![\"England](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/\/c0c9116e-ba10-4b03-9617-8e43bc328920.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBen Stokes is the player of the match for his 44, 33, five wickets and his run-out of Pant in the first innings, six years to the day since he won the World Cup at this very ground with England.<\/p>\n
Speaking to Sky Sports, he says: \u201cI\u2019ve taken myself to some pretty dark places, but if bowling your country to a Test match win doesn\u2019t get you excited, I don\u2019t know what does. Bashir, it was written in the stars to take that last wicket. An absolute warrior.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was cooked yesterday, but the game was on the line, nothing was stopping me. I\u2019m an all-rounder, I get four opportunities to influence the game and if one thing doesn\u2019t click\u2026 I\u2019d like to score more runs, but you don\u2019t have a chance to worry about anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Duckett, Pope and Stokes console Siraj after the final wicket<\/p>\n
ANDY KEARNS\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n
Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies once<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Bashir has spun one on to Siraj and it rolls back on to the stumps! England players set off running around the pitch. <\/p>\n And then they come over and see Siraj and shake his hand. He\u2019s down on his haunches. He\u2019s upset and distraught but they all come over and shake his hand. <\/p>\n What a match, what a day, what scenes. What fight and heart by India. What an unlucky way for Siraj to get out after he\u2019d fought so hard. It just spun gently back on to his stump and the bail was dislodged. <\/p>\n India looked dead and buried this morning but took it into the evening session. So much to digest from all that, this series keeps on giving: 2-1 with two to play. <\/p>\n Thanks so much for your company throughout what has been a heck of a Test. Stay with us for reaction and analysis.<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n There was an appeal for lbw but it is an inside edge into the pads. Archer follows up with a bouncer and Jadeja sways out of the way. <\/p>\n The fifth ball is wide and slashed towards backward point and it\u2019s only one, Bashir is fielding there and he\u2019s hurt himself diving to stop the ball.<\/p>\n Pope is almost under Siraj\u2019s nose at short leg and the ball has hit Siraj hard on the shoulder, or back as he turned away from it, and he is in real pain. Physio is on again.<\/p>\n There have been only two ties in the history of Test cricket, anyone fancy the third today?<\/p>\n Worrying moments for England<\/p>\n All the catchers in and there\u2019s a bit of turn, and an inside edge means Siraj can scamper through for a single and get Jadeja on strike. This is getting a real worry for England.<\/p>\n Some extra bounce by Bashir. They leg it for a single off the fourth ball after it hit Jadeja on the boot. Siraj gets well forward and a big inside edge but there is no silly point in and a cheer goes up as he gets through another over.<\/p>\n India 25 runs away, England one wicket.<\/p>\n Siraj takes a single to keep strike<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Big cheer for the return of Jofra Archer, he\u2019s replaced Ben Stokes at the Pavilion End. Field is spread. They do manage a single fifth ball, so now there are two short legs in for Siraj and two slips and a leg slip.<\/p>\n Archer steams in and Siraj plays it leg side: it\u2019s in the air but past the short legs and weirdly they\u2019ve taken a single for him to keep strike. Maybe they think Siraj is fine against Bashir.<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n This is unusual, MCC is playing Jerusalem as the players come out from tea. Usually that happens only first thing in the morning. Right everybody, strap in. <\/p>\n Bashir from the Pavilion End to Jadeja. Down the leg side first ball, well taken by Jamie Smith. A single off the third ball takes the total to win under 30. Slip, leg slip and short leg for Siraj who is solid in defence. The fifth ball comes off the pad safely into the leg side. And the final ball drops just short of Pope at short leg. <\/p>\n Another over gone. Nine until the new ball.<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n I just popped down into the crowd to have a chat with some punters and they can\u2019t believe their luck, having only paid \u00a325 and seeing a day of cricket like this, although one group of lads said: \u201cWe thought we\u2019d be in the pub by lunch.\u201d <\/p>\n But snaffling a ticket for today at just \u00a325, worth every single penny. <\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Stokes is having another! Ten minutes ago he said to Archer, \u201cI\u2019ll have one more!\u201d He never gives up, this man. The second new ball is ten overs away, can you believe we have got this far? <\/p>\n Jadeja defends the first two deliveries and then very nearly fends the third one straight to the keeper, it swings away but passes the edge of the bat. Fifth ball he takes a single worked into the leg side. The England players swoop on the ball \u2014 Siraj drops his bat on the way through to his crease. <\/p>\n And the India No11 survives the last ball before tea \u2014 just about \u2014 from a nasty bouncer. <\/p>\n That is tea. Goodness me, what a session, what a match. This is absolutely compelling, tense, dramatic stuff. I don\u2019t know about you but I need a brew! <\/p>\n Siraj gets in a tangle as England chase the final wicket with India needing 30 runs<\/p>\n ANDY KEARNS\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n Edgbaston 2005 territory?<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Talk about leading from the front. Stokes, who is absolutely cream-crackered, is carrying on for the ninth over of this spell. He\u2019s asked Archer to get loose.<\/p>\n Crowd are singing Jadeja\u2019s name and the first ball flies through the slips for four. That is 50 for Jadeja from 150 balls. What a hand he is playing here, but he isn\u2019t celebrating, he knows the job isn\u2019t done. <\/p>\n Second ball gets an under edge into the ground. This battle between Stokes and Jadeja is total box office stuff. Jadeja pulls the next ball but it trickles to the many men in the deep on the on side. No run. A single is taken with two balls to go. <\/p>\n Lots of catchers in for Siraj, Stokes steams in but it\u2019s a bit leg side and pulled into the ground, stopped by the leg slip. Last ball, Siraj gets up on his toes and defends down into the ground. <\/p>\n Edgbaston 2005 territory\u2026<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Siraj now has to face up to Carse. Two slips, a leg slip and the shortest of short legs. <\/p>\n Oh my word, it pops up off Siraj\u2019s bat and falls inches in front of Pope at short leg. Pope is very good under the lid but he just couldn\u2019t get his fingers under that and he\u2019s moved even closer, he\u2019s nearly on the cut strip. That was so, so, so close. <\/p>\n Another one, on the fourth ball, goes wide of Pope as he sticks out his hand. Stokes now moves a man out to deep square leg, he doesn\u2019t mind Siraj taking a single here. Fifth ball is defended from off stump and the over ends with a cheer as Siraj survives. Jadeja will be on strike for the next over. Oh my goodness, how are everyone\u2019s nerves? <\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n End of the 64th over and Siraj plays it down and this mad, tense Test continues. India need 44 to win. England chasing this one wicket. <\/p>\n Stokes is in the zone. You can see in his eyes, he is determined to not lose this one and Sky have to apologise for his language as he makes sure his team know what he is expecting of them.<\/p>\n This ball is so soft and that means Jadeja will have to hit it really hard to get a boundary, but equally he will want to get as many as he can before the second new ball arrives in 14 overs. <\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies once<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Stokes has put his body and mind on the line here and he looks absolutely cooked. He is going to need this week off before Old Trafford. Carse to Jadeja, who plays the first ball into the off side \u2014 no run. Second ball is on middle stump and defended. He flashes a cut towards the point boundary but stands still in his crease, not risking Siraj having to face three balls of Carse. <\/p>\n Jadeja has to find runs from somewhere, he can\u2019t just stay there. Single taken from the fourth ball of the over. Field comes up for Siraj. Different tactics here, not short balls, Stokes wants Carse to try and push the length fuller and get some swing. Slips and a gully in place. <\/p>\n Siraj defends with full face of the bat to end the over.<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Stokes\u2019s plan worked exactly. Bumrah just can\u2019t help himself. Mohammed Siraj is out there, he was greeted with quite a few words from the England fans after his antics yesterday. <\/p>\n Siraj has only made single-figure scores since January 2024 in Tests but his job here is just to help Jadeja try and get the 46 needed.<\/p>\n The India No11 rides out three balls nicely to end the over. We won\u2019t have tea at 3.40pm because India are nine down.<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Oh my word, Stokes does it again. Bumrah cannot help himself, he\u2019s pulled it in the air and the top edge goes to Sam Cook on as sub and he hangs his head as he trudges off. He is addicted to pulling and hooking. <\/p>\n England just need one more now. Oh my word. Jasprit, what have you done? <\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Over 60. Stokes is going to carry on, Jadeja knocks it down the ground but turns down a run, the second ball flies over Jadeja\u2019s left shoulder. Run rate is barely two an over but it is completely absorbing Test stuff. <\/p>\n Fifth ball very nearly induces an edge behind, it keeps low and doesn\u2019t miss the edge of the bat by much. The over ends with the field up and Stokes bowls one very wide outside the off stump. Just 48 needed. Bashir is done and Carse is coming back on from the Nursery End.<\/p>\n Feeling nervous, England fans?<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Bashir continuing from the Pavilion End. Jadeja turns down the single first ball. Second ball is turned around the corner but again he turns down the single. Third ball he does take a single through square leg and up comes the field. Rinse and repeat. <\/p>\n Fourth ball is flighted nicely but defended solidly and fifth ball finishes with a flighted delivery that Bumrah tries to whip away through the leg side but no run and then four leg byes to end the over. Infuriating for England. The runs required now are under 50 and this is where it starts to get very, very nervy for them. <\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Fifty-five left to win, 52 overs left in the day. Bashir continues and again everyone is out. The second ball is a thick edge that squirts along towards deep wide third man but the single is turned down. <\/p>\n He does take a single off the third ball though with a back-foot square drive. And in come the slip, leg slip and short leg. Bumrah defends the rest of the over and he is now four off 40 balls and he is doing his job here. The partnership is 27 off 105 balls. <\/p>\n Over 58. On Stokes goes\u2026 and Jadeja works it round the corner and thinks he might have enough time to run two, but he doesn\u2019t and now Bumrah has four balls of this over to face. The batsmen come together for a long chat in the middle.<\/p>\n Stokes is moving his troops around, no slips but there is a short leg. Stokes bangs it in back of a length but Bumrah is on his toes and plays it down in a controlled way. Next ball is on the line of leg stump into the ribs of Bumrah \u2014 dot ball. <\/p>\n They\u2019ve got men out in case Bumrah has a go at hooking but again he just defends it down in front of him. And the last ball of the over gets up and Bumrah plays an uncontrolled pull that drops just short of short leg and he survives. A defensive pull shot \u2014 if such a thing exists.<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Over 56, Stokes continuing, on the attack with three slips and a backward point but they also don\u2019t want to give Bumrah a single. Crowd noise building again. Attempted bouncer and the ball is 55 overs old so it doesn\u2019t get up very much. Bumrah defends the second ball, a big cheer. <\/p>\n The atmosphere here is absolutely fantastic. I wonder how many people are at work with the scorecard open and the radio on surreptitiously. Third ball hits Bumrah and he\u2019s in a bit of pain, out comes the physio. <\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Shoaib Bashir is on to bowl his first over of the innings. He\u2019s coming on from the Pavilion End. He was allowed to not field because it is an external injury \u2014 the same reason Pant was allowed to not keep wicket and still bat in his usual position. <\/p>\n Lots of bandaging on Bashir\u2019s left hand. Seven men out on the fence. Bashir is getting a bit of turn, he bowls the fourth one a bit quicker and it hits Jadeja on the pad but there\u2019s an inside edge so muted appeal.<\/p>\n Dot ball on the fifth ball and all the field come up. Everyone is on the single. And there is a dot ball to end the over, a little victory for England and a cheer from the England fans. <\/p>\n Bumrah\u2019s batting \u2014 from a good source<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Mrs Bumrah is in the press box with us and tells us that Jasprit has been working so hard on his batting because he cares a lot about it, but his effort has really been paying off and it\u2019s frustrating him a lot according to his wife. <\/p>\n Meanwhile, Joe Root is coming on. There is rough outside Jadeja\u2019s off stump to target \u2014 just the one slip in though and there are men out everywhere to try and get him to take a single. <\/p>\n Bumrah has plenty of company around him: slip, leg slip, short leg, and he plays two solid defensive shots to see out another over. <\/p>\n India fans are in full voice as they celebrate a six from Jadeja<\/p>\n RICHARD PELHAM\/AP<\/p>\n India going very slowly here<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Jadeja manages to take a single off the fourth ball of the 51st over and if things carry on like this, it\u2019s going to take a long time for them to knock off the 57 runs needed. The crowd are becalmed for the moment.<\/p>\n Stokes has brought himself back on to try and wrap this up. This is his tenth over in the day but there\u2019s a nine-day break now between Tests, so time for him to lie and do not much to recover for a few days. <\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n A single taken off the fourth ball of Woakes\u2019s 12th over and Stokes has packed the off side with catchers \u2014 five slips. Woakes fires one at the base of the stumps but Bumrah manages to dig it out and then defends the last ball of the over on the off stump.<\/p>\n Fifty-nine to win or two wickets. How are your nerves?<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Woakes pins Jadeja on the front pad and a massive appeal, the finger goes up but unsurprisingly, Jadeja reviews and it\u2019s not out. India fans are screaming with joy. A wry smile from Woakes.<\/p>\n Jadeja responds by pulling Woakes for six into the Mound Stand and the India fans are going absolutely wild. Change of bowling from the Pavilion End \u2014 Archer off, Carse on.<\/p>\n Jadeja lets a couple go outside the off stump, he shapes up so well, a proper batsman. Having said that, he\u2019s just flashed wildly at a wide one trying to get a single off the fourth ball and weirdly the field stays back on the fifth and he can tip and run and get a single so Bumrah has to survive one ball of this Carse over. Slightly odd from England there. <\/p>\n Survive he does and a cheer goes up and India need 60 to win.<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Bumrah has taken a hit on the thumb and is getting a bit of treatment but he\u2019s OK and Archer is going to continue from the Pavilion End. <\/p>\n The field is spread to try and get Jadeja to take a single. The second ball is edged into his pad and Archer is targeting a tight line on the stumps and a fuller length.<\/p>\n Jadeja turns down a single third ball and if they go at this run rate, we will still be here early evening for them to knock them off. Fifty-four runs before lunch and 12 since lunch in 2\u00bd hours. <\/p>\n Are we getting Edgbaston 2005 vibes? England had Australia eight down and thought they\u2019d won it and ended up only winning by two runs (as I am sure I don\u2019t need to tell anyone). <\/p>\n So Archer is bowling to Bumrah and there are two slips, a gully, a leg slip and a shortish point and a little bit of chat towards the world\u2019s No1 bowler. Bumrah is offering some resistance, survives the over and receives a raucous round of applause from the crowd.<\/p>\n Woakes tries a slower ball and it\u2019s over the place, a full toss outside the off stump and Jadeja actually did well to reach it and knock it through point for a single. <\/p>\n Two slips and two gullies for Bumrah against Woakes and Bumrah is well beaten outside the off stump. It\u2019s only missed the edge by millimetres and Smith snaffles \u2014 so close to edging it.<\/p>\n Test cricket, is there anything like it?<\/p>\n STU FORSTER\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Those pulled four runs were the first runs in the series by Bumrah. Woakes is continuing from the Nursery End and Jadeja has just played a wild drive, a bit loose and aerial and it doesn\u2019t yield a run. <\/p>\n There\u2019s just one slip and a gully for Woakes to Jadeja. The field is spread trying to tempt him into a single but up they come on the fourth ball. They want Archer bowling at Bumrah.<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n An absolute roar from the crowd as Jasprit Bumrah takes a boundary off Jofra Archer. Hooked away down the slope towards square leg and the India fans are pumped \u2014 they\u2019re cheering every shot, even if it\u2019s a defensive one. <\/p>\n The tension is mounting\u2026 five off that over and India need 70 to win and they still believe. The ball is now 43 overs old and it will be going quite soft now. <\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Welcome back. Everyone is suitably fed and watered and we\u2019re settled in for the last knockings of this amazing Test match. <\/p>\n Woakes will continue from the Nursery End and Jadeja has been joined by Bumrah, who as we know can wield the willow more than adequately sometimes.<\/p>\n Well, then. That was nearly a session of two halves, with Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes putting England firmly in the driving seat before India, through Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy, brought the visiting side back at a crawling pace. However, that wicket from Chris Woakes means it\u2019s very much England\u2019s session. It\u2019s Jadeja or bust for India, now. Join us again shortly for the afternoon\u2019s play<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n England are going to lunch right on top here. Nitish Kumar Reddy has nicked off to Jamie Smith off Chris Woakes, a lovely ball that induces a false stroke. Lunch will taste much better for England than India. England bound off the pitch with tails right up.<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Lunch is approaching and here is what the players can choose from:<\/p>\n Here in the media centre we are having butter chicken and an array of salads, rice and naan breads with a raspberry sponge for dessert. On the pitch, this partnership is building frustratingly for England. It is now worth 30 and India need another 81 to win. <\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n It was, indeed, Stokes\u2019s final over after a nine-over spell and Woakes is coming on from the Nursery End. Eighty-five runs needed to win or three wickets and 15 minutes to lunch. If they take another wicket before then, it is possible lunch will be delayed for half an hour to see if they can get it done. <\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n It\u2019s very tetchy out there. Ravindra Jadeja accidentally ran into Brydon Carse ball-watching and there were some words exchanged. Ben Stokes is in his ninth over and he\u2019s determined to get the job done. <\/p>\n Carse is very much from the Stokes mould of hard-nosed cricket \u2014 they make them tough in the north east. Stokes had to get in between Carse and Jadeja, just to stop his bowler saying anything he shouldn\u2019t. <\/p>\n Reddy has just played an aggressive drive and it\u2019s raced to the boundary for a four. Stokes won\u2019t love that. Surely he is going to take himself off now? <\/p>\n Carse and Jadeja collide mid-pitch as tempers briefly flared<\/p>\n RICHARD PELHAM\/AP<\/p>\n Who said Ben Stokes was injured?!<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n This is Ben Stokes\u2019s eighth over on the bounce. Remember back on day one when it looked like he had a groin injury. No sign of that since, he\u2019s looked fit as a butcher\u2019s dog. <\/p>\n A fierce bouncer nearly has Nitish Kumar Reddy plonked on to his backside, he has to take serious evasive action. This is fun! <\/p>\n ALEX DAVIDSON\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n Archer\u2019s all-round performance<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Jofra Archer is flinging himself around. He pulls off a great stop standing at point, putting a dive in and stopping them taking any more than a single. <\/p>\n The outfield is pretty quick here and given how little rain we have had it is very lush. We walk across it at the end of every day to go to the press conferences and it feels like carpet. Lord\u2019s are very hot on being sustainable and they use their own water supply that they collect over the winter and on rainy days as much as possible. <\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n The noise is all India fans now shouting \u201cIndia, India\u201d. They still believe. Carse\u2019s first over goes for two and Stokes is carrying on. I don\u2019t think he\u2019s going to be told by Brendon McCullum not to keep going like the other day. <\/p>\n All morning there has been a lot of chat and sledging and it really adds to the drama and tension. It\u2019s all stayed the right side of the line. Everyone wants to see a bit of needle between two teams. Sometimes it\u2019s all a bit too friendly because the players all know each other from franchise tournaments.<\/p>\n A thick inside edge goes for a single and brings up the 100 for India and a huge cheer goes round Lord\u2019s. India\u2019s hopes are all pinned on this partnership and so far they\u2019ve been solid and taking singles where they can. <\/p>\n England players celebrate with Archer after he took Sundar\u2019s wicket<\/p>\n MATT IMPEY\/SHUTTERSTOCK<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Ben Stokes is continuing, they won\u2019t be able to prise the ball out of his hand! This situation also means that they probably won\u2019t need Shoaib Bashir to bowl. He\u2019s not on the field because of the injury to his left hand but can come on to bowl if needed because it\u2019s an external injury, so he\u2019s allowed to not field. <\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n That is drinks and what a first hour for England. Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes have bowled through the first hour and taken three wickets between them. India are 37 for three in that spell. They need 98 to win and England need three more wickets. <\/p>\n Time for a drink, coffee for me or something stronger for you if your nerves are frayed like mine are! <\/p>\n Archer keeping his speeds up<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n It\u2019s really good to see that Archer\u2019s speeds haven\u2019t slipped at all as the match has progressed. Consistently between 88 and 90mph, hitting up to 94 on a few occasions. Half a shout for lbw against Jadeja, hits the pad but is swinging away and would have been missing so no review. <\/p>\n Jofra seems to be absolutely loving being back in the Test arena and with one eye on the winter that is really good news for England. Australia will be watching on with interest. <\/p>\n India pick up a boundary with one that flies over the top of Jamie Smith\u2019s head, the short ball absolutely zips through and India pick up another single and the target is now exactly 100. <\/p>\n Archer now has bowled five, he looks in great rhythm. Maybe one for him before Carse comes on.<\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies once<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n The noise at Lord\u2019s is incredible. The England players are giving a bit of chat to the new batsman, Nitish Kumar Reddy. That over from Jofra was quick. 90-92 mph most of the deliveries. <\/p>\n Stokes is continuing from the Nursery End. India\u2019s hopes are absolutely resting on Ravindra Jadeja. <\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Jofra Archer takes a caught and bowled, a leading edge and that\u2019s the end of Sundar. Amazing athleticism, sticks out his hand to his right and dives. Sundar goes without scoring and India are crumbling. Archer is beaming and his team-mates are slapping him on the back and hugging him. <\/p>\n Three wickets to secure what would be an extraordinary victory.<\/p>\n Archer has taken two vital wickets on the final morning<\/p>\n ALEX DAVIDSON\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n The celebrations when the replay showed it was hitting the stumps were massive, England are absolutely fired up here. <\/p>\n There is real depth in the India batting line-up though. The new man, Washington Sundar, is much better than a lower-order batsman and Jadeja averages more than 36, which is higher than Zak Crawley, for example. <\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies once<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Ben Stokes is on his knees begging the umpire for an lbw appeal. KL Rahul is a long way back in his crease but the umpire is unmoved. Stokes reviews\u2026 if he hasn\u2019t hit it, it looks pad first, it might be umpire\u2019s call.<\/p>\n And it is out, oh my word. That is a massive wicket. Brilliant appeal, brilliant review. Stokes knew and that is why he appealed so vociferously. Wow wow wow. <\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n The pitch is still very much alive, up and down and there\u2019s some swing as well with the overheads. Ben Stokes has found exactly the right length and bowling a tight line to the left-handed Ravinda Jadeja.<\/p>\n Winviz now has England as favourites, 51 per cent to 49 per cent. Here\u2019s that Archer wicket in all its glory.<\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies once<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n That is as out as it is possible to be, the off stump has gone cartwheeling. What a delivery by Archer, perfect length, bit of seam movement and that is the end of Pant and that is amazing bowling. <\/p>\n The crowd are alive and England are buzzing. <\/p>\n ASHLEY WESTERN\/COLORSPORT\/SHUTTERSTOCK<\/p>\n England need a quick wicket here<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n There are loud cheers for every run from the India supporting contingent. England really need some early breakthroughs, the ball is 20 overs old and they start to turn into soft marshmallows from about 30 overs. The balls have been a real talking point throughout the series. Stuart Broad says you can tell they aren\u2019t right by the noise they make off the bat, it\u2019s just different, he says, to how they were pre-Covid.<\/p>\n Archer opening up against Pant<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Steve Harmison, former England bowler and now talkSPORT commentator, rang the five-minute bell and we\u2019re off with Jofra Archer with a change of ends. He\u2019s at the Pavilion End having bowled at the Nursery End yesterday. <\/p>\n And his first over is bowled to Rishabh Pant, it goes for one boundary but a couple of balls were the right length, fuller and rapid. <\/p>\n It\u2019s going to be Ben Stokes who bowls from the Nursery End and he wants to hit the length about eight metres from the batsman, which is where it\u2019s been popping from.<\/p>\n Crowds flowing in for day five<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n Crowds are streaming in down the Wellington Road from St John\u2019s Wood tube station in very much a mix of India and England supporters. Big old queues at the coffee bars. <\/p>\n The heavy roller is going along the pitch and the clouds are breaking up a bit but still more of them than the past four days. <\/p>\n It\u2019s a balmy 23C in northwest London and there is a real buzz of anticipation both around the ground and even among the usually unemotional press pack. <\/p>\n Mohammed Siraj to be fined 15% of match fee<\/p>\n Elizabeth Ammon writes<\/p>\n India players get about half of the amount England get, about \u00a313,000 a match which means Mohammed Siraj\u2019s fine is about \u00a31,950. That\u2019s small change for him, he will get that in about two hours for a bat sponsorship. He has got a second demerit point on his record \u2014 two more in this two-year WTC cycle and he\u2019ll get a one or two-match ban.<\/p>\n Siraj\u2019s fine comes after dismissing opener Ben Duckett, at which point the bowler \u201ccelebrated excessively at close proximity to the dismissed batter\u201d, according to the ICC.<\/p>\n Variable bounce sorting men from boys at Lord\u2019s<\/p>\n Steve James writes<\/p>\n Often in these trying circumstances of variable bounce emerge the very best players in technique and temperament, so no surprise then that two technicians in Joe Root and KL Rahul made the first-innings centuries. And no surprise that Zak Crawley struggled, because, having praised him<\/a> for his part in the Headingley victory, in the past two Tests he has probably looked in as poor an order as he ever has.<\/p>\n When at his most productive \u2014 say in 2023 and early 2024 \u2014 he has worked hard to push his head forward in his set-up. That allows his hands to move more smoothly and for him to play the ball later. He has lost that head position and is becoming ever more static. The two drives that brought his dismissals in the second innings at Edgbaston and Lord\u2019s were as much technical as mental.<\/p>\n \u2022 Steve James<\/b>: Zak Crawley has never looked in worse order for England<\/a><\/p>\n Mohammed Siraj, pantomime villain and India\u2019s heartbeat<\/p>\n Simon Wilde writes<\/p>\n If there was going to be any argy-bargy between England and India in this series \u2014 and, given the stakes, that was always likely \u2014 then Mohammed Siraj was almost bound to be involved. He is someone who thrives on competition and bowls better when sparks are flying.<\/p>\n India took the field on Sunday still incensed at England\u2019s time-wasting the previous evening, and it was Siraj who led the charge. In his second over, he nipped one back into Zak Crawley\u2019s pad; India reviewed, but it was sliding down.<\/p>\n In his next over, he resumed a duel with Ben Duckett that had run since the final day in the first Test at Headingley, when Siraj was infuriated by Duckett\u2019s good fortune en route to a match-winning 149. Siraj had him playing and missing, edging near to the slips, and dropped on 97 in the deep in Leeds. At one point he went down the pitch and stared intently at his diminutive adversary, while Crawley stood by smirking.<\/p>\n![\"England](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/\/eba7ba3f-2571-4a84-964c-5369711f4289.jpg\")
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