Key events
That’s a thumping win for India, a welcome palate-cleanser after their T20 woes. England were always playing catch up after collapsing from 61-0 to 80-5 this morning. They also picked the wrong team, though this is a hindsight-based observation.
India win by six wickets with 28 balls remaining!
452. overs: India 262-4 (Washington 52, Axar 57) Axar takes a single off Rashid, which allows Washington to kill two birds with one stone: he swipes Rashid for a straight six to bring up his own fifty and finish the match in style.
45th over: India 255-4 (Washington 46, Axar 56) Washington spanks Curran back over his head for four, then flogs a pull over midwicket to move to within four of his own half-century. He might not have the chance to get there: India need four to win and Axar wiill be on strike at the start of the next over.
44th over: India 245-4 (Washington 37, Axar 55) Adil Rashid returns after bowling only four of the first 43 overs. He wasn’t at his playful best, but nor did he bowl badly.
Three singles move India closer to their end goal. In this format, they are just too good.
43rd over: India 242-4 (Washington 35, Axar 54) You can log off if you like; we’ll see it through. India need 17 from 42 balls. CAN THEY DO IT HAVE YOUR SAY.
42nd over: India 239-4 (Washington 32, Axar 54) Josh Tongue ends a promising ODI debut with figures of 10-0-50-1.
41st over: India 235-4 (Washington 29, Axar 52) Axar rushes to a 39-ball fifty with two boundaries in three balls off Jacks, a lofted drive down the ground and then a lusty slog-sweep.
With four wickets earlier in the day, Axar is the player of the match by a distance.
40th over: India 223-4 (Washington 29, Axar 42) Axar crashes Tongue between extra cover and mid off for four, a brilliantly placed shot. Axar has raced to 42 from 37 balls yet his innings has felt largely risk-free.
39th over: India 216-4 (Washington 29, Axar 35)
Washington is not out!
Never mind missing leg; it pitched outside leg. Washington tried to pull and got in a tangle; replays show the ball actually hit the stumps without dislodging the bails.
England review for LBW against Washington
The ball from Jacks kept very low but is probably missing leg stump.
38th over: India 212-4 (Washington 27, Axar 33) The last ball of Archer’s spell is a searing yorker that is defended expertly by Axar. Archer, who bowled some ferocious deliveries, finishes with slightly harsh figures of 10-0-60-1.
37th over: India 211-4 (Washington 26, Axar 33) A single off Jacks brings up a quietly superb fifty partnership – no fuss, few frills, but it has settled a match that was in danger of getting away from India.
“All very chucklesome seeing the guy in the crowd soaked in booze having tried to catch the six from Washington,” writes Gary Naylor. “Tomorrow night, blokes all over the country will be doing that by choice. Yep – me neither.”
At least the chap at Edgbaston didn’t have any flares in his pocket.
36th over: India 207-4 (Washington 24, Axar 31) Curran off, Archer on. His first two balls are loose and put away to the fence with a flourish by Axar.
This has been an impressive, two-paced partnership: nine runs from the first four overs, 38 from the last four.
35th over: India 196-4 (Washington 24, Axar 20) Washington slog-sweeps Jacks handsomely for six. Have some of that! The ball is dropped in the crowd by some poor guy who falls backwards in his seat and ends up covered in Sticky ABV Product. We’ll be seeing that clip in a few montages.
India, who were wobbling slightly at 160 for 4, have regained control with the minimum of fuss.
34th over: India 184-4 (Washington 22, Axar 10) Curran enquires unsuccessfully for LBW against Axar, who missed a whip across the line. Curran was bowling round the wicket so it pitched well outside leg stump.
Four singles are followed by a pull for two from Axar. India need 75 from 96 balls.
33rd over: India 178-4 (Washington 20, Axar 6) Adil Rashid, on in place of Jacks, is swept firmly for four by Washington. This pair have dealt very calmly with an awkward situation.
32nd over: India 169-4 (Washington 13, Axar 4) Curran is a whisker away from making the breakthrough. A slower yorker beats Washington all ends up and misses off stump by this much. Beautifully bowled but no cigar.
31st over: India 166-4 (Washington 12, Axar 2) Four singles from Jacks’ over. Washington and Axar are both very smart cricketers and it’s hard to see them being bored out, so presumably England’s plan is to slow the game down until somebody produces a jaffa.
30th over: India 162-4 (Washington 10, Axar 0) Archer and Tongue each have two overs left. Harry Brook decides to save those overs and goesback to Sam Curran, who tightens the screw a peedie bit with five dot balls out of six. The run-rate isn’t yet an issue for India, who need 97 from 120 balls.
29th over: India 161-4 (Washington 9, Axar 0) A good over from Jacks, one from it. Though India remain strong favourites, England have given themselves a sniff. What more can anyone ask for?
28th over: India 160-4 (Washington 8, Axar 0) Axar Patel is the new batter, so England have two left-handers to explore.
WICKET! India 160-4 (Rahul b Tongue 1)
Hello. KL Rahul drags a cut onto his stumps to give Josh Tongue his first ODI wicket. India have lost two in six balls, and Shubman Gill is being force-fed pickle juice as we speak.
27th over: India 157-3 (Washington 6, Rahul 0) Replays show that Shreyas made a terrible mess of that run. First he veered away from the ball, which gave Brook a clear path to hit the stumps, then he looked over his shoulder to see where the ball was. After the fortnight he’s had, that will frustrate the hell out of him.
WICKET! India 157-3 (Shreyas run out 35)
Jofra Archer’s return brings a wicket, though not as England intended. Washington takes a quick single to mid-on, the non-striker Shreyas doesn’t run in a straight line and Brook beats him with an excellent direct hit.
26th over: India 150-2 (Shreyas 34, Washington 1) Washington Sundar walks out at No5.
Gill retires hurt on 80
Yep, Shubman Gill is walking gingerly from the field. He has played a charming innings, 80 from 75 balls with 11 fours and a six, and could potentially return after on to complete his hundred. Not sure it’s worth the risk though.
Those 80 runs have lifted Gill’s average to extraordinary heights: 60.57. That’s an all-time record among the Test-playing nations. Dawid Malan is fourth on the list as well.
25.4 overs: India 149-2 (Gill 80, Shreyas 34) Gill pulls Josh Tongue easily for four, shouts “Fakk off!” after missing a cut stroke and then calls the physio on for more treatment. He might have to retire hurt.
25th over: India 145-2 (Gill 76, Shreyas 34) For most of the 21st century England have been good at either red-ball or white-ball cricket, but rarely both at the same time. This time are taking that to the next level by splitting their form in the two white-ball formats. Defeat today will be their 13th in 19 ODIs since Brendon McCullum took over, which contrasts pretty heavily with a record of 20 wins in the last 23 T20Is.
24th over: India 141-2 (Gill 74, Shreyas 32) Gill winces with cramp after sweeping Jacks up and over for four. This is like an elegant variation on the old line about Gordon Greenidge batting on one leg.
Ignore that change-of-ends business: Will Jacks is coming on, the fourth different spinner in as many overs. But first, Gill needs treatment for cramp.
23rd over: India 135-2 (Gill 69, Shreyas 31) That Bethell over was to facilitate a change of ends for Rashid, who has been replaced by Dawson. Gill inches closer to a hundred, India to their victory target.
22nd over: India 129-2 (Gill 65, Shreyas 30) Jacob Bethell is brought into the attack before Liam Dawson, a surprising decision that doesn’t have the desired effect. Shreyas helps a poor ball to the fine-leg boundary; Gill lifts a regal drive over extra cover for four. India are officially cruising.
21st over: India 119-2 (Gill 59, Shreyas 26) Gill decides to go after Rashid, hitting him for two fours in three balls. He’s batting beautifully and has 59 from 56 balls.
Fifty for Shubman Gill
20th over: India 110-2 (Gill 51, Shreyas 25) A short ball from Curran is under-edged for four by Gill to bring up an elegant and authoritative half-century from 51 balls. We shouldn’t be surprised: he scored 430 runs in last summer’s Edgbaston Test.
Another bouncer from Curran, this time to Shreyas, whooshes away for five byes. That’s an especially risky delivery with Buttler up to the stumps. England are trying everything but it feels like a futile endeavour.
Source: www.theguardian.com
