INDIA VS ENGLAND, 5TH TEST, DAY 1: ENG 198/7 at Stumps vs IND at The Oval
India vs England, 5th Test, Day 1: Opener Alastair Cook hit a patient half-century in the final match of his career as England reached 123 for one at tea on the opening day of the fifth and final Test against India at the Oval on Friday. The 33-year-old Cook, who is playing his final Test for England after which he will retire from international cricket, had eight hits to fence in his 177-ball unbeaten innings as he shared 60 runs with opening partner Keaton Jennings (23) and then forged an unconquered 63-run stand with Moeen Ali (23) for the second wicket. At the break, Cook was unbeaten on 66 runs, while Ali was batting on 23 not out having faced 102 balls. In the 31st over, Ajinkya Rahane dropped Cook (on 37*) at gully off Sharma. Three balls later, Virat Kohli dropped Ali (on 2*) at third slip off Bumrah. Stay tuned with us as we bring you all the latest updates. (LIVE SCORECARD)
HIGHLIGHTS, INDIA VS ENGLAND, 5TH TEST, DAY 1 LIVE FROM OVAL
22.59 IST: That's Stumps! ENG 198/7 in 90 overs
22.47 IST: FOUR! keeps it a bit shorter of a good length around off, Adil stays back in his crease, opens the bat face at the very last moment and glides the ball through the vacant gully area for a boundary. ENG 196/7 in 87.2 overs
22.46 IST: The second new ball has been taken. 3 overs left.
22.40 IST: Mohammed Shami to Jos Buttler, NOT OUT! And guess what? That is what saves him there. Buttler survives to fight another day. The crowd here erupts. Shami bowls it full and gets it to tailback in. Buttler tries to flick but he seems to have missed it. The ball hits him on the pads, the players appeal and the umpire raises his finger. Buttler asks his partner and then goes for the review. Time for the replays and to everybody's surprise it shows an inside edge.
22.37 IST: FOUR BYES! Another one down the leg side, it swings away further. Pant once again has no chance and the ball races to the fine leg fence. ENG 190/7 in 85.3 overs
22.33 IST: FOUR! Trademark Buttler! Sharma bowls it just ahead of a length on off, Buttler leans into it and times it through covers for a boundary. ENG 186/7 in 84.5 overs
* Adil Rashid comes into bat...
22.23 IST: OUT! Ishant removes Sam Curran for a duck. This is a huge wicket and an absolute game changer. ENG 181/7 in 82.5 overs
22.20 IST: OUT! Ishant removes Moeen! England are in deep deep trouble! What a Rippa! Sharma is rewarded for his persistence and consistency. Patience, that's the word. India now are right back in the match. Getting back to the ball, Sharma keeps this one on a length just marginally outside off. However, his angle from around the wicket entices Ali into a defensive push. The ball straightens on pitching, takes the outside edge and finishes in the mitts of Pant. England lose their sixth and India are right on top now. ENG 177/6 in 82.3 overs
22.17 IST: FIFTY! Moeen scores his 13th Test fifty. He has justified his selection with the ball in the last game and now contributing with the bat. Also, making a point as to why he should be batting at the no. 3 position. Not to forget, he was dropped on 2 and now he is making India pay for that. He whips this through mid-wicket and takes a run. He raises his bat to the pavilion. ENG 177/5 in 81.5 overs
22.13 IST: BEAUTY! On a length around off, it pitches and straightens. Ali tries to keep it out but gets beaten.
22.09 IST: Flighted ball outside off, Buttler tries to slap it through the off side but gets an under edge to covers. Jadeja seems to be bowling a little slow to the right-hander.
22.05 IST: Beaten! Beauty from Sharma. lands this on on a length just outside off. Buttler, seeing the initial angle on the delivery, gets sucked into a shot and tries to push at the ball. The nut pitches and nips away, beaten the right-hander's outside edge. Sharma is continues to impress.
22.00 IST: Jos Buttler is the next batsman in..
21.59 IST: OUT! Plumb in front! Jadeja gets his second and England have half the side back in the hut. Stokes walks back for yet another low score. Jadeja spears this in very full and quite quick. It was almost a yorker. Stokes just did not read the length there. He was initially looking to go for the sweep but then realized the shot is not on. He tried to adjust but was late to do so. The ball did not come down in time and the ball pings him on the pads. The players appeal and the umpire raises his finger. ENG 171/5 in 77.5 overs
21.55 IST: The batsman shows the full face of the bat and defends the ball off the back foot. The batsmen have run through for a single.
21.51 IST: FOUR! Tickled and tickled fine! On the pads, Stokes works it through short fine leg and the ball races away. ENG 169/4 in 75.4 overs
21.47 IST: FOUR! Caressed! A half-volley and Moeen Ali times it through covers. Need not run for those and Ali is now in the 40s. ENG 163/4 in 74.4 overs
21.46 IST: BEATEN AGAIN! Moeen Ali has really rode his luck. Those play and misses will be so frustrating for Shami. Again he bowls it full and outside off, Ali goes for the drive but gets beaten.
21.45 IST: Drinks! What a passage of play for the visitors! They have made their way back into this match by taking three important wickets. They would look to pick up some more and dent the home team's batting line-up before the end of play today. England, on the other hand, would want both their southpaws to build a strong partnership and hold fort till the last ball is bowled today. The third session to resume in a short while, hang around!
21.43 IST: Fires it on off, Stokes keeps it out. Ufff! How quick was that over bowled? Just Jadeja things.
21.36 IST: FOUR! Classy shot and timed to perfection by Stokes. Shami lands this one full and just outside off. Stokes comes forward, crouches a bit and creams this drive through covers for a magnificent boundary. The home team need Stokes to hang around for longer and play a substantial innings. ENG 158/4 in 72.3 overs
21.35 IST: FOUR BYES! Shami starts this over from around the wicket with a length ball angling into the batsman. The ball is constantly moving inwards in the air. The prodigious movement takes the ball past Moeen's pads and keeps going with the angle. Pant behind has no chance to stop it as he is seen fake diving to his right but the ball is way wide and goes to the boundary for four byes. Kee a count of the extra's conceeded today. ENG 153/4 in 72. 1 overs
21.33 IST: Clever stuff! Sees the batsman dancing down the track and bowls it a touch short. Moeen tries to work it across the line but is beaten to get hit on the pads.
21.28 IST: FOUR BYES! No chance for Pant. The lad has had a tough time behind the stumps today. This is down the leg side and it swings away further. Pant has no chance as the ball crosses the fine leg fence. ENG 146/4 in 70.3 overs
21.24 IST: Lovely bowling! Back of a length outside off, Stokes half-heartedly tries to defend it but gets beaten.
21.19 IST: Tosses it outside off, Moeen lunges forward and pushes it through covers for a run. 6 runs off the over.
21.16 IST: Jadeja is brought into the attack.
21.14 IST: Jaffa! Ishant lands this on a length just outside off from around the wicket. The initial angle into Stokes tempts him in pushing at the ball. But the nut hits the deck and moves away from the all-rounder who gets beaten.
21.11 IST: England are stunned at the moment. Three wickets in two overs. Bumrah and Ishant are finally finding the length they wanted.
21.09 IST: LOVELY STUFF! This is the delivery with which he so often gets the southpaws out. On a length and around off, it pitches and moves away. Stokes is forward in defense but is beaten by the movement.
21.03 IST: OUT! EDGED AND TAKEN! One brings two, two brings three. The Indians are on fire here and Jonny Bairstow once again walks back for a duck. From 133-1, England are now 134-4. Ishant gets his first. Excellent bowling by the tall fast bowler. He was constantly getting the ball to come back in but this time he gets it to straighten after pitching it on off. Bairstow plays inside the line, the ball takes the outside edge and goes into the mitts of the keeper. The players appeal and the umpire raises his finger. The visitors are right back into the game. ENG 134/4 in 64.4 overs
20.59 IST: Bairstow replaces Root to face the final delivery of the majestic Bumrah's over.
20.57 IST: OUT! Boom Boom Bumrahhhh! Double strike for the pacer and the visitors and it's the big one - the English captain. JB lands this one on a good length just a bit outside off. The ball lands and seams in considerably. Root, stuck in his crease, tries to push at the ball with his bat in front of his body. The inward nip beats joe's inside edge and raps him right in front, or at least it looked like it was right in front. But the umpire does not move for about 10 secs and as we start to think that the England captain has survived (India has lost both their reviews) the umpire raises his finger at the very last moment. Root immediately goes for the review. Replays roll in. England 133/3 in 63.5 overs vs India at Oval
20.55 IST: Joe Root the England captain walks in to bat next.
20.53 IST: OUT! Bumrah removes Cook for 71. AT LAST INDIA BREAKTHROUGH! Cook, seeing the ball a bit shorter of a length, goes back and tries keep it out. The ball hits the deck, skids back into cook who gets cramped for room. The ball takes the inner edge as Cook is late to get his bat down in time. The ball, for the delight of the visitors, crashes into the timber. Very important and a timely wicket for India. Cook makes his way out and the entire Oval crowd stands and applauds this legend. England 133/2 in 63.2 overs vs India at Oval.
20.48 IST: Beaten again! Someone count the number of times the batsman has got beaten without edging the ball. Lands this on a bit fuller outside off. Ali comes forward to block it bu the ball lands and seams away beaten the bat's edge.
20.45 IST: Lands it on a length but the line is wide of off. This allows Ali to point his bat skywards and watchfully see the ball go past him.
20.39 IST: NOT OUT! A poor, poor review from India there. That always looked high and that turned out to be the case. Both reviews have gone down the drain. Ishant bowls it on a length around middle, Cook hops and tries to clip it but misses to get hit on the pads. The players appeal and the umpire shakes his head. Kohli probably in the 14th second signals for 'T'. The replays roll in and it shows the ball to be going over.
* A late review taken by Kohli. An LBW decision against Cook has been challenged. Looks high.
20.37 IST: FOUR! Ends the over in style! Poor delivery by Bumrah, on the pads, Ali is too good a batsman to miss out there. He flicks it through square leg and the ball races away. ENG 128/1 in 60 overs
20.35 IST: On a length again around off, this one pitches and straightens a touch. Cook tries to defend but it goes off the outer half towards point.
20.30 IST: We are back for the final session! 31 overs left in the day. Alastair Cook and Moeen Ali will resume their innings. Jasprit Bumrah will start the proceedings for India. Here we go...
20.12 IST: That's Tea! England 123/1 at Tea vs India at The Oval. Cook 66*, Moeen 23*
20.08 IST: Last over before Tea to be bowled by Ishant Sharma.
20.02 IST: Ishant Sharma comes into the attack. Ten minutes to go for the Tea break.
20.00 IST: FOUR! Cook seems to be loving this. He's getting a lose delivery every once in a while and a batsman of his calibre will not miss out many times on such deliveries. Jadeja lands it a bit short outside off, Cook gets his fierce cut out and gets the ball racing across the deep point boundary. ENG 121/1 in 55.5 overs
19.57 IST: Mohammed Shami to Moeen Ali, Goodness me, how many has Ali failed to edge in this session and that too against Shami. He plays away from his body once again but fails to connect. Shami has stopped showing any disappointment now as he is unable to get Ali edge one.
19.51 IST: Another maiden from Shami saw Moeen still far from settled at the crease.
19.45 IST: A slight delay as the tourists have asked for some protection gear for their fielder at short leg.
19.38 IST: FOUR! Lovely Shot! that's so pleasing for the eyes. Jadeja lands it too full this time. Cook picks up the length early, transfers his wait forward and creams this drive through the mid on region for a beautiful boundary. ENG 111/1 in 49.3 overs
19.30 IST: Cook brings up his 57th Test half-century. What a stellar career he has had!
19.25 IST: FOUR! Cracker from Cook! Jadeja drops it short and just outside off. Cook ponces on it and punches it through the point area. The timing and placement is too good for the fielders to cut that one out from crossing the ropes. ENG 103/1 in 46 overs
19.22 IST: FOUR BYES! Watta Ball! Shami lands this on just a bit short of a good length around off. Ali, from within his crease, tries to push at the ball. It hits the deck and comes in prodigiously cutting Ali in half and beats his inside edge. The ball keeps moving even after passing the batsman. Pant dives to his right but cannot even get a glove on it. Four byes for the hosts. ENG 99/1 in 44.5 overs
19.17 IST: Ravindra Jadeja to Alastair Cook, Quicker and a bit outside off from Jaddu. Cooks tries to cut it but gets beaten for Pant to collect it. That was the skidder and Cook got beaten in pace there.
19.13 IST: Drinks break.
19.00 IST: Jadeja is on from the other end.
18.59 IST: FOUR! Crisply times the full ball down the ground. Ali presents the full face and the connection is sweet. A boundary to end the over. ENG 89/1 in 39 overs
18.55 IST: Shami is on.
18.49 IST: FOUR! Full, outside off and asking for trouble. Cook brings the exquisite cover drive out and gets the desired connection. Pujara runs after it but fails to keep it in. ENG 82/1 in 36.5 overs
18.42 IST: The overcast conditions and the tight line and length from Bumrah has made life difficult, especially for Ali.
18.35 IST: FOUR! This is salt to the wounds. Another beautiful ball on middle and off and going away. Ali looks to defend and gets a thick outside edge. The ball races through the slip cordon and gully region. A boundary results. ENG 74/1 in 33.4 overs.
18.25 IST: And another. What is happening here? Fist Rahane and now Kohli. Two of the best fielders in the world have dropped two catches. This time it was Moeen who is squared up by the outswinger from Bumrah on off. He hangs his bat in anticipation and gets a thick outside edge. The ball flies at the rate of knots to the left of Kohli. He tries to get both his hands behind it but it wasn't to be. In the end, two drops in 4 balls and both Moeen and Cook survive.
18.20 IST: Dropped! I don't believe it. Rahane drops a dolly. Cook gets a reprieve. Sharma produced a gem here. He bowls a length ball on middle and off. It lands and moves away just a touch but enough to create doubts in Cook's mind. He pokes at it from his crease and a thick outside edge is induced. The ball flies low to Rahane standing in the gully region. It went in and out in a flash. I still don't believe it. One of the best fielders in the world has given a chance to Cook in his last Test. Will he make them pay?
18.13 IST: Bumrah to share the attack.
18.08 IST: We are all set for the post-Lunch session. Ishant to Cook..
17.30 IST: That's Lunch. England lost just one wicket as the Indian bowlers didn't find much encouragement from the surface. ENG 68/1 at Lunch. Cook 37*, Jadeja 1/15.
17.19 IST: After Shami failed to make any inroads, Bumrah has been handed the ball.
17.14 IST: Moeen Ali is the new man in!
17.10 IST: OUT! Jadeja removes Jennings for 23. India draw first blood and totally against the run of play! Jadeja announces his return with a bang. lands this on on a tighter line on the stumps. Jennings attempts to nudge the ball off his pads, through the leg side. The ball spins, kisses the bat face and flies to the leg slip region. The Indian skipper positioned there takes a sharp reaction action. The tourists are ecstatic. KJ, while walking back, is seen thumping his bat with his gloves in frustration. He got through he difficult phase in the opening hour early this morning, but falls prey to the spinner. England 60/1 in 23.1 overs vs India at Oval.
17.05 IST: What a reception for Cook earlier!
16.48 IST: Fifty up for England. For the first time from their openers in the series.
16.44 IST: Md. Shami is continuing from the other end.
16.43 IST: 4 Byes! Strays down on his second ball and concedes four byes. Pant won't be happy as this one was way quicker and down the leg. The keeper tried his best to stop it but could not. ENG 43/0 in 15.2 overs
16.41 IST: Ravindra Jadeja comes into the attack.
16.38 IST: FOUR! Shami starts off with a very good delivery, on off and straightening a touch. Cook plays inside the line, the ball takes the outside edge and goes to the third man fence. ENG 36/0 in 14.1 overs.
16.35 IST: Drinks on the field now. ENG 32/0 in 14 overs
16.30 IST: While Cook accumulates, you can read here what Sourav Ganguly has to say on Ravi Shastri's comment on past national sides.
16.26 IST: Cook and Jennings have now put together the longest opening partnership for England in terms of balls played this series - 74
16.18 IST: Ishant Sharma to Keaton Jennings, Bang! Right on the grille! I feel Jennings misjudged the length there. It was short but not very short. Certainly not a ball which you should be ducking on a slow wicket. Jennings does so by taking the eyes off the ball. He is hit right on the helmet as the ball rolls towards square leg. The batsmen run a leg bye. Takes his helmet off after getting to the other end and signals to the dressing room that he is fine.
16.13 IST: FOUR! One more excellent shot by England's most capped player. Bumrah tries to surprise the batsman with a short ball. But Cook is aware enough to sight the length early, go back, swivel and play the perfect pull shot through square leg. The ball races across the deep square leg boundary. ENG 24/0 in 8.3 overs
16.12 IST: FOUR! Cook at his best here. How many times have we seen this from the great opener? JB lands this a bit short and wide of off. Cook rocks back and unleashes a Cook special square cut. The timing and placement is exquisite as the ball runs past the point boundary. ENG 20/0 in 8.2 overs
16.09 IST:
15.57 IST: Couple of maiden overs from Bumrah and Ishant. ENG 13/0 in 6 overs
15.46 IST: FOUR! Cook hits Ishant for a boundary. First boundary of the innings! Bread and butter stuff for Cook, on his pads. He says thank you very much, he flicks it through square leg and bags a boundary. ENG 13/0 in 4 overs
15.36 IST: Cook, in his last Test match, gets to 1000 runs on this ground.
15.34 IST: England are underway, courtesy an extra. ENG 1/0 in 1 over
15.30 IST: We are all set to get underway... out come the Indian players along with the umpires. They are followed by the English openers, Alastair Cook, who is playing his last Test and Keaton Jennings, who needs to get his career kick-started with some runs in this game. The former will be on strike and he will face Jasprit Bumrah. He has three slips and a gully in place. Here we go...
15.10 IST: Playing XIs
India: Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah
England: Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Moeen Ali, Joe Root (C), Jonny Bairstow (WK), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
15.07 IST: Captain's Corner:
Joe Root: We will bat first. It looks a bit dry. We will try to make as many runs in the first innings. We get good wickets here, it will be tough to start. I will bat at four and I will try to get the best out of myself. Jonny has been flawless in the last 18 months. His challenge will be to continue the hard work. We have played good cricket throughout the Test series.
Virat Kohli: I need heads on both sides. That is the only way I would win the toss. The first session will be tough. There is grass on the pitch. One change is forced. Ashwin is out, Jadeja replaces him. Hanuman Vihari comes in the place of Hardik Pandya. He is an exciting prospect. He averages close to 60 in first-class cricket. It has been tough for the openers in the series. Conditions have been very tough. Cook has been a great great player. What he has done is outstanding. He will go out as one of the greatest openers in the Test cricket.
15.02 IST: TOSS! England win toss, opt to bat against India at Kennington Oval
14.50 IST: Here's what former captain and IndiaTV Cricket Expert Sourav Ganguly feels about Shastri's assumptions.
14.45 IST: Head coach Ravi Shastri has rated the team the "best travelling side in last 15 years", although being factually incorrect. India under Sourav Ganguly drew a Test series in England (2002) and Australia (2003-04) apart from winning a Test in the West Indies and a series in Pakistan. Under Rahul Dravid, India won two series in the West Indies (2006) and England (2007) apart from winning a Test in South Africa. When Anil Kumble was made the captain, India bagged a Test match win in Perth for the first time and under Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the team won a series in New Zealand and also for the only time drew a series in South Africa. Kohli and Co. on the contrary have failed to win a series in South Africa followed by the ongoing debacle in England.
14.43 IST: Here's an interesting development for India. Hanuma Vihari is set to make his Test debut today.
14.30 IST: Hello and welcome to our Live Coverage of the fifth and final Test between India and England at the Kennington Oval in London. Stay tuned as we bring you all the latest updates.
Brief Preview:
Battered after yet another deflating series defeat, the Indian cricket team will be aiming to pick up pieces while spoiling Alastair Cook's farewell party in the fifth and final Test against England starting Friday.
With England taking an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-Test series, the final match at the Oval is only of academic importance but Virat Kohli will want to finish on a definite high.
A scoreline of 2-3 will definitely look much better than 1-4 and India will any day take Test win. (Read Full Preview Here)
