India vs. England: Ollie Pope’s century provides cheerfulness for tourists in Hyderabad
Hyderabad, INDIA(EUROSPORT) – LIVE text coverage of day three of the inaugural Test match between India and England in Hyderabad. With England posting a modest 246 runs, they now confront a daunting challenge to regain momentum in the game as India surged to 421-7, establishing a lead of 175 runs. Consequently, India finds themselves on the cusp of extending their unbeaten Test series streak, which spans over 12 years.
ENGLAND SURVIVE SCARES AND TAKE 126 RUN INTO DAY 4
That felt like a lot of cricket, and it was certainly fascinating, containing more than a few moments of drama and swings back and forth between the two teams. England’s solid session with the bat was set up with the ball – taking India’s three remaining wickets for less than twenty runs.
England’s openers got up and running at a fine lick, Zak Crawley the first wicket to fall with England on 45 from just 56 balls. Pope and Duckett put on a 68 run partnership before India claimed three more valuable wickets for less than 50 runs.
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When Ben Stokes fell, England looked doomed, but the Surrey pair of Ollie Pope and Ben Foakes stood up to put on 112 runs from 183 balls between them. That still might not have been enough to give England a fighting chance, but Rehan Ahmed came in to bat like a number 5, helping Pope to continue playing his game, while adding to the total where he could. This match could easily have been well over already. Thanks largely to Ollie Pope, it isn’t.
STUMPS! ENGLAND 316-6 (REHAN 16, Ollie Pope 148) OVERS: 77
It’s Ravichandran Ashwin who will bowl the last over of the day, and Rehan Ahmed who will put him away for the final boundary of the afternoon, a very positive shot all the way through midwicket. One final, simple, studied single into the covers and that’s stumps. What a day of cricket, a truly admirable innings from Ollie Pope that ensures there will be a tomorrow. England will resume tomorrow with a lead of 126 runs and more, most assuredly to come.
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ENGLAND 311-6 (REHAN 11, POPE 148) OVERS: 76
The penultimate over of the day and the siren signals another no-ball bowled by Jadeja, while Pope and Rehan exchange singles to advance the score. Pope closes out the over with a crack to deep cover that is rescued but nonetheless delivers a valuable two runs.
‘HE CAN BE MIGHTY PROUD’ – Ollie Pope BRINGS UP HIS 100
ENGLAND 305-6 (REHAN 9, POPE 145) OVERS: 75
Bumrah starts his (possibly last?) over with a bouncer into the body, which Rehan stands up to and deflects down into the pitch. The priority for him is survival, while for Pope it must be runs, but the secondary batter will add to the score where he can. A misfield from Siraj at point gifts him one of them.
ENGLAND 304-6 (REHAN 8, Ollie Pope 145) OVERS: 74
Jadeja looking to improve on his figures of 91-1 in this innings, but the pitch, plus a long day in the field is making it hard for him. Rehan is playing like he should be further up the order, showing he’s got all the shots that are needed for this situation. Two each for the batters in that over as the ground clock shows 4:33.
ENGLAND 300-6 (REHAN 6, POPE 143) OVERS: 73
Jasprit Bumrah is brought back into the India attack, with five over remaining. With perfect timing and footwork Pope shows what he thinks of that, taking a four at the square leg boundary. Bumrah seems to be struggling a bit with cramp, as the physio comes out and some supplements are taken on. Ollie Pope brings up the 300 for England with a nice angled shot off the front foot, giving Bumrah a chance to test Rehan. The batter passes decisively, without adding to the England total.
ENGLAND 295-6 (REHAN 6, POPE 138) OVERS: 72
Jadeja gets to appeal for an Lbw on Popel, but it was pitching well outside the line of leg stump so India opt not to review it. It would have been a waste, and at this stage you’d say they want to keep them in hand. A single for him brings Rehan up, who clubs one over extra cover. Only one from it, but a confident shot. Singles are the order of the day, with the scoreboard ticking gradually upwards.
ENGLAND 289-6 (REHAN 5, POPE 133) OVERS: 70
As Jadeja looks to find something, Ollie Pope plays the ramp! Over the head of Rehat and racing away to the boundary. he didn’t even look where he was playing it – just flipped it over the top. Brilliant cricket.
ENGLAND 284-6 (REHAN 5, POPE 128) OVERS: 69
Axar hoping to double up, and stamp on what remains of those aforementioned shoots. But both Rehan and Pope are batting without fear, without taking undue risks. It’s an aggressive field placement for Rehan, which seems to be designed to unsettle him before he can settle.
ENGLAND 281-6 (REHAN 4, POPE 126) OVERS: 68
Rehan gets off the mark with a classy cut to the boundary through point. No settling in for him, as England reach 281 and the lead is 91.
WICKET! ENGLAND 275-6 (FOAKES 34, POPE 120) OVERS: 67
Axar finally gets his man, with the final ball of the over. Just when it was starting to look hopeful for England, the ball skips underneath his bat and onto the stumps.
It came right after Pope audaciously flipped him behind to the boundary for his cheekiest shot of the session, but India are now surely back on top.
ENGLAND 270-5 (FOAKES 34, POPE 120) OVERS: 66
The runs are coming as easy as they have all afternoon now, as that man plays that shot over the Bharat and his slip fielder. Possibly it came off the glove, but that won’t worry him. Jadeja responds with two delightful deliveries but the ball doesn’t seem to like the stumps
ENGLAND 264-5 (FOAKES 33, POPE 115) OVERS: 65
The hundred partnership is up, barely any time after the fifty it seems. One from Foakes to backwards square then a solid Pope single to get them to the line.
ENGLAND 261-5 (FOAKES 32, Ollie Pope 114) OVERS: 64
Another delightful boundary as Pope brings out the reverse sweep for the umpteenth time this innings, then almost gets caught by Axar at deep backwards square. He leapt up and palmed it, but it should have been the breakthrough wicket. Instead Pope takes himself to 114 with another four through the covers. Expensive over that one.
ENGLAND 252-5 (FOAKES 31, POPE 106) OVERS: 63
Good length from Axar is met by patience from Pope, until he floats up the full toss. The Surrey man couldn’t be more grateful for it, advancing down the pitch and bashing it to the midwicket boundary for four. Showing his class, Axar’s next ball is as good as you’ll see without a wicket falling, just dancing by the bat’s edge and into his wicketkeepers’ gloves.
A minimum of 16 overs left today. Can this pair take it all the way? A bye, swept at and missed by Pope, plus one more each takes them six balls closer. Having seriously slowed the scoring, they’re back up to four an over now.
ENGLAND 245-5 (FOAKES 30, POPE 101) OVERS: 61
This wicket definitely seems to be slowing and it’s giving the batters a bit more time to judge their shots. A fine example of that is the ball which brings up Ollie Pope’s hundred. He spits the full ball from Jadeja through the onside – it doesn’t quite reach the boundary before being picked up but they return for a third and he can finally take his helmet off, raise his bat. What a fine innings this has been from the 26 year-old. England lead by 55 runs. It looks like we’re going to get a chance of balls, and drinks.
ENGLAND 239-5 (FOAKES 28, POPE 97) OVERS: 60
Another reverse sweep from Pope to deep backward point. It’s only enough for a single, but they really do all count at this stage. Foakes picks up a pair of runs as he opens up, and finds a bit of outside edge to see the ball past the slips.
ENGLAND 235-5 (FOAKES 25, POPE 96) OVERS: 59
A fifth no-ball from Jadeja in this match, who is maybe just trying a little too hard and overstretching. Which is no sleight on his bowling in that over, which was varied and testing. Pope four away from his century.
ENGLAND 233-5 (FOAKES 25, POPE 95) OVERS: 58
Ashwin is increasingly frustrated, as the runs have started to come for England, not thick and fast but at a decent tempo. Some assured shooting from both batters in that over.
A CLASSIC TWO-CARD TRICK – BAIRSTOW OUTSMARTED BY JADEJA
Just the one over from Siraj then as Jadeja is brought back in to the India attack. Pope plays another reverse sweep which is fielded at backward point, before taking the single from the last ball of the over to keep the strike.
ENGLAND 226-5 (FOAKES 21, POPE 92) OVERS: 56
Pope moves into the 90s, the first batter to manage that in this test, with what is increasingly his trademark reverse sweep. The ball dashes through the covers for four, as England add seven to the score. Fine knock from this pair, whatever happens now.
ENGLAND 219-5 (FOAKES 19, Ollie Pope 87) OVERS: 55
India fancy a bit more pace, bringing right arm fast bowler Mohammed Siraj. Pope cuts a length ball behind point for two runs, taking this partnership to a very fine 50 runs. Four more byes from a ball going down leg which Foakes can’t connect with but which is too fast for the gloveman. Pope getting ever closer to that century – hope the nerves don’t set in now.
AN ABSOLUTE RIPPER – ASHWIN TAKES STOKES’ WICKET YET AGAIN
Ashwin returns to the attack and his first ball is a beauty, but it’s difficult for the keeper and it goes right through. past the leg stump and too quick for him to get his gloves across, so going for four byes. That seems to inspire Ben Foakes, who finds the square leg boundary with a sweep. That’s got to be the highest score off an over for a while.
ENGLAND 200-5 (FOAKES 12, POPE 83) OVERS: 53
Bumrah sending some full balls to Foakes, who digs them out (and in), even as he’s unable to find the gaps in the field. 28,570 souls watching (some sleeping) in the Hyderabrad ground. No big surprises from the bowler in that over, but a maiden for him all the same.
ENGLAND 200-5 (FOAKES 12, POPE 83) OVERS: 52
Less than three runs an over from this session, but that reflects well on this pair, who are growing in confidence. All they can do is pick their shots – there’s no urgency. Two simple singles and a no ball brings up the 200 for England.
ENGLAND 197-5 (FOAKES 11, POPE 82) OVERS: 51
A need for speed means Bumrah again, although he starts with a slower ball, which Foakes has the measure of. His second ball is more dangerous, staying low and Pope breathes a sigh of relief as it passes off stump. A very good one, full and fast, bounces just in front of the batter’s toe before whipping by leg stump. A good dive from the wicket keeper prevents a near certain boundary. Two from that over, as England’s lead is now 7.
ENGLAND 195-5 (FOAKES 10, POPE 81) OVERS: 50
The partnership passes the thirteen over mark, but only just as Jadeja sends some balls up that turn sharply away, and very late. Ollie Pope judges them well, avoiding, blocking and then making good contact. Through midwicket with two fielders chasing it shouldn’t have gone for four, but each left it for the other.
ENGLAND 191-5 (FOAKES 10, POPE 77) OVERS: 49
Bumrah’s back, with an open field, including a slip and a gully, that suggests he might deliver some slower balls. He looks eager to add to his two wickets, for just 21 runs. Foakes will defend length all day (famous last words) but Bumrah will also wear the batters down and vary the swing incrementally. Can he do for Foakes what he did for Duckett? Not in that over, but almost with the yorker. A maiden for Bumrah who wound up the pace towards the end.
ENGLAND 191-5 (FOAKES 10, POPE 77) OVERS: 48
Jadeja still to find his rhythm in this session and some lose balls allow England to finally draw level. Now we’ll see how much of a lead these county team-mates can build for their country.
ENGLAND 188-5 (FOAKES 9, POPE 76) OVERS: 47
A flick of Popel’s wrist and then some good running gets England a couple and keeps him the strike. A hairy moment for him as he darts towards the ball and finds himself out of the crease with India throwing at the stumps. A direct hit and he’d have been gone. India bizarrely ask for a review, as the original ball was to pad, but it was well outside the line. Not sure why they indulged that one to be honest – because they could?
ENGLAND 186-5 (FOAKES 9, POPE 74) OVERS: 46
Another chase for Ashwin and this time he opts not to dive and just crouches over to rescue the ball. Three runs for Foakes from that one, and five from the over as England trail by four.
Axar keeps the ball and largely keeps Foakes defending from the back foot. The wicketkeeper does have something to prove here, but he’s already doing a decent job of proving it. A maiden over for Axar as the deficit is now 9 runs.
ENGLAND 181-5 (FOAKES 6, POPE 72) OVERS: 44
Back with Jadeja at the other end, and Pope is still sweeping before sending one to mid-on for a boundary. It slowed up, and Aswin looked to have it but his slide was… not the most elegant and he missed it completely with a wafting right hand.
ENGLAND 177-5 (FOAKES 6, POPE 68) OVERS: 43
Back out for the crucial final session of the day finds England closing in on parity, but a very very long way from any sort of lead. If you want our estimate, they’re going to need the better part of the same again to be in with any chance of taking something from this match.
The first over after tea and Ollie Pope is looking as lively as he was before the break. We start with the spin of Axar, with Foakes facing him. He’s not the batting gloveman that Bairstow is, but he needs them, at least enough to help Ollie Pope along. In that over he gets them thanks to a confidence-inspiring cover drive for four.
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