- Over-by-over updates from the final ODI at Eden Gardens in Kolkata
- Roy hails England performances despite defeats in India
- Email Vithushan or tweet @Vitu_E
- Monty Panesar exclusive interview: ‘I want to play for England again’
Bairstow tries to give himself room to flay through the off side but can only find a diving Jadeja at backward point.
41st over: England 235-4 (Bairstow 55, Stokes 15) Big Bad Benjamin Stokes goes downtown as Ashwin dares him with some air. Ten from the over. The final straight ton is ON!
40th over: England 225-4 (Bairstow 53, Stokes 7) Ben Stokes powers a cut through backward point for four. It didn’t look too wide a delivery, but there was enough to allow Stokes to extend his arms. Ten overs left for 100 more, you’d say? At least.
England about to win ODI series but Brexit-hating Guardian claiming it's a dead rubber. Sad. #Trumpdoescricket@Vitu_E
39th over: England 220-4 (Bairstow 53, Stokes 2) Another sweep off Ashwin – this one a reverse – gives Bairstow a half-century from 58 deliveries. His third of a stop-start ODI career.
38th over: England 212-4 (Bairstow 47) For India, a wicket lost and a wicket gained. Buttler gone, Bairstow remains.
Oh Jos. Pandya’s worst ball – a half volley that screams “HIT ME” – is slapped straight to Rahul at cover.
Pandya gets one to climb into the hip of Bairstow, who flicks at the ball at it carries through him and onto Dhoni. The appeal goes up and the umpire gives it out... but Bairstow reviews it and the replays show that the ball nicks the pocket rather than the bat.
37th over: England 210-3 (Bairstow 46, Buttler 10) Aerial and to midwicket, but no trouble of a catch or a boundary. But Bairstow gets the strike and again sweeps Ashwin with relish for four. “Look what you’ve done, though,” writes John Starbuck. “No sooner do you go on about Morgan’s ginger forearms (would you remark on the hair of dark or exceedingly fair-haired people?) than he takes umbrage and gets out.” One of the stranger jinxes I’ve implemented.
36th over: England 203-3 (Bairstow 41, Buttler 8) Very good from Pandya, hitting high on the bat to prevent Buttler from getting after him effectively. For this reason, and so many others, I find myself nodding along and sighing at this statement...
A pitch that makes you pine for Mark Wood. Pandya making it spit through at the batsmen.
35th over: England 202-3 (Bairstow 41, Buttler 7) First signs of proper turn, as Bairstow wears a spitting delivery from Jadeja on the glove. Buttler’s undone later, but goes hard at the ball for a boundary just beyond Kohli at fist slip.
34th over: England 195-3 (Bairstow 40, Buttler 1) So Morgan goes and his vice-captain, Jos Buttler, replaces him. Pandya with the breakthrough. The replays show he ran his fingers down one side of the ball, but the delivery was off-line. A yard either side of Bumrah and that’s four. Ten feet higher and it’s six, too. On such margins....
Oh Morgs. Just when he was starting to get going, overtaking Bairstow for the first time in this innings, he clips a tame delivery from Pandya to Bumrah, who doesn’t have to move a muscle to take a routine catch.
33rd over: England 193-2 (Bairstow 40, Morgan 43) Another six to Morgan, this one against Ashwin, over midwicket as a short delivery sits up nicely, allowing Morgs to get those ginger-tinted forearms under and through the line of the ball.
32nd over: England 185-2 (Bairstow 39, Morgan 36) Helloooo.... “Keep belting him!” implores Nasser Hussain from the commentary box, like a Roman emperor yearning for carnage. After Bairstow hits Jadeja inside-out over extra cover for four, Morgan dents the sightscreen with a power six down the ground.
31st over: England 172-2 (Bairstow 33, Morgan 29) Quality from Morgan – his shot of the innings so far, charging Ashwin and hitting him down the ground for four.
Elsewhere, Will Macpherson caught up with Monty Panesar in Australia, where he has just taken a job to work with their spinners.
Related: Monty Panesar: 'I just want to play for England again, I’ve got to do it'
30th over: England 164-2 (Bairstow 31, Morgan 23) Jadeja into his eighth over. Morgan has a bit more spring in his step and punches a few singles, combining with Bairstow for five runs.
29th over: England 159-2 (Bairstow 28, Morgan 21) While Bairstow is looking at ease, Morgan is at sea. Bumrah hurries him with a shorter ball and then a couple into the body (including the shout reviewed). Then again, maybe Bairstow finding it all too easy, as he ramps a short ball over the top and straight into the hands of Ashwin... BUT IT’S A NO BALL! A look at the front line shows Bumrah has nothing behind it. What that does is allow Morgan the chance to free his arms for the free hit... which he duly smashes for six over square leg! What a couple of deliveries that might prove to be. Bairstow reprieved, Morgan with the satisfaction of feeling one out of the middle.
There is a spike, but the noise that causes that is from ball on pad. As a courtesy, they check the LBW, too, but that’s pitched well outside leg stump.
Bumrah, from over the wicket, moves one sharply off the surface to cut through Eoin Morgan. The ball carries through to Dhoni and the appeal from behind the wicket is loud and vociferous. Umpire Dharmasena says not out so Kolhi opts for the review...
28th over: England 150-2 (Bairstow 28, Morgan 14) A fine over ruined by Bairstow again, who looks keen to cash in on (another) rare ODI appearance. Jadeja’s final ball is too wide and Bairstow uses his arms to power it through cover.
27th over: England 143-2 (Bairstow 23, Morgan 12) Lucky for Morgan, unlucky for the new bowler, Bumrah. The England captain advances down the track to hit down the ground: Bumrah sees him coming and takes a heck of a lot of pace off the ball. Morgan’s through with the shot early but manages to get the faintest inside edge past his stumps and beyond the dive of Dhoni for four.
26th over: England 136-2 (Bairstow 22, Morgan 7) More spot-on-ness from Bairstow. Jadeja’s first ball is thwacked back over his head for six. England were in danger of letting him and Ashwin settle, but the boundaries in the last 12 deliveries might have Kohli thinking of a bowling change. Morgan paddles over his shoulder for a couple.
25th over: England 127-2 (Bairstow 15, Morgan 5) Well in, Bairstow. Quick onto the length out of the hand and strikes a thumping sweep shot through square leg for four. It’s off the second ball so gives Ashwin something to think about. Excellent batting.
24th over: England 121-2 (Bairstow 10, Morgan 4) Another quickie from Jadeja – Bairstow, facing, has to be convinced that the over is done.
23rd over: England 120-2 (Bairstow 10, Morgan 3) Ashwin concedes four but not a very convincing set from England’s perspective. He’s not getting turn, but his variation in length is causing a modicum of indecision here.
22nd over: England 116-2 (Bairstow 7, Morgan 2) Jadeja taking about two minutes per over, which is doing wonders for India but really testing my digits. The last delivery is a beaut: pace of the ball luring Morgan forward before leaving him off the surface. Muted appeal, queries over whether they should send it upstairs. MS Dhoni steps in and tells everyone to move on.
21st over: England 113-2 (Bairstow 5, Morgan 1) Get the impression that Ashwin is just going to bowl straight through, though if these two stay in for the next 10 overs, it might be worth taking out Ashwin and saving him for Buttler and Stokes. Just three from that over.
20th over: England 110-2 (Bairstow 4, Morgan 0) A wicket and just one run from the over. Tidy from Jadeja. Eoin Morgan, fresh from that blistering, futile hundred in Cuttack, comes to the crease. Crucially for India, two new batsmen.
And left arm spin gets Roy again. Becoming an issue for him as it was for his mentor Kevin Pietersen.
That’s three in three for Jadeja against Roy. Flatter, straighter – Roy tries to go harder and squarer on the off side. Bowler middle and off.
19th over: England 109-1 (Roy 65, Bairstow 3) Ravi Ashwin gets his first go and it is a promising one. He seems to have already decided that he’s going to bowl a bit quicker on this surface and finds the outside edge of Roy’s bat. However, Roy is driving hard and there’s no slip. Four.
18th over: England 102-1 (Roy 60, Bairstow 3) Billings goes and the other series newbie, Jonny Bairstow, comes in at first drop (a direct replacement for Joe Root’s number three- and Yorkshire-ness). Bit of housekeeping. Feel free to email in – Vithushan.Ehantharajah.casual@theguardian.com - or tweet. John Starbuck is wondering where you all are: “Does everyone fancy a lie-in? Not too surprising if they were watching the late snooker, but around the world there must be an OBO reader, somewhere.” It might be me, to be fair.
Right after the drinks break, Sam Billings goes to his banker – the reverse sweep – but mistimes to Bumrah, fielding around the corner at short third man. So ends the highest opening partnership for either side this series.
17th over: England 97-0 (Roy 57, Billings 35) Yuvraj tries to fire one through Roy this time, but Roy somehow manages to late cut behind point with enough power to beat the covering fielders on the off side.
16th over: England 91-0 (Roy 52, Billings 34) Ravi Jadeja into the attack. He’s had the better of Roy for most of their battles but Roy takes the flight on offer to come down and smash him high and handsome for six to bring up his third successive half-century.
15th over: England 80-0 (Roy 45, Billings 30) Good work from Billings to use some pace on the ball from Yuvraj to sweep hard around the corner for four.
14th over: England 73-0 (Roy 44, Billings 30) An inside edge nearly sees Roy off. Instead, he gets four and 11 come from the over. As many have pointed out, this is all just a Crufts-style wander out, tail’s up affair ahead of the big prize that is a spot as an IPL franchise’s fourth choice overseas player but front and centre of some truly horrendous adverts
13th over: England 62-0 (Roy 37, Billings 24) Huge ovation for Yuvraj Singh as he takes the ball. The cheers last all the way through to his third long hop.
12th over: England 57-0 (Roy 35, Billings 21) An over of singles – four, to be exact – suggests these two are starting to develop a bit of an understanding of each other and the pitch. Billings looks more comfortable, opening the face on a couple of drives.
11th over: England 53-0 (Roy 33, Billings 19) Despite taking pace off the ball, Pandya’s still able to get the ball moving away from the right-handers off the surface. Nae bad. However, he follows that up with a delivery far too full that Billings can punch back past him for four. Back of a length seems the way to go for the bowlers (England take note). While the short ball has caused discomfort – there’s only been one, to be fair – there are nicks to be had and catches to be taken with the new nut. Pandya proves that first bit by digging one in which Roy punishes in front of square leg for his eighth boundary.
10th over: England 43-0 (Roy 28, Billings 14) Seven plays and seven misses don’t discourage Billings who is able to fire back with a crunching extra cover drive when Bumrah gets one right in his half. When the length is pulled back, the ball nips through Billings. With a four already in the bank, he’s able to smile and nod in appreciation.
9th over: England 39-0 (Roy 28, Billings 10) Four dots to start mean no run has been scored off the previous 11 deliveries, so Jason Roy takes it upon himself to break the streak with a charge and a skew over cover for a rather unconvincing boundary. A dab to midwicket for two ends the over.
8th over: England 33-0 (Roy 22, Billings 10) Jasprit Bumrah replaces Pandya and his single fin action runs rings around Billings. By my count, there are about five plays and misses – six if you’re willing to stretch to “misjudgements” for an outside edge that falls short of second slip. Maiden.
7th over: England 33-0 (Roy 22, Billings 10) Billings is struggling, snatching at anything within reach, while also leaving the odd one that threatens to cut in (a couple do). Needs to stay out of his own head during this period.
6th over: England 32-0 (Roy 22, Billings 9) This entry was going to champion Pandya and his wrestling back of initiative. Instead, it’s about Jason Roy and his ability to straight drive for days. Pandya can’t get out of the over without offering Roy a half-volley that he mooses down the ground with all the smugness of your parallel parking old man.
5th over: England 27-0 (Roy 18, Billings 8) Have these two already hit the swing out of the ball? Can happen, especially if both sides are scuffed and the fielding side hasn’t had enough time to work on it. After beating Roy, Kumar drops his length and is flayed over backward point. Another ball on middle stump doesn’t swing, another carefree boundary is taken through midwicket.
4th over: England 19-0 (Roy 10, Billings 8) KP-esque from Roy, as Pandya arrows in on middle stump but is checked through the leg side for the second boundary of the innings. You could see what the bowler was thinking but whatever swing there was deserted him that ball. Two balls later, Billings gets off the mark with an extra cover drive for four, before Bilbo doubles his tally with a tuck to midwicket. And we’re off...
3rd over: England 6-0 (Roy 5, Billings 0) Yep, nice Jason. Knowing that Kumar is looking to set-up camp on off stump, he walks forward and across to push through midwicket for four. A single off the next ball and Billings has four balls to get off the mark. Should have done off the final ball of the over but a creamed square drive is straight to point.
2nd over: England 1-0 (Roy 0, Billings 0) Kohli decides that Hardik Pandya will open at the other end. There were three slips for Kumar but Pandya starts with two. However, after beating Billings, Kolhi tinkers his field to move a man on the drive to third. Maiden.
1st over: England 1-0 (Roy 0, Billings 0) As expected, Sam Billings opens up, having done so with distinction against Bangladesh in his previous ODI. He spends the first over propped on his bat at the nonstriker’s end as Jason Roy plays out six dot balls (plus a wide). Not by choice – never by choice – but Bhuvi Kumar manages to get some movement and even a bit of bounce to unsettle Roy.
Milestones for Morgan and Stokes
.@Eoin16 It's also a landmark day for @benstokes38 - he plays his 5️⃣0️⃣th ODI for England today. Go big, Ben! #INDvENGpic.twitter.com/EOuokJEVWN
Sorry, we’ve got to mention it – the last time England were in Kolkata...
“It’s a decent surface – I don’t think it will change much,” says Virat Kohli, who fancies his chances chasing today (doesn’t he ever). The big news is England have not one but two injury replacements. Alex Hales returned home with a broken finger but Joe Root has a niggle, too, meaning Sam Billings and Jonny Bairstow come into the XI. For India, Ajinkya Rahane replaces Shikhar Dhawan.
TEAM NEWS
What can we do? I’m not too sure. I don’t understand where we can go.
Vish here bringing you some OBO action on this chilly Sunday morning. No, that’s not Bob Dylan. It’s Chris Woakes on the torment that is white ball bowling.
Hello. Vithushan will be here shortly. Here’s Barney Ronay on whether this final ODI, and the three T20 games to come, could serve as an IPL audition for England players:
All professional sports are built on anxiety and ambition, and it was inevitable that T20’s global franchise circuit would change both cricket and cricketers. The real A-listers have been lavishly enriched but the expectations of a decent top-grade player have shifted too, every career shot through now with a sense of some other level to be mined, a world‑in‑waiting. The IPL remains the key, a presence that touches every surface however lightly.
And now it’s back, already looming over an England team in which four of the top five to date have expressed an interest in being offered for sale as lots in the auction on 4 February. Finally England’s players have not just the acquiescence of their board but its blessing, although there has still been a peculiar dance of interests, with the ECB keen to ensure a credible team to face Ireland in early May, while on the other side agents and interested parties fret over their clients’ full availability.
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