For India’s supporters, and the neutral, justice will have been served with the series tied at 2-2, as you could scarcely fit a fag paper between the sides all summer. For England fans, though, there will be the uneasy feeling that entertaining as Ben Stokes’ side are they lack the killer instinct when it really counts.
Those imperfections as well as the never-say-die attitude of India, especially fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, made for a thrilling finale in the fifth Test at the Kia Oval.
After the fourth day, when India’s prospects had first looked good then bleak then good again, the final day began with the home side needing 35 runs to triumph; the visitors four wickets. Favourites?
Impossible to call, though home fans would have breathed a little easier after Jamie Overton struck the first two balls of the day for four. The fools.
The very next over Jamie Smith, walking proof that being on home ground doesn’t stop the brain liquefying under duress, nicked one behind. And when Overton followed two overs later, lbw to Siraj, it was all to play for again.
In fact, the drama tensed further (if that were even possible). Josh Tongue lost his poles to Prasidh Krishna which left Chris Woakes as England’s last man standing, but only just. Sensing the urgency, Gus Atkinson swiped a six off Siraj.
Indisposed since dislocating his shoulder on the opening day of the match, word was Woakes would only bat if his team needed him. They did, and trussed up like a Christmas turkey he bravely withstood the pain as he and Atkinson ran a few desperate runs before Siraj put and end to the pretension by knocking back Atkinson’s off-stump. At that point, the roar from India could be heard in outer Mongolia, though Shubman Gill’s stoic side were well represented at the ground as well.
Siraj has been a ball of irrepressible energy all summer, a tenacious, skilful, pace bowler, whose efforts have never been anything but full bore. The only ever-present pace bowler throughout the series for India, his figures of five for 104 off 30.1 overs in England’s second innings are set for cricketing lore.
Yet, he was so nearly the villain after catching Harry Brook on day four but then stepping onto the boundary rope, which adds insult to injury as six runs are conceded.
But if Siraj went from ‘Chump’ to ‘Champ,’ then Brook, whose swashbuckling 111 from 98 balls had done so much to put England into contention to win the match, made the opposite journey following a dismissal that can only be described as reckless.
Brook is England’s white-ball captain so is not unintelligent, but he played a stupid shot in the second innings here, his charge and flay at Akash Deep wholly unnecessary in the circumstances.
Those who excuse his excess by saying things like ‘that’s the way he bats’ don’t understand the will to win that should be at the heart of every professional sporting pact.
I’m not against Brook taking risks or being super aggressive in taking opposition bowlers down, but true killer instinct knows when to pause, to consolidate, and make sure there are no mistakes in getting the job done.
His apologists also don’t understand the nature of pressure which is a powerful force that affects different people in different ways at different times in the contest. Brook had it in his gift to loosen its grip on his team but instead his dismissal turned it into a noose.
Nothing exposes sporting character like Test cricket, especially in a grandstand finish like we had at the Oval. Key players were missing on both sides though it was England who felt the absentees more keenly, especially skipper Ben Stokes.
As the prospect of England chasing down 374 began to materialise and runs required dipped below 40, cool heads were required not hit-and-hopers, something Bazball has blurred.
On a pitch still offering the bowlers something and with an old ball full of swing, Bazball’s broad and outrageous strokes looked the chancer’s option.
Instead, on a path filled with peril and tight corners, batters needed to be able to roll up their sleeves and scrap for every inch of progress. Trouble was England’s chief yeoman, Joe Root, was back in the hutch.
Atkinson tried to hit his way to glory, which is the way of this team. A man with a Test hundred we know he possesses more than one shot. But here the pressure, as well as Woakes’ discomfort, turned him into the village blacksmith with just the one, a cross-bat hack. Eventually, Siraj sneaked one under his swiping blade to conclude the match.
Had England managed to get the six runs needed, or even the five required for a tie, they would have won their most significant series of the Bazball era and gone to Australia this winter with a spring in their step. Instead, they will contest the Ashes with the Aussies knowing they lack finishers and a clinical edge.