Moeen Ali spins England to 60-run victory to wrap up series win against India

That’s all from the Ageas Bowl. A brilliant Test match and a fine victory for England. They still have all sorts of problems to work through, notably in the top order, but they can have a beer tonight knowing they have secured a series victory against the No 1 Test side in the world.

Man of the match Moeen Ali:

It’s great to be back. I have missed Test cricket a lot. I needed a break. It’s great to come back and contribute to a winning game.

I’ve played so much in the past few years that it’s not a bad thing to go back to county cricket, play IPL and enjoy cricket again. When I was watching from home I thought I really missed it and realised I wanted to be there.

I’ve been playing in England for a while now and I back myself. I feel like I’m getting better as a spinner and it’s something I need to keep improving on.

Joe Root:

Credit to the group. They were outstanding throughout, from being really up against it on this first morning. I couldn’t be more proud of them.

Root on Moeen Ali:

Today was the best I’ve seen him bowl in an England shirt. It was a testament to his strength in character.

Virat Kohli:

I thought England did well to give that target. They batted well in the third innings. They applied themselves well and got to a total that was challenging for us. We didn’t get the start that we wanted. England were relentless with the ball and applied pressure throughout.

We didn’t make too many mistakes today but they bowled really well. It was a challenging day. We put our best foot forward but it wasn’t good enough. We felt the passion of 11 players on the field wanted to win a Test match for their country.

There are a lot of what-ifs and a couple of calls that could have gone our way. There are many factors that you can think of but I don’t think there are many negatives for us in this game. England played well and deserved to win.

Apart from Lord’s I don’t think we have been outplayed in any game. It has been a really competitive series. Both teams have been going at each other with quality, We definitely will not throw in the towel for the last game.

What a brilliant series this has been with both sides emerging with real credit. India have performed well outside Asia, although perhaps their reliance on Kohli with the bat has proven the crucial factor. England’s top order has been abysmal, but they have won a series against the No 1 Test side in the world.

To push England this hard in conditions loaded in their favour—particularly at Lord’s—& after losing four tosses is testament to the quality of this Indian team. Twice letting England off from 86-6 will mean this series will feel like a golden opportunity missed. #EngvInd

— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) September 2, 2018

Stuart Broad:

Each day you’re not sure which way the Test match is going to go, so it’s great walking off with a series win. Credit to both sides. It’s always a brilliant feeling any time you win any Test match or series but especially against the No 1 side in the world.

It’s been intense. It’s pretty tiring when you’re coming in for consecutive games. We’re proud of the bowling unit for adapting to every pitch.

Ben Stokes:

I’m buzzing. We came here with pressure on but credit to everyone. We could have crumbled in the third innings but we’ve got this fighting character. We put the demons out of our mind and put a score on the board.

So England have won the match by 60 runs and that means they take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series. What a Test match.

Ashwin steps across his stumps, the ball stays low and the finger is raised. Fitting that Curran, who has played such a big role in this victory, picks up the final wicket. FOW 184/10

Two more runs for Ashwin courtesy of a pre-meditated reverse sweep that ends up being an awkward reverse tap played from an upright position. Ashwin then steps down the track and wallops a big six over long-on. Strong hitting from the off spinner, who then manages to scamper a single off the final ball to keep the strike. But he looks to have hurt his leg in the process of reaching to make his ground and calls the physio on.

The left-handed Curran is going round the wicket to Bumrah, but he doesn’t bowl a single ball on the stumps. Too wide outside off stump and Bumrah survives the over.

Can Moeen take the second 10-wicket haul of his Test career? Ashwin isn’t giving up hope just yet and he drops down onto his knee and plays a great sweep shot for four behind square. Ashwin has four Test hundreds to his name, but he has no support around him and cannot get a single to keep the strike for the next over, which means Bumrah will be on strike to new bowler Curran.

Full and wide from Stokes, which allows Ashwin to swing through the line and crunch four runs through point. He turns down a single until the fourth ball of the over, which gives Bumrah two to survive. And he does. Time for drinks.

From 36 for 4 in the 1st Innings to Win by so many is some performance … Sam Curran deserves a lot of the credit as do all the bowlers who have been outstanding this week .. & the catching 👀#EngvInd

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) September 2, 2018

Moeen now has nine wickets in this match. Not bad for his comeback game. Ashwin is now farming the strike.

Moeen to Shami = BIG SHOTS. Shami plops the ball just short of Anderson at long-on with Moeen’s first delivery and then tries again the very next ball, only to miscue it straight into Anderson’s hands. He was never hanging around for long. FOW 163/9

Following that shot in the previous over, Shami has now attempted (and missed) an almighty slog at Stokes. He’s going to try to smash India to victory. May as well, I suppose. He does have one international half-century to his name.

The entire Rashid situation is a strange one. What on earth does he make of his contribution in this series?

England’s No.1 spinner in this match: 14 overs, 40 runs, 0 wickets

— George Dobell (@GeorgeDobell1) September 2, 2018

Sky Sports have changed the “runs to win” graphic to “wickets to win” and the ground announcer has asked the spectators to stay off the playing surface at the close. The end feels nigh. Shami has a hoick at Moeen and heaves a single to the leg-side boundary rider.

India had no reviews remaining, which meant Sharma could not have that lbw decision overturned… which it would have been.

Another lbw shout for the umpire to rule on and he raises his finger to send Sharma on his way. The tall Indian seamer had walked right across his stumps and was hit on the top of the pad. Sharma doesn’t look happy – I suspect he thinks it may have gone over the stumps – but he has to go. FOW 154/8

That wicket means the end of India’s recognised batsmen and you have to think their race may be run now. Sharma averages singles figures with the bat from the 85 Tests he has played.

Moeen looks to have another one! How many of his deliveries have hit the pads today?? This time Rahane goes back to it and is hit on the side of the leg. England are totally convinced it is lbw and the umpire gives it. India review – more out of desperation than anything else – but this is plum. He should have been forward to it. FOW 153/7

A couple of singles apiece off Stokes. I suspect we might see a bowling change at his end.

That was foolish from Pant. The Indian keeper had done well by attacking Moeen, scoring some quick runs and spreading field. He didn’t need to treat it like a T20 match. You have to think this is the key partnership now for India because Ashwin can do plenty of damage with the bat and they only have the three seamers to come.

Pant has succeeded in spreading the field with his attacking shots to Moeen and he continues in the same manner here by stepping down again to hit hard and straight for four. He then tries the same trick but doesn’t get hold of it and only succeeds in slicing the ball to Cook on the cover boundary. He scored 18 from 12 balls but tried one shot too many. FOW 150/6

Stokes continues to dig the ball into Rahane, who is content to leave outside off stump. Maiden.

Moeen is round the wicket to the left-handed Pant, who goes down and misses his attempted sweep. The ball thuds into his midriff, prompting England to appeal but it isn’t to be this time. A single for Rahane then brings up his half-century. He will need to stay there until the end. Pant again shows attacking intent by skipping down the track and taking two more. That puts India within 100 runs of victory.

Stokes to Rahane. Reverse swing on show and Rahane flicks a full ball for two behind square on the leg side.

Moeen will continue to Rahane, who tickles a single to bring Pant on strike. It’s worth noting that India’s keeper averages more than 52 (at a strike rate of 93) in first class cricket so he is far from a mug with the bat. It looks as though he’s going to take the attack to the England bowlers and he skips down the track before lifting Moeen straight back over his head for six. Don’t think this is over yet…

Just the start England wanted after tea and they are now firmly in the driving seat with Pant joining Rahane at the crease. Pant gets off the mark with a nice flick from outside off, working the ball wide of mid-wicket for four.

Stokes has the wicket with just the third ball after the break. Perfect line and length to square Pandya up and the edge flies to Root at second slip, who holds on inches above the turf. A fine catch. FOW 127/5

Here come the players. The next two hours will decide everything.

This is enthralling stuff. Kohli and Rahane batted so well for almost an entire session, but that late wicket from Moeen must have put England’s nose in front again, such is the price of Kohli’s scalp. India only need 119 more runs to win – they are more than halfway there and still have six wickets in hand. Blimey, this is tantalisingly poised.

This will probably be the final over before tea from Moeen. Rahane nicks a single and that will be that.

India’s middle order now have a big task on their hands and the crowd are roaring Stokes to the crease. What a nut first up to Pandya – a jaffa that seams and bounces and passes the outside edge by a whisker. And again the very next ball! Lucky to survive that. Great stuff.

The 17th over from Moeen in this innings and it has changed everything. EVEEEEEEERYTHING (said Ross Kemp-style).

Still plenty of turn for Moeen… and it’s done for Kohli! The big wicket. The ball rips out of the rough, pops up off Kohli’s glove and pad, and then settles in Cook’s hands at short leg. Kohli reviews, but the ball definitely hit his glove. A huge, huge wicket and the end of yet another brilliant innings from the India captain. FOW 123/4

Stokes isn’t happy with these singles that India are picking up so easily. He has no one to blame but himself here though after straying onto Kohli’s hip and asking to be flicked for four through fine leg. That boundary brings up the 100-run partnership between these two. Nervous times for England fans.

It’s the Indian supporters who are far more vocal inside the ground now, greeting every single with cheers. Both batsmen are either getting fully forward or right back to Moeen in an effort to thwart the big turn out of the rough. With much success. Kohli picks up two to the deep mid-wicket sweeper.

As Kohli moves to 50, @CricViz adjusts the #WinViz to 50/50. Doesn’t get much better than this. #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/5vCvWtYhsX

— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) September 2, 2018

That’s the end of Anderson, with Stokes returning to the attack and immediately passing Kohli’s outside edge. These two batsmen have almost batted for the entire session. A maiden to begin for Stokes.

“One mistake boys, one mistake,” shouts Buttler from behind the stumps. “They’ve got to get halfway first.” Still a long way to go, but this is pretty much level-pegging I reckon. Two singles from this Moeen over.

44 false shots by Kohli against Anderson this series. No wickets. Astonishing. #ENGvIND

— Ben Jones (@benjonescricket) September 2, 2018

Anderson continues into the fifth over of his spell and he gets one to climb steeply past Kohli’s outside edge as the India captain has a feel for the ball. That was a beauty. This is some contest. Anderson then strays too straight and Kohli dismisses it to the square leg boundary for four to bring up his half-century. If he wins this match for India here… well, what a phenomenal achievement it would be.

Root makes another change, replacing Rashid with Moeen, and there is huge turn out of the rough straight away. A fine over, but it is will played and one single added.

Yet another big lbw shout is turned down. Anderson finds a bit of reverse swing and gives it large with his pleas, but the umpire reckons the ball was doing too much. And he is correct. These two India batsmen are picking up singles aplenty at the moment.

Short again from Rashid and Rahane picks up three to the backward square leg boundary, which brings up India’s 100. The Indian supporters are becoming increasingly vocal with every single these two batsmen pick up. They are starting to believe. Rashid is convinced he has Kohli lbw with a googly, but the Indian captain got a big stride in and was almost certainly hit outside the line of off stump. Rashid charged towards the umpire pleading for that decision, while Kohli literally laughed.

You know things are getting serious when Sky Sports remove the over counter and replace it with runs required to win. The Indians are picking up singles with relative ease off Anderson in this second spell of his. Three more of them off this over.

Rashid to Kohli. Maiden.

Neat stuff from Anderson, who beats Rahane’s outside edge to generate some interest among the men behind the stumps. Kohli then rides some bounce to play the ball down to third man, where Bairstow fires in a direct hit from the boundary rope – he is some fielder for a keeper – but the India captain is safely home after a second run. This partnership is now worth 73.

A change of ends for Rashid, who replaces Moeen and Kohli drives straight back past the bowler for three. At what point do England stop being favourites to win this?

It’s Anderson time. The big man is back in place of Rashid and searching for some reverse swing, which doesn’t appear to be apparent straight away. Plenty of singles out there and the over ends with Kohli squared up by a ball that just holds its line. Drinks.

Moeen – still bowling over the wicket into the rough – has Bairstow to thank for a diving stop on the deep square-leg boundary to keep Kohli to three with a flick off his pads. Root brings in a gully – a decision that has Nasser Hussain asking questions on commentary – but the ball almost immediately falls into his hands off Rahane’s bat and via his thigh.

Short again from Rashid and pulled again from Kohli, but this time not out of the middle of the bat so he only picks up two.

This is from my cricket club captain, who isn’t happy about Moeen bowling over the wicket to both of these batsmen:

Moeen should be bowling around the wicket, would bring the lbw in to play and the outside edge. England being seduced by the rough.

Huge turn from Moeen as the ball beats the inside of Rahane’s bat and loops up off his thigh pad. A couple of singles added to the total.

Rashid is giving the ball plenty of air in a bid to invite the drive from Kohli and he receives a clap of approval from Stokes at slip. Tempting, tempting, tempting Kohli into the drive, but the Indian captain cannot get the ball away. Another maiden. It’s slow going out there.

Here’s what Moeen has been doing so far in this innings. He’s bowling nicely into that rough patch. Maiden.

A tad short from Rashid, which allows Kohli to rock back and crunch the ball for four straight of deep mid-wicket. That also brings up the 50-partnership between these two off 141 balls. Fine batting. This match is so delicately poised.

Spin from both ends and Rahane picks up two by guiding past slip before repeating the trick for a single.

This might be interesting: it’s Rashid time, which prompts Kohli to take his helmet off and don his cap. Love a batsman in a cap. Big fan of that. Four balls pass gently outside off stump, before Rashid goes straighter and hits Kohli’s front pad with a googly. The appeal is turned down as the ball was going down leg. A third maiden.

Another appeal off Moeen’s bowling as Rahane drops down on one knee and misses an attempted sweep, but he was far outside the line of off stump so it was never even close. Moeen then tries his luck round the wicket, before reverting to over. Can’t accuse him of sitting back and waiting for something to happen. Another maiden.

Broad is bending his back without causing many problems for Kohli at the moment. Maiden.

Kohli leathers a drive to the cover sweeper, but it will just be one and there is no trouble for Rahane during the rest of Moeen’s over.

Nice timing from Kohli adds three to the total with little more than a push through cover off Broad. That’s all for the over.

Moeen Ali is bowling 3kph slower than Ashwin did in the third inning, and is finding more than 40% more turn. #ENGvIND

— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) September 2, 2018

The Moeen to Kohli battle continues. Moeen lands it in the rough and the ball rips a mile while almost rolling along the ground before crashing into Kohli’s pad. A huge, huge appeal but the umpire shakes his head. England waste little time in reviewing… but it struck the India captain outside off stump so they have now lost both of their reviews. Good decision from the umpire and that continues the run in this series of (something like) 27 successive unsuccessful reviews from both sides.

Has Broad got Rahane? He certainly thinks so as the ball hits something on the way through to Buttler behind the stumps. The bowler reckons he’s edged it and so do the slips. But the umpire shakes his head and it looks as though Buttler isn’t convinced so there is no review. Correct decision. The ball hit high on Rahane’s thigh but there was no contact with bat or glove. An outside off stump line from Broad results in five dot balls, before he strays onto Rahane’s hip and is helped on its way for four.

Moeen is attempting to drop the ball into that rough patch outside off, but he’s too full here and Kohli creams a drive behind point for four.

Broad, who bowled superbly with the new ball at the top of the innings, will share responsibilities after the break. Rahane angles his bat for one to third man before Kohli scampers a quick single to mid-off.

Moeen will begin this second session bowling to Rahane, who gets the scoreboard moving with a tickle for one.

Here come the players. Huge session.

Here is ICC match referee Chris Broad:

@BumbleCricket there has to be conclusive evidence to overturn the on-field decision. Not Out on field, correct decision by the 3rd umpire

— Chris Broad (@ChrisBroad3) September 2, 2018

But this is also a good point:

Good point made by @nassercricket regarding the Virat Kohli lbw. The DRS protocol should involve the on-field Umpire explaining his decision: was it not out because he thought he hit it or because it hit outside the line/was missing? What is the third umpire overturning? #EngvInd

— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) September 2, 2018

Geoffrey Boycott has had his say on BBC Test Match Special:

That looked quite simple to me – that was the pad. He got away with it. He never mentioned about hitting it. The TV umpire never mentioned the bat hitting the pad – it was clear as anything. It was a big hit. That is poor.

And here is former Aussie batsman Mark Waugh:

The 3rd umpire has got that wrong. No inside Edge. Bat hit pad not ball. Kohli very lucky.

— Mark Waugh (@juniorwaugh349) September 2, 2018

Kohli and Rahane survive to the break. Whether the India captain should be there or not depends on whether you are the third umpire or every other human being on the planet. Anyway, there is a long way to go before we know if that decision was correct or not. England, thanks to brilliant opening spells from Anderson and Broad, are in pole position here with India still needing 199 more runs to win. Back soon.

Has Curran made the breakthrough before lunch? The left-hander has moved round the wicket to Rahane, strikes him on the front pad and the umpire’s finger is raised. The only question is whether it possibly struck him outside the line of off stump. Rahane reviews… it did hit him outside the line. Decision overturned. And that will be lunch.

Moeen drops short to Rahane, who slaps it to the mid-wicket boundary where Bairstow produces some smart work to keep him to two.

I dunno, maybe, just maybe, there might have been an edge. But if there is then I cannot see it. Sky Sports have slowed it down numerous times and there is no deviation to the eye at all. There looks to be daylight between bat and ball. Bonkers. And the third umpire made the decision so quickly as well.

Anyway, Curran is into the attack and he starts with a maiden to Kohli.

For India to stand any chanve of winning this game, you have to think these two at the crease have to remain intact at lunch at 1pm. Kohli swipes a couple to deep square leg and is then struck on the front pad. A huge appeal from Moeen prompts an immediate review of the not out decision. I think this is hitting the stumps, but did Kohli get himself outside the line of off stump? Erm… I cannot believe the third umpire’s decision and no one on the field can either. Kohli’s bat clearly hit his pad as the ball arrived, but the third umpire somehow rules that he actually hit the ball. Root is furious. And rightly so. No one can see the edge on replay because it simply wasn’t there. And, to make matters worse, the decision should have been overturned because it hit him inline and was hitting the stumps. A shocking decision. Awful. 

Rahane rides a short one from Stokes to pick up three to the mid-wicket boundary. Stokes is not fully fit, so he’s only trundling in off a short run and is averaging 81mph in this Test, which is the slowest in his career. Not too shabby considering his little amble to the crease though. Kohli adds two with a tuck off his hip.

Plenty of turn on show for Moeen. I know Moeen has the rough stuff to aim at, but I wonder what Rashid thinks of all this and his role in general. He’s pretty much been a bystander with the ball throughout this series, with India’s second innings at Trent Bridge the only time he has been given a proper bowl. Two singles off the over.

A double change sees Stokes come into the attack and he’s straight into the short stuff at Rahane. A massive slice of seam movement completely beats Rahane outside off stump, although it moved too much for any batsman to get near it. Another maiden.

Time for a bit of spin as Moeen is thrown the ball early on with the rough patch outside off stump to aim for. And he is in the foot hole straight away to Kohli. Buttler appeals for lbw with the India captain struck on the front pad, but he was outside the line of off stump and the big turn meant it was probably going down leg as well. Big revs from Moeen here and it’s a maiden.

These two Indian batsmen are chancing nothing at the moment. Four singles, all from defensive shots, from Broad’s over.

A maiden from Anderson to Kohli.

Kohli off the mark with a single to mid-off.

James Anderson was all over Dhawan today. He bowled 22 deliveries at the left-hander, and drew seven false shots – almost once every three balls. Classically, most of the trouble came in that dangerous corridor, just outside off. #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/5YdiPnVanI

— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) September 2, 2018

Three slips and a short leg in place to new man Rahane. When Anderson and Broad are in full flight like this, it is very difficult to keep them out. A monumental task for India from here.

Lovely stuff from the England team. Another cracker from Anderson totally squares Dhawan up from over the wicket and the thick edge is taken smartly by Stokes diving low to his left from gully. FOW 22/3

Blimey, these two are bowling superbly. Now Broad is testing Dhawan’s outside edge. Just the one single down to third man.

That wicket brings Kohli to the crease. Big cheer from the crowd. Can he produce an historic innings? He needs to.

Geeky tweet alert: India used the light roller ahead of their first innings. I think that was a major error as it didn’t flatten out indentations made by the ball on a slightly damp surface in the first innings of the match. Those bumps bake in and make life hard in 4th innings.

— George Dobell (@GeorgeDobell1) September 2, 2018

Woof. Anderson is moving the ball both ways and he passes Dhawan’s outside edge by a whisker. That is so tough to play. Bowling round the wicket, Anderson angles the ball into the left hander and then seams it away from him. He then strays slightly too full though and Dhawan opens the face to pick up three down to third man. That brings Pujara on strike and… he’s gone! Another lbw shout, this time with the ball striking the back thigh and the umpire’s finger is raised. Pujara reviews but the decision stays with the umpire and India are two down. FOW 17/2

This are tricky times for these Indian batsmen, with Broad seaming the ball late away from them and passing the outside edge. That forces Broad straighter though and Pujara tucks a couple off his pads.

A graphical representation of just how unlucky Rahul was:

The ball which dismissed Rahul bounced 36cm. Others balls that Broad has bowled on that spot in this innings bounced 1m. #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/pR7EeUWUjX

— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) September 2, 2018

Anderson is angling the ball sharply into Dhawan’s body and he gives the third big appeal of this spell after hitting the batsman on the front pad. This looks the closest of the trio, but the umpire says no and England decide against the review after a long debate. What does ball tracker say? Umpire’s call. That was very close. Anderson then fizzes one past the outside edge. These England bowlers have started well.

That was hugely unfortunate for Rahul. Nothing at all a batsman can do when the ball rolls like that. Broad seems pretty pumped up here and he finds Pujara’s outside edge, with the ball flying square to deep point for one. Dhawan then flicks smartly off his pads for four through mid wicket.

Got him! A good length from Broad and the ball doesn’t bounce at all. Rahul can’t do much to keep it out and it clatters into middle and off. That is precisely why chasing a big total in the fourth innings is so tough. FOW 4/1

India are up and running courtesy of an outside edge, played along the ground wide of the slip cordon that runs away for four. Anderson and the men behind the stumps then think they might have Dhawan lbw, but the umpire shakes his head with the ball going just down leg.

Time for one of Broad’s spells? He looks in the mood, beating Rahul with consecutive deliveries and prompting a smirk from the Indian opener. Another maiden, with all six balls on or just outside off stump.

Can’t think of many better scenarios in sport than this 245-run struggle between England and India under a clear blue Sunday sky.

— Paul Hayward (@_PaulHayward) September 2, 2018

Anderson will begin round the wicket to Dhawan, who shoulders arms and is hit on the top of the pad with the second delivery of the innings. No shot played and England appeal for lbw, but it was too high. And too wide in fact. No review. Maiden

India have only once (back in 1976) made more in the fourth innings of a Test outside Asia to win a match.

Do England have enough runs? The players are on their way out for the final innings. We shall see.

So that is that. A shame for Curran’s innings to end that way just as he was looking to start teeing off, but there you go. England have added 11 runs to their overnight score and India require 245 runs to win. This could be very close.

What have we here? The ball deflects off Curran’s thigh and behind the keeper. The young batsman has no idea where the ball has gone so sets off very late when Anderson calls him through. Curran is desperate to get back on strike so turns for the second, but has no chance of making his ground despite a desperate dive at the end. FOW 271/10

This is more like it. Curran biffs the first ball of the over to long-off… and turns down the single. Keep shepherding, son. He nudges one of the fourth ball of the over, which leaves Anderson two to face with a short leg waiting to pounce. Not this over though. Job done by the No 11.

Oh yes, wonderful from Curran, who shows the full blade to Ashwin and drives all along the ground back past the bowler for four. Very nice. And then he takes the single off the fourth ball of the over for Anderson to survive just one. Proper shepherding that.

I‘m not sure many of the folk in the crowd realise, but Shami is on a hattrick here, having removed Rashid and Broad in successive balls. Can he seal the deal? No. It’s full and Curran drives it to the cover sweeper. He decides to walk the single, which leaves Anderson with five balls to face. I’m not sure that is a good idea at all although it’s tricky for such a young, inexperienced batsman to tell one of England’s most senior players that he’s not letting him face. Anyway, Anderson manages to tickle a single to fine leg and Curran takes one more to keep the strike for the next over.

Right then. Curran is going to have to change his mindset here you would think, now that he only has Jimmy for company. Ashwin will continue, but Curran is not yet on the offensive, nudging a single off the fourth delivery… and Anderson survives the remaining two.

Thanks for coming Stuart. Really, really good effort with the bat that. Just what England needed.

Shami will get the day under way and he has one ball remaining in his over having removed Rashid last night. Full and outside off stump, Broad goes for a stupid, stupid half-drive and edges it behind to Pant. One ball, one wicket. Laughable. Actually laughable. FOW 260/9

The players are out in the middle and look what I’ve found from yesterday: the endangered species that is the beer snake! Those Hampshire folk don’t care for those newfangled re-usable plastic cups.

It’s almost time for play to begin, but there is just enough time to have a quick read of India coach Ravi Shastri’s thoughts:

It’s even-stevens. Anything less than 270 is definitely gettable. This pitch has eased out. There’s something there for the bowlers but if you get in, like Buttler showed and Curran showed, we can get runs.

Yesterday was very good. The fast bowlers were so disciplined. The sun was out. There was no help. Ashwin obviously tried his best but we thought a little more balls outside the off stump would have been helpful. You might be trying too hard. In such cases, you should try to be relaxed and just put the ball in the right areas and let the pitch do its work.

Spinners will have a lot of work to do. But our boys have played on fourth, fifth-day tracks back home so I’m sure they’re prepared for the challenge. If you look at the numbers, yes, somewhat disappointed with the batsmen, but it’s not for lack of effort.

There are areas they have to work at, playing with soft hands, letting the ball come to you. And if they can do that today, I’ll be perfectly happy”

A few things are definitely worth flagging before the action gets under way today:

• Tim Wigmore has written an interesting piece on how this is a difficult era for Test opening batsmen – not just England’s openers.
• Scyld Berry says Jos Buttler must be used as a specialist No 6 batsmen, with Jonny Bairstow resuming duties with the gloves.
• Paul Hayward has written this about England’s ‘Total Cricket’. You can read a snippet from that piece here:

This England camp has doubled up as a careers fair, with batsmen and wicketkeepers lining up to be told which job suits them best. With all this shifting around, England have borrowed an idea from the Dutch and created “Total Cricket”.

Drinks all round for England’s all-rounders, who have preserved England’s advantage in this series. To an outsider, the fuss around whether a batsman should come in at five or six can seem a bit neurotic. The Southampton Test has set a new level of debate about the order in which people should leave the pavilion. Moeen Ali, for example, moved up from seven to three for England’s second innings, but Jonny Bairstow, who was bowled first ball by Mohammed Shami, seems thoroughly disconcerted by being promoted. More so, by the possible long-term loss of the wicketkeeping gloves to Jos Buttler.

A broken finger from Trent Bridge precluded Bairstow from crouching behind the stumps here at the Ageas Bowl. He can have no complaint about being protected from a bullet that might slam into his hand at 80mph. But there are political ramifications. There has been a shift this summer towards squad rotation, flexible deployment and, critics could argue, a tendency to over-think the search for specialist batsmen, the area where England are weakest.

Totally unrelated to this match, but this is some great stuff from Australia’s George Bailey on his run-in with James Anderson during the 2013/14 Ashes:

Some comedy gold from George Bailey, who re-lives some ’13-14 Ashes folklore involving James Anderson 😂😂 MORE: https://t.co/baTmoDKTDP pic.twitter.com/GTutPqJ1jX

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) August 31, 2018

A lot will be made today of the rough patch outside off stump to the right hander. Sharma has been given two official warnings for landing in it when bowling round the wicket, but England shouldn’t be too concerned because it will play right into Moeen’s hands later on.

Oddly, Ashwin didn’t use the rough well yesterday and came in for plenty of stick from the Sky Sports commentators for bowling too quickly. Can Moeen learn from his far more accomplished adversary?

Does this pitchmap point the way for Moeen Ali later today? Ashwin’s only wicket on Day Three was the result of one his fullest deliveries – will the Englishman be willing to gamble by pitching it up? #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/ePgxhlfwyA

— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) September 2, 2018

Hello and welcome to what looks certain to be a cracking day of Test cricket. Everyone said how decisive yesterday’s play would be and yet… it strangely wasn’t.

The two sides began the day even, reached lunch even, went for tea even and are still locked together evenly now. Well, even-ish. The bookies reckon England are general 8/15 favourites with India around 7/5. Either way, it’s pretty damn close.

So what happened yesterday? Well, it was nip and it was tuck. Jennings batted well for a bit, Root batted well for a bit, Stokes batted well for a bit… but the only man to pass 50 was Buttler. Ashwin rarely had the ball out of hand – he has bowled 35 overs in this innings – but looked strangely subdued and took just one wicket despite favourable pitch conditions. The seam trio of Bumrah, Shami and Sharma threatened throughout.

The situation now is that England are 260/8, which is a lead of 233. Crucially, Curran is still at the crease, unbeaten on 37. My word, he looks remarkably assured for such a young man at this early stage of a Test career batting down at No 8. Hugely, hugely impressive.

England’s aim will be to push their lead beyond 250 and see just how far they can go. We are already in territory where India have only once in their history chased down a total this big to win outside of Asia. But if there is a man to rubbish that stat it is Kohli. You can see it now: the enormous celebrations as he leaps about and roars in the middle having led his side to victory with a glorious unbeaten ton.

The weather is beautiful down in Hampshire and the cloud is as blue as can be. These chaps have decided it’s so nice they fancy some brekkie just by the boundary rope. Amazing the privileges that being an international cricket legend (or Ian Ward) gives you…