England took complete control of their third Test with India after bowling out their opponents for just 78 on day one at Headingley and replying with 120-0.

The tourists, leading 1-0 in the series and seeking back-to-back Test wins in England for just a second time, were wiped out in just over 40 overs after electing to bat first.

Virat Kohli's side surrendered their last six wickets for 30 and England made a more-that-steady start to their reply by the end of play on Wednesday thanks to Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed.

Star man James Anderson got England off to a flier as he picked up three wickets for the loss of six runs in his opening spell of eight overs, dismissing KL Rahul (0), Cheteshwar Pujara (1) and Kohli (7) in quick succession.

India were in trouble at 21-3 and, while they were given temporary respite by Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane, the latter was soon sent packing by Ollie Robinson for 18. 

Robinson picked up from where he left off after lunch with the wicket of Rishabh Pant, who edged straight into the hands of Jos Buttler for just two runs.

That was Buttler's fifth catch and England were not finished there as Craig Overton, in for Mark Wood, got Sharma – India's top scorer with 19 runs – caught trying an awkward pull shot.

Mohammed Shami was then caught at third slip by Rory Burns for a golden duck, before Sam Curran got Ravi Jadeja (4) and Jasprit Bumrah (0) both out lbw.

Mohammed Siraj (3) was the last to fall for a shocked India, the ball coming off his bat and landing in the hands of Joe Root at slip, leaving India with their ninth-lowest total in Test history.

England had the chance to get some runs on the board before the end of play and their batters steadily backed up their bowlers' hard work.

Burns and Hameed produced an unbroken century stand for the first wicket to give England a lead of 42.

Burns reached 52 by the close of play – his 10th Test half-century – and partner Hameed will resume at 60 not out on Thursday as England look to close in on an emphatic victory to level the series.

 

Headingley horror for India

India posted their third-lowest total against England with 78 runs and their lowest since 1974 when skittled for 42 at Lord's.

It was India's third-lowest score ever after electing to bat first, meanwhile, behind the 76 they managed against South Africa in 2008 and 75 against the West Indies in 1987.

England were rampant and Anderson in particular was in inspired form, setting the tone early on. Buttler also deserves special praise as he took five catches in an innings for a second time, previously doing so against the West Indies in 2015.

Hameed steps up on return to top two

Burns and Hameed refused to be budged as England became only the third side in Test history to bowl out the opposition and end day one in the lead with both openers still in play.

That is the 22nd new opening partnership used by England in the past nine years, with Hameed opening the batting in Test cricket for the first time since 2016 after jumping the order following Dawid Malan's recall.

Both men faced more than 100 balls but looked comfortable for large parts, with England's opening partnership registering a century at home for only the third time in five years.

Misbah-ul-Haq will remain in the Caribbean when the Pakistan squad fly home on Wednesday after the head coach tested positive for coronavirus.

The former Pakistan batsman must quarantine for 10 days after he was the only member of the touring party to return a positive PCR test.

Misbah had been due to head home a day after Pakistan salvaged a 1-1 Test series draw with West Indies, winning by 109 runs at Sabina Park.

A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) statement said: "Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has tested positive and, as such, will not depart for Lahore with his side later today (Wednesday).

"Misbah, who is asymptomatic, will now undergo a 10-day quarantine, following which he will depart for Pakistan.

"Misbah was the only Pakistan squad member who failed two pre-departure PCR tests. All other members will leave Jamaica as per schedule later today.

"The PCB is constantly in touch with Cricket West Indies who have confirmed that Misbah will be shifted to another hotel for the 10-day quarantine with a medical specialist assigned to look after his health and wellbeing."

Pakistan's next assignment is a home ODI series against New Zealand next month.

Pakistan levelled their Test series against the West Indies as a Shaheen Afridi masterclass led them to a 109-run victory in Kingston on Tuesday.

Shaheen's career-best bowling figures of 6-51 helped put the balance firmly in Pakistan's favour heading into the final day, and he was on point again with another four wickets to round off the triumph.

The Windies needed 280 runs at the start of the day's play, with nine wickets remaining, but after meeting initial resistance, Shaheen struck to get the ball rolling.

He finished with figures of 4-43 for the innings, taking his match haul to 10 wickets.

Alzarri Joseph (17) was the first Windies batsman to fall, with Nkrumah Bonner and Roston Chase swiftly following suit, both to Hasan Ali (2-37).

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite, who scored 39 from 147 deliveries (and 250 minutes at the crease), was dismissed early in the afternoon session, leaving Pakistan on the verge of victory before tea, yet the Windies fought back again, with a rain delay then threatening to halt their procession.

Thankfully for the tourists, the inclement weather did not hold, and when they returned for the final session, it was Shaheen who offered the inspiration, drawing an edge from the impressive Kyle Mayers (32), with Jason Holder's subsequent dismissal on 47 leaving the Windies with little chance.

Shaheen finished things off, sending Kemar Roach and Joshua Da Silva packing in the space of two overs to ensure the series ended on level terms.

West Indies' wait goes on

In 2005, 2011 and now 2021, the Windies have taken the lead in a two-match home Test series against Pakistan, only for the tourists to hit them back on each occasion.

The Windies have now not beaten Pakistan in a Test series – home or away – since 2000.

England will hope some fresh faces can help revitalise their series hopes as they look to avoid suffering back-to-back Test defeats against India on home soil for just the second time.

After rain wiped out the prospect of a dramatic finish in the opener at Trent Bridge, India made sure there was final-day drama at Lord's last time out, taking 10 wickets in the final two sessions to go 1-0 up.

The teams have had a brief period of respite before battle resumes in Leeds on Wednesday, with England certain to make changes to their XI.

Dom Sibley was dropped after averaging just 14.25 in the series, meaning Haseeb Hameed seems set to slide up to open and the recalled Dawid Malan will bat at three, a position he has never previously occupied during any of his 15 Test appearances.

However, captain Joe Root is confident Malan – who averages 27.84 in the format, including hitting an Ashes century in Perth – can fill a problem position.

"He's played a lot of red-ball cricket over the course of his career and he's also had great success," Root told the media.

"He's played in a massive series in Australia away and been our leading run-scorer out there, so we know that he's capable of big things in Test match cricket."

England will also have to select a replacement for Mark Wood; the pace bowler is ruled out with the shoulder injury suffered at Lord's. Either Craig Overton or the uncapped Saqib Mahmood will get a chance in the bowling attack.

As for India, they are sitting in a position of strength, not just in terms of the series score but also the options they have available to them.

A pace-heavy bowling unit was the key to their impressive success last time out but the move north could prompt a change in approach, should the Headingley surface look to aid spin. Ravichandran Ashwin - who has just the 413 Test wickets to his name - is waiting in the wings for an opportunity.

The only occasion India have ever recorded successive Test triumphs in England came back in June 1986, when they followed up a victory at Lord's by beating their hosts in Leeds a fortnight later. Could history be set to repeat itself?

 

Siraj shines as bowlers prosper

Opener KL Rahul was named man of the match at Lord's following a first-innings century, yet it was Mohammed Siraj and his fellow pace bowlers who overwhelmed England on the fifth and final day, skittling them for 120 in 51.5 overs.

India boast a bowling average of 22.4 in Tests since the beginning of 2019, the best by any team in that time. England, in contrast, are ranked sixth in this category with an average of 28.1.

Root still waits for record

Root has been the one England batsman to prosper against India so far, scoring two hundreds and a half-century. His series average of 128.66 is outstanding yet his runs have not provided the foundation for his team to be successful.

This outing at his home venue in Yorkshire will be his 55th as Test captain, the second most by any England player. He has won 26 of those games in charge, leaving him level with Michael Vaughan at the top of the list.

Key match facts

- India have lost only one of their last six Tests (W4, D1), an eight-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the ICC World Test Championship Final (June 2021).

- England are winless in their last seven Tests (D2, L5). The last time they recorded a longer winless run in the format was an eight-match span from November 2017 to May 2018 (D2, L6).

- India (126) and England (110) have hit more sixes than any other teams in Test cricket since the beginning of 2019.

- Rishabh Pant has a batting strike rate of 68.8 in Tests since the beginning of 2019, the second best by any player to face at least 1,000 balls in that time (Quinton de Kock – 71.4).

- James Anderson has an economy rate of 2.4 in the format since the beginning of 2019, the best by any bowler in that time (minimum 500 overs bowled).

Career-best bowling figures from Shaheen Afridi and brilliance from Mohammad Abbas put Pakistan in a strong position in the second Test against West Indies.

Shaheen's 6-51 helped the tourists to skittle their hosts for 150 after having declared at 302-9 in their first innings.

Pakistan followed up with 176-6 declared to seize control of the match, the Windies needing 280 on day five to avoid defeat.

Pakistan set up a strong day four when they tore through West Indies' middle order, taking four wickets for the loss of just 11 runs in Kingston on Monday.

Shaheen accounted for Kieran Powell (5) and Kraigg Brathwaite (4) early doors, with Roston Chase (10) and Alzarri Joseph (4) mustering just 14 between them.

Jermaine Blackwood's 33 steadied the ship until Abbas was unleashed, Nkrumah Bonner (37) and Kyle Mayers (0) falling to successive deliveries before Blackwood and Joshua Da Silva (6) followed.

With their opponents all out for 150, Pakistan built a strong second innings as Imran Butt (37) and Babar Azam (33) led the way before they declared at 176-6.

Powell and Brathwaite's stand of 34 got the West Indies' chase off to a promising start, but the former was run out after a somewhat lethargic attempt to get his bat down as they chased a third off an extra cover drive.

Still, after reaching 49 at stumps, the final day promises to be a riveting affair.

West Indies undone in torrid 10 minutes

A 60-run fifth-wicket partnership between Blackwood and Bonner kept Pakistan frustrated until Shaheen and Abbas produced some sensational bowling.

Their efforts mean Babar's men still have a chance of levelling the series.

 

Akeem Auguste made the most of excellent batting conditions to record a sparkling century as the West Indies Rising Stars U19s High-Performance Camp continued this past weekend.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has forged a new partnership with digital inventory management specialists, Horizm to value and unlock revenues from CWI’s website and social media channels.

Mark Wood will not feature for England in the third Test against India due to the right shoulder injury he suffered at Lord's.

Wood was hurt on the fourth day of the second Test between the teams when diving to make a stop near the boundary, though he was still able to bowl in the remainder of the match.

After India secured a dramatic final-day victory to go 1-0 up in the five-match series, the 31-year-old was included in England's squad for the next contest, with the expectation at the time being he would be fit to feature at Headingley.

However, ahead of the game starting on Wednesday, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have confirmed he has now been ruled out of contention.

While unavailable for selection, Wood will remain with the squad in Leeds to continue undergoing treatment and will be assessed at the end of the match.

England were already certain to make at least one change to the XI that went down by 151 runs last time out.

Dom Sibley failed twice in the game and was subsequently dropped from the squad. The opener averaged just 14.25 in the series, while he has managed two centuries in 22 appearances overall in his Test career.

Dawid Malan earned a recall and could well slot into a position in the top order.

Lancashire pace bowler Saqib Mahmood, called up as cover for the second Test but yet to make his debut in the longest format, was also named in a 15-man squad, and could be the natural replacement for Wood.

England are without Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Olly Stone and Chris Woakes due to injuries, while all-rounder Ben Stokes is taking an indefinite break from the game to prioritise his mental health.

Fawad Alam dragged Pakistan past 300 with his fifth Test century before their bowlers made early inroads against West Indies on the third day of the Second Test in Kingston.

There was no play on the second day of the second Test between West Indies and Pakistan, with the weather frustrating the sides after Friday's gripping action.

Repeated inspections of a wet outfield did not yield suitable conditions, as rain continued to fall throughout Saturday.

It meant Pakistan remained on 212-4, as they were at stumps the previous day having staged a recovery from a rocky start.

West Indies had the tourists on the ropes in Kingston when they were put in to bat and remarkably reduced to 2-3.

Yet a huge partnership between Fawad Alam and Babar Azam lasted for 298 balls and 158 runs and was only ended when the former retired hurt with cramps.

That stand brought Pakistan firmly back into contention, and they would have hoped to set a big total on day two, only for the rain to intervene.

West Indies won the first match of the two-Test series.

Half-centuries from Babar Azam and Fawad Alam wrested the early initiative from the West Indies and put Pakistan in a position of strength at the end of the first day of the second Betway Test at Sabina Park on Friday.

Former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns is off life support and recovering in hospital after emergency surgery on his heart.

Cairns had surgery in Canberra after a "major medical event" earlier this month but was transferred to St Vincent's in Sydney for another cardiovascular operation.

The 51-year-old was reported by the New Zealand media to have suffered an aortic dissection – a tear in the body's main artery.

Cairns' lawyer, Aaron Lloyd, confirmed he has regained consciousness and has been able to interact with his family including his wife Melanie.

"I'm pleased to advise that Chris is off life support and has been able to communicate with his family from a hospital in Sydney," Lloyd said in a statement.

"He and his family are thankful for all of the support and well wishes from everyone, and for the privacy they have been afforded.

"They request that this continues as they focus on his recovery moving forward."

Cairns played 62 Tests, 215 ODIs and two Twenty20 games for the Black Caps between 1989 and 2006.

His father Lance also played cricket for New Zealand.

West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite has hailed the contribution of allrounder and former captain Jason Holder as the team looks to secure its first Test series win over Pakistan in almost two decades.

Holder crafted a crucial second-innings knock of 58 and took 4 wickets as the team held on for a nail-biting one-wicket win to take the lead.

However, the top allrounder has also gained plenty of attention for his actions off the field, particularly for the mentorship shown to young fast-bowler Jayden Seales.  Seales was one of the highlights of the first match for the Windies after claiming an impressive five-wicket second innings haul.

“Obviously, Jason is the number one all-rounder in the world.  He is very crucial, and he has done a fantastic job, obviously with Jayden.  I see them having a lot of chats,” Brathwaite told members of the media via an online press conference on Thursday.

“All the guys are doing a good job, they all came together but obviously Jason is the number one all-rounder in the world so obviously he brings a lot of value.”

Brathwaite replaced Holder as captain of the team in February, following a successful tour of Bangladesh, the team has since drawn with Sri Lanka and lost to South Africa.

West Indies batsman Jermaine Blackwood is confident the team is on the way to providing more consistent performances at the crease, despite recent displays of inconsistent form.

The Windies scored a  dramatic win over Pakistan to take a 1-0 lead in the ongoing two-Test series.  The match featured typically robust performances from the team’s bowlers with Jayden Seales ending with 125 for 8 and Kemar Roach 5 for 77.

With the bat, there were solid performances from captain Kraigg Brathwaite, Jason Holder, and Blackwood but elsewhere in the batting order, the concentration and execution on display from the line-up sparked cause for concern.  For Blackwood, however, it remains a work in progress and a hurdle that the unit will get over sooner or later.

“We are making improvements, baby steps.  It’s just the process, we are working hard as a batting unit, even though we did not get the scores we wanted,” Blackwood told members of the media on Wednesday.

"I see this unit is in a good place and on pace to do well for all the people of the West Indies, themselves and their families, and every day that we go to train we put in 150 percent,” he added.

Since the start of the year, Blackwood has himself struggled with the bat, averaging 22.92 in 7 Test matches played.  So far, he has a high score of 68.

 

 

 

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