An outstanding century from Ben Duckett helped steer England to a sensational five-wicket win within the first Take a look at towards India after an exciting remaining day, the hosts reaching a goal of 371 – the tenth highest profitable run chase in Take a look at historical past.
Having turned the cricket match on its head at Headingley after India had been 430-3 of their first innings, England seemed to be cruising to a dramatic win on Tuesday.
Openers Duckett and Zak Crawley eased their facet to the break at lunch on 117-0 of their second innings.
Duckett continued his imperious kind with one other 4 via the covers to succeed in his sixth Take a look at hundred, earlier than Crawley fell for 65.
Their 188-run partnership was the second-highest England opening fourth-innings stand in Checks.
Two wickets in two balls – Duckett and Harry Brook – dragged India again into the enthralling contest. And when Ben Stokes fell for 33 trying an formidable reverse sweep, England’s hopes of victory lay precariously within the stability.
Joe Root and Jamie Smith of England rejoice victory within the first Take a look at (Clive Mason/Getty Pictures)
Joe Root’s unbeaten 53 calmed the nerves round his residence floor, with the previous skipper and Jamie Smith, who hit a six to seal victory, seeing England residence as India, having scored 5 centuries within the match, one way or the other contrived to start out the five-Take a look at collection in defeat.
“Unimaginable, what a Take a look at match. It was an enormous variety of runs and we now have been fortunate with the climate,” Duckett mentioned. “I’m misplaced for phrases.
“We solely had to take a look at the scoreboard to know that if we batted the overs, we’d win the sport. There have been moments after I considered moving into one other gear, however the breaks within the recreation helped us to remain calm.
“To begin this collection with a 1-0 win is large for us. It felt calm within the dressing room. To have Root on the market, it’s fairly straightforward to be calm.”
Resuming day 5 on 21-0, uncharacteristically for a crew famend for his or her ultra-aggressive batting, Crawley and Duckett took 99 balls to carry up their 50 partnership – the longest it has taken the pair to take action for England – earlier than upping the ante.
There was slight concern for England when first-innings centurion Ollie Pope shortly adopted Crawley again to the pavilion halfway via the afternoon session, the quantity three turning into Prasidh Krishna’s subsequent sufferer in back-to-back overs.
Harry Brook of England is dismissed for 99 off the bowling of Prasidh Krishna of India (Clive Mason/Getty Pictures)
Duckett continued to build up runs shortly, nonetheless, earlier than trying one massive shot too many to fall to Shardul Thakur for 149 – the second-highest Take a look at fourth-innings rating by an English opener.
The contribution of Duckett, in such a pressurised scenario, can’t be underestimated – it’s 15 years since an England opener final scored a fourth-innings hundred: Alastair Prepare dinner at Mirpur in 2010.
Nerves set in across the floor when Brook departed for a golden duck, two in two balls for Thakur, with additional scares forthcoming as England seemed edgy.
Stokes was left shaking his head on the method he fell to Ravindra Jadeja shortly after tea, however Root and Smith each dug in, stopped providing up possibilities and obtained the runs required, with Smith rounding off a exceptional victory in fashion.
Loads of dropped catches and two batting collapses finally value India. From 430-3 within the first innings, they misplaced their remaining seven wickets for simply 41 runs, with the tail crumbling once more within the second innings, 31 runs gathered for the autumn of the ultimate six wickets.
Ollie Pope of England bats from a Prasidh Krishna supply (George Wooden/Getty Pictures)
It’s the first time in cricket historical past {that a} crew has managed 5 centuries in a single Take a look at and never emerged victorious, but in addition the primary time these 5 centurions have been joined by six batsmen who fell for geese – three in every innings – in the identical match.
“We had our possibilities,” India captain Shubman Gill mentioned. “Just a few dropped catches and the decrease order not contributing as a lot as we wish (value us), however I’m proud. Our younger crew is studying.
“It simply didn’t go our method on this match. We’ve to rectify (the batting collapses) within the upcoming matches.”
For England, in the beginning of a vital interval with the Ashes to return later this yr, their summer season couldn’t have gotten off to a extra promising begin, with their aggressive strategy, even when it has been toned down and refined, reaching their second-highest run chase of their Take a look at historical past.
