The India opener showed patience then panache to score an overdue first Test century on foreign soil and frustrate England Depending on how you look at it Rohit Sharma’s first Test century on foreign soil took him about five hours of actual game time, or the 23 hours or so that passed after he first took guard in the glaring late-afternoon sunshine towards the end of day two, or a little under eight years, since he made his debut as a 26-year-old against West Indies in Kolkata in November 2013. Whichever, it was another demonstration that in Test cricket you can never have too much patience, as Sharma will surely have reminded himself when he sent his 256th delivery, the...
All four results are possible as cricket and alcohol continue their long unbroken partnership despite the authorities’ wishesThree years ago, in one of its smarter moves, the Oval did away with disposable plastic beer cups and replaced them with reusable, stackable ones that you could keep all day and then return at the close of play for a £1 refund.Apart from the manifold environmental advantages, encouraging spectators to keep their beer cups had the pleasing fringe benefit of allowing them – and everyone else – to keep a running tally of their consumption. Continue reading...
Bowler was praised by India’s captain, Virat Kohli, after taking five wickets in the second innings at HeadingleyThe narrative arc of Ollie Robinson’s summer would startle the chiselled hero of a summer beach bonk-buster. From hero to villain and back again, from county pro on the south coast to man of the match here, from being hauled up and suspended over past racist tweets to contemplating a long future as an England player. Pinch yourself, Ollie, how the worm turns.Two wickets in the first innings were complemented by a beautifully crafted five in the second, to bowl England to a comprehensive innings victory well before lunch. After sending back the dangerous Rohit Sharma on Friday evening the rest came on...
Bowler was praised by India’s captain, Virat Kohli, after taking five wickets in the second innings at HeadingleyThe narrative arc of Ollie Robinson’s summer would startle the chiselled hero of a summer beach bonk-buster. From hero to villain and back again, from county pro on the south coast to man of the match here, from being hauled up and suspended over past racist tweets to contemplating a long future as an England player. Pinch yourself, Ollie, how the worm turns.Two wickets in the first innings were complemented by a beautifully crafted five in the second, to bowl England to a comprehensive innings victory well before lunch. After sending back the dangerous Rohit Sharma on Friday evening the rest came on...
The batsman with impossibly high standards has found it difficult in England this summer and his team are sufferingVirat Kohli walked. He had poked outside off, Jos Buttler pouched the ball, the cordon went up in appeal in chorus to the ringmaster, Jimmy Anderson, and India’s fight in the third Test was dead in the water. Except it was not. Doing his duty as vice-captain and non-striker, Ajinkya Rahane prevailed on Kohli to review the decision.The third umpire saw clearly the same daylight between bat and ball that Rahane had, and technology confirmed that the sound that so enthused England and foxed the umpire came from bat brushing pad. It was the last ball of the 87th over and, for...