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Summary<\/p>\n
As they tidy up the stands at The Oval, and the players let it all sink in, time for us to say goodbye. It\u2019s been thrilling, from first ball to final yorker. To the walking wounded, the victorious and vanquished \u2013 Rishabh Pant, Ben Stokes, Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, Harry Brook, Joe Root, and the supporting cast \u2013 thank you all.<\/p>\n
Those results in full:<\/p>\n
First Test (Headingley) : England won by five wickets<\/p>\n
Second Test (Edgbaston) : India won by 336 runs<\/p>\n
Third Test (Lord\u2019s): England won by 22 runs<\/p>\n
Fourth Test (Emirates Old Trafford): Draw<\/p>\n
Fifth Test (The Kia Oval): India won by six runs<\/p>\n
Series tied 2-2<\/p>\n
Thanks too for your company and emails throughout the series. We\u2019ll be back for the white-ball stuff in September and, on 21 November, for the first ball of the Perth Test. Till then, have a wonderful summer.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.14 EDT<\/p>\n \u201cPeople, your colleagues included, are in raptures about Prince Harry\u2019s 111 yesterday. Actually in the end it meant diddley squat and he might as well have scored nothing. A proper Test batter would have turned that into a 150 and more and seen his side home, knowing that they were a man down and with a fragile lower order. Jury still out….\u201d<\/p>\n The jury still out on Harry Brook? Come, come Jeremy Boyce in the south of France. A cafe au lait in a glorious village square says Brook and his audacity will win, has won, far, far more games for England than he\u2019ll lose.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.29 EDT<\/p>\n A last tidy up of the inbox, apologies to those whose message became out of date before I got to them. \u201cWTF is cricket\u2019s problem with subs?\u201d asks Alison Keys. \u201cI\u2019m not really a fan, and have only been tuning in because my late husband was a Test cricket lover, so I\u2019ve been keeping an eye on things for him, so to speak.<\/p>\n \u201cFirst that Indian player came out with the broken foot, now there\u2019s a pic of Woakes playing with his arm all strapped up. I gather Ben Stokes has been playing while injured too. From the casual viewers pov, can I just say it\u2019s ridiculous!Why aren\u2019t there any subs?\u201d<\/p>\n Hello Alison, a hat off to you for your commitment to the Test cricket cause, and to your late husband. Cricket<\/a> and subs are a hot potato. Ben Stokes, bowling with one arm in the last Test, is (predictably) very much against. He said the conversation should be \u201cshut down and stopped. There will be too many loopholes for teams to be able to go through. You pick your 11 for a game, and injuries are a part of the game\u201d<\/p>\n Gautam Gambir, India\u2019s head coach, is all for them.\u201cIf the umpires and the match referee see and feel that it\u2019s a major injury, I think it\u2019s very important\u201d<\/p>\n So pick your side and your reasons, which are probably a heady, historic mix of masochism, distrust, and war. Although, just to be difficult, you are allowed a concussion substitute. Just not for a dislocated shoulder.<\/p>\n Jim wrote about it last week.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Reflections from the ECB\u2019s chief exec Richard Gould, a very happy man.<\/p>\n \u201cThis summer has showcased the very best of Test cricket \u2013 25 absorbing days where two outstanding sides gave everything on the field. The quality, resilience and commitment on display have been clear for all to see.<\/p>\n \u201cToday\u2019s dramatic finale \u2013 with Chris Woakes bravely coming out to bat through injury and taking the match to a Hollywood-style finish \u2013 encapsulated a series of remarkable intensity and fine margins. While the series ended tied \u2013 a result that feels fitting given the quality on both sides \u2013 there will of course be disappointment for England, who came so close to a famous win.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are moments that will live long in the memory \u2013 from England\u2019s record chase at Headingley to Shubman Gill\u2019s double-century at Edgbaston, and Joe Root\u2019s masterclass at the Oval. Ben Stokes\u2019 inspirational leadership, Jofra Archer\u2019s return at Lord\u2019s, the fire of Mohammed Siraj, Rishabh Pant\u2019s celebration \u2013 and the composure of Woakes in adversity \u2013 all reminded us why Test cricket continues to pack stadiums across England and Wales.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.13 EDT<\/p>\n Paul Nickells stirs the pot: \u201cFrom the sublime to the ridiculous – The Hundred starts tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n A three course meal, followed by a Sherbet Dib-Dab. A place for them both. Hope the crowds find as much pleasure, (well, nearly as much pleasure) from it as we all have from the last six weeks.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Stuart Broad on Jacob Bethell. \u201cHe needs to play some cricket. I like to play games, play cricket. As a batter you need to know, if you play a loose shot, you don\u2019t just throw it back to the net bowler. He looked out of his depth in Test match cricket in these two innings, but it doesn\u2019t mean he won\u2019t be a great Test player in years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n As the heavens open outside the window, OBO readers chew over the remnants.<\/p>\n \u201cA draw is a fair result for the series but I agree with Julian,\u201d writes Alan Park. \u201cIt\u2019s completely self inflicted. Bazball has meant that time and time again in this series we\u2019ve had to perform heroics. So many bad team and individual decisions. Bethel selection, Smith\u2019s appalling shot selection this morning, Stokes wanting to bowl 5000 overs and nobody brave enough to tell him he might get injured (he did). Any level of self reflection from the England camp would be welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n As if he was reading your minds, Baz McCullum is interviewed by Ian Ward Should Bethell have played more f-c cricket? \u201cI guess you never know. We see a talent whose best years are ahead of him. He\u2019s not overshadowed by the situation. When he went out yesterday, he was challenged by the conditions, that even challenged Joe Root. He\u2019ll be better for the experience, he took the positive option, sometimes you have to brave enough to take the positive option.\u201d<\/p>\n The batting yesterday evening\/this morning? \u201cRetrospectively we probably could have been braver, but Siraj was getting the ball to swing beautifully. It\u2019s tough batting conditions, you need a couple of things to go our way. We dropped six catches, lost seven for 60 [66] at the back end of the game, you don\u2019t win too many games like that.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Hello, Myles Nester Harwood !\u201cNo one could predict the Woakes injury but the Bethell call up was a bit of a disaster. Picked as a batting all rounder when he\u2019s never scored a first class hundred, barely played this year, a spinner on a seamer\u2019s paradise pitch, bowled 4 overs, 11 runs in the match, and completely halted the momentum of England\u2019s second innings. Stokes and McCallum really do play favourites with who they pick.<\/p>\n \u201cIndia deserve the drawn series especially after England\u2019s antics at the end of the previous Test.\u201d<\/p>\n Giving Bethell so little first-class cricket this season but throwing him into a deciding Test was a huge gamble. England took the call that he would learn more with them in the bubble than with Warwickshire against the Kookaburra ball. It certainly didn\u2019t come off this time, though tbf they weren\u2019t expecting to be a seamer down.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>England’s Ben Stokes reflects on the Test<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been awesome, there are always going to be moments when emotion comes out from both sides. I don\u2019t think any of my lads are going to be going to bed crying about what was said, and I don\u2019t think any of India\u2019s players are either.<\/p>\n \u201c[Personally] Very happy how it went with the ball, hopefully those years of sliding under the knife are behind me. Though very disappointed not to contribute in this game.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen one of your bowlers goes down so early in the game, the whole role of those three seamers completely changes. The heart and desire that the big fellas showed running in, all we ask for of those guys lucky enough to be selected for England is to leave everything out on the field.\u201d<\/p>\n He and Gill are both presented with a Pataudi medal and shake hands in front of the inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar trophy.<\/p>\n The two captains Ben Stokes and Shubman Gill shake hands at the trophy presentation after the drawn series. Photograph: Tom Jenkins\/The GuardianShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.25 EDT<\/p>\n India’s player of the match: Shubman Gill<\/p>\n On Siraj \u201cHe is a captain\u2019s dream. Every ball, every spell, gave us everything. Two-all is a fair reflection, this shows how passionate both the teams are.\u201d<\/p>\n Pleased with your performance personally? \u201cFeels very rewarding to be able to get the runs, always a combination of things to work on. Once you are sorted mentally, you are in a good space, but you are only sorted mentally when you are technically correct.\u201d<\/p>\n What has he learned about his team? \u201cThat we never give up.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>England’s player of the series: Harry Brook<\/p>\n \u201cWe came this morning very confident, I thought would we would win. But the way Siraj bowled this morning, he deserved every success. The overcast conditions, ball zipping around a bit, Siraj has bowled five Test matches and over 85mph every ball. Amazing.<\/p>\n \u201cCredit to Woakes, he was always going to play. HE was in a lot of pain, you could see by his face. Shame we couldn\u2019t get it across the line, that\u2019s cricket isnt it.<\/p>\n \u201cMy thought process was to try and hit as many runs as quickly as possible, and get it done, obviously it didn\u2019t work. Hindsight is a beautiful thing, obviously now I wish I didn\u2019t play that shot. I played alright, just sorry I didn\u2019t win the game yesterday.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been an awesome series, very intense, after every game absolutely knackered. Even that finish there, such a good advert for Test cricket, I hope people will carry on watching it.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Player of the match: Mohammad Siraj<\/p>\n It could be no-one else. His smiles a huge smile. Did he think India were favourites this morning. \u201cWhen I woke up, I believed we could do it, then I took a screen shot of something on google that said believe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell done to Harry Brook he played very well.\u201d<\/p>\n Off screen, Gill and Brook chat and laugh.<\/p>\n Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj (centre) celebrates the India victory alongside Akash Deep (left) and Prasidh Krishna. Photograph: Tom Jenkins\/The GuardianShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.24 EDT<\/p>\n The crowd are waiting, soaking in every moment. The players are all out on the pitch, Indian smiles broad as the ocean, England rueful.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy do people knock this format, it is just so wonderful.\u201d says Nasser. \u201cIf we let this go, we will have done the game a great disservice.\u201d<\/p>\n The India players celebrate their victory with their fans. Photograph: Tom Jenkins\/The GuardianShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.03 EDT<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sitting in a garage on a Greek island while my car is being fixed and there\u2019s no reception !\u201d writes Julian Birkby. \u201cMy last update was the Overton wicket and I\u2019m losing my mind with the stress of it all. Thanks for keeping me updated – I guess it will all be over when I can drive back over the hill to where there is reception.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019ve got bad news for you Julian\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cSorry to be that guy Tanya.. England F***ed it up…Cannot wait for us (Aussie supporter here) to crush Bazball in the Ashes…\u201d<\/p>\n Oh Pramith Pillai, too soon.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Time for your emails, at last:<\/p>\n \u201cAt The Oval.\u201d writes Ronald Grover. \u201cA great match, needless to say. And as for India keeping the field out at the end of each over at the end, the only answer is that it must have been sporting, surely They didn\u2019t want to win by bowling at Woakes.\u201d<\/p>\n That would be astonishing, if right.<\/p>\n Suzy (over 83) is not pleased \u201cAs Simon\u2019s American wife, you can rest assured that he will be sleeping on the couch tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n This six-run win is India\u2019s closest victory in their Test history.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Jaiswal blows kisses to the crowd. Siraj, with his arm around Gill, waves the match ball, Krishna brandishes a stump. They are applauded round the ground. What a match. What a series.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Siraj, still clutching the ball, speaks to DK, who translates. He says \u201cwhen he dropped that catch yesterday he felt very guilty, he wanted to be the guy who came here to finish it off. \u201c He sure did. Finishes with five for 104.<\/p>\n With seven wickets in hand yesterday, England needed 73. Now India do a victory lap of the ground.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Siraj leaps six feet in the air, raises both arms to the sky. Gill goes straight to Woakes and gives him a heartfelt handshake. Atkinson tucks his bat under his arm.<\/p>\n India’s Shubman Gill shakes hands with England’s Chris Woakes after India won the match. Photograph: Paul Childs\/Action Images\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.02 EDT<\/p>\n WICKET! Atkinson b Siraj 17 India win by six runs!<\/p>\n Off stump dances into the past. The match! The series tied! What a game.<\/p>\n England\u2019s Gus Atkinson is bowled out by India\u2019s Mohammed Siraj to give India victory. Photograph: Tom Jenkins\/The GuardianHere\u2019s a view of the wicket from up in the stands. Photograph: Tom Jenkins\/The GuardianAtkinson walks off whilst Mohammed Siraj starts celebrating. Photograph: Tom Jenkins\/The GuardianSiraj is joined in the celebrations by Dhruv Jurel (rear). Photograph: Tom Jenkins\/The GuardianShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.20 EDT<\/p>\n 85th over: England 367-9 (Atkinson 17, Woakes 0) England need 7 to win A low full toss first ball, and they run two. Woakes grimaces in pain, looks as if he might be sick. Atkinson is the calmest man in the ground. Swings and misses. Gill and Krishna have a long chat. Atkinson misses again. And again. India keep the field out to the last ball and once again, England sneak the single. Woakes yet to face a ball. Huge applause from the crowd.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s the cricketing equivalent of Alex Ferguson\u2019s famous Squeaky Bum Time? I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve unclenched for 15 minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n Chris Woakes runs between the wickets with his arm in a sling. Photograph: Shaun Botterill\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.59 EDT<\/p>\n 84th over: England 364-9 (Atkinson 14, Woakes 0) England need 10 to win Woakes at the non-striker\u2019s end. Atkinson is going to have to do this in boundaries. Siraj with the ball. Every fielder on the rope. Woakes, left arm tucked inside his jumper, the crowd have their hands over their eyes. No!!! Atkinson heaves at Siraj on one knee, a slog sweep, the ball flies to long on where Akash Deep paws it over the rope. Could he have held on? On a good day with a following wind. But he didn\u2019t. With two balls left, a long talk between bowler and captain, they keep the field out. A full toss is missed by Atkinson, slides past leg stump, but is stopped by the keeper. Siraj falls to his knees. India keep the field out, for reasons I can\u2019t explain. It\u2019s wide, they go for a the run, the keeper throws at the stumps, but misses. Woakes completes the single in some pain.<\/p>\n Akash Deep of India reacts after failing to catch a shot from Gus Atkinson of England which then went for six. Photograph: Gareth Copley\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.53 EDT<\/p>\n WICKET! Tongue b Krishna 0 (England 357-9)<\/p>\n A yorker for the ages!<\/p>\n 83rd over: England 357-9( Atkinson 8, Woakes 0) England need 17 to win Atkinson doesn\u2019t take a single to the first three balls of the over. They risk the fourth, a miscued hook, but a wild throw from Siraj is rescued by his teammates. And then Tongue\u2019s stumps are splattered. Enter a one-armed Chris Woakes.<\/p>\n \u201cI wish to formally apologise to all of England and my American wife who supports England cricket (and plays for Germany), for jinxing this,\u201d writes Simon B. \u201cYesterday, with Root and Brooks set, I messaged my old cricket team chat and said: I don\u2019t want to jinx it, but England are going to win this.In retrospect I was a fool.\u201d<\/p>\n Simon, the fat lady is yet to sing (though I can hear her warbling in her warmup).<\/p>\n England\u2019s Josh Tongue is dismissed by India\u2019s Prasidh Krishna. Photograph: Ben Whitley\/PAKrishna (left) celebrates the dismissal of Tongue. Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth\/APChris Woakes walks out to bat with his left arm in a sling after dislocating his shoulder. Photograph: Tom Jenkins\/The GuardianShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.22 EDT<\/p>\n 82nd over: England 356-8( Atkinson 7, Tongue 0) England need 18 to win Siraj from the pavilion end. Atkinson takes a single first ball, leaving Tongue to play and miss. And play and miss. Oh bravo, an immaculate forward defensive. Siraj finishes with an outswinger to serve on a silver platter. Tongue survives.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.35 EDT<\/p>\n 81st over: England 355-8( Atkinson 6, Tongue 0) England need 19 to win Krishna. Atkinson goes for broke, cutting with feeling, but cut off at deep third. In the dressing-room window, Chris Woakes, left-arm tucked into his jumper, smiles. Then \u2013 the tension \u2013 an lbw appeal against Tongue. Given out! Hit on a lunging front pad. Tongue reviews, missing leg. Woakes smiles again. Ball to boot next ball, another appeal, not out. And now the rain starts.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.29 EDT<\/p>\n 80th over: England 354-8( Atkinson 5, Tongue 0) England need 20 to win Siraj delivering the ball on a thread. Atkinson beaten by three in a row, a leg bye gets him up the other end \u2013 which is not great news for Overton, who is done by a big pad and a coat of varnish. Enter Josh Tongue, Test average of six. Winviz now makes an Indian victory 76 per cent likely.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! Overton lbw Siraj 9 (England 354-8)<\/p>\n Overton stretches his huge pad forwards and is hit midway up the shin. Umpire Dharmsesena eats a full meal then slowly raises his finger. Overton reviews, but it is umpire\u2019s call!<\/p>\n India’s Mohammed Siraj celebrates taking the wicket of England’s Jamie Overton with teammates. Photograph: Paul Childs\/Action Images\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.33 EDT<\/p>\n 79th over: England 353-7 ( Overton 9, Atkinson 5) England need 24 to win Krishna has re-found his mojo. A desperate dive by Jadeja saves a run on the rope. He limps back to position.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 78th over: England 349-7 ( Overton 8, Atkinson 2) England need 25 to win My heart is in my throat, Atkinson\u2019s first ball is edged to second slip where KL Rahul has it in his finger tips. It is unclear whether it quite carried, but Rahul crouches and looks at the ground, dismayed. Then a leading edge by Atkinson, just wide of cover. A good stop by Jurel to an Overton swipe. It had to be Siraj. The new ball is due in two, but he is making it move like a boomerang.<\/p>\n \u201cSitting in Brittany,\u201d writes Tom Banks. \u201cTMS overseas on. Kids want to go to the beach but I have informed them we are not going anywhere for the next hour. The anticipation is killing all of us (for different reasons obviously).\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! Smith c Jurel b Siraj 2 (England 347-7)<\/p>\n A fat outside edge. The umpires check it \u2013 to calm everything down? And yes \u2013 a clean catch from an advancing prod. Oh my.<\/p>\n India’s Mohammed Siraj (right) appeals \u2026 Photograph: Tom Jenkins\/The GuardianThen, after the umpire\u2019s check, celebrates taking the wicket of England\u2019s Jamie Smith. Photograph: Paul Childs\/Action Images\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.34 EDT<\/p>\n 77th over: England 347-6 (Smith 2, Overton 8) England need 27 to win Krishna to finish off the four balls of last night\u2019s over. Overton pulls the first, a short ball, for four. Bang. The next also greets the boundary \u2013 an awkward inside edge, scything past leg stump. Has a dirty swipe at the next, misses. And plays back carefully at the fourth.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Morning session – England need 35 to win<\/p>\n A full house, a huddle for India, chewing gum for Jamie Smith. Jerusalem the soundtrack.<\/p>\n Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton walk out to bat. Photograph: Paul Childs\/Action Images\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.04 EDT<\/p>\n A welcome flurry of emails land in the OBO box \u2013 hopefully things last long enough to get through them all. Ant sized trousers on an elephant, that\u2019s the kind of tension we\u2019re after.<\/p>\n \u201cGreetings from Ithaca where the weather is balmier than Manchester and the Oval.\u201d Enough already Colum Fordham. Share<\/a><\/p>\n John Starbuck rolls back the years. \u201cSome of us can recall the drama of Colin Cowdrey facing Hall & Griffiths whilst batting with a broken arm in plaster. It didn\u2019t work then and, if a repeat has to happen, I doubt it will work now. Cue monster celebrations if it does.\u201d<\/p>\n From the MCC website. \u201cThe crowd held its breath and the BBC delayed its regular evening news bulletin to stay with the live coverage. Hall began the last over with England needing eight. Two singles were scampered off the first three balls, but off the fourth, calamity. Shackleton swung and missed and looked up to see Allen chasing down the wicket towards him. Desperately, Shackleton urged his 39 year-old frame towards the non-striker\u2019s end; he was in a race of the veterans against Worrell, running back from silly mid-off. He lost. Cowdrey, wearing a glove on one hand and a plaster cast on the other, smiled as he walked out through the Pavilion gate.<\/p>\n \u201cHe took his place at the non-striker\u2019s end as Allen prepared to face Hall. Two balls left to survive for the draw, and surely six to win was too much. Worrell was not so sure – whatever you do, don\u2019t bowl a no-ball, he told his shattered fast bowler. Twice more, Hall charged in off his 40-yard run, hurling the ball down fast and straight. But Allen\u2019s bat was just as straight and twice he kept it out. It was all over and the match drawn. Cowdrey\u2019s bat had not been needed, but his courage had been.\u201d<\/p>\n Colin Cowdrey Photograph: PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n The heavy roller is out, Lee Fortis is on it. The new ball is due in 3.4 overs. Nerves?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Siraj is signing autographs. Intensely.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cBought my son a day five ticket several weeks back,\u201d you clever man David Adam, \u201cand he\u2019s been watching the whole match hoping for wickets to stop and rain to start. As much as yesterday\u2019s crowd were rightly gutted not to see the conclusion, I\u2019m selfishly delighted that my son will get his first taste of Test cricket this morning, even if it\u2019s only half an hour. Surely the series deserves to end with a third ever tied test? Siraj sending an spectactularly unsporting bouncer down at Woakes?\u201d<\/p>\n Absolutely! Overhead cameras show that your son isn\u2019t the only lucky ticket holder, the crowds are pouring in through the Hobbs gate and more. Hope he, and they, gets a thriller.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cGood morning, Tanya.\u201d Hello Richard O\u2019Hagan.<\/p>\n \u201cCan I please say another HUGE thank you to all of the OBOers who so generously supported my club\u2019s 24 Hour Netathon in aid of Opening Up Cricket<\/a>. With the help of this wonderful community we smashed our fundraising target. We are very, very grateful indeed.<\/p>\n In other news, I have just realised that I have a meeting at 11am, so I am off for a sulk.\u201d<\/p>\n Wonderful news about the fundraising, less so about the meeting. Commiserations. Any chance of bad light postponing flow charts?<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Woakes ready to bat if needed for England<\/p>\n \u201cIf I don\u2019t go out today, I won\u2019t be able to forgive myself,\u201d is what Chris Woakes told Joe Root this morning. I think you can rely on him having a bat if needed.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.33 EDT<\/p>\n Joe Root is chatting to Stuart Broad and Ian Ward. He plays tribute to Graham Thorpe, then Harry Brook, his partner in that incredible partnership yesterday.<\/p>\n \u201cBrooky is not a big talker out in the middle but we have played a lot together and complement each other. I can be a bit busy and he can really upset bowlers\u2019 rhythms and before you know it they\u2019ve got a long off, everything seems to happen at a completely different pace [when he\u2019s batting.]\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Pictures from The Oval, where the skies are dirty, but the players are out, practising. Pictures of England arriving, Jamie Smith in a white T-shirt like a teenager off for a kickaround; Jamie Overton brooding largely in maroon, Chris Woakes outrageously handsome in a sling.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n If you\u2019re at The Oval, do let us know what the atmosphere is like. And the clouds.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n And Simon on Mohammed Siraj, India\u2019s rubber band of energy, and his fatal step back.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Some great writing by the team at The Oval yesterday:<\/p>\n Ali\u2019s match report:<\/p>\n Barney\u2019s homage to Harry Brook:<\/p>\n
\u201dThis series has been a bit of an Odyssey, with both teams striving to the limits to bring their team success – Pant, Bumrah, Stokes and Woakes putting their bodies on the line. To quote Homer, \u201cBe strong – saith my heart: I am a soldier. I have seen worse sights than this\u201d. Rather appropriate for Woakes in a sling yet willing to bat for his country.
One more quite from the Odyssey: \u201c The blade itself incites to deeds of violence.\u201d Surely, Homer was writing about Harry Brook?
This morning promises to be a thrilling denouement to a wonderful test series which could end up 2-2, probably the fairer result, or 3-1 to England, which would flatter the home team. Though I wouldn\u2019t mind!\u201d<\/p>\n