Harry Brook played a strong hand for England with the lower order as he helped his team take a slender lead of 23 in the first innings of the fifth Test against India at The Oval. Brook scored 53 from 64 balls and played a crucial role in England getting to 247 in reply to India's 224. The Indians have kept the Three Lions in check despite Brook and Zak Crawley's fifties, with Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna picking four wickets each.
Brook scored 53 from 64 balls and played a crucial role in England getting to 247 in reply to India's 224. The Indians have kept the Three Lions in check despite Brook and Zak Crawley's fifties, with Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna picking four wickets each.
The second day began with England's bowlers making light work of the visitors. Gus Atkinson struck thrice to get to his fourth Test fifer as the Indians were bowled out for 224, despite being 218/6 at one stage.
The Three Lions came to bat with a great intent, with Crawley and Ben Duckett going all guns blazing. The two took the hosts to 50 in seven overs and kept motoring as the visitors struggled to find their line and lengths with the new ball.
But when they found, the Indian bowlers wreaked havoc. Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna made the ball talk as they struck in unison.
Akash Deep struck first when he removed Duckett off a bottled reverse scoop. Prasidh and Siraj then took matters into their own hand, with Siraj, in particular, getting the ball to nip back into the right-handers.
He dismissed Ollie Pope with a peach nipbacker, before getting Joe Root on a similar-looking delivery and then Jacob Bethell with another inducker.
Prasidh mixed his strikes with length balls and swinging balls as he dismissed four English batters. England had got into the lead with Brook out there. The English batter was looking to take to a notable mark before Siraj cleaned him up with another nipbacker.
