England Blow Away India For 148 at The Oval
England's seam attack blew away India for 148 in emphatic style as the hosts took a firm grip of the fifth Test on day one at The Oval.
Three wickets each for Chris Woakes (3-30) and Chris Jordan (3-32) and two apiece for James Anderson and Stuart Broad saw India dismissed inside 62 overs, with captain MS Dhoni providing the only resistance with a superb 82.
In reply, England finished on 62 for 0, with Alastair Cook (24 not out) and Sam Robson (33 not out) both unbeaten, trailing the tourists by 86 runs heading into day two, where batting conditions are expected to improve.
Following their capitulation at Old Trafford where they lost by an innings and 54 runs, India suffered further embarrassment as they watched their hopes of squaring the series evaporate and did justice to their three-year wait for a Test series win abroad.
Just three India batsman reached double figures during a disastrous first innings, with Murali Vijay (18), Dhoni and Ravichandran Ashwin (13) providing the only resistance against an England attack that took full advantage over the overcast conditions.
Though Broad and Anderson had stolen the headlines in the lead up to the Test, with the former nursing a broken nose from the fourth Test while the latter was looking to become the greatest England wicket-taker in the longer-form of the game, it was the supporting cast who stole the show.
Woakes and Jordan, who had battled with Steven Finn for the two remaining spots in the team, both did justice to their selection with an intense spell of bowling that brought them three wickets each.
Jordan particularly impressed with the dismissal of Virat Kohli (6), who continued his harrowing series with another uncertain display.
England did put the handbrake on with India at 90 for 9, when Ian Bell dropped Ishant Sharma, allowing Dhoni to open his shoulders and make an entertaining half-century but he eventually holled out off Broad.
Looking to eat significantly into the India lead, England began in dogged fashion as the day came to a close, with only a close shave seeing Cook escape being given out lbw off Vartun Aaron, but the home side slalomed their way to the close with eyes on building a healthy lead on day two.
© Copyright IBTimes 2024. All rights reserved.