England's Chris Woakes runs between wickets on the fifth and final day of the fifth Test cricket match between England and India at The Oval. Photo / AFP
England's Chris Woakes runs between wickets on the fifth and final day of the fifth Test cricket match between England and India at The Oval. Photo / AFP
The England-India series ended in the most dramatic fashion after a scintillating hour of play.
Telegraph Sport breaks down how it unfolded.
11.01am: Overton hits first ball of day for four
With England needing 35 runs to win, conventional wisdom was that the rain that curtailed day four favoured them.Jamie Overton had floundered on the fourth evening, but pulled the very first delivery of the day, from Prasidh Krishna, for an emphatic four. Overton continued his aggressive approach to the next delivery: an inside-edge, earning a fortuitous boundary. In two balls, England had taken almost a quarter off their target
In the first full over of the day, Jamie Smith nicked Mohammed Siraj behind. Wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel completed a regulation catch. But the umpires, desperate not to err at such a high-octane moment of the test, still referred the decision, just to be sure. England now needed 27 more runs, with just three wickets left.
11.21am: Overton out... just
Having rapped him on the pads, and after a long, vociferous appeal, Siraj finally persuaded umpire Kumar Dharmasena to put his finger up and give Overton out lbw. Siraj’s screams were worth it: when Overton reviewed the decision, it was shown to be umpire’s call, narrowly clipping the outside of leg stump. England were now 354 for eight needing 20 more with two wickets left.
11.23am: India decline new ball
While India floundered during the 195-run stand between Harry Brook and Joe Root, they seemed to be waiting in vain for the second new ball. Yet, late on day four, the old ball started to swing prodigiously, triggering England’s collapse. India wisely persisted with the old ball, which had earned them four wickets in the previous 10 overs, spread across the fourth evening and fifth morning.
11.24am: Woakes seen in the dressing room
Chris Woakes was seen in the dressing room in whites ready to bat, if needed, with his arm in a sling beneath his jumper.
In 1963, Colin Cowdrey batted with a broken arm in a test against West Indies at Lord’s, helping England to salvage a draw without facing a ball. Woakes had prepared.
Krishna won a leg-before decision against Josh Tongue, which would have reduced England to 355 for nine. But Tongue’s review showed that the ball was missing leg stump, and the decision was overturned. The original decision stopped England from clinching a leg-bye – important given the infinitesimal margins in the test.
11.37am: Krishna fires yorker past Tongue
An 88mph (142km/h) yorker from Kirshna made a mess of Tongue’s stumps, leaving England 357 for nine, and on the brink of defeat.
11.39am: Out comes Woakes
Woakes earned a standing ovation, from England and India supporters alike, as he entered the field. England’s only piece of fortune was that Tongue had been dismissed from the last ball of the over, so Woakes was not on strike.
11.42am: Atkinson hits a six
With only Woakes for company, Gus Atkinson needed to score the runs himself. From the second ball of their partnership, Atkinson launched a slog-sweep towards the Lock-Laker Balcony off Siraj. Akash Deep intercepted the ball with arms extended, but he could only tip it over the boundary rope, conceding six runs. Now, England needed just 11 more.
11.54am: England pinch a bye
Atkinson was on strike for the last ball of Siraj’s over. With England still needing 11, India could have brought up the field – accepting the risk of a boundary in return for ensuring that Woakes would be on strike for the start of the next over. But Shubman Gill preferred to keep a more orthodox field.
Atkinson swung and missed at a wide delivery, then scampered through for a bye. Woakes, grimacing as he ran, would have been run-out had Jurel’s under-arm hit the stumps. Instead, the throw agonisingly missed; England’s target was down to 10. In the next over Atkinson swiped two to cow corner then punched a single to long-on off Krishna, reducing England’s target to seven.
Mohammed Siraj of India celebrates the wicket of Jamie Overton of England with teammates to win the fifth test at The Oval. Photo / Getty Images
11.56am: It’s all over
Siraj was the only seamer on either side who started the series and was still bowling by the end. For all the focus on Siraj’s unrelenting spirit, the focus on his heart and stamina can obscure what a skilled bowler he is, moving the ball both ways at speeds above 85mph.
Cruelly, Siraj’s dropped catch off Brook on day four threatened to be seen as the decisive moment in the final Test. But Siraj willed this match to have a different ending. With seven runs to win and Atkinson on strike, Siraj summoned one last pinpoint yorker. As Siraj knocked out the stumps, then wheeled away in celebration and looked to the heavens in delight, this pulsating series had the most fitting ending.
