CRICKET: FOURTH TEST, DAY FIVE: IT WAS England's hunger that impressed as much as anything. Here they were on the final afternoon 3-0 up in the series but the pitch was sleeping; Sachin Tendulkar was eyeing his 100th international century, the odd decision had failed to go their way, the odd catch had been spilled and, with India 262 for three, a draw was on the horizon. Lesser sides might have settled for that but not this lot.
Amit Mishra, a valiant nightwatchman, missed a non-turning off-break and was bowled, whereupon England were transformed. First Graeme Swann, who had just endured a string of frustrations, punched the air with surprising venom.
Next Stuart Broad was snarling at Suresh Raina and the two Australian umpires decided to have a word with Andrew Strauss about that. England wanted the clean sweep all right.
And they got it with startling ease. India contrived to lose seven wickets for 21 runs within 80 minutes, another gutless performance which left them losing the match by an innings and eight runs. Only 4-0 would do for England.
With hindsight the conclusion had to be that India’s pluckiest performance must have been at Lord’s in the first Test; they lost by only 196 runs there.
Here their collapse included the dismissal of Tendulkar on 91. He was lbw to the first ball of a new spell from Tim Bresnan, who no doubt recognised that a moment in history might be just around the corner.
Bresnan celebrated his successful appeal with gusto. Thereafter England were irresistible, India resigned.
Even India’s insistence that the Decision Review System should not be used in its entirety seemed like another self-inflicted wound.
Raina was given lbw to Swann by the umpire Simon Taufel. Within seconds we all knew that the ball had nicked the inside edge of Raina’s bat.
Then Broad and Swann cleaned up a demoralised tail. The majority of a full house may have been delighted but they had every right to expect a little more entertainment.
There are only so many times that you can sing Jerusalem.
Guardian Service
