ENGLAND’S cricketers will return to The Oval tomorrow just 35 runs from glory – but with wounded soldier Chris Woakes ready to bat with his arm in a sling.
After an absorbing fourth day of the decisive Fifth Test, centuries from Joe Root and Harry Brook carried England to the brink of a 3-1 series victory before three quick wickets left the match back on a knife edge.
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England are 339-6, chasing 374 for victory, but if they lose three more wickets, Woakes – who dislocated his left shoulder while fielding on the first night, is expected to come out to bat with one functioning arm.
It had all looked so comfortable shortly before tea when the hosts were apparently cruising to a comfortable win at 301-3.
Yet Brook’s 195-run partnership with Root was broken when he literally threw his bat at a delivery from Akash Deep and was caught by Mohammed Siraj – the man who had tumbled over the boundary rope after ‘catching’ Brook when he had made just 19.
Jacob Bethell was then bowled, playing a reckless heave at Prasidh Krishna, who then persuaded Root to edge behind.
Suddenly, India were cock-a-hoop and sensing the chance to square the series, with new batsmen Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton at the crease – and England were relieved when a heavy rain shower brought a premature end to the day at 5.30pm.
So after 24 days of absorbing cricket, brimming with hostility, played in front of packed houses, we head into an incredible Monday morning climax.
England had chased down 371 to win the opening Test of this series at Headingley and they hunted a national-record 378 against India in 2022.
So if they are successful again on Monday, they will have recorded all three of the highest successful run chases in their history in their last six home Tests against India.
They love the thrill of the chase under the extreme self-confidence of the Bazball regime.
And this effort was built on the efforts of two very different Yorskhireman – the classical Root and the gun-toting Dirty Harry Brook, with his ‘go ahead, punk, make my day’ approach to batting.
After coming together with England in serious peril at 106-3, the duo from God’s own county produced cricket from the heavens.
Brook enjoyed one outrageous moment of fortune when he hooked Prasidh Krishna and was caught on the boundary by Siraj – only for the fielder to trip over the rope and turn his back to face the jeers of the England supporters.
A couple of hours later, Siraj did legitimately catch Brook – but by that time England were in sight of victory and the prolific 26-year-old had clocked his tenth Test century, 111 from just 98 balls.
Brook literally threw his bat at that one but throughout all the crash-bang-wallop, Root was quietly composing his latest masterpiece, all blissful cover drives and artful dabs through cover point.
Root brought up his 39th Test century – then donned a headband worn as tribute to his late mentor Graham Thorpe – with a clip for two off Akash Deep which brought the victory target below 50.
The former Aussie opener and pantomime villain David Warner had been sniping that Root wears a surfboard on his front leg – a reference to his supposed vulnerability to lbw dismissals.
Yet Root was riding the crest of a wave here in south London until he edged Krishna behind for 105.
Bethell, hardly living up to his billing as a ‘generational talent’, had given India fresh hope when he was steepled by Krishna, having a wild heave, after scoring five from 31 balls.
Root, who had just survived a leg-before review, followed soon after and suddenly England had just three wickets in hand – plus the invalid Woakes.
Earlier in the day, Ben Duckett had reached a scratchy but crucial half-century before he edged Krishna to slip.
Stand-in skipper Ollie Pope was just getting his stride on 28 when he was trapped leg-before by a Siraj delivery which kept low.
But the most gripping drama was reserved for the evening session as India’s gutsy young team roared back after their three-man pace attack had looked dead on its feet.
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