A late wicket burst from Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse helped to lift England after they toiled hard on a slow track against India’s stubborn resistance on day three of the third Test at Lord’s.
After resuming on 145-3, India were dismissed for 387 with the scores level, creating a one-innings game, after KL Rahul (100) notched a 177-ball century and Ravindra Jadeja’s 72 frustrated the hosts with lower-order resistance.
It was hard toil for the hosts on a flat pitch in 28-degree London heat, but England captain Ben Stokes (2-63) claimed Rishabh Pant (74) on the stroke of lunch, and a late wicket haul from Woakes (3-84) and Carse (1-88) helped lift the mood.
Score summary, third Test, day three
England first innings: 387 all out after 112.3 overs: Joe Root 104 off 199, Brydon Carse 56, Jamie Smith 51; Jasprit Bumrah 5-74
India first innings 387 all out after 119.2 overs KL Rahul 100 off 177, Rishabh Pant 74; Chris Woakes 3-84
England second innings 2-0 after one over: Zak Crawley 2no; Jasprit Bumrah 0-2
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There was a heated end to the third day of the third Test as England’s players stalled play
Shoaib Bashir (1-59) claimed centurion Rahul with the first ball after he notched his 10th Test century, but the England spinner later left the field after injuring his little finger on his left (non-bowling) hand in his follow-through.
The Test initially seemed to be heading towards a draw, but in true Bazball fashion, England fought hard to make India slip from 376-7 to 387 all out in six overs, with Ben Duckett (0no) and Zak Crawley (2no) surviving a one-over spell from Jasprit Bumrah (0-2) after creating some comical delays.
Long day for England provides late entertainment
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Ben Stokes took out Nitish Kumar Reddy as the all-rounder edged it to Jamie Smith.
It was a hard-fought day for England, with the first wicket only coming just before lunch, breaking a 141-run stand between Rahul and Pant.
Stokes was the man to do it, noticing that Pant stuttered at the start of his run, he threw the ball in from cover point and had a direct hit, and an umpire review confirmed a sliding bat couldn’t save the India No 5.
Rahul then brought up his milestone, the first time he has scored more than one hundred in a series, but his celebrations were short-lived as he edged Bashir behind to Harry Brook at slip right after.
A stubborn partnership from Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy (30) worth 72 runs created more frustration for England, but a brilliant ball from Stokes caught the edge of the latter.
A fine diving catch from Jamie Smith down the leg-side saw Jadeja walk back to the Pavilion after he edged Woakes behind.
The England bowler was then twice denied an lbw decision on review as DRS favoured Akash Deep (7), but a superb one-handed effort from Brook at third slip saw him dismissed off Carse.
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DRS saved India for two lbws in three balls, much to Chris Woakes’ disappointment.
Woakes then dismissed Bumrah (0) for a duck as India fell to 387-9 before Archer had Washington Sundar (23) caught in the deep by Brook with scores levelled and India bowled out.
Crawley and Duckett stalled Bumrah for as long as possible to ensure they would have to face as few deliveries as possible, which visibly annoyed India captain Shubman Gill but provided comic relief for the Lord’s spectators.
The third Test initially seemed to be heading to a draw, an unlikely and unsatisfying conclusion under Stokes and Brendon McCullum’s regime, but a result is now almost certain with a one-inning contest.
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Harry Brook made a superb diving, one-handed effort to get out Akash Deep on day three of England’s third Test against India.
Watch day four of the third Test between England and India at Lord’s, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10am Sunday (11am first ball) or stream without a contract.
England vs India – results and schedule
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