Josh Tongue lived as much as his new nickname by blowing away India‘s tail for the second time in three days and reviving England‘s hopes of an unlikely win within the first Test at Headingley.
India have been streets forward for many of the fourth day, KL Rahul’s 137 and Rishabh Pant’s 118 taking their team to a outstanding 5 centuries within the match, however England got here again preventing late on.
Tongue conjured a triple-wicket maiden as India misplaced their final six batters for simply 31 to complete 364 all out, reprising his first-innings position as tail-end destroyer.
Nottinghamshire team-mate Ben Duckett dubbed him ‘the mop’ after he pressured an identical collapse on day two and he was at it once more right here, wiping out Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah within the area of 4 balls.
That left England needing 371 for a outstanding win – simply seven wanting the document chase they managed towards the identical opposition at Edgbaston in 2022. Zak Crawley and Duckett scored 21 of these in six overs earlier than the shut, leaving 350 nonetheless to make on what could possibly be a blockbuster ultimate day.
England drew first blood simply seven balls into the day’s play, Brydon Carse reducing down Shubman Gill’s stumps by way of a giant inside edge. With a slim in a single day lead of 96 and considered one of their eight remaining wickets snapped up shortly, the warmth was on the batting aspect.
Rahul and Pant Partnership
However in Rahul and Pant, England encountered two males unwilling to go quietly. Rahul was a examine in diligence, with Pant a extra unpredictable counterpart.
He hacked his second ball just a few inches over slip, got here down the monitor to Chris Woakes and knelt to slog-sweep an 87mph supply from Carse.
Pant even tried a tumbling ramp off the fast Carse and survived the folly. That was the nudge he wanted to place the theatrics to at least one aspect.
India ended the morning with simply 63 runs on their ledger. Rahul, who made one error on 58 and was shelled by Harry Brook at gully, was answerable for simply 25 of them from 82 balls.
However they cashed in impressively after lunch, dialling up the depth to heap 145 runs within the center session. Pant rode his luck at occasions, nicking Tongue by way of an unoccupied first slip on 31. When England stuffed that hole, he edged by way of the hole at second.
However there was some fantastic ball-striking too. He lined up Tongue for some heavy remedy, launched Bashir for 2 sixes in three balls and punched the loosener of a brand new Carse spell laborious by way of midwicket.
Such was Pant’s whirlwind of exercise, it took the affirmation of Rahul’s 202-ball hundred to briefly take a share of the highlight.
Regardless of tip-toeing rigorously by way of the 90s, Pant was faster to his hundred by 72 deliveries and have become simply the second wicketkeeper after former England coach Andy Flower to attain twin centuries in the identical Check.
Breaking apart the partnership
England loved a much-needed reprieve when Pant picked out Zak Crawley at long-on eyeing one other large blow off Bashir. The aid was palpable after a fourth-wicket stand of 195 that ate up 47 dispiriting overs.
It took one other 13 to to prise out the rock strong Rahul, whose occupation of the crease had develop into a visual drain on English morale.
It was Carse who discovered a chink within the armour, pounding the pitch laborious sufficient to conjure a touch of additional bounce to undo Rahul’s impeccable defence.
When Woakes had Karun Nair caught and bowled it was over to Tongue to work some magic with the second new ball.
He made mild work of Thakur, who sprayed straight to slide, roughed up Siraj as the subsequent ball thumped his glove and produced a testing hat-trick ball that Bumrah gamely defended.
That was the extent of his resistance, although, with the subsequent one flattening center stump.
Having misplaced seven for 41 on Saturday, India’s decrease order had flopped once more from 333 for 4 to 364 all out.
The tone of the day had shifted shortly however there was nonetheless time for an additional late twist.
With six overs left – and three from the fearsome proper arm of Bumrah – it was a nervy time for Crawley and Duckett.
However they held up their a part of the discount, getting the pursuit safely below means with out providing an opportunity.
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