99th over: India 265-4 (Washington 34, Jadeja 25) 54 overs left in the day, India trail by 46. A bowling change – Brydon Carse with his first over of the day, gold chain that would be glinting, if only the sun was out. (In fact, it is getting decidedly greyer.) India pick off a couple of runs, and aren’t tempted by the juicy wide ones.
98th over: India 263-4 (Washington 33, Jadeja 24) 55 overs left in the day, India trail by 48.
Ravindra Jadeja plays a shot down to extra cover. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 09.28 EDT
97th over: India 260-4 ( Washington 32, Jadeja 22) Six men crouch as Jadeja awaits. He’s nearly undone by Dawson, in fact has no idea where the ball has gone, but them the – India-favouring fans in the crowd roar as JAdeja goes down town for four, then clubs three through the covers. 56 overs left in the day, India trail by 51.
96th over: India 251-4 ( Washington 31, Jadeja 14) Jofra Archer is not a happy bowler. At the end of the over he puts both hands on his hips and collects his hat muttering, only to amble into Ben Stokes. Stokes listens to his woes, smiles, past him on the chest and sends him on his way.
“Aren’t India’s cable-knit sweaters gorgeous?” writes Mark Hooper. “Proper cricket jumpers. Half the commentary crew on Sky have mentioned them at some point.” They are peachy.
95th over: India 250-4 ( Washington 31, Jadeja 13) Love Dawson’s dramatic follow through, he falls to his knees, hands over his face, Oedipus-like, as an outside edge frowm Washington flies through where second slip might have been.
Updated at 09.09 EDT
93rd over: India 245-4 ( Washington 29, Jadeja 10) Jadeja smites four through long on, Jofra gets angry about the field placing, Stokes placates him by ushering a mid-on into place. Then Archer nearly bursts through Washington defences. All action.
93rd over: India 240-4 ( Washington 29, Jadeja 5) Dawson makes one spit out of the rought where it misses bat, and keeper, bouncing down to the rope. India won’t mind how they come.
“You wrote ‘ ,,,Bradman and Gavaskar – with the asterisk that not many teams play modern series that are five Tests long’ -writes Adrian Goldman. “but exactly the same caveat applies to Root and his number of runs. All the modern batters, including Sachin, play many more tests than those playing even up to the 80s, even those who played for 15-20 years. The only semi-unbiased metric is average, and that places Root just 6th on the England list, of those who played more than 50 tests.
So – Root, the modern GOAT. (FWIW I think the same applies to Djokovic- he possesses not a single calendar year grand slam while laver won two, and presumably would have won more slams had professionals been allowed to play during his best years…).
Ah yes, and I didn’t express myself very well. What I was meaning to say was that those from countries that only play three-match series don’t have much of a chance of grabbing a record like four centuries in a series.
Joe Goat. Photograph: Greig Cowie/ShutterstockShare
Updated at 09.03 EDT
92nd over: India 234-4 ( Washington 28, Jadeja 4) As the dog trots in looking very pleased after being fed an illicit bit of bacon, Washington stretches and leans into a drive, sending Jofra to the long on boundary for four. Ten from the over.
91st over: India 224-4 ( Washington 21, Jadeja 1) Dawson continues from his pre-lunch over. Close fielders whispering sweet nothings in Washington’s ear.
ShareAfternoon session
90th over: India 223-4 ( Washington 21, Jadeja 0) So many emails, apologies I haven’t got to them all. Currently recovering from some horrible Covid-like thing that gives you sexy little cold sweats every half hour or so. Anyway, Jofra, from the Statham end to Washington, in a long-sleeved cable-knit sweater. An easy enough over to watch pass on by.
Mea culpa, I cocked up with my Gill stat earlier. He is alongside only Bradman and Gavaskar as the only CAPTAINS to score four centuries in a Test series. He matches Kohli and Gavaskar with the most hundreds by an Indian player in a Test series. Thank you to those of you who pointed that out.
And to Romeo who points out that “Clyde Walcott is the only man to score five centuries in a series, at home against Australia (with Lindwall, Miller and Benaud) in 1955, but Denis Atkinson and Jeff Stollmeyer both captained the side.”
Updated at 08.41 EDT
Fortified by toast, back to the OBO inbox.
“Would you recommend..a WIKI search to a Yank, who has been both to The Oval and to Lord’s whilst serving ad “American Lacrosse Coachin AMBASSADOR” (..my actual title) back in 1983-84. I do not understand the scoring of cricket. Best to my mates at The Hampstead Lacrosse Club.”
Hello Ken! Do you mean the scoring of the runs – in which case this might work – or how to note the runs down in a scorebook? If the second, maybe this?
ShareLunch – India 223-4, trail by 88
89th over: India 223-4 ( Washington 21, Jadeja 0) An uneventful last over from Dawson, and India go into lunch alive (just) but hobbled, after losing both their great cavaliers from yesterday. Both captains have quite brilliantly led from the front. Time for me to grab a drink – back soon.
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Updated at 08.22 EDT
88th over: India 222-4 ( Washington 20, Jadeja 0) Nearly two in two from Archer as Jadeja immediately plays a swashbuckling waft straight out of Captain Hook’s handbook, gets an edge which flies to slip where Root leaps, parries, juggles but can’t hold on.
ShareWICKET! Gill c Smith b Archer 103 (India 222-4)
Not a pretty dismissal as Gill plays a tired cut at a wide ball and Smith does the rest. He walks off, looking devastated, and with that, you’d think, goes India’s chances of survival.
Jofra Archer celebrates after dismissing Shubman Gill. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 08.16 EDT
87th over: India 219-3 ( Gill 103, Washington 17) Fine company for Gill – the only other batsmen to have made four centuries in a Test series are Bradman and Gavaskar – with the asterisk that not many teams play modern series that are five Tests long. An easier over for the batsmen from Woakes, Gill boxes a couple through mid-on.
“Just wondering,” types John Starbuck. “Has any batsman, English or not, ever batted through an entire day, with perhaps a bit of a start the day before, at Old Trafford or any other Test ground? No promises or forecasts, but it could happen.”
86th over: India 213-3 ( Gill 101, Washington 13) If India manage to get through the next 13 minutes until lunch, it will be a small miracle. It’s intense. At the other end from Stokes, Jofra is torturing Washington Sundar, though he picks up three from one loose ball.
85th over: India 213-3 ( Gill 101, Washington 13) An edge! But just short of Jamie Smith. Gill instantly looks behind him, the slips have their hands on their head, then, the very next ball, a piece of art from Woakes, that jags back and misses Gill’s off stump by a sheet of tissue paper. Gill turns back to Woakes, widens his eyes, and smiles. Woakes cannot believe his bad luck.
84th over: India 210-3 ( Gill 101, Washington 10) This has been such a wonderful innings by Gill, preternatural calm, despite the situation and being physically hurt at times. His fourth hundred of the series. Jofra is on the button with his second over, nearly jags through the defences.
ShareA hundred for Shubman Gill!
83rd over: India 206-3 ( Gill 100, Washington 7) Oooof Woakes wobbles a ball an angel’s breath outside Gill’s straight bat. A couple nudged behind takes Gill to 99 – and there’s the hundred! To a huge roar, he raises his bat, without a smile, kisses his bat, kisses his helmet and closes his eyes. Back to work.
Shubman Gill celebrates after reaching his century. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images/ReutersShare
Updated at 07.56 EDT
82nd over: India 203-3 ( Gill 97, Washington 7) Jofra! And his first ball is a short floaty thing – Gill says yes please, and pulls four. Temporary light relief. Washington pulls his bat inside some that jag closer to the point.
Updated at 07.30 EDT