England v India: fifth Test, day three – as it happened

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2014/aug/17/england-india-fifth-test-day-three-live

Version 0 of 1.

4.33pm BST16:33

Who would have predicted that anyone other than England would end the series being roundly pilloried in the press? So full credit to Alastair Cook and his side for turning things around. He has dealt with an enormous amount of pressure incredibly well this summer, while his bowlers have made the most of conditions that became increasingly favourable to them. There are questions for England - how do they get Bell to impress at four, who should open the batting, and is Woakes worthy of his place? - but other than that, this has been an impressive turnaround.

India, though, are a rabble. Right, I’m off. In answer to Janet Stevens in the 28th over: “West Indies in England in 2000,” writes John Leavey. “Three days at Lord’s then two days at Headingley. I remember it well as I had tickets for days 4 and 3 respectively.”

Bye!

4.27pm BST16:27

England win the series 3-1

That was an utterly shameful rolling over on India’s part. The only surprise is that the India flag is still flying over The Oval, it really should be a white one fluttering in the wind up there. Jordan bowled alright, but not sensationally but finishes this session with figures of 4-0-18-4. Which tells you just how much India gave up. England gave up 15 extras in the innings, India’s third highest scorer. Without them - several of which were leg-side filth going for four byes - India would have finished on 79.

Updated at 4.28pm BST

4.24pm BST16:24

ENGLAND WIN BY AN INNINGS AND 244 RUNS

WICKET! Ishant c Ali b Jordan (India all out 94)

And that’s that. Ishant fishes at a short ball outside the off stump, plumping the ball into the air with all the grace of a giraffe attempting fencing. Ali catches the looping skier as silly point and what quickly became a dismal farce is over.

4.21pm BST16:21

29th over: India 94-9 (Binny 25, Ishant 2)

Looking at the positives, Dhoni has shown fight on this tour, Aaron looks like a bowler for the future and Rahane looks decent. The rest of the India squad seem utterly unable to deal with a ball moving in the air.

Binny is swinging the bat to Woakes, nicking one along the ground to the slips and cannoning the ball to Anderson at short cover. But he knows the game is up. He’s like the last machine gunner in the dugout as the tanks come rolling in: he doesn’t stand a chance to even make himself a hero.

4.16pm BST16:16

28th over: India 93-9 (Binny 25, Ishant 2)

That delivery brings the most reluctantly named cricketer in the world to the crease andwhat must surely be the last knockings of this Test match. Binny knocks a two, then pushes a clear single and decides not to run it, protecting Ishant from the strike as though this two are going to put on a 500 partnership and save the match. Still, the four he clobbers off the next ball is worth keeping the strike for. He does run a single later in the over, and Ishant takes strike with six slips, gully, leg gully, short leg and silly point in place. He tucks away a two.

“All over today?” asks Janet Stevens, incredulously. “This is going to be all over by teatime.Anyone know when was the last time one of the Test-playing nations caved in to the extent of two three-day defeats on the trot? At least the panda’d one will be able to get off early for his surgery.”

4.11pm BST16:11

WICKET! Aaron run out (Ali) (India 84-9)

Binny swats at a short ball, and edges it over Cook’s outstretched hand at slip. He misses the next delivery from Woakes, but not by much, as the slips leap. He doesn’t care anymore, he’s just swinging the bat. None of the Indians do, they just want out as fast as possible. Woakes helps prolong the agony by throwing the ball down the leg side for four byes that Buttler could do nothing about. Then, from the final ball of the over, Aaron clips a single to Mooen Ali at deep square leg, but the batsmen decide to run two. Buttler takes the bails off and Aaron is long gone. India trail by 254 runs and quite a lot of heart at the moment.

.@TomBry They’re not going to lose 5-0, but would you say this India performance is worse than England’s Ashes failure in Aus?

Well, Richard, you’d have to argue that England were facing one of the best Test attacks of, possibly, all time. You probably couldn’t argue that India are facing the same.

Updated at 4.12pm BST

4.05pm BST16:05

WICKET! Kumar c Bell b Jordan 4 (India 74-8)

Well this series is limping to a close, isn’t it? It’s hard to think of another series in which a side was so on top at first, and then simply gave up. Jordan is bowling well and fast (about 90mph) but not that well. India just don’t seem to fancy it. Kumar gets off the mark with a wild slash through the gully and might have been caught had he been less fortunate. It’s not the sort of shot that says ‘I’m going to stick around for the next two days’ And then ... he slashes at a full one and nicks off to Bell at second slip. Dismal.

4.01pm BST16:01

WICKET! Ashwin c Bell b Jordan 7 (India 70-7)

Ashwin swings at a wide ball swinging away from him and nicks it high to Ballance at third slip. He can’t cling on though, but Bell is alert behind him and scoops up the ball as it rebounds off him. That’s Jordan’s second wicket.

3.59pm BST15:59

25th over: India 70-6 (Binny 13, Ashwin 7)

Midway through the over, Ashwin backs away from the stumps just as Woakes gets to his delivery stride. Woakes gives him quite the stare but then throws him a half volley which Ashwin punches for three down the ground. Woakes follows up with an utterly unplayable delivery which jags violently away. Binny can get nowhere near it.

“It looks as if India will be glad to end this miserable series (notwithstanding their early success) but they do have a reputation in ODIs and T20s, so who goes home?” asks John Starbuck. “Who comes in? Will MS Dhoni still keep wicket and captain the side? All the hints and travails that England went through at the beginning of this year now apply to them, but is this the start of something big, or an indicator of a downward trend for the long-form game?”

It’s hard to see anything happening to Dhoni, he is one of the few to emerge with any credit. But his captaincy has been baffling at times. He appears to steer the ship as if he has very little interest in where it actually goes. I think about eight players are leaving the squad and seven coming in, so it will be a newlook India side in the ODIs. Kulkarni, Raina, Rayudu, Samson, two more Sharmas and Yadaz are the players coming in.

3.54pm BST15:54

24th over: India 66-6 (Binny 12, Ashwin 4)

Unless Ashwin starts giving it some tonk, you suspect this match will end tonight. He begins by driving for four, bringing up the score of 66-6 once more. It’s a kind of landmark for India, I suppose. To close the over, Jordan beats Ashwin with a quick one that bounces high and off the seam from just short of a length. It’s a ball that says that there is definitely something about him, even if he does spray it around a bit.

Bingo - #66-6!

3.50pm BST15:50

WICKET! Kohli c Cook b Jordan 20 (India 62-6)

Kohli tries to work a straight one to leg, and edges it to first slip. And that ends a woeful tour with the bat from him.

@TomBry There's no shame in losing to a better side, but there is in losing to a side who respect the contest more.

3.48pm BST15:48

23rd over: India 62-5 (Kohli 20, Binny 12)

Kohli slaps the ball straight back at Woakes, but the bowler is unable to get both hands to the ball to catch it. He looks furious with himself, but it’s always hard to blame a bowler for shelling a c+b. They just seem to be one of those things that either go into the pouch or doesn’t. The batsmen run a single, and Binny is lucky not to chop the ball onto his stumps a couple of deliveries later. Instead, the ball Chinese Cuts to just short of the boundary, where it is immaculately fielded by Ali. Binny figures he may as well not die wondering, and thrashes the final ball of the over through the covers for four. The England fielders could not give one, frankly.

Updated at 3.50pm BST

3.42pm BST15:42

22nd over: India 55-5 (Kohli 19, Binny 6)

Jordan starts things up with some leg-side filth, then walks back to his mark and adjusts the radar. His next is back of a length and straight, and Kohli plays it sharply down to gully. The radar goes awry again for the third ball, but he nearly gets lucky nonetheless. Kohli flicks him uppishly off his hip and the ball drops just short of a sprawling Moeen Ali at deep backward square leg. The rest of the over is somewhat sprayed around as Jordan’s accuracy pings about like a compass next to a magnet.

Drinks will be taken, announce the umpires, just casually rolling out one of the loveliest expressions in the English language as though it were nothing.

3.37pm BST15:37

21st over: India 54-5 (Kohli 18, Binny 6)

It doesn’t look like the weather will come to save India this afternoon. Though it was predicted that there would be showers, the skies over The Kia Oval are bright blue. Kohli looks cast adrift beneath them, but Woakes is helping somewhat with a line that is veering too much to leg. Buttler goes up to appeal for a caught behind, a strangle, but Kohli’s bat was nowhere near it. The batsman does work a single from the final, leg-side delivery of the over though. Another bowling change follows the over: Jordan will come on at the other end.

3.33pm BST15:33

20th over: India 53-5 (Kohli 17, Binny 6)

Binny pushes Broad for a single to the covers, while the camers cut to Duncan Fletcher - still inscrutable behind those shades, but possibly planning on a future that doesn’t involve coaching India for much longer - in the pavilion. A single from Kohli brings Binny back on strike and chips a full ball in the air to the vacant short midwicket area. But if that was pretty uncertain, a punched drive through mid-off for four is much better. There is much excitement from the final ball of the over: the entire slip cordon, and keeper go up in unison for a catch, but the ball struck only the thigh pad.

We're getting near that number again... Can India bring up 66-6 for the fourth innings running?

3.28pm BST15:28

19th over: India 47-5 (Kohli 16, Binny 1)

This is really fairly embarrassing/funny now. The one player who has shown any fight in the last few Tests goes for nowt and there’s a chance India may not see out the day now. Kohli is currently top scoring at 16*. Binny, who has done little with the ball, must impress with the bat now. He gets off the mark with a push through point.

3.26pm BST15:26

WICKET! Dhoni c Robson b Woakes 0 (India 46-5)

Dhoni gets a duck! He inside edges a regulation ball onto his thigh pad and up into short leg’s hands. This is looking ominous now.

3.24pm BST15:24

18th over: India 46-4 (Kohli 16, Dhoni 0)

Broad worked for that one, sending two away, then one into Rahane, then another couple away. He always looked uncertain. So Dhoni comes in with his team in trouble again, and he wears his first ball on his thigh pad, from where it runs past short leg for a leg bye.

3.20pm BST15:20

WICKET! Rahane c Ballance b Broad 4 (India 45-4)

What a catch that is! Rahane props forward and edges to that grey area between second and third slip. Ballance dives forward from third and sweeps the ball up with his fingertips. Sensational stuff.

Updated at 3.21pm BST

3.16pm BST15:16

17th over: India 43-3 (Kohli 16, Rahane 2)

Ah - and here is Woakes. Glad to see Cookie’s reading ... He throws one up to Kohli who latches onto it with relief, driving elegantly to mid off. Annoyingly for him, his hits it straight to Anderson in the field and there’s a curiously dead sound to his bat. He drives Woakes again later, looking much happier now Anderson is out of the attack. But again, annoyingly for him, he hits it straight back at the bowler who fields. Finally, though, he gets one away - an elegant, bottom-handy on-drive for four against the swing.

3.11pm BST15:11

16th over: India 39-3 (Kohli 12, Rahane 2)

Broad continues for his eighth over on the trot. Is there a feeling that, when England’s two strike bowlers are moving it about like this, they get overbowled by Cook? Wonder if it might help Woakes to give him more of the ball when it’s new - as he’s used to in club cricket. That said, Broad has Kohli in all sorts of strife at the moment and raps him on the pad midway through the over. It was going down, but Kohli was a mess anyway. Broad is still getting a lot of movement too - too much, in fact, as he swings one past Rahane’s pad down the leg side for four byes Buttler could do little about.

Updated at 3.11pm BST

3.07pm BST15:07

15th over: India 34-3 (Kohli 12, Rahane 2)

Rahane gets off the mark uncomfortably. Anderson swings a full ball away from him, and he edges it through the slips. It doesn’t carry to Chris Jordan, but he gets a hand to it to mean the batsmen run two rather than four. The fifth ball darts in the other way and nearly traps Rahane on the front pad to much shouting from the slips. He was comfortable enough though. Anderson sees things out with another full ball that keeps the batsman watchful on his crease.

3.03pm BST15:03

14th over: India 32-3 (Kohli 12, Rahane 0)

Afternoon everyone, Tom Bryant taking over for the rest of the afternoon. Feel free to email me on tom.bryant@theguardian.com. Kohli nudges two to leg but spends the rest of an uncomfortable over nudging and fishing. The last ball of the over is a pearl, jagging back and just past the inside edge. He offers Broad a rueful smile, knowing full well that he’s all over the place.

2.59pm BST14:59

13th over: India 30-3 (Kohli 10, Rahane 0)

Kohli leans into one and pierces the hands of Moeen Ali at cover, who saves one as the batsmen skip through for three. That’s all for Pujara this series as Anderson serves up an unplayable delivery. Rahane the new man in.

2.56pm BST14:56

WICKET! Pujara c Buttler b Anderson 11 (India 30-3)

Just as the pair were looking comfortable, Anderson bowls an absolute worldie of a delivery that angles at the stumps and seams away, taking the edge of Pujara’s bat.

2.53pm BST14:53

12th over: India 27-2 (Pujara 11, Kohli 7)

Pujara rides the bounce from a wider, shorter ball from Broad, and punches through backward point for four. A fine drive for none stings the palms of cover - much more decisive bat and foot movements on show from these two.

2.49pm BST14:49

11th over: India 23-2 (Pujara 7, Kohli 7)

A beauty first up cuts Kohli in half, right between bat and pad. A couple of balls later, he goes to leave the ball but it just catches his retracting bat, dribbling into the slips. A more convincing finish to the over sees Kohli leave well and then defend into the leg side.

2.44pm BST14:44

10th over: India 23-2 (Pujara 7, Kohli 7)

Extended appeal from Broad and those behind the stumps as Kohli plays forward and gets nothing but pad. Hawkeye says the contact might have been outside off stump, but the ball was hitting. The next ball draws Kohli into an extravagant play and miss, as Broad takes one away from him. The next is not quite timed, but it does bring Kohli two runs down the ground.

2.40pm BST14:40

9th over: India 20-2 (Pujara 7, Kohli 4)

Nicely timed by Pujara, who wants three but is sent back by Kohli. No hard feelings, though, as the pair meet in the middle of the pitch for a fist-bump. Anderson drifts onto leg stump an Pujara times this one better, as it runs to deep fine leg for four.

2.37pm BST14:37

8th over: India 14-2 (Pujara 1, Kohli 4)

Pujara plays a few late and clamps down on one into the leg side which gets him off the mark. Kohli’s fending to Broad, too, as one goes past his edge and into the palms of Jos Buttler. Bat on ball for Virat soon after as he brings his bat down at and angle but defends effectively.

“How about Lilian?” asks Boris Starling. “Australia found Lilian Thomson quite useful in the 70s.”

2.31pm BST14:31

7th over: India 13-2 (Pujara 0, Kohli 4)

So Gambhir’s shoddy run out came first up before the extended lunch break, so it’s Kohli who takes strike and Anderson is right on the money. Thick edge runs to third man for four - looks like the rain has really slowed the outfield.

“Nuances of each ball,” says Leo Phillips, “She’s already pregnant!”

2.29pm BST14:29

Right, the players are making their way back into the middle. Tea will be taken at 4:40pm...

2.26pm BST14:26

Doug is back.

“Loving the suggestions, thanks. Just pleased no one suggested Root.

“You’ll be pleased to know we are now sitting together. Iris (for it is her) now has the added pleasure of listening to me explain the various nuances of each ball.”

2.18pm BST14:18

Nat Gillou makes a good point...

“Love Doug Green’s modus operandus - get a girl pregnant, invite her to sit in the rain three rows away from you in a dead match with an abject India side for hours, and then somehow expect to be given naming rights over the unborn child. Optimistic much?”

2.13pm BST14:13

The official word is play will resume at 2:30pm.

Meanwhile, Tim Pearson felt compelled to suggest “Maiden Marion”.

“Better at Trent Bridge, I’ll grant.”

2.07pm BST14:07

A lot of support for the name “Lara” - expansive West Indian left-hander that one-time Michael Clarke love interest.

Rebecca Heller injects some sense into the discussion, plumping for Clare and Charlotte: “Both lovely names and fine role models.”

Updated at 2.07pm BST

2.05pm BST14:05

Peter Roy suggests “India,” before adding, “Ah, I forgot you said inspired...”

Mac Millings writes: “Perhaps Doug Green and his cricket-convert girlfriend could name their baby “Wicket”. It’s a boy’s name in “Return of the Jedi”, but Ewoks look pretty asexual to me (apart from that one night when I was really drunk), so I think it could work for a baby girl.”

Nick makes a very good point: “Just wondering if Doug Green has simply asked someone sitting closer to his pregnant girlfriend if they could swap seats? Surely, cricket being the gentleman’s game and all, someone wouldn’t mind? As for names - doosra? Googly? Jaffa? Mankad?”

@Vitu_E Lara is both a girls name and one of the greatest proponents of the sport ever.

2.02pm BST14:02

An update from The Oval by Ally Maughan on e-mail:

“Folding doesn’t appear to be a strength at The Oval. Been watching attempted folding action for 20 minutes now, in full sunshine...”

1.58pm BST13:58

Doug, we’ve got some suggestions for you.

“Any cricket inspired for a girl,” starts Barry Webb, “how about ‘Broad’?”

“Carrie Sobers”, suggests Dwacaster and Jeremy Davies rather appallingly suggests, “Batricia”

1.50pm BST13:50

A bit of an update - there’s a clean up at The Oval, with all the soppers you can think of. There are blue skies above the OCS stand and some of the covers have been removed. It’s a delayed start, in which time we can offer our help to Doug Green.

“So I persuaded my girlfriend to come to the cricket. It was never going to be an easy sell - she’s Greek and hates sport - but my talk of sitting together in the sun and drinking all day to a nail-biter match won her over.

“We’re now sat here shivering in howling gales and rain with India capitulating. A full Oval unfortunately means our seats are 3 rows apart, and an unplanned dose of pregnancy means she’s also sober. I’m pretty sure (from here) that she’s a convert.

“Any cricket inspired baby names out there? It’s a girl.”

12.51pm BST12:51

WICKET! Gambhir run out Woakes 3 (India 9-2)

Amazing - just as the rains start to hit, Gambhir goes for a run to midwicket but is sent back. Woakes picks up cleanly and throws down the stumps. Great work but shoddy, shoddy stuff.

And that’s lunch!

12.49pm BST12:49

6th over: India 9-1(Pujara 0, Gambhir 3)

Gambhir gloves one down the leg side but it just lands short of Buttler. Might be worth taking a man from the off side field and chucking him in at leg slip/gully, with Gambhir hopping across his stumps. Another LBW shout but, again, it pitches well outside leg stump. Rain approaching The Oval - should hit in the next 10 minutes (hopefully during lunch).

12.45pm BST12:45

5th over: India 6-1 (Gambhir 0, Pujara 0)

Vijay stepping across and forward to counter Anderson’s swing as he plays the first ball towards the mid on in defence. But after being dragged across with outswingers, Anderson gives him the one that goes in, hitting Vijay in front of middle and hitting leg. Superb piece of bowling.

12.42pm BST12:42

WICKET! Vijay LBW Anderson 2 (India 6-1)

Cracking delivery, sensational set up - a few outswingers have Vijay stepping across his stumps. Anderson then throws in the inswinger and Vijay is trapped in front like a kipper. It’s been coming...

12.39pm BST12:39

4th over: India 6-0 (Vijay 2, Gambhir 0)

Broad goes up for an LBW shout against Gambhir but the ball clearly pitched outside leg stump, and might have been too high. Another nick dies on Ballance and stings his fingers, which Broad and Root find amusing. Gambhir then defends one into his groin and keels over. The next has him hopping back in defence to a ball he should have gone forward to. Stuck on the crease, he’s done by a jaffa that leaves him. Then he has a flirt at a shorter one pushed across him.

12.34pm BST12:34

3rd over: India 6-0 (Vijay 2, Gambhir 0)

Cracking inswinger to Vijay has the Indian batsman flinching as it nearly chops him in half (not literally, of course). He gets right behind the next ball and fends solidly into the offside.

12.30pm BST12:30

2nd over: India 6-0 (Vijay 2, Gambhir 0)

Broad on the money straight away - full and swinging, and Vijay plays it into the leg side with the inside half of his bat for a single. Still good carry from this pitch with the new ball, as Buttler takes a delivery down leg right up at his head. An outside edge from Gambhir falls short of third slip. Leg byes for four but a sharp nut, seaming away and missing Gambhir’s edge, is a nice finish to the over from Broad.

12.25pm BST12:25

1st over: India 1-0 (Vijay 1, Gambhir 0)

Anderson opening up - great shape, as per usual. Gambhir defends his first ball with not great conviction, but he keeps it out and leaves the last. Broad, of course, from the other end.

12.20pm BST12:20

England huddling as Murali Vijay and Gautam Gambhir make their way to the middle.

In other news, Rooteh’s summer stats are mighty impressive..

And so Joe Root's summer will read thus: 11 Innings - 774 Runs - 3 hundreds - 3 Fifties - Average 96.75 #Stayat5Joe

12.12pm BST12:12

117th over: England 486 all out (Root 148) - lead of 338

Smart running gets two from the first ball of Ashwin’s over, taking Root to 148. A one of the next ball has Anderson on strike - will we see the reverse sweep? No - he’s out.

Conditions still great for bowling despite the haemorrhaging of runs this morning. A 40-minute blitz before lunch could see India three down if they’re not careful.

12.10pm BST12:10

WICKET! Anderson LBW Ashwin 1 (England 486 all out - lead of 338)

Anderson plonks his front foot in the line of the ball and he’s adjudged LBW. Looked like it might have been sliding down but, ah well...

12.06pm BST12:06

Abject, abject morning for the Injuns

India bowled 11 overs in the first hour and conceded 98...

12.05pm BST12:05

116th over: England 483-9 (Root 146, Anderson 1)

Michael Holding is at a loss to explain why Anderson is batting considering India’s only tactic will be to damage him. The lead is hefty and only injury can beset Jimmy at this juncture. Root then takes the strike and nicks through the vacant third slip for four. A couple of easy leaves for Jimmy sees the first hour done and dusted.

11.58am BST11:58

115th over: England 477-9 (Root 141, Anderson 0)

Root starts with a delicate late cut for two, as Ashwin replaces Aaron. Then he brings out the reverse sweep for four - “Seeing it like a football,” says Bumble. The field’s up, Aswhin is around the wicket and Root helps it around the corner for four. A long hop is then carted for yet another four.

11.55am BST11:55

114th over: England 463-9 (Root 127, Anderson 0)

Broad has a couple of swipes, the second of which has him backing away to the leg side and trying to ramp over Dhoni as Sharma follows him. Cracking bumper has Broad’s throwing his hands up in defence. Finally, to the fifth ball of the over, Broad gets it up and over Dhoni but it’s cut off by the man running around from fine leg.

11.54am BST11:54

WICKET! Broad c Kohli b Sharma 37 (England 463-9)

Poor decision from Dharmasena, as Broad gets his left glove to a ball that is caught by Kohli, but his hand was off the bat at the time. Ah well, England well in front as it is...

11.48am BST11:48

113th over: England 461-18 (Root 127, Broad 35)

A lavish back cut for four from Root brings up the fifty partnership from just 31 balls. The lead is past 300 and Root unfurls another - poor bowling from Aaron. Root then throws culture out the window, clearing his front leg and Babe Ruths, centre field, for four. The last 20 overs have seen 152 runs!

Updated at 11.58am BST

11.42am BST11:42

112th over: England 449-8 (Root 115, Broad 35)

Broad flat-slaps Sharma for six - ridonkulous shot through deep square leg. He goes again, almost forehand smashing it into the ground for a single. Great fun if you’re an England fan. Root drops one down at his toes and Broad’s diving to make his ground for yet another single, as the run rate moves to four an over.

11.37am BST11:37

111th over: England 440-8 (Root 113, Broad 28)

First good bit of work in the field from India as Root times one into midwicket, which is brilliantly stopped by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, diving to his right. Broad back on strike and he clouts Aaron through mid-wicket. Much better bouncer two balls later has Broad hopping and offering the shoulder of his bat. It squirts into the off side and he scampers to the safety of the nonstriker’s end. Another sharp single ends the over.

Broad going for fastest Test 50 ? Kallis SA v Zimbabwe Capetown 2004-05, 24 balls. England fastest, Botham, 28 Eng v India, Delhi 81-82.

11.32am BST11:32

110th over: England 433-8 (Root 111, Broad 23)

Grim, grim cricket for India as they concede overthrows off the first ball. The second is again racing to third man for four. Sharma then thinks he has Root but replays show his foot over the line. Broad scampers two off the last ball with a ducking hook and India are all over the place.

11.29am BST11:29

WICKET! Root b Sharma 110... but wait!

Root tries to run the ball to third man but plays the ball onto his stumps. But the umpires check the no ball and Sharma’s foot is over the line! Pathetic cricket, really, though feel for Sharma - am sure he’s overstepped a couple of times but the umpires don’t bother checking unless there’s a wicket.

11.25am BST11:25

109th over: England 432-8 (Root 104, Broad 21)

Aaron, the man partly responsible for Broad’s dented beak, bowls full first up and Broad squirts another boundary through gully. Perhaps he feels a bit guilty? Shouldn’t do - get it up him, lad. Tries a short one to Root, but it doesn’t get up too high and Root times nicely to the leg side sweeper. Aaron’s full again and Broad carts him through cover for another boundary. More runs as Broad punches into the off side for two. The over finishes with a lofted slap over cover point. That’s 16 runs from the over...

11.19am BST11:19

108th over: England 407-8 (Root 103, Broad 6)

India on the single to Root, but the little scamp finds the gap between midwicket and mid on for three runs to take him to his 5th Test hundred, and third of the summer. It came off 135 balls, with his second fifty coming off just 42 deliveries. The blemish is that Jordan’s out the very next ball and Broad comes out to bat. Short stuff? Of course, but it’s not directed too well and the Panda-eyed one can tuck one around the corner to get off strike. Back on strike, he swings hard at a wide ball and gets it through gully for four.

Most Test 100s for England before age of 24: 7 A Cook, 5 L Hutton & J Root, 4 I Botham.

Updated at 11.20am BST

11.13am BST11:13

WICKET! Jordan c Dhoni b Sharma 20 (England 400-8)

Good ball from Sharma holds its line and takes the edge of CJ’s bat, who was expecting a bit more movement into him.

11.10am BST11:10

107th over: England 397-7 (Root 99, Jordan 20)

A very easy four for Root, as Aaron shapes one away and Root follows it to thick edge it through third man for four. A tuck off his hip moves him to 98. Jordan does the same and tries to scamper two but is sent back by Root. Another into the leg side takes Root to 99...

11.06am BST11:06

106th over: England 390-7 (Root 83, Jordan 19)

The first ball of the day decks in off the seam and is squirted behind square of the leg side for a single. The second is a short ball that doesn’t get too high up ad swings outrageously past the Jordan for four byes. Another short ball is followed by a full one that Jordan bunts back down the ground for no run. More bat and ball but that’s all from the first over of the day.

11.01am BST11:01

Ishant Sharma to start things off with the ball today from the Pavilion End. Joe Root facing up...

10.54am BST10:54

And here I am.

Overcast at The Oval - so I’ve heard - but the sun shines bright on England, who start the day 237 ahead. It could all be over today for our second consecutive three-day Test, unless India can show some fight. Yeah...

Before we get underway, Barney Ronay riffs on Alastair Cook’s badly needed ton, while Mike Selvey praises Gary Ballance’s unorthodoxy.

Joe Root (92*) is on course for his third century of the summer and has just been talking to Ian Ward about his bat face angles and gully antics. It was a rather beautiful dynamic; Ward playing the older brother who, after years of in-house bullying, has come to realise his younger sibling is a boy no more. Root, smiling along, hoping inside that they’re too old for a wedgie.

He’ll be joined by Chris Jordan (19*) who could provided us with a few languid thumps. Lead of 400, you’d assume, is what England are aiming for here.

Updated at 10.57am BST

10.40am BST10:40

Vithushan will be here shortly.