Key events
Ali Martin’s first hit is in, so I’ll wrap it up there. Thanks for joining me – shame we couldn’t see it through till the end. Here’s to a dramatic morning.
Here’s what Joe Root had to say about Graham Thorpe after his tribute to the England great: he took out a headband and wore it to celebrate reaching three figures. Root told the BBC:
He is someone that has impacted the game in this country as player, as a coach, as a mentor, as a friend. That gesture wasn’t just from me, it was from our whole dressing room. It’s been great to see everyone show the amount of love for him throughout this week because he is a real legend of English cricket and has done so much good for so many people.
Stuart Broad has entered the conversation.
Still 20 mins away from possible start time, everyone has their sunglasses on at the train station. Felt the supporters deserved to see a finish to that Test Match today. Felt a lazy decision to call it off at 6pm in my opinion. I wonder who makes it?
— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) August 3, 2025
Tom Keil makes a valid point.
Cricket really doesn’t do itself any favours sometimes. Surely, they should have done everything they could to get it dry in 30 minutes and then have an inspection at 6.30. If it’s still wet, call it off then. But to make that decision early, with the series on the line, a full house at the oval, and millions watching and listening, is seriously frustrating.
I would imagine there will be a lot of very distracted people across offices and work places between 11-12 tomorrow!
Richard Gibbs writes:
Surprise to see you say that England would be happy with the break…4 overs until the new ball. So India will start tomorrow with their bowlers rested.
A great point, bringing Akash Deep firmly back into the game, too. My argument was that England just looked so frazzled out there, with every ball bringing danger. They needed something to take the sting out.
To rub things in, the Oval looks glorious at the moment, sun beaming down, fans still getting their Instagram pics in before security boots them out.
Our very own Philip Cornwall has got himself in trouble.
Hi from Madagascar, Taha. Last Sunday the sporting gods shone on me, and gave me a one-hour delay on the flight here, so I could follow the Lionesses’ extra time and penalties in the queue for the flight here. Now the payback: I will be on the plane back from 6.10am BST until 3.50pm BST and will have no idea how the cricket ends till then. Could be the longest flight of my life.
James Walsh writes in:
F, and, I can’t emphasise this enough, F S. How are we supposed to handle this? Seems very appropriate though. Free entry tomorrow?!
I’ve been informed that Surrey have sold out their day five tickets.
A reminder then: England need 35 runs, India four wickets (including Chris Woakes in a sling). It’s pretty tough to call. England probably needed that break more than India, the two batters struggling to find the middle, with Siraj and Krishna thundering through on adrenaline. India’s supporters were on top, too.
Before all of that, we had staggering tons from Harry Brook and Joe Root. But if England do lose from here, there will be plenty of focus on how the former got out, the bat flying out of his hand as he charged Akash Deep. That’s how the game works.
Stumps
Play has been abandoned. The series enters the fifth day of the fifth Test – and remains undecided.
James Brough writes in:
On the face of it, this looks like it should be easy from here. 150 partnership. Less than a hundred to win. Wickets in hand.
And yet. Woakes probably can’t bat. Stokes isn’t next man in. We’ve a pretty inexperienced lower order. And most of all, through this series, every time one team has been on top something has happened. India’s tail collapsed. The ball ran from a defensive shot on to the stumps. A catcher trod on the boundary rope. How ironic if, after all his efforts, the deciding moment is Siraj’s foot. Is there just one more twist to come?
It might be a cliché, but I keep thinking of John Cleese’s line in Clockwise. “It’s not the despair. I can take the despair. It’s the hope.”
It seems to have stopped raining. The question now is whether they can clean up in time.
Nick Parish provides hope of play. It’s brightened up in the last couple of minutes.
Thanks for the great commentary. The cricket reports are great but I am bewildered by your weather reports. I am about 5 miles south-west of the Oval and it continues to be warm and sunny. Keep the faith for more play tonight, and maybe even an England victory.
Richard Morris writes in:
My office is right next to The Oval – I can see the gas holders from the window. So ideally it’s going to rain for the next two hours, and then magically tomorrow morning there will be the greatest hour of play in the history of cricket available on my doorstep for a tenner. I may have to delay the all agency status meeting….
Another day five finish? Seems about right for this series. The rain has eased a little, with a drenched Lee Fortis surveying the arrangement of covers.
It’s raining
It’s properly coming down now. I don’t think we’re playing any more cricket tonight.
Prasidh Krishna has three for 109 off 22.2 overs. Mohammed Siraj has two for 95 off 26. They’ve given everything over the last half-hour, resuscitating India.
Ian Sargeant deadpans: “This is really whetting my appetite for the Hundred. Can’t wait for that to start …”
Tim Stafford writes: “It’s gonna be Woakes to hit the winning runs. You know it, I know it, the OBO knows it…”
I can’t take the drama, Tim. It’s too much. Give me five, I need a chamomile tea.
Bad light stops play
Chris Woakes is in his whites, with a sling on. Oh, and it’s raining. And India are appealing for a caught behind off Overton. WHAT IS GOING ON? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KEEP TRACK OF ALL THIS? The umpire reviews to check for a bump ball; it’s hard to tell if Overton’s hit it, and the batter remains. Oh and now they’re checking the light. We’re going off. I’m going to throw my laptop at something.
76th over: England 339-6 (Smith 2, Overton 0) Smith is such a composed batter, but I’ve never seen him like this. He keeps swishing and missing outside off, Siraj in disbelief that he hasn’t found the edge. It’s a maiden. England need 35 to win.
It’s seriously on-edge out there, but Oliver Pattenden has a seriously urgent question: “When was the last partnership between a pair of Jamies?”
75th over: England 339-6 (Smith 2, Overton 0) Smith sends Overton back to avoid a run-out, England looking frazzled out there in the middle. Runs off the bat has become an impossible task … but Smith finally finds relief with a dig into the off side for one. Overton stops Krishna in his run-through twice, distracted by something in the background. They eventually finish the over, Overton still waiting for his first run. England need 35 to win.
74th over: England 338-6 (Smith 1, Overton 0) It’s another leg bye as Smith gets off strike, with Jamie Overton facing up for the first time. Siraj is alive again, rattling the top of Overton’s pad. The bat has disappeared from this game in the last few overs. An inside-edge follows … on to the pad. Overton hangs on. England need 36 to win.
WICKET! Root c Jurel b Krishna 105 (England 337-6)
The Indian fans in the ground have raised the volume in the last couple of overs. Krishna angles the ball in and it’s another lbw shout against Root … the finger doesn’t go up and Gill decides to review. There’s no inside-edge … but the ball’s shown to be missing leg stump. The ball continues to rattle the pads as Smith collects a leg-bye. Root digs out a yorker as Siraj turns to the Indian supporters and applauds their work.
And then the wicket. Wow. Root swishes his bat outside off and gets the edge, Jurel holding on. England need 37 to win. It looks far away now.
73rd over: England 337-6 (Smith 1, Overton 0)
72nd over: England 335-5 (Smith 1, Root 105) Siraj launches into another leg-before shout before Root brings the home crowd some relief with a single. Smith gets plenty of applause for his first run, a punch to mid-on. Another leg-before shout follows against Root, though it looks a bit high. It’s a top over from the India quick. England need 39 to win.
Chris Purcell sees darkness on the horizon.
Oh no, the great collapse of ‘25. Still, it’s been a reasonably good summer. Sigh.
71st over: England 332-5 (Smith 0, Root 104) Jamie Smith begins with an inside-edge on to his pads, and Krishna, tail up, ends the over by beating the bat, very nearly taking out off stump in the process. Oh this is good, very good. England need 42 to win.
WICKET! Bethell b Krishna 5 (England 332-5)
Jacob Bethell is having to battle here as Krishna gets the ball to leap past the outside edge. When Bethell gets ball on bat, he finds the fielder. And here comes the end: Bethell tries to break out of his funk by charging Krishna but his middle stump is uprooted via an edge. The tension is back.
70th over: England 331-4 (Bethell 5, Root 103) Siraj, with a slow, fairly exhausted walk back to his mark, launches again and again. He closes his over with the hands dropping to his knees. England need 43 to win.
Peter Moss writes in after a googly exhibition:
A mid afternoon check-in from a sunny Luxembourg park just in time for the Root ton, how lovely it is to see England whittling the target away. Was teaching my boys the wrong’un earlier (or my poor attempt at it) with a stage 3 tennis ball to the amusement of the locals. I think I may have pulled something I shouldn’t. Now time to lay on the picket blanket and check on the chaps bringing home the bacon.
Hundred for Joe Root!
A welcome release for England as Deep sends it down the leg side and past the reach of Jurel, five wides the result. And then the clip to the leg side for two, giving Joe Root another hundred, his third in three Tests. That’s 39 in his career, taking him past Kumar Sangakkara in the all-time charts. He briefly dons a headband as a tribute to Graham Thorpe and points to the sky, a lovely nod to his old batting coach. Bethell then finds runs by threading the ball through point for four. England need 44 to win.
69th over: England 330-4 (Bethell 5, Root 102)
68th over: England 318-4 (Bethell 1, Root 99) Siraj skips in … and Root immediately dabs into the offside for one. He’s on to 99. Bethell, still trying to settle, hangs in there as Siraj goes around the wicket, hunting for stumps. The left-hander is on one after 22 deliveries. England need 56 to win.
67th over: England 317-4 (Bethell 1, Root 98) And we’re back, with Deep bowling to Bethell, who drives his second ball nicely … but straight to mid-on. The southpaw gets the opportunity to cut, but doesn’t beat the field. It’s a maiden. England need 57 to win.
Tom Walling writes in:
Greetings from sweltering Seville. 39° (and I had to pop out for more beer!) I had very little faith we’d get there, having been brought up on 90s England, but now we’re here, I have no doubt we’ll do it. Vagaries of time eh? Also, I may have drunk something. Thanks for everything, OBO people.
Andy Hockley is pretty busy:
I’m reporting in from the village of Foxton, where the home team, last year’s national village champions, are taking on Hambledon “the cradle of cricket” in this year’s semi final. A trip to Lords up for grabs today. Trying to watch both matches simultaneously is quite challenging (though the lads manning the bar have elected to focus on the test)
I’m glad to report that the sun is out at the Oval, with the players starting to make their way out. Some Might Say is playing through the speakers. And now it’s hit me that the Test summer will be done in the next hour or two. Sad.
It’s a slightly delayed restart, with a bit of a clean-up job ongoing after some light rain. We’ll be back on at 4.30pm BST.
Zia Faruqi sends in a pretty decent one-liner: “Will Lee Fortis put an arm around Gambhir?”
Tea
66th over: England 317-4 (Bethell 1, Root 98) Siraj nips it back sharply into Root and is desperate for the leg-before … the finger does not go up. India review, primarily because of their situation, but impact is outside off stump. Root clips the next ball for two and then dabs the ball low, past the cordon, to the ropes – that’s immaculate batting. And then a straight drive for four more, just out of Siraj’s reach, taking Root to 98. He’s on for a ton before tea, but it’s a dot to finish the session. England need 57 to win. They really should do it from here.
65th over: England 307-4 (Bethell 1, Root 88) Nearly a chance. Bethell gets his pull shot all wrong, finding the bottom of the bat, the ball lobbing high into the air … but it gets over Deep, who can’t pull off the turnaround to take a stunner. Deep then beats the outside edge but Bethell resists. It’s a rare sight: a maiden. England need 67 to win.
64th over: England 307-4 (Bethell 1, Root 88) Siraj, finding the last of his reserves, sends in the yorker to Bethell, how he got out in the first innings. The left-hander digs it out before clipping for one to get up and running. Root closes the over with a lush cover drive to the ropes. England need 67 to win.
Some fair analysis here from Farhan … though it’s not done yet:
I think a lot of us knew we were going to see yet another sequel of England’s chasing masterclass under Baz when India set them another target in the 370s. Indians are an I can attest will be sick and tired of starring in the same movie all over again.
This may well be the most impressive of the three given the pitch is perhaps the toughest of the 3 chases, even though this time it does seem to be getting better for batting as the game goes on.
Indians have bowled pretty well, but will lose the game and the series thanks to not having real answers to the brilliant English game plan and perhaps due to better familiarity with home conditions. It also did not help that India’s plan for a green grassy track involved 3 pacers and 2 spinners.
63rd over: England 301-4 (Bethell 0, Root 83) Jacob Bethell, in his first home Test, makes his way out. Welcome to the circus, pal. England need 73 to win.
Max Williams sent this in before that wicket …
Weird parallels with the Oval test of the 2023 Ashes. Both sides make scores in the 200s with Australia holding a narrow lead. England then smash 390 odd in the third innings. A big fourth wicket partnership takes Australia to 264-3 but ultimately they fall 49 runs short and draw the series 2-2.
WICKET! Brook c Siraj b Deep 111 (England 301-4)
Deep floats up the juiciest of half-volleys and Brook wallops through the covers for four; Siraj, rolling on the carpet, looks absolutely cooked. Another boundary follows before the wildest of dismissals! Brook charges a length ball but miscues, his bat flying out of the hands to the leg side, the ball to Siraj at cover. Brook leaves with a standing ovation. Time for a twist?
62nd over: England 289-3 (Brook 103, Root 83) Siraj returns, reaching the end of his five-Test marathon. What a slog. There’s an issue with the footholes at the crease, so out comes a member of the ground staff to hammer away, allowing for a mid-over break. When play resumes, Root guides the ball behind point for four. The tension is being sucked out here. England need 81 to win.
Dean Kinsella writes:
My mate Tom reckons Shubman should offer to shake hands on this!
David Howell sends this in:
On the overall balance of play, England have no right to win this series 3-1… ..but picking three seamers on purpose, on a greentop, at the end of a draining series, is straight out of the Guinness Book of Sporting Blunders I remember reading and re-reading as a kid.
I dread to think what apoplexy awaits from the Indian media if England do manage to complete the job of punishing that.
Hundred for Harry Brook!
Oh dear, Akash Deep has had a shocker there. Brook drives Sundar to deep extra cover and a tired Deep tries to boot it away with his left; it ricochets off his body and finds the rope. Brook then nabs two behind point, allowing him to celebrate his 10th Test hundred in his 30th match: a phenomenal record, a phenomenal player. This is up there with his best.
61st over: England 286-3 (Brook 101, Root 78) England need 88 to win.
60th over: England 279-3 (Brook 94, Root 78) Jadeja switches ends and the crowd roars after a Root single, pleased by the number on the big screen: England need 100 to win. There’s another cheer when it goes down to 99. Is this how it’s going to be till the finish? Jadeja, uncharacteristically, slips out a full toss to close the over and Root dispatches it to the leg side for four. England need 95 to win.
59th over: England 273-3 (Brook 93, Root 73) There’s light rain in the air as Root hotfoots it to the striker’s end for a quick single off Washington Sundar. The singles keep on coming as the umpires converge … we’ll play on. England need 101 to win.