1st test: England secure second-highest successful run chase to beat India by five wickets

Leeds, June 24 (IANS) Bazball continues to redefine the boundaries of Test cricket, and at Headingley, it delivered one of its most stirring statements yet. England chased down a mammoth 371 on the final day to seal a remarkable five-wicket win over India, going 1-0 up in the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Headingley here on Tuesday.

This was England’s second-highest successful run chase in Test history and the second-highest ever against India.

The chase was built on a rock-solid platform provided by openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, who added 188 for the first wicket. Duckett led the way with a sublime 149 off just 170 balls, mixing composure with calculated aggression.

Crawley was fluent for his 65 before falling, but the damage was done. Even though Shardul Thakur brought India back into the game for a brief period with two wickets in two balls—removing Duckett and Harry Brook—it was England’s calm middle-order that ensured the momentum wasn’t lost.

Joe Root, playing in front of his home crowd, remained unbeaten on 53, while debutant Jamie Smith showed maturity beyond his years with an unbeaten 44.

Their unbroken 71-run stand took England past the target, with Smith slog-sweeping Ravindra Jadeja for six to seal the match in style.

India, despite holding the upper hand at several key moments, will rue their missed chances.

They had the match in their control on more than one occasion but allowed England back in repeatedly through collapses and sloppy fielding. After losing the toss, India posted a massive 471 in the first innings, thanks to hundreds from Shubman Gill (147), Rishabh Pant (134), and Yashasvi Jaiswal (101).

At 430/3 in the first innings, a total beyond 550 looked inevitable, but a dramatic collapse saw them lose their last seven wickets for just 41 runs—an opening England were quick to exploit.

England’s response was equally resolute. Duckett (62), Ollie Pope (106), and Harry Brook (99) kept them in the contest. Brook, dropped multiple times during his innings, rode his luck but ensured England stayed in touch. India had England at 276/5 at one stage, but the lower order staged a counter-attack, adding 189 runs for the final five wickets. England ended just six runs behind, reducing the match to a one-innings shootout.

In the second innings, KL Rahul’s patient 137 and another brilliant century from Rishabh Pant (118) gave India a golden opportunity to bat England out of the contest. The pair added 195 for the fifth wicket, and at 333/4, India were firmly on top. But once again, they fell away alarmingly, collapsing to 364 all out, losing six wickets for just 31 runs as England's seamers, especially Josh Tongue and Stokes, cashed in with the second new ball. This recurring inability to finish strong was a theme throughout the match for India.

England’s chase of 371 was historic on multiple counts. It is now the second-highest successful chase on the final scheduled day of a Test match, only behind Australia’s 404 at the same venue in 1948. It also made Headingley the only ground in the world to witness three successful fourth-innings chases of more than 350, underlining its status as a venue of epic finishes.

Remarkably, this match also became only the third instance in Test history where all four innings saw scores of 350 or more.

India’s fielding, however, left a lot to be desired. Dropped catches, misfields, and poor decision-making on the ground allowed England breathing room. Bumrah, the leader of the attack, went wicketless in the second innings, while Prasidh Krishna proved expensive throughout, registering an economy rate of 6.28 in the first innings—the worst by an Indian Test bowler who has bowled 20 or more overs. Thakur bowled in inspired spells but lacked support at the other end.

In the end, it was Joe Root’s calmness and Jamie Smith’s confidence that carried England home. The roar at Headingley as Root reached his 66th Test fifty—matching the number on his shirt—was only matched by the final cheers when Smith slog-swept the winning runs.

Brief scores:

India 471 and 364 lost to England 465 and 373/5 in 82 overs (Ben Duckett 149, Zak Crawley 65; Shardul Thakur 2-28, Prasidh Krishna 2-69) by five wickets.

--IANS

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