Woakes, Moeen stop India in their tracks

On Sep 5, 2021

India lost three big wickets for the addition of just 59 runs as they reached 329 for six in their second innings at lunch on day four of the fourth Test against England at The Oval yesterday.

India lead by 230 runs with four second innings wickets in hand.

The 12-over-old second new ball did offer some seam movement in the morning but despite the odd play and a miss, Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli had little trouble wading through the opening spells from Ollie Robinson and James Anderson.

The Indian captain even unfurled a pair of sweetly-timed drives to bring up the 50 of the partnership. With Kohli still solid, the lead was pushed past 200 and once Chris Woakes’s brilliant first spell (5-2-4-2) was seen through, India looked like they would go into the interval with no further damage.

But Moeen Ali had other ideas. In his first over, he got the Indian Captain to stretch out and edge a ball to first slip for 44.

Chief scores

India: 191 and 329/6 (Rohit Sharma 127, Cheteshwar Pujara 61, Virat Kohli 44, Chris Woakes 2/47, Ollie Robinson 2/84)

England: 290. (Agencies)