Ravi Ashwin completed his 22nd Test five-wicket haul to give India a 200-run first-innings lead before Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 50 cemented his side’s dominant position.
India’s day then. Stokes and Rashid batted well but it was never going to be enough and, with a 200-run first-innings lead, the two cheap, early wickets for Broad were sadly not enough to get England fans excited. Man of the day is Ravi Ashwin, who took his 22nd Test five-fer and went past 50 for the year. A lovely, if pressure-free 50 for Virat Kohli was the icing on the cake.
Thanks for your company. Join us again tomorrow for England’s defeat. Bye!
34th over: India 98-3 (Rahane 22, Kohli 56) With near-perfect timing, we enter the final over of the day with Rashid bowling to Rahane. The latter nudges a single, then Kohli stands up to a low one and punches it through midwicket for four lovely, lovely runs. He’s really got his Laxman on today. India lead by 298 with seven wickets remaining.
33rd over: India 92-3 (Rahane 21, Kohli 51) Two singles and a filthy wide - make your own jokes - off this, the day’s penultimate and far from most exciting over.
John Starbuck sends a poem: “Just as the Indian day draws to a close, so too do the skies darken here in Yorkshire. I shall have to be buoyed up by the prospect of England at least giving it a go/Despite the snow/Despite the falling snow (R. Graves).”
32nd over: India 89-3 (Rahane 20, Kohli 50) Rahane pulls the second ball of Rashid’s over for a single to great cheers. That’s perhaps because it brings Kohli on strike and the captain promptly swishes the ball out to deep extra-cover for a single to bring up his 13th Test half-century. He’ll score tougher but if he can notch 50 more runs tomorrow then this game will be long done. More so.
31st over: India 87-3 (Rahane 19, Kohli 49) A burst of Stokes before the close; I’d have gone with Broad but Stokes is good. And, as soon as I write that, he chucks a rubbish slow bumper down the leg side. There are three men out there for the catch though, so you can see what he’s trying to do. Kohli does go for the pull, but keeps it down with barely more fuss than every Killers album since their debut.
30th over: India 85-3 (Rahane 18, Kohli 48) “Can we just surrender overnight? Save the bother tomorrow,” asks Chris Drew. England surrendered yesterday evening. They’ve got to keep playing though. Kohli takes a single from the last ball after playing out five balls watchfully.
29th over: India 84-3 (Rahane 18, Kohli 47) Rahane is so close to getting out here: back away and looking to cut a grubber, just as he did in the first Test, but this time jamming the bat down in time. That one did turn as well. A maiden from Mo.
28th over: India 84-3 (Rahane 18, Kohli 47) He’s kept it to a minimum but this is a bit of filth from Rashid, dragging it very short and it’s only the complete lack of bounce that prevents Kohli from putting it away for more than two to deep midwicket.
27th over: India 80-3 (Rahane 17, Kohli 44) Couple more to Kohli, lots of bottom hand, a big stride and driving through cover for a couple. I say spin, there is no turn for Moeen out there and as such the batsmen easily milk a couple more singles.
26th over: India 75-3 (Rahane 16, Kohli 40) Another three when Kohli turns a googly fine and moves to 40 from 43 balls. He’s slowed up after starting with a flourish but this has been an excellent innings, albeit one under little pressure after his first-innings brilliance. Rahane is beaten by a lovely leg-break from Rashid, who has had a really good match himself.
25th over: India 72-3 (Rahane 16, Kohli 37) Call me Nostradamus, it is Moeen. He goes a bit too wide and Rahane guides him to third man for three. Meanwhile here at the hub of the OBO, the dog decides it wants to play tug-of-war. It has a better chance of winning than England, to be honest.
24th over: India 68-3 (Rahane 13, Kohli 36) Kohli and Anderson are giving each other a bit of lip. Frankly that seems like a bad idea on both parts. Kohli then calls for a drink and promptly gets told where to go by the umpire. Not the most edifying pre-over bit of action, that. Kohli is allowed to quench his thirst at the end of a maiden.
23rd over: India 68-3 (Rahane 13, Kohli 36) Now Rahane shows why he averages 48 in Tests: getting forward and timing a half-volley perfectly through extra-cover to the rope. Time for a bit of Moeen? 11 overs to go.
22nd over: India 61-3 (Rahane 8, Kohli 34) It’s not just the strokeplay with Kohli: he uses his wrists to push Rashid out to deep cover and, even though the sweeper gets round quickly enough, he runs hard for a comfortable two. Five off the over, all to the captain.
21st over: India 56-3 (Rahane 8, Kohli 29) This is suddenly a minefield. Rahane jabs his bat down on one that keeps low and toe ends it away; that could easily have ricocheted back on to the stumps. Three balls later Anderson rattles the batsman’s fingertips. Rahane reacts well though, guiding the final ball from a wide-of-off channel through cover for the first boundary off Anderson this innings.
20th over: India 52-3 (Rahane 4, Kohli 29) Rashid is back into the attack for Stokes, for whom it wasn’t really happening. Kohli cracks him out to deep midwicket and wants two. But that’s more of a Shelbyville idea and there’s very nearly a run-out chance when Rahane turns back slowly. Ooh and then Rahane edges a big leg-break into Bairstow’s pad and wide of Stokes at slip.
19th over: India 50-3 (Rahane 3, Kohli 28) A drive to mid-off for one by Kohli takes India’s lead to 250 and the game just about beyond England, I’d wager. Anderson is getting the ball to move back into Rahane and the batsman doesn’t look entirely at ease with that, getting the bat behind it a touch late. Still, 250 lead and all that. That’s drinks.
18th over: India 49-3 (Rahane 3, Kohli 27) Stokes is bowling too full and Kohli goes full Laxman on him, using his wrists to steer the first ball of the over past mid-on for four more. That was sexier than Marion Cotillard. Rahane opens his account with a clip to deep midwicket for three.
17th over: India 40-3 (Rahane 0, Kohli 21) Kohli increases his average against Anderson by 0.2, by my maths, with a single out to deep midwicket. Then Jimmy strikes, the stumps making a very satisfying clipping noise when the ball flies into them. Rahane just about keeps out his first ball.
This is glorious. Anderson gets one to nip back late off the pitch with a bit of reverse swing thrown in for good measure. It goes through the gate, brushes the pad and castles him.
16th over: India 39-2 (Pujara 1, Kohli 20) Beautiful from Kohli when Stokes overpitches, a checked straight drive that’s timed back past Stokes for four. Then when the bowler drops short and wide he opens the face and cuts behind point for four more, despite it keeping low. He is some player.
15th over: India 30-2 (Pujara 1, Kohli 11) Anderson is back on for Broad, who was hobbling by the fifth ball of his last over yet has figures of 6-5-6-2. This of course is bad news for anyone hoping for an 11am finish. A fuss-free maiden, with Anderson’s cutters not doing anything off the pitch.
14th over: India 30-2 (Pujara 1, Kohli 11) Change of bowling with Stokes on for Rashid. There’s no reverse swing for him just yet and Kohli tucks him square for a single before Pujara gets off the mark with a guide to third man.
“Morning Dan.” Morning, Simon McMahon. “I once bought Mrs McMahon a copy of the marvellous You Are The Umpire as an anniversary gift. And she’s getting The House of Flying Arrows DVD for Christmas. Lucky lady, I know. Though to be fair I am taking her to see Rufus Wainwright in Perth tonight. I might even buy her a cocktail - if England are batting again by the close.”
13th over: India 28-2 (Pujara 0, Kohli 10) As capable as Broad is of demolishing a team, England need to be careful not to overbowl him. He overpitches to Pujara, who cracks it towards cover where Duckett makes an excellent diving stop to save all four runs. A fifth maiden for Broad.
You’ll also notice, if you’re reading this live, that I’ve deducted a run from Pujara, because it turned out it was a leg-bye in the last over. Refresh the page etc. etc.
12th over: India 28-2 (Pujara 0, Kohli 10)“Skittle India out for less than 100 and England have an excellent chance of winning, wouldn’t you say?” asks Richard Crabtree. I’d want to keep them to under 70, personally, but I feel that way about literally every innings. That’s why I love Stuart Broad. Kohli smacks Rashid through cover point for four more.
11th over: India 23-2 (Pujara 0, Kohli 6) Broad continues and Rahul prods at his first ball outside off. Bowler and wicketkeeper are convinced he’d nicked it, even though no one else in the cordon is but they know best. Those are England’s first two successful reviews of the series. Kohli whips to midwicket for two then drives sumptuously to the extra-cover boundary, ruining Broad’s figures, which were momentarily 4.1-4-0-2.
You know what? He’s got the faintest nick and Broad is killing it with the reviews!
Broad thinks Rahul has nicked one. Rod Tucker does not and I’m inclined to agree with the umpire.
10th over: India 17-1 (Pujara 0, Rahul 10) Stalemate between spinner and batsmen out there: just a single to long-off from the over.
9th over: India 16-1 (Pujara 0, Rahul 9) This is exactly the right thing to do from Broad: banging it in straight and trying to exploit the variable bounce. The result is Vijay’s wicket, for what difference it makes. That was a terrible not out decision from Rod Tucker, too.
Yep there is a thick inside edge on to the pad and Root dives forward at gully to catch it.
We’re here again: Vijay could be lbw or caught by Root. Given not out but this should be overturned.
8th over: India 16-0 (Vijay 3, Rahul 9) Rashid continues with a slip and short-leg in place for Rahul. Neither is of much use when the batsman plays shots this good: a late cut for which there is no other adjective but “deft”, behind point for the first four of the innings. Nothing wrong with that ball either. You can say the same of the final ball but Rahul paddle sweeps it fine for another boundary nonetheless.
7th over: India 8-0 (Vijay 3, Rahul 1) We’re back and it’s a change of ends for Broad, who replaces Anderson. Given the low bounce Vijay is going to have to play at pretty much everything in line; he ducks under a bouncer that barely misses his back. Maiden and Broad has figures of 3-3-0-0.
@DanLucas86 England should go all out for the draw here. SA batted out 143 overs 4th innings last year. Have they got the mentality though?
Probably not, I’d say. England bat deep and have some wonderful, wonderful batsmen, even with Bairstow down at seven. They’re strokeplayers though, hardly Faf du Pl- ah best stop there.
Robin Hazlehurst is up bright and early, and writes: “When you say your girlfriend got the David Squires book, is that ‘got’ as in bought and gave to, presumably, you, or ‘got’ as in received, which does imply a scenario of a certain someone leaving the office and thinking ‘oh bollox, I’ve forgotten to get her anything, is there something I can grab from here’?”
It was a case of both. I gave her Nick Knight’s autobiography.
Back in 15 minutes or so. In the meantime, here’s Wilco. Saw them last night and they were sublime. I’m off to see them again tonight too. Don’t pretend you’re not jealous.
6th over: India 8-0 (Vijay 3, Rahul 1) It’s going to be Rashid for an over before what I assume will be tea. Good to see Cook showing faith in his leggie. Big big shout for lbw when a straight one hits Rahul and it looks close on first viewing, but Stokes points out to the bowler that there’s actually a massive inside edge. He’s not wrong.
5th over: India 7-0 (Vijay 2, Rahul 1) There’s no swing for Anderson and as such he has to bowl that bit straighter. Vijay works him off the pads for one more. “There’s no shame in India declaring when they reach double figures,” reckons optimism/early mornings’ Ian Copestake. “Happy anniversary by the way!” Cheers Ian.
4th over: India 6-0 (Vijay 1, Rahul 1) You would expect Broad, all 19ft of him, to get more out of this pitch than Anderson but whaddyaknow? Nowt doing for him here.
3rd over: India 6-0 (Vijay 1, Rahul 1) KL Rahul is off the mark with a single that’s the very definition of skittish. He thinks about a second to Duckett at cover then realises that’s a terrible idea and sends his partner back. Jimmy reckons he has Vijay lbw with one that nips back nicely but it’s hit the batsman outside the line and miles above the stumps. No review, obviously.
2nd over: India 5-0 (Vijay 1, Rahul 0) Broad doesn’t look happy out there; his scowl is even more pronounced than when he’s been given out lbw. I wouldn’t be surprised if he missed the next Test to rest that knacked foot of his. A maiden, including one that keeps low and beats Vijay’s prod.
1st over: India 5-0 (Vijay 1, Rahul 0) Not an ideal start for England: Anderson’s first ball cluds into Murali Viajy’s hip and runs down to fine-leg for four extras. Vijay off the mark “proper” with a nudge to midwicket.
“I am a little bit afraid of Amod Paranjape,” fires back Copestake. “And there is nothing wrong with a toilet book.”
Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow all managed 50s for England but none could go on to three figures as Pujara and Kohli did for India. Therein lay the 200-run first-innings difference.
How many more do India need? I’m tempted to say zero.
So England lose their last few wickets in a clatter. Who is to blame though?
“What do you know?” begins Amod Paranjape. “Ian Copestake strikes again. Mi Lord I rest my case.”
Back in a few. In the meantime, this from Guardian football cartoonist David Squires is excellent. My girlfriend got it for our anniversary.
I've been banging on about it for months, but my book is out now (https://t.co/PToUvkBiDa). Here's an independent endorsement: pic.twitter.com/hwmicE1Df4
103rd over: England 255 (Rashid 32) The wicket had been coming you felt: Ashwin prodding and probing and Broad never looked secure. He gets hit on the pad and is halfway through completing a leg-bye by the time Dharmasena sticks his finger up. Anderson is dismissed very last ball and England trail by exactly 200 but India will bat again. Ashwin has another five-fer too.
First ball, pushed back and that is plumb in front of middle and leg..
The slow finger of death strikes for Broad. He’s pinned on the crease by a straight one that looks to me to be going down leg. England have no reviews though.
102nd over: England 255-8 (Broad 13, Rashid 32) Jadeja is back on for Jayant. It did seem harsh to hook him immediately after taking a wicket. Broad edges wide of slip for a couple then sweeps hard for one. England trail by just the 200!
101st over: England 252-8 (Broad 10, Rashid 32) Do feel free to get in touch by the way. It’s dan.lucas@theguardian.com if you want to email, @DanLucas86 for Twitter.
Broad gets one with an inside edge that flies just wide of short-leg and speaking of getting in touch, here’s Ian Copestake.
100th over: England 251-8 (Broad 9, Rashid 32) Two more to Broad with an uppish drive that goes wide of Jadeja. Broad is surely unhappy with that unconvincing drive and he improves on it next ball, slotting away a half-volley through extra cover for four more. England are closing in on the follow-on target although I don’t think there’s any chance it would be enforced anyhow.
99th over: England 244-8 (Broad 2, Rashid 32) At least with Broad you know you’re going to get some fun. He aims a big booming drive through cover and is surely surprised to see it cannon into his pads via the inside edge, then top-edges a sweep just short of short fine-leg. One run for that last shot though it could so easily have been a wicket.
98th over: England 243-8 (Broad 1, Rashid 32) A change of bowling, with Jayant on for Jadeja and a leftie in his sights. Said leftie, Stuart Broad, gets off the mark with a single before Rashid gets a thick outside edge that flies furstraingly - for India anyhow - to the fence at third man. He did something similar for two earlier on.
Hmm, looks like Adam and I both did the 96th over. Let me fiddle with that so we look, er, competent.
97th over: England 236-8 (Broad 0, Rashid 26) Ashwin switches to round the wicket for the last three balls and Rashid nabs a couple from the final one of the over.
96th over: England 234-8 (Broad 0, Rashid 24) I was sorting out the furniture above while Jadeja finished that over, so missed the rest of it post-wicket. A wicket maiden it was though. Morning.
And that’s drinks. Meaning, me done. Very enjoyable few hours with you here today. Be nice to Dan Lucas, who takes over from now through to the end. Adios.
That’ll be three reds. Nothing special about the delivery, but Ansari’s is beaten on the inside edge and ball tracking confirms it is hitting half way up middle stump. That’s out, my friends. That’s out.
REVIEW! Ansari given leg before to Jadeja, he’s upstairs after some convincing from his partner Rashid. Has he hit it? I don’t think so.
95th over: England 234-7 (Rashid 24, Ansari 4) Cop that says Rashid! This is an excellent little hand, make no mistake. He starts the over by getting down on the ground and sweeping - slog sweeping - Ashwin over midwicket for four. With those runs in the bank, Rashid is defending thereafter. Admittedly with his edge beaten by a straight one at one stage as well. Good Test cricket, this.
94th over: England 230-7 (Rashid 20, Ansari 4) Jadeja persists over the wicket to Rashid, which allows him to use his pad. He has a go at leaving another very close to his off-stump. I suppose you can call that good judgment on the whole? Ends the over with a single into the covers, retaining the strike.
Bit of chat on the email and twitter about the Stokes dismissal. Let’s be clear: he hit it and it was caught. He was out. But he was given out lbw. That’s not great. That needs attention. Ping: ICC, etc.
93rd over: England 229-7 (Rashid 19, Ansari 4) Probing set from Ashwin to the new man Ansari, earning his edge in the process. But it falls short of slip. Then to end the over he’s smashed down the ground for four. More a flick actually after Ansari came a couple of strides down the wicket to pick up the shot on the full. Classy.
92nd over: England 225-7 (Rashid 19, Ansari 0) Jadeja to Rashid from over the wicket now, encouraged by the last couple of balls in his previous over I’m sure. A tidy maiden. He’s looked good so far, but has a big job still to do. They’re 30 short of the follow through. England bat deep, no doubt, but it will count for very little if they can’t do it on days like today.
R Ashwin now has 50 Test wickets in 2016. Only Ragana Herath has more (54)#IndvEng
91st over: England 225-7 (Rashid 19, Ansari 0) REVIEW to end the hectic over,but via the on field umpire on this occasion. It’ll be given not out right away as the catch at short cover as the new man Ansari has clearly been smacked into the turf. Okay. Breathe.
In no way did it clarify the decision. Stokes was caught bat pad anyway. Should DRS not sort such things? #INDvENG
Well, he smashed it. But it’ll be LBW in the book. The third umpire didn’t have the conclusive evidence necessary to assess it. But the fact is, he was caught at silly point. So he was out. One for Geoff Allardice at the ICC to take a look at, no doubt.
OH WHAT? Third ump says he can’t say conclusively if he’s hit it, but he’s smashed it! He has to see that? I’m not going mad am I?
REVIEW! Stokes given out lbw. They’re straight upstairs. We wait. We watch.
90th over: England 224-6 (Stokes 70, Rashid 18) Oh yeah, Ben Stokes sweeping, I’ll have some of that. Jadeja stiff there, it wasn’t too bad a delivery but it raced away to the midwicket boundary. Good cricket.
89th over: England 220-6 (Stokes 66, Rashid 18) Sure enough, it is spin from both ends with Ashwin back. And he’s immediately a threat, getting Rashid on strike after Stokes took one to long on. The over ended with a straight delivery hitting the back pad but the appeal was denied by Umpire Dharmasena. No review. A good call judging by the first replay. Can’t imagine they’ll be as profligate with their DRS referrals as they were in the first 80 overs of this innings.
88th over: England 219-6 (Stokes 65, Rashid 18) Shami was the better of the two quicks after lunch but he’s been punted first in favour of Jadeja. He was very much of a mind before lunch to dart it in rather than toss it up, a theme that continues here to begin with the new ball when coming around the wicket to Rashid with his left arm orthodox. When he does give it a bit of air with the penultimate delivery he finds an inside edge. Then backing that up with a straight one Rashid nearly loses his off-stump shouldering arms. That’s more like it, the skipper will surely be saying. Plenty of runs on the board, ample time for lobbing darts down later. A timely maiden.
Stokes' strike rate playing off the front foot in this innings is just 26.47; off the back foot it is 67.18. #IndvEng
87th over: England 219-6 (Stokes 65, Rashid 18) Kohli has further reason to be angry. He reversed his earlier decision to give Yadav another go. But he started off with a relative long hop that Rashid turned around behind square for four. A repeat dose next up, but only a single. Not ideal for the bowler, as that gets Stokes on strike. Short on confidence, his first delivery to the well set left-hander was pulled away with sheer force ala Ricky Ponting in his pomp; had the swivel and everything. A very poor half hour for India and a handy stand between these two gathering momentum, worth 29.
This match has emphasised the value (priceless) of the genuine allrounder. First, Ashwin, and now Stokes. #INDvENG
86th over: England 210-6 (Stokes 61, Rashid 13) Some tasty footage of Kohli losing it when Yadav bowled that half volley to end the previous over. He wanted another bouncer. Sorry, skip. Shami much better this time around, a maiden to Stokes where he was leaving and defending for the duration.
85th over: England 210-6 (Stokes 61, Rashid 13) Yadav’s turn to slide onto the pads, and Rashid’s to capitalise. A boundary to fine leg the result. Not great bowling since they took this new ball a couple of overs ago. The 200 is up as well, which is not for nothing. Oh and four more driving on the up with the panache of a player used to batting far higher up the order. What a bold stroke! Races away along the lush outfield. Yadav responds the logical way: bouncing him. But it doesn’t get up, crashing into his glove. It’s his left glove, thankfully for the leggie. A bit of a grimace, and they get on with it. WOW a third boundary to end the over and that’s the best of the three! Granted, it was more a half volley but that was supreme timing and technique. Delicious. Kohli isn’t thrilled, suggesting that might be the last we see of Umesh for a while.
84th over: England 198-6 (Stokes 61, Rashid 1) Shami slides onto the Stokes pads and he’s dominated that through midwicket for four. Ooooh yeah. His leg stump line enables both batsmen to turn the strike over into the onside later in the over. Granted, off pads and inside edges. But they all count.
83rd over: England 192-6 (Stokes 56, Rashid 1) Seam from both ends with an old ball in India. Unorthodox, but let’s roll with it. Yadav is around the wicket to Stokes, doing that thing where he is holding the ball in his hand until the last possible moment to disguise any reverse. Oh, after two balls he’s taken the new ball. So we’re into a new phase of this match. The first ball swings back into Stokes’ pads significantly, he’s able to clip through midwicket for one. It would have been two but he fell over when turning. Rashid’s defence remains solid, elbow his and pointy. A bouncer ends the over, underneath that pretty easily as well. Big job ahead of the England bowlers to stick with Stokes here. They bat deep, but they need to make it count and get this innings into at last the final session.
82nd over: England 191-6 (Stokes 55, Rashid 1) The hosts are happy enough to stick with the old ball. Shami is pretty up and down in this first over though, so maybe that will encourage an alternative approach. No issues for Rashid, who looks solid. Yeah I know, famous last words. It’s a maiden, by the way.
Michael Vaughan is upbeat about the morning that was. It really was an excellent partnership.
The 100 partnership between @jbairstow21& @benstokes38 was as good as it gets .. Huge amount of skill and batting intelligence .. #LovedIt
How about that Australian team, ay? Darren Lehmann sent them all back to Shield cricket to atone for the shambles that was last week in Hobart.
Pete Handscomb’s 215 for Victoria as they maul a NSW team with about a million Test players in it bodes well for his inclusion. Meanwhile, two relatively inexperienced openers Travis Dean and Matt Renshaw made centuries for Victoria and Queensland respectively.
A song. Before we get back into it in seven minutes. It’s Saturday, after all. And I’m feeling a bit, you know. Like this:
England knocked off 88 runs of their sizeable deficit in the first session as the Stokes and Bairstow stand evolved into an excellent one, worth 110. But with nine minutes left to lunch the former lost his middle stump when Yadav snuck a yorker by him courtesy of a hint of reverse swing; gone for 53.
Behind by 264, England are still well behind in this Test. But with Stokes still at the crease (on 55), the tourists chances of getting saving this Test is starting to grow. A lot rests on his shoulders after the break.
81st over: England 191-5 (Stokes 55, Rashid 1) A close up shot of the ball shows how much work the Indian fielders are going on it to augment any reverse swing that is out there. And there is a bit, Yadav consistently getting the old ball to come back into Rashid’s pads in what will likely be the last over before lunch. Changing tactics, he drops short into his ribs, but despite looking a tad uncomfortable the result is a single behind square. This allows Stokes to see off the last couple of balls before the interval. And it will be lunch. I’ll gather my thoughts; back in a tic.
80th over: England 190-5 (Stokes 55, Rashid 0) Stokes happy enough this time to push Jadeja away for a maiden, in keeping with the theme from his end. So that’s 80 overs. New ball available, but probably more important for the hosts is that their reviews are reset.
79th over: England 190-6 (Stokes 55, Rashid 0) The replay suggests quite a bit of late movement there, which can encourage Virat to stick with the ball he has. It’s nearly a repeat dose first up to Rashid, just able to keep it out with the assistance of an inside edge. That kept low a bit as well.
Most runs by a pair for any wicket in Tests in '16
Stokes & Bairstow: 752* (7 inns)
Cook & Hales: 750 (19)
Ali & Aslam: 716 (12) #INDvENG
An awful result for the visitors, a lot of good work undone there. It’s a fast Yadav yorker that does the damage, colliding with Bairstow’s front pad before crashing into middle stump. A fine innings and partnership (110) comes to an end with nine minutes until the lunch break. Still 265 short of India’s first innings, or 65 away from the follow-on if you’d prefer. A big moment in the match.
78th over: England 189-5 (Stokes 54, Bairstow 53) A very quick maiden from Jadeja to Bairstow. The former is darting them in and back to his mark so to try and grab an extra over before the interval. The latter has completely put it away, big strides forward in defence time and again. Clever cricket. Good cricket.
77th over: England 189-5 (Stokes 54, Bairstow 53) Uneventful set from Yadav to Bairstow for the most part. He got the first one to jump into his midrift, but the rest are handled with relative ease. YJB takes one to mid-off to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Probably four overs to lunch.
76th over: England 188-5 (Stokes 54, Bairstow 52) Sir Beef is asking whether a shark will eat him in India. Evidently the water is too hot, so it won’t. Learning. We also learn that Jadeja has a village-style long hop in him. It is so bad that Bairstow doesn’t risk the humiliation of getting out to it, happy enough with one to deep backward square. Stokes is satisfied in defence for the remainder of the over.
75th over: England 187-5 (Stokes 54, Bairstow 51) Umesh Yadav back in the saddle for his second spell of the session, suggesting that they may not take the new ball after 80 overs. He starts well before giving Stokes a bit of width from around the wicket. It’s too short as well, allowing a decent swing of those big Stokes arms, putting it away behind point.
Brian Withington is back with us. Always welcome “Ridiculously early to be suggesting it of course but could we be witnessing the beginnings of one of the great 6th wicket partnerships on the sub-continent (by two red heads)? If that doesn’t qualify as an Ian Copestake contribution then I am at a complete loss.”
74th over: England 183-5 (Stokes 50, Bairstow 51) The bowler and umpire take a quick look at the ball after Jadeja’s first delivery. They can get a new one in six overs, so save the cash. Bairstow ends the over with a drive off the edge, running away to the boundary and bringing up his fifty as well. They are very happy with that on the England balcony. Bairstow has played this role so well in 2016, notably in Leeds and Lord’s against Sri Lanka, and of course Cape Town alongside that Stokes fella. 137 balls for his half-ton, including five boundaries. 100 stand as well with the shot. Have a fist bump.
Not sure who the TV commentator was to make this observation, but I’ll go with it anyway. “Five wickets means literally half the job is done.” Deep, man. Deep.
73rd over: England 179-5 (Stokes 50, Bairstow 47) Stokes pushing out to cover and that’s his fifty. What a good hand it has been. England could have been savaged this morning, but the reverse has been true, in no small part due to Stokes’ willingness to play his shots whenever the Indian attack have missed their mark. 108 balls for the milestone, with seven boundaries. Bairstow at the business end now who busts out the reverse sweep! First time we’ve seen that today, illustrative of the confidence these two are playing with. They’re still 276 behind, but these are important overs all the same.
72nd over: England 175-5 (Stokes 49, Bairstow 44) Jadeja’s second maiden on the bounce. He goes very close to beating Bairstow with the first of the over, racing into his pads. But mercifully for the England ‘keeper/bat, there’s a thick inside edge on the way through.
71st over: England 175-5 (Stokes 49, Bairstow 44) Shottttt. Jayant the latest this morning to drop short to Stokes, and the latest to he blazed through the off-side to the boundary as a consequence. With those runs added, he’s happy enough to pat the off-spinner away for the rest of the set. One bites into his pads, but it is a long way outside leg stump.
Meanwhile in the other game, Pakistan are 122-7, a lead of 55. The Black Caps very close to going one-up inside three days. Handy.
70th over: England 171-5 (Stokes 45, Bairstow 44) A Jadeja maiden gives us all a chance to take a breath. Around the wicket to Bairstow angling into his mums and dads, the Yorkshireman is up to the task defending on each occasion, off front foot and back.
69th over: England 171-5 (Stokes 45, Bairstow 44) Nearly! Jayant into the attack (thanks for listening, Virat) and encourages Bairstow to flick off middle stump. It’s a miscue, falling so close to the captain Kohli diving full stretch to his left. Earlier in the over Bairstow got nice and low to sweep him across the line and to the midwicket fence, beating a couple of sweepers. He plays that stroke with supreme confidence.
How's stat!?
More great work from @AWSStatshttps://t.co/sA3XkKp0eD#INDvENGpic.twitter.com/3rmZSah9Ez
68th over: England 166-5 (Stokes 45, Bairstow 39) Jadeja is darting them into Bairstow, the start of a good little contest I fancy. He’s good enough to turn him around the corner for a single. But he misses the mark when bowling to Stokes, dropping short. You know the rest: crunched in front of cover for a boundary. Bad way to end an otherwise useful over.
Paul on twitter makes a reasonable point: “Both batsmen very well set here” - don’t think we don’t know what you’re trying to do here, Adam.”
67th over: England 161-5 (Stokes 41, Bairstow 38) Ashwin stays on. Quite surprised we haven’t seen Jayant Yadav have a jam roll yet this morning. Anyway, Ashwin is tidy from around the wicket, Stokes scoring again behind point - just the one - and Bairstow laps behind square with a picture-perfect sweep later in the over. Also for a single.
I can relay to Amon that Ian is watching. He’s always watching. He says hi, from Los Angeles.
66th over: England 159-5 (Stokes 40, Bairstow 37) Now it is spin from both ends, Jadeja into the attack with his left arm ortho, replacing Shami. You know the drill with two spinners, brevity essential for the OBO scribe. Sorry in advance. I’ll make up for it with your sharpest correspondence. Email for the considered, twitter for the nonsense hot takes. Stokes takes the second ball after the break past slip, but he’s in control. Jadeja is around the wicket to JB, pinning him to the crease. Nice start.
#WinViz at drinks. #IndvEngpic.twitter.com/1MMk64gEiZ
65th over: England 158-5 (Stokes 39, Bairstow 37) Bairstow edges behind point to score a boundary from the first ball, which will frustrate the spinner for the shift he’s put in this morning, this his eight over on the bounce. He takes two more behind square leg from a staightish off-break later in the set. Both batsmen very well set here.
They’ll take a drink. That’s a great hour for the tourists, worth 55 to them without loss across the 16 overs. Just the one chance, Saha unable to complete a stumping off Stokes. Probably a half-to-three-quarter chance, to be fair to him.
64th over: England 152-5 (Stokes 39, Bairstow 31) Kohli gives Shami another over, and it’s a good decision as he goes on to delivery a neat little maiden to Stokes. From my vantage point (the TV) it looks like he’s found at least some reverse swing back into the pads of Stokes. 24 overs left with this ball, if the spinners let them change it that is.
Amon Paranjape makes a good point. “This is all ok. Great even. But where is Ian Copestake. Dear Ian say something please. Pretty Please.”
63rd over: England 152-5 (Stokes 39, Bairstow 31) That’s some fine footwork from Stokes, to the pitch of Ashwin’s first delivery, driving with purpose to the rope at extra cover. Gets that big front foot a long way down later in the over to punch into the deep for a single. Ashwin no threat to the left-hander so far this morning.
Whatever happens today, this is still the best thing Jonny Bairstow has ever done in India... #INDvENGpic.twitter.com/rhtIXiSxI9
62nd over: England 147-5 (Stokes 34, Bairstow 31) Good over for England, seven from it. Stokes grabs one to deep square leg after advancing, Bairstow does likewise albeit off an inside edge. Then some overthrows! Jadeja throws it to the bowlers’ end but the backing up is inadequate and one becomes five. Right on top. How long before spin at both ends?
61st over: England 140-5 (Stokes 28, Bairstow 30) Couple of byes the only runs in the Ashwin over when he beats Bairstow and then Saha, the ball keeping a fraction low. That’ll encourage the spinners for later in this match. He’s beaten with the last ball of the over, again not a lot of bounce. Well outside the off-stump though, so Bairstow is safe.
Andrew Benton has dropped into the timezone chat. He’s obviously thought quite a bit about this. Behaviour I support.
@bbctms look who's back !!! pic.twitter.com/iTRp3XIWx1
60th over: England 138-5 (Stokes 28, Bairstow 30) Mohammed Shami into the attack to replace Yadav, which feels about right. Honours shared from his end this morning. Good start, hitting Saha’s gloves hard behind the wicket and getting a bit of tail back into Stokes from around the wicket. More conventional swing than reverse, according to the TV commentary. Of note, Bairstow again looking a bit uncomfortable running between the wickets when taking a single behind square, the only run form the over.
Peter Rowntree is back in my inbox. He’s in Colombia, he says. Before adding on the YJB ankle incident: “The only thing I remember that was similar was in a European Middleweight Championship Boxing Match, that I tuned into on the radio when I was a boy. The champion was a German boxer. As the bell sounded for the first round and he came out of his corner, tripped over his boot laces and was counted out, without his amazed opponent ever throwing a punch.”
59th over: England 137-5 (Stokes 28, Bairstow 29) Ashwin so good when he does that thing he does, beating he right handed batsmen around the wicket with the one that goes the other way. Bairstow lucky that wasn’t on the stumps. He does well to pick up a single to square leg later in the over to an off-break that spins hard. Must be a nightmare trying to pick him.
Don’t think I’m going to miss the chance to link to one of my all time favourite movie scenes due to the vague word link in the over description.
58th over: England 135-5 (Stokes 27, Bairstow 28) Better over from Yadav, beating Bairstow with a delivery that gets some movement away from the right-hander at pace after both batsmen walked singles to begin the set.
Vic Marks is also at Visakhapatnam. He liked Ali Martin’s M*A*S*H comparison: “You’ve cited my favourite TV programme. It’s always on. Like Friends but far better. It never fails.” I can only hope that he’s a Michael “Corporal” Klinger fan, then.
57th over: England 133-5 (Stokes 26, Bairstow 27) That’s an excellent half-century stand, the building blocks for something if they can continue as they have this morning. It is brought up when is too full and Stokes sweeps safely to the rope.
56th over: England 128-5 (Stokes 22, Bairstow 26) Yadav continues, but they’re turning the strike over pretty easily, three times consecutively behind square leg. A half-hearted shout for leg before ends the over, the cordon going up with the bowler out of politeness as much as anything else.
Been following the latest ball tampering saga? It isn’t really a saga. But it’s at the very least a thing and may cause Faf du Plessis to miss the final Test if the ICC assess his lolly-mouth-spit as worthy of a ban. Amusing headline in my hometown paper this morning, the Herald-Sun.
Good areas. #AUSvSApic.twitter.com/QXfqdySR1E
55th over: England 125-5 (Stokes 21, Bairstow 24) Big shout for lbw! Stokes makes a meal of that, letting Ashwin go only for it to crash into his front pad. It would have missed anyway. Excellent bowling from Ashwin, the next ball spinning hard away from Stokes’ pads, beating the bat after he left the crease. Saha is untidy behind the stumps, had he taken clearly next to the bails it could have been a stumping chance. The replay isn’t kind to the ‘keeper - there was a fumble as well. Should have done better.
Pete Rowntree is in a timezone that I can’t work out off the top of my head. But he’s watching and liking. “So you know its early, but in the bottom left of my PC it is telling me it is late because it says 22.58. England in an impossible situation, yet fascinating session in prospect. At the wicket Ben Stokes, a cricketer who has matured into a true international performer in the last 12 months. At the other end, Jonny Bairstow, the other member of ‘team ginger’, with a reputation for being the best scrapper in the business whether he is playing for England or Yorkshire.”
54th over: England 124-5 (Stokes 21, Bairstow 23) Yadav wins Bairstow’s edge, but there is a bit gap between first and second slip. It may not have carried in any case. Four runs the result.
“Hi Adam,” says Brian Withington, who is up early. Hi Brian. “Thought cricket had started indecently early when I switched on to see young Bairstow hobbling back to pavilion - imagined some crazy run-out pile up scenario so was almost relieved to see repeat of him doing a Glen McGrath without the aid of a stray ball to tread on.”
53rd over: England 119-5 (Stokes 21, Bairstow 18) Ashwin not mucking around here, through his over in 90 seconds. But that counts for nothing if you give Stokes room outside the off-stump, for the second consecutive time his last ball is dispatched. This time wide of cover. Good start for the England pair, not letting Ashwin get on top of them early.
None of England's spinners recorded more than 2.2° average drift; none of India's spinners have found less than 2.2°. #IndvEng
52nd over: England 113-5 (Stokes 17, Bairstow 16) Tidy maiden from Yadav, quick enough to keep Bairstow honest. Spends most of the over aiming at his problematic ankle before going upstairs to end the set.
Ali Martin, our man at the ground, has dropped me a line: “Broad’s foot/wrist, Ansari’s guts, Bairstow’s ankle - it’s turning into a scene from M*A*S*H*”
51st over: England 113-5 (Stokes 17, Bairstow 16) It’s such a bad review. Worse every time you look at it for the fact that Ashwin forced Kohli’s hand barely a second after the appeal was turned down. The episode doesn’t dissuade Bairstow, who sweeps a couple more times through the course of the over, before Stokes ends the over with a delightful wallop through midwicket. Lesson: don’t drop short to the big red head.
NOT OUT! “It’s an absolute shocker” says Sunny on the TV. And it is. An awful review, the ball coming straight off the glove. Both their reviews are shot with 30 overs to go before the clock resets. Good decision, Umpire Dharmasena.
REVIEW! Ashwin has crashed into Bairstow’s front pad with his first ball of the day. Or has it? We’re upstairs. Stand by.
50th over: England 106-5 (Stokes 12, Bairstow 15) The Barmy Army doing their thing, belting our Jerusalem as the first ball is bowled. I have written a thing on that actually. Too early to plug? Probably. The first test for Bairstow is passed taking two the backward square and makes it back without huge concern. But then, when collecting one from Yadav’s next ball to third man where getting to the other end did look a chore.
Umesh Yadav has the ball in his hand. And we’re away! Bairstow on strike.
Utterly bizarre. Heading out into the middle Young Jonny has tripped over his ankle? He’s straight off, leaving Stokes on his own. He’s getting some treatment now and padding back up, but he’ll have to move quick. Athers says he has never seen anything quite like this before. Okay, here he goes, hobbling out to the middle.
The TV coverage is starting. Which means I have to turn over from the cracking Test Match in Christchurch. I had the great fortune of spending a week at Hagley Oval when covering Australia’s fixture there back in February. I wish they could play every game there, ever. Glorious cricket ground.
After bowling out the Black Caps for 200 on the second day to start their second innings 67 behind, the Pakistanis are 64-3 nearing stumps. Neil Wagner just picked up his 100th and 101st Test wickets, including Younis. Misbah in now. I’ll keep an eye on the scores as we go.
Let’s talk. I know it’s early, but what better way to deal with your issues, whatever they may be, than discussing them with me?
You want my email? Adam.Collins.Freelance@theguardian.com. Idiot machine? @collinsadam. Phone number? We can do that too if you want. The point: don’t be shy.
Welcome to day three from Visakhapatnam. I’m Adam Collins in a far more civilised timezone than those following on in the Old Dart. I’ll try not to speak too loudly as you slowly wake up.
If catching up, the short story is this: England are in strife. Losing 4-for-29 in a crazed clutter late on the second day made it so. Granted, it was never going to be easy after India tallied 455 in their first hit, but the collapse ensured that the hosts are very much driving this match as it nears half way, 352 ahead having already dealt with the pointy end of England’s batting.
Related: Ben Duckett and Haseeb Hameed get a lesson in harsh realities of Test cricket | Ali Martin
Adam will be here shortly. In the meantime you can read what Paul Farbrace thought of Joe Root’s shot selection at the end of a grim second day’s play for England …
Related: Paul Farbrace blames lack of fight and Joe Root’s blunder for England collapse
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