India finish day two of fourth Test 56 runs behind England – as it happened

The central figures were Chris Woakes, again, and Ollie Pope. Yesterday’s prodigal son had another good day, adding a breezy fifty to his four-for. Pope, no longer quite a prodigy, did the prodigal thing too, bouncing back from a lean spell to make a fluent 81, which was easily the highest score of the first two innings.

Thanks for your company and correspondence, and the OBO will be back in the morning to see who can pull ahead – the 48-per-centers from England, or the 47-per-centers from India.

The last word goes to a tweet from a good cause, the Googly Fund. “As featured by @robeastaway on @bbctms just now,” they say, “we are delighted to say that we have now – in our first season – given away more than £3,000 in 25 small grants to support friendly cricket across the UK and Ireland.” Great stuff.

15th over: India 42-0 (Rohit 19, Rahul 22) Just a couple of singles off Robinson, who is determined to drag his figures back to their usual respectability. He has 4-0-21-0, and here comes his unacknowledged twin, Craig Overton.

14th over: India 40-0 (Rohit 18, Rahul 21) A maiden from Woakes to Rohit. Both teams are just waiting for the close now.

“Can you please explain the logic,” John Hedger asked earlier, when England were still in, “of having your specialist pace bowlers batting against the opposition’s pace bowlers? The odds of runs are low whilst the odds of injury are high (just look at Woakes right now). Why doesn’t Root declare? He can have an hour bowling at an Indian team that have been in the field all day and have a very good chance of capturing some high order batsmen, just as happened yesterday when England had to survive an hour at the end of the day... and promptly lost three wickets.No other industry would dream of putting specialists in dangerous situations that were outside their specialism.” Point taken, but it’s so much fun, isn’t it? And India took those three wickets partly because their own tail had just had a good wag.

13th over: India 40-0 (Rohit 18, Rahul 21) Here is Robinson, replacing Anderson at the City end. Rahul, with his eye in now, plays a watchful steer for four through backward point; Robinson retorts with a snorter, that lifts and leaves him, beating the outside edge. It’s all gone a bit quiet: there’s not even anyone singing Hey Jude.

12th over: India 35-0 (Rohit 17, Rahul 17) Woakes continues too, as Root blatantly ignores the OBO’s advice. And he’s probably right to, because Woakes switches from angling the ball in to swinging it away, and draws a play-and-miss from Rohit. India trail by 64.

11th over: India 34-0 (Rohit 16, Rahul 17) Anderson continues, running in hard and using the crease to vary the angle, but Rahul keeps him out. Both these openers have been so disciplined for the past five weeks.

10th over: India 33-0 (Rohit 15, Rahul 17) “I see your near-miss,” Rahul says to Rohit, “and I raise you a Harrow drive for four.” The unfortunate bowler is Woakes, who now finds himself being used in a containing role, with five fielders saving a single, as if England were 33 behind rather than 66 ahead. He and Anderson seem a bit too similar to be on together. Time for Overton or Robinson, with their awkward bounce, or Moeen, for England’s first over of spin in this match. It worked for India.

9th over: India 29-0 (Rohit 15, Rahul 13) This has been a played-on sort of pitch. Burns did it, Pope did it, and now Rohit, facing Anderson, very nearly does it. The following ball, he inside-edge towards short leg, which is vacant. Joe Root can’t be accused of being gung-ho with his fields this evening. There’s just over 25 minutes to go and India trail by 70.

8th over: India 26-0 (Rohit 15, Rahul 10) Another over from Woakes, but the force isn’t with him as it was in the first two innings of the match, and Rohit picks up an easy two to deep square.

“Why are the stumps dark blue, Tim?” asks Jeffrey Earp in Genoa. “Surely that can’t be of much help to anyone. Oh, and while you’re there, why do fools fall in love? Equally as unhelpful, I would’ve thought.” Ha.

7th over: India 24-0 (Rohit 13, Rahul 10) Anderson, as the commentators are saying, has started this innings better than the first, when he gave a flashback to his early days as a young tearaway. But the pitch has got flatter and Rahul is able to steer him through gully for four.

6th over: India 20-0 (Rohit 13, Rahul 6) Root usually gives Robinson long spells, as per his policy with Sussex seamers, but this one is brought to an end after just two overs. Robinson goes off to ponder the injustice of the scorebook, where he has 2-0-14-0, and on comes Woakes, the player of the match so far. He’s on the spot, conceding just a single.

Sky shows some footage of Mark Butcher from earlier today, cutting a chocolate-brown ribbon to open the Mark Butcher Room. Nasser Hussain asks how it went, with a mocking note in his voice. “Rammed with well-wishers,” says Butcher. “Couple of family members, anyway.”

5th over: India 19-0 (Rohit 13, Rahul 5) A maiden from Anderson to Rohit.

Meanwhile on Twitter, there’s an official correction from Andy Zaltzman. “Apologies for the rogue suggestion that today would be Anderson’s 100th not-out. I forgot to factor in that his total of not-outs in the Cricinfo stats included today’s innings. I like to think I’ve given people the opportunity to celebrate it twice.” Honourable, and entertaining: if there are cabinet ministers reading, this is how you do it.

4th over: India 19-0 (Rohit 13, Rahul 5) Robinson is bowling a full length this evening, inviting the drive. Rohit joins Rahul in accepting the invitation and he would have four too if it were not for a neat sliding stop by Haseeb Hameed.

3rd over: India 15-0 (Rohit 10, Rahul 4) Rohit is dropped by Rory Burns at second slip – or rather missed, as a straightforward nick hits him on the boot and dribbles away for four. “I didn’t see it!” Burns seems to be saying. Anderson says nothing, which speaks volumes.

2nd over: India 11-0 (Rohit 6, Rahul 4) From the pavilion end, as the shadows slice across the grass, it’s Ollie Robinson, the new Stuart Broad. He’s so consistent and he starts with a peach of an over. There’s a leading edge from Rohit, a thick edge from Rohit (for four), a play-and-miss from Rahul, and another play-and-miss from Rahul, this one with an appeal attached. There’s a no-ball at the start of the over and a half-volley at the end, neatly despatched by Rahul, but still, that’s the best over you’ll ever see that brings ten runs and no wicket. India trail by 88.

1st over: India 1-0 (Rohit 1, Rahul 0) Jimmy Anderson, he of the 99 not-outs, now has the new ball in his hands. He swings one away, for the 10,000,000th time in Tests, and Rohit flirts with it, in a way he mostly hasn’t been doing this summer – the pressure making its presence felt. Coming to his senses, Rohit plays a more controlled stroke to pick up a single into the covers. Woakes misses the first over, perhaps getting a massage for that sore knee, but he comes out now, with a spring in his step.

Correction! And clarification. “Over on TMS,” says Adam Roberts, “Andy Zaltzman announced it would be Jimmy’s 100th Test not-out. They then put it on the scoreboard as he walked off, at which point Andy admitted that this was his 99th if he survived and he thought that was an existing stat not a provisional one. So he has 99 and the Oval did not fact-check.” Then again, nor did we. Thanks Adam.

“Courtesy of TMS, James Anderson has now recorded 100 not outs, thought to be a world record,” says John Starbuck. “There was a time when he’d never been out for a duck, too.” Those were the days. Now he gets either 0 or 1, operating almost exclusively in binary. But he did add 35 with Woakes, as England went from towering at 62-5 to lording it with 290 all out.

“Once Woakes has had some match practice,” says Paul Griffin, “I predict he will be a useful contributor.”

83rd over: England 286-9 (Woakes 46, Anderson 1) Umesh thinks he’s got a whole over at Anderson, but Woakes has other ideas, stealing a leg bye to nowhere off the first ball as Anderson takes a bouncer on the body. Woakes can’t do much with the rest of the over, missing a wide one, then taking a single. But the lead is 95, and 64 of those have been added since Woakes came in, at the fall of Moeen’s wicket.

82nd over: England 284-9 (Woakes 45, Anderson 1) When Bumrah recovers, Woakes adds insult to injury, smoking a four through the covers and deliberately top-edging for four more as Pant goes Panting off towards long stop. It turns out that those 18 balls of one-day stuff that Woakes faced before this were the perfect preparation. In the crowd, the camera finds Ed Smith, in his trademark grey-rimmed shades. Until last week, England seemed hell-bent on making him look good, winning none of the first five Tests of the Silverwood selection era.

“I was also at the Oval yesterday,” says Andrew Gaved, “but although there were no fireworks or end-of-over music, my corner of the ground had regular bursts from the cornet player and as the afternoon wore on, increasing chanting and banter, including the welcoming of the Cheese Board, which I suspect is confined to Test Cricket. I’m no Luddite but the days of a genteel watch of a cricket match and a read of the paper are gone for good now, aren’t they?”

81.1 overs: England 276-9 (Woakes 37, Anderson 1) Bumrah’s opening gambit with the new ball is an attempted yorker, which comes out as a full toss. Woakes clips it for four, and to add injury to insult, Bumrah pulls up with what looks like cramp. England lead by 85. If they declare now, Woakes could win the match tonight with a quick six-for.

81st over: England 272-9 (Woakes 33, Anderson 1) Kohli summons Umesh Yadav, then, just to be perverse, delays the new ball. But only for two deliveries. You wouldn’t have wanted to be Kohli’s teacher. Once armed with the new Dukes, Yadav almost persuades Woakes to play on. The inside edge hits him on the knee, missing the pad because of the angle of his leg. Ouch! Then Yadav goes wide of off, trying to keep Woakes from nicking the strike, and succeeding, at the cost of a four as Woakes manages to play a block-cut off the toe-end. And he gets his single by dinking a length ball past the slips. He’s well on the way to the greatest comeback since Abba.

80th over: England 267-9 (Woakes 28, Anderson 1) Woakes must have been listening to that new song from Abba. I still have faith in you, he says to Jimmy – not in words, but with his actions, taking a single off the second ball of Jadeja’s over. Or perhaps he reckons this is Jimmy’s best chance of making another run. Jimmy, alas, doesn’t manage it. The lead is 76, and the new ball is due.

79th over: England 266-9 (Woakes 27, Anderson 1) If Jimmy could choose a batting partner, I suspect he’d pick Chris Woakes, who is calm, resourceful and stylish. Anticipating the wide ball from Thakur that did for Pope, Woakes takes a big step out towards it and creams it through extra-cover. Then, anticipating the short one, he rocks back to pull. Jimmy has two balls to face, both short, and manages to fend them both off, the second one turning him right round so that he plays it from somewhere near backward short leg. The Indians still don’t like him.

78th over: England 257-9 (Woakes 18, Anderson 1) Enter Jimmy Anderson, pursued by a cheer. He gets another one when he gets off the mark with a perfectly competent push to backward point. Woakes then gives Jadeja the charge, clipping to long-on for a very crisp single, before Jimmy tries a reverse sweep and misses. he’s only played 165 Tests, he’s a bit over-excited.

“Take your point, Tim,” says Alex Bramble (66th over). “If you’re looking for whatever the commentary equivalent of putting bums on seats is, then you’d take Warney over Wardy any time.” Putting bums on sofas? “But they’re not by any means playing the same role - Ward’s the straight-man anchor, and in my humble opinion a very good one. My bone to pick with Warney the commentator is that while across a comm box stint he’ll unfailingly say some interesting things, I find his ratio of enlightening points to bunkum to be much lower than the other ‘frontline’ commentators.”

77th over: England 255-8 (Woakes 17, Robinson 5) The worst thing about that dismissal is that Thakur didn’t even appear to be trying to take a wicket. Now that Pope is gone, he shifts his line a yard to the right as he looks, allowing Ollie Robinson to settle in with a pair of comfy clips off his legs for two. “England should do what Thakur did with the bat,” says Nasser Hussain. “Get some quick runs to build the lead – play some shots before the new ball.”

76th over: England 250-7 (Pope 81, Woakes 17) During Thakur’s over, some Indian fans were singing Ohhh, Ravi Jadeja. Their man responds by going over the wicket, aiming at the rough and inducing Pope’s first false shot for ages – but the nick falls short of slip. Unruffled, Pope takes a single to bring up the 250. England lead by 59.

75th over: England 249-7 (Pope 80, Woakes 17) Bumrah’s off again, possibly exiled to wide third man. Kohli brings back Shardul Thakur, who seems to have instructions to bowl well outside off stump. Woakes isn’t tempted, taking the opportunity to play some exaggerated leaves in the style of Courtney Walsh. The sun is out, the sky is blue, and the cricket is having a nap before the new ball.

74th over: England 248-7 (Pope 80, Woakes 17) A quiet over from Jadeja, so the cameras concentrate on a group of Indian supporters who have brought along a birthday cake for Mohammed Shami. He goes round and blows out the candles with a big smile. It’s Dawid Malan’s birthday too: anyone going to do the honours for him?

73rd over: England 246-7 (Pope 80, Woakes 16) Bumrah now has a wide third man, in deference to Woakes. Pope has fun giving him some exercise, taking two to the port guy’s right with a front-foot push, then two to his left with a back-foot guide. Impish!

“Blasting fireworks at the fall of a wicket wouldn’t work anyway in the DRS era,” says John Starbuck, replying to Kim Thonger (15:44). “The only thing that’s appropriate, after all the third umpire’s musings, would be a damp squib.”

72nd over: England 241-7 (Pope 76, Woakes 16) Kohli maintains his bid for the Guinness Book of Records – most bowling changes without troubling a batsman – by bringing back Jadeja. He at least manages to beat Woakes outside off stump, finding some sudden sharp lift off a spinner’s length that may be of interest to Moeen. England lead by 50.

71st over: England 240-7 (Pope 75, Woakes 16) Fortified by a cuppa, Kohli gathers his team into a huddle and makes yet another bowling change. On comes Bumrah, who will surely be needed for the new ball in one overs’ time. Pope takes his customary single and then Woakes cashes in, steering three fours past the slips. “That’s the easiest 12 runs Chris Woakes will ever make,” splutters Michael Vaughan on TMS. “Everyone knows he’s strong on the off side and they’ve got four men on the leg side for him.”

Hang on, one more email has landed. “Had a lovely day at The Oval yesterday,” says Kim Thonger, “almost normal, whatever normal is. Pleased to find no music blaring or fireworks as events unfolded. If and when the ECB do ever feel the need to blast out a tune at the fall of a wicket, may I propose they use John Cage’s very moving 4’33”?

70th over: England 227-7 (Pope 74, Woakes 4) Great player though he is, Virat Kohli can be a maddening captain. He changes the bowling yet again, possibly just to waste time before tea. Back comes Yadav, whose last spell only ended about half an hour ago. Woakes takes a few sighters and then gets off the mark with a very classy square drive. And that’s tea, with England winning the session, thanks to easier conditions and a sparkling partnership between Pope and Moeen. They now lead by 36.

Here’s Colum Fordham, writing 20 minutes ago. “Watching Moeen and Pope in full flow (as opposed to Burns and Sibley) is such an enjoyable experience,” he reckons, “that I’m beginning to wonder why on earth I signed up to go to see traditional Greek dancing this afternoon in the admittedly beautiful setting of the archaeological site of Cumae (near Naples). At least there will be a tasting of local wines afterwards to help reflect on my impetuousness. But thank God for the OBO to keep me posted while I rue my decision.” Ha. Mo has tactfully departed, although Woakes is good to watch too, in his quiet way. See you in a quarter of an hour.

69th over: England 223-7 (Pope 74, Woakes 0) Siraj manages something no other bowler has managed lately: he stops Pope taking a single. England lead by 32.

“English board must be chuffed by their changes with Woakes and Pope doing fab,” says Jerry van Esch. “Bonuses for everyone!” Ha.

68th over: England 223-7 (Pope 74, Woakes 0) Here comes Chris Woakes, the hero of yesterday. He has only two problems: he’s faced precisely 18 deliveries this summer, all in white-ball cricket, and he’s way down at No.9 because England sent in a nightwatchman, so even if he lasts more than 18 balls, he may well get stranded.

67th over: England 221-6 (Pope 72, Moeen 35) There’s a delay while Kohli demands, and gets, a change of ball. He also feels like a change of bowler, replacing Yadav with Mohammed Siraj. All this makes no difference to Mo, who sees some width and strokes a cover drive that is just dreamy, even by his standards.

“Moeen, for me,” says Ruth Purdue, “is the most aesthetically pleasing batter to watch. I don’t think it’s just him being left-handed either. Just the elegance and poise. Fantastic.” It’s definitely not just him being left-handed, or Rory Burns would be box-office.

66th over: England 215-6 (Pope 72, Moeen 29) Not one single off Jadeja, but four: Mo is really taking Chris Allison’s strictures to heart.

“Couldn’t agree more,” says Alex Bramble, “with your anointment of Butch as the OBO’s new favourite Test commentator. To whit: I think this might be the strongest telly commentary line-up of my lifetime. Athers, Nasser, Keys, Butch, Mikey, anchored by the excellent Ian Ward. Just a slight shame about Shane Warne – for all the interesting insight from a sharp cricket brain, it tends to be accompanied by a fair amount of guff.” Sorry to differ when you’ve been so agreeable, Alex, but do you seriously rate Ward above Warne?

65th over: England 211-6 (Pope 70, Moeen 27) A single to Pope, a four to Mo, who pulls Yadav’s bouncer to the midwicket boundary in an act of gentle savagery. Yadav, undaunted, keeps on giving Mo the elbow music, and he manages a deflection for a single that will please Chris Allison. Pope adds yet another single to reach 70: he has faced 15 balls from Yadav, and helped himself to 14 runs.

64th over: England 204-6 (Pope 68, Moeen 22) Pope is playing Jadeja with Root-like ease. He strokes the first ball for two into the covers, and the last for a single.

“I have a lot of time for Ali,” says Chris Allison. “Love the guy and am hoping for the best here but I feel he needs to find ways to get off strike. It’s dot balls or 4s which is OK but if he can turn half those dots to singles, it’s a game changer. It’s what Root (and Pope this innings) does so well.” Take your point, but half does seem a tall order.

63rd over: England 201-6 (Pope 65, Moeen 22) A pattern is developing here: Pope takes a busy single, whereupon Moeen strokes a leisurely four. This one, off Yadav, is another gem – a straight push, caressed back past the bowler. Then Mo takes evasive action, gets hit on the elbow, collects four leg byes, brings up the 200, and finds that he’s added fifty with Pope, off 97 balls. It’s all happening.

“I am sorry to be a British English pedant,” says Alisdair Gould, “but cricket is not an American game. So, if David Gower was practising he was not ‘practicing’. Batting has no auto-correct; if it did I might myself be a Test cricket player, and not such a...”

62nd over: England 192-6 (Pope 64, Moeen 18) It’s a double change as Bumrah takes a breathah and Ravi Jadeja comes on. There’s a nice little contest going on between him and Mo to see who can be the No.1 spinner in this series: at the moment Jadeja has two wickets, and Mo a princely four. Pope, oblivious to this duel, takes a single to the cover sweeper to send England into the lead.

61st over: England 191-6 (Pope 63, Moeen 18) Kohli takes Thakur off and brings back Umesh Yadav. Pope takes another single off the first ball, leaving Moeen to play what may well be the shot of the day, a glorious back-foot cover drive, struck on the up. And the scores are level.

Just before that, the commentators spotted that the yorker from Bumrah had hit Mo’s toes before his bat, and it would have been out if India had reviewed – or even appealed.

“I’m watching the match furtively,” says Eva Maaten, “on the mobile phone of the couple at the table next to mine at a pub in Heathrow airport who have obligingly popped it up on the table so both of them can watch; it seems a bit too finely poised for comfort, doesn’t it. My trip to London was at short notice so I wasn’t able to get tickets for yesterday; my also cricket loving friend and I went to Lord’s for a spot of county cricket instead which was fun, though a slightly different atmosphere…”

60th over: England 186-6 (Pope 62, Moeen 14) Pope breaks the spell by dabbing Bumrah the first ball of Bumrah’s over past gully for a single. Mo gets a nasty yorker, Waqar-ing in at his right foot, but manages to jab the bat down on it. “Nose and toes!” says Mark Butcher, the OBO’s new favourite Test commentator. “And toes are the more dangerous.”

59th over: England 185-6 (Pope 61, Moeen 14) Another maiden as Moeen, facing Thakur, brings out his David Gower tribute act. he middles one of those effortless languid drives, but finds the man at backward point.

58th over: England 185-6 (Pope 61, Moeen 14) Bumrah continues, bowling his third over, angling it in just back of a length. Pope is still purposeful but he can’t find a gap, and that’s a maiden. England trail by six.

Ah thanks Rob, afternoon everyone and welcome back Ollie Pope. He’s been busy, like a footballer pressing hard and scoring on the counter, and has become the first player in this game to reach 60.

That’s it from me. The great Tim de Lisle will be with you for the rest of the day - you can contact him by email or on Twitter. See you tomorrow.

57th over: England 185-6 (Pope 61, Moeen 14) A vile delivery from Thakur is slapped up and over for four by Moeen, who moves into double figures. He hooks the next one towards long leg, where Yadav does extremely well to save a couple runs when the ball bounces just in front of him. Drinks.

56th over: England 178-6 (Pope 60, Moeen 8) Moeen, flashing loosely, edges Bumrah straight between second slip and gully at catchable height. The ball flies away for four runs. An affronted Bumrah rams the next delivery past the outside edge.

“Is Pope and Moeen England’s most aesthetically pleasing batting partnership since David Gower stopped practicing in front of a mirror?” wonders John Dalby. “If they stay together for more than 20 minutes, I’m going to cross ‘sumptuous cover drive’ off my Sky comms bingo card.”

55th over: England 174-6 (Pope 60, Moeen 4) Moeen slaps Thakur to the left of extra cover, where the sprawling Pujara saves a boundary. Excellent fielding.

“Another France-based Brit enjoying the OBO here,” says Tom Landon. “I’d just like to point out that, perhaps surprisingly, the Tour de France could be considered the equivalent of cricket in many ways. Consider: it takes up much of the summer, it seems really dull until you understand the subtleties of strategy, it takes place over several days (3 weeks for the TdF), you usually know who’s going to win almost from the beginning – and it includes wonderful periods of relaxation when nothing appears to be happening. Ok, they’re not dressed in white and there are no balls involved, but you can’t expect the French to get everything right.”

This is a quite tremendous point.

54th over: England 172-6 (Pope 59, Moeen 4) Here comes Bumrah, in place of Jadeja. A short ball hits Moeen on the hip and runs away for four leg byes, and that’s your lot.

“Hi Rob,” says Phil Smith. “I started my first proper job, in Central London, on 10 September 2001. The second day was very sombre indeed.”

If it was possible to quantify such things, that would surely top a list of JFK moments in our lifetime.

53rd over: England 167-6 (Pope 58, Moeen 4) Shardul Thakur replaces Mohammed Siraj. I’m surprised Kohli hasn’t turned to Bumrah or at least Yadav. Moeen, though erratic, is such a dangerous player that India won’t want him to get his eye in. For now Moeen is batting very responsibly, playing for his off stump; he has 4 from 17 balls.

“How very dare you!” says Adam Roberts. “‘Humblebegins?’ Setting the scene. Wouldn’t make much sense if I talked of the heat or trying to watch cricket at 5 a.m. when in Notts.”

52nd over: England 166-6 (Pope 57, Moeen 4) Pope works Jadeja into the leg side for a pair of twos and then clouts a full toss for a single. This is beautifully poised, so much so that I’m not sure which team is in the ascendancy. England have to bat last, but the Oval pitch tends to hold up fairly well. Full disclosure: I haven’t a clue!

51st over: England 161-6 (Pope 52, Moeen 4) Ollie Pope flicks a loose ball from Siraj for four to reach an excellent half-century - 92 balls, six fours - on his home ground. He’s got what it takes, it’s as clear as day.

“Hi Rob,” says Tom Walker. “The recent comments remind me of a French friend, who, on the subject of cricket, declared, ‘Only the English could come up with a sport that is both boring and dangerous’.”

Ha, that’s delicious.

50th over: England 156-6 (Pope 47, Moeen 4) Moeen holed out of Jadeja in the last Test, and Kohli has long-on up as a tempter. For now Moeen is playing watchfully, and Jadeja hurries through a maiden.

“Because of the heat here in Cayman,” humblebegins Adam Roberts, “I have started rising at 5 so I can exercise at 6 just as it’s getting light. During a Test match this means watch until drinks and get back just before lunch. Even after a bath, I can press start over and by using the ‘forward 30 sec’ button, I watch the 2nd hour and finish easily by the time play restarts. The quicks take about 30 secs between balls and it’s 2 minutes between overs. What you do realise when doing this is just how much wasted time there is in an hour.”

49th over: England 156-6 (Pope 47, Moeen 4) Bairstow is ticking, ranting in every direction while he sips a cup of coffee. “Very difficult to keep the emotions in check when you’ve just been dismissed... isn’t it Nass?” deadpans Mike Atherton in the commentary box.

48th over: England 156-6 (Pope 47, Moeen 4) Bairstow has just had a go at a steward about some movement behind the bowler’s arm. It’s just necessarily sour grapes, as he mentioned it to Richard Illingworth not long before he was dismissed.

Meanwhile, on the field, Moeen works Jadeja wide of slip for four to get off the mark. England trail by 35.

47th over: England 151-6 (Pope 46, Moeen 0) Moeen is beaten first ball, pushing at a good delivery slanted across him. Siraj dismissed Moeen with a similar delivery at Lord’s. He is a gem of a bowler, the kind whose value will never be fully reflected by statistics.

ENGLAND REVIEW! BAIRSTOW GIVEN OUT LBW

I think he’s gone.

46th over: England 150-5 (Pope 46, Bairstow 37) “Rob, it’s all very well bamboozling your French colleagues in an office,” says Brian Barcroft. “The real test is to have passed rather too long a time in a bar and, having imbibed a certain amount of the local produce, then trying to explain the fundamentals of cricket to a group of French friends who have spent just as long in the bar as you have. Now that’s a real challenge.”

45th over: England 148-5 (Pope 45, Bairstow 36) Pope hares back for a second run, which doesn’t thrill Virat Kohli, and then clips Siraj to mid-on for another single. That’s good batting, busy and assured. Suddenly you’re seeing me, just the way I am England are only 43 runs behind.

44th over: England 145-5 (Pope 42, Bairstow 36) Ravindra Jadeja continues at the other end. India’s plan is to slow things down, stay in the game until they take a wicket, and then get Bumrah and Yadav to raise hell. A slice for three takes Pope into the forties for the first time since that outstanding 62 against Pakistan at Old Trafford last summer.

“Today is the 31st anniversary of me starting my first and still only job,” says Martin Clayton. “I was interviewed on Monday 30 July 1990, and waited in my car outside the interview building while listening to the Lord’s Test, in which Gooch scored his 456 runs, of course, and there were centuries too for Allan Lamb, Robin Smith, Ravi Shastri and Mohammad Azharuddin. It was while I was waiting that Kapil Dev hit his four consecutive sixes off Eddie Hemmings to save the follow-on, by one run. I thought it must be a good omen, and so it has proved!”

I feel for anyone who started their first job on 16 August 1989.

43rd over: England 142-5 (Pope 39, Bairstow 36) Three from Siraj’s first over, including a nice punch through the covers for two by Bairstow.

“Funny how everyone remembers that Trent Bridge Test in 1977 for the Randall/Boycott run out,” says Richard O’Hagan, “and not for the fact that it was Botham’s debut.”

Especially as he was already writing his own scripts.

The players are back on the field, and Mohammed Siraj is coming into the attack.

“Rob,” says John Starbuck. “Did we find out why the fourth test is at the Oval and not the fifth one, as has become traditional?”

We did not. Does anyone know?

Lunchtime reading

During the lunch break, TMS have a feature about India’s famous victory on this ground in 1971. You can also read all about it with this lovely archive piece from Simon Burnton.

That was a session of two distinct segments. In the first hour England scored 25 runs from 13 overs, losing Craig Overton and Dawid Malan. After drinks Ollie Pope and Jonny Bairstow launched a terrific counter-attack, and in the second hour England scored 61 runs from only 12 overs.

The match is still beautifully poised, with England 52 runs behind. See you in half an hour for the afternoon session.

41st over: England 138-5 (Pope 38, Bairstow 34) Bairstow works Bumrah behind square and hustles back for a second. This has been such an impressive counter-attack from Pope and Bairstow, who have scored 60 in the 11 overs since drinks. Maybe it was something they cooked up over a Gatorade chaser.

“Mark Butcher indeed is the commentator on Sky mentioned earlier,” says Frank. “Very nice voice and a lot of insight as you mention. If you want to enjoy his voice, there is a video of him playing guitar and singing together with Jemimah Rodrigues.”

40th over: England 135-5 (Pope 38, Bairstow 32) Jadeja has a decent LBW shout against Bairstow turned down by Alex Wharf. It was probably a bit high, and it was a no-ball anyway. With no sign of spin, Jadeja is spearing the ball in to the right-handers, looking for a bowled or LBW. Not many do it better.

39th over: England 133-5 (Pope 38, Bairstow 31) Jasprit Bumrah returns for a quick burst before lunch, which should stymie England’s counter-attack. Or not: after a few sighters outside off stump, Pope times a very classy cover drive for four.

That is almost Pope’s last boundary. He tries to leave the next ball, is too late pulling his bat out of the way and almost drags the ball back onto the stumps.

“I’ve just discovered the single greatest advantage of working in a French office,” writes Robert Wilson.”You can listen to TMS on full blast and they have no idea what’s going on. They think I’m covering some unusually boring and incomprehensible news story (one of them actually asked me if I was doing a piece on the UK parliament). If I’d known this before, I’d have been a more constant office-presence. This winter is going to be great.

“Glad to see Pope getting some. He’s one of those that just feels right.”

38th over: England 129-5 (Pope 34, Bairstow 31) For the first time in the match, we’re going to see some spin. Ravindra Jadeja has replaced Umesh Yadav, whose second spell was nowhere near as effective as his first. He has a slip and deepish short leg for Pope, who walks down the track to steal a single to mid-on. After a tricky start, when Bumrah harassed him in the corridor of uncertainty, Pope has played really well. Ignore his dodgy form this year. Of all the young batsmen who have been in England’s Test team in the last few years, Pope is the best.

37th over: England 128-5 (Pope 33, Bairstow 31) A bit of fortune for Pope, who inside-edges Thakur over the top of the stumps. Thakur has restored a little order, with only two runs from his last two overs.

36th over: England 127-5 (Pope 32, Bairstow 31) I wonder whether this counter-attack was planned or is simply an organic response to some looser bowling. Either way, England are flying now, Bairstow in particular. He scrunches Yadav through extra cover for four more to move into the thirties, and is immediately credited by Shane Warne with starting this exhilarating counter-attack. That might be news to Ollie Pope, who hit Thakur for three boundaries in four balls when Bairstow was four not out from 22 balls. But Bairstow has certainly taken over since then, belting 27 from his last 15 deliveries.

35th over: England 120-5 (Pope 30, Bairstow 26) Neil Truby writes in to suggest that the commentator Robert Speed was asking about might be Ian Ward. He’s not new - he’s been presenting all summer I think - but he did captain Surrey a few times and is equally good as a commentator and presenter.

Meanwhile, the fielder at extra cover - no idea - saves another boundary with a brilliant diving stop when Pope rifles a drive off Thakur. Just one from the over.

34th over: England 119-5 (Pope 29, Bairstow 26) Apparently the pitch invader is someone called Jarvo, who makes a habit of such appearances. He doesn’t seem to have distracted Bairstow, who brings up a rapid fifty partnership with a superb drive down the ground. After a slow start, Bairstow has raced into the troublesome twenties with 18 runs from his last nine balls. Make that 22 from his last 11: he pings Yadav through midwicket to continue this burst of boundaries. There have been eight in the last four overs, nine if you include leg-byes. At the end of the over, Kohli slams the ball into the ground in disgust.

33.2 overs: England 109-5 (Pope 28, Bairstow 18) Kohli’s had his fill of this England counter-attack. He takes off Mohammed Siraj and brings back Umesh Yadav, whose first ball leads to a big LBW shout against Pope. It was missing leg.

There’s a break in play when some attention-seeking moron runs onto the field and clatters into Jonny Bairstow while pretending to bowl. Bairstow looks pretty hacked off, with good reason.

33rd over: England 109-5 (Pope 28, Bairstow 18) England scored 28 runs off the last two overs, having managed 25 from the first 13 of the day. Thakur restores a bit of order with a decent over that goes for three runs.

“Surely,” says Bobby Dunnett, “the definition of a tragedy is when the feeling’s gone and you can’t go on.”

32nd over: England 106-5 (Pope 27, Bairstow 16) England have slipped a couple of gears. Bairstow sees Pope’s three boundaries in four balls and raises him with three in three off Siraj: a thick edge along the ground, a shovel past midwicket and a withering cut stroke.

“Who’s the new Sky commentator this test?” asks Robert Speed. “Englishman, said he captained 11 (I think?) times at the Oval (presumably at county level). Understated voice, but quite insightful I thought. But I never heard him named.”

Sounds like Mark Butcher. As a commentator, podcaster or film-maker, he’s top class.

31st over: England 94-5 (Pope 27, Bairstow 4) The run rate in this series is below three an over, the first time that has happened in a series in England since 2000. Pope gives it a boost with three boundaries in four balls off Thakur, and the other delivery went for four leg-byes as well. All three shots were superb: a pristine straight drive, a wristy clip past mid-on and a thumping pull stroke.

30th over: England 78-5 (Pope 15, Bairstow 4) A double bowling change, with Siraj on for the majestic Bumrah. Bairstow slams a back cut that is superbly fielded by Jadeja, saving four runs, and then edges on the bounce to third slip. Drinks.

29th over: England 78-5 (Pope 15, Bairstow 4) Shardul Thakur, whose riotous innings of 57 becomes more significant by the hour, replaces Umesh Yadav. A good first over is tarnished slightly when he drifts onto the pads of Pope, who clips through square leg for a couple. England trail by 113 runs.

“Four cricketers in hologram form please - Athers, Jack Russell, Allan Donald and Brian McMillan,” says Darrien Bold. “Would have had Shaun Pollock but the hologram Russell could take the hologram McMillan with ease whilst hologram Athers deals with hologram White Lightning. Am I overthinking this?”

If you’re going to have McMillan, surely you need to have his big buddy Dominic Cork?

28th over: England 75-5 (Pope 12, Bairstow 4) A sharp bouncer from Bumrah beats Pope for pace, hits him on the side of the grille and flies to fine leg for four. At first sight it looked like it came off the glove, so it was given as runs. Somewhere in the world, Martyn Moxon sighs.

“The blessed Richie frequently used the word tragedy in commentary,” says Marcus Gregory, “perhaps most famously here at Trent Bridge.”

That’s a good spot. I suppose it was fairly early in his commentary career, though you may also have a tragedy montage from the 2005 Ashes.

27th over: England 71-5 (Pope 8, Bairstow 4) Pope rifles Yadav through mid-off for three, then Bairstow goes one better with a lovely push-drive to the long-off boundary.

“Hi Rob,” says Matt Emerson. “‘Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die’ - Mel Brooks.”

That’s offensive and he should be cancelled this instant. I don’t care whether he’s a 95-year-old man. CANCEL HIM.

26th over: England 63-5 (Pope 5, Bairstow 0) England really need a substantial innings from Bairstow here. He has looked in decent touch for much of the year, yet he averages 26 with a highest score of 57. After Pope pushes a single off the first ball - the first run conceded by Bumrah today - Bairstow defends the rest of the over. ‘Defend’ is the operative word; Bumrah gave him only one ball he could leave.

“Good morning Rob,” writes Tim Sanders. “Back in the 1950s, the Jacques Loussier Trio playing Bach was a shock to tradition, as if Len Hutton had executed a perfect reverse scoop before lunch on the first day of a Roses match. Loussier died in 2019, and the Guardian jazz critic John Fordham wrote a fine obituary.”

25th over: England 62-5 (Pope 4, Bairstow 0) This is great stuff, this is miserable.

Bairstow is not out! Richard Illingworth was spot on - it was missing leg stump, just, and India lose a review. They have two left.

Bairstow whipped across the line of a full ball from Yadav that thumped into the pad. Richard Illingworth thought it was missing leg stump. I’m not so sure...

INDIA REVIEW FOR LBW AGAINST BAIRSTOW! This is really close.

24th over: England 62-4 (Malan 31, Pope 4) Pope fishes for a wide one from Bumrah and is beaten. The follow-up ball, a big inducker, hits Pope in the Wilfred. He really is a class act, Bumrah, and that’s a third consecutive maiden to Pope.

23rd over: England 62-4 (Malan 31, Pope 4) Pope stands tall to drive Yadav through extra cover for three, a classy back-foot stroke. I forgot to say when Pope came to the crease that he averages over 100 in first-class cricket at the Oval. It’s been a quiet start to the day, the wicket of Overton aside, and that suits England just fine.

“Well, what a difference a wicket makes eh, Rob,” weeps Guy Hornsby.”Malan has looked excellent so far since his return, but my stomach is about as jumpy as Ollie Pope’s first singles. As a Surrey fan, you could argue this is surely set up for him, such is his talent. But he doesn’t face this attack at the Oval either. Given the promise on his early performances, it’d be a tragedy if he went the way of Crawley (who’ll surely be back) but cricket is strewn with the tales of unfulfilled promise, just like life. I think I need a lie down to reflect on my 46 years.”

While I take your point, Richie Benaud wouldn’t like your use of the T-word. “The Titanic was a tragedy, the Ethiopian drought a disaster, and neither bears any relation to a dropped catch.” For what it’s worth - bugger all! - I think Pope and Crawley will be fine, and I hope both are in the Ashes squad.

22nd over: England 58-4 (Malan 30, Pope 1) Another interrogative maiden from Bumrah to Pope, who wants to get the scoreboard moving but has had nothing to work with so far.

“The ABBA ‘comeback’ got me thinking about which cricketers I would like to see recreated as holograms (I know, too much time on my hands),” says Richard O’Hagan. “I’d love to be able to run some of those original leg spinners alongside Warne, Qadir, Kumble etc to see what they did differently - especially Ranji Hordern, who wrote possibly the greatest cricket book ever.”

Please may I have a Learie Constantine, a Keith Miller and a Mahadevan Sathasivam?

21st over: England 58-4 (Malan 30, Pope 1) Malan times Yadav sweetly off the pads for four. This is only the fourth time since 2016 that Malan has batted No3 in a first-class innings, but he looks a natural. It’ll make such a difference to this England time if he can fill that position for the next two or three years.

20th over: England 54-4 (Malan 26, Pope 1) Ah, Mohammed Siraj was only bowling so that Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah could change ends. Bumrah is on now, with three slips and a gully for Pope. It’s been a strange year for Pope in Test cricket - he’s only been out in single figures once in 13 innings, but his highest score is 34. Nasser Hussain has spotted that Pope has changed his stance - he was batting on off stump, now he’s on middle and leg. That brings the outside edge into play a bit more, and Bumrah zips a cracking delivery past Pope’s defensive push.

19th over: England 54-4 (Malan 26, Pope 1) The new batsman is Ollie Pope, who is back in the side after injury. He’s usually busy at the crease, whatever the match situation, and he shovels his first ball into the leg side for a single. Pope had a desperate time in India earlier this year, though that was mainly against Ravichandran Ashwin.

18th over: England 53-3 (Malan 26, Overton 0) Mohammed Siraj bowls the first over, a mildly surprising decision from Virat Kohli. He does bowl well to left-handers, as we saw on the last day at Lord’s, so I’m sure it’s with Malan in mind. He starts with a maiden to Malan, who leaves everything angled across him.

Dawid Malan, who is 34 today, walks onto the field with Craig Overton. Let’s get ready to grumble.

“I loved those Hamlet ads,” says John Swan. “I keep searching for the music - I mean I know it’s a jazz piano trio version of Air on a G String but I’d love to get a recording of it. Who did it, do you know?”

Shazam!

And here’s the TMS overseas link

Yesterday’s highlights (UK only I think)

“I think that’s a targeted ad, Rob,” says Guy Mavor. “Mine are for alcohol-free beer and planning your own funeral (look, it’s been a good summer...)”

Hang on, even TV adverts are targeted? That would explain why I was expelled from school for puffing on a Hamlet during home economics.

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