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All-round Bumrah stars as Broad concedes costliest over in test history

cricket02 July 2022 18:31| © AFP
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India stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah starred with both bat and ball as England's Stuart Broad conceded the most expensive over in test history, giving up 35 runs at Edgbaston on Saturday.

India were all out for a breathtaking 416 in their first innings of the Covid-delayed fifth test, with the tourists 2-1 up in a five-match series.

Bumrah, who hit Broad for 29 runs in an over that also featured five wides and a no-ball he struck for six, then led from the front in his primary role of strike bowler.

He took the first three wickets to fall amid several rain breaks during an excellent return of 3-35 in 11 overs, with England slumping to 84-5 at stumps on the second day – a deficit of 332 runs.

When play resumed in bright sunshine, former England captain Joe Root, the world's top-ranked test batsman, was caught behind for 31 trying to cut a Mohammad Siraj delivery that was too close to him.

At 78-4, for all their aggressive play under a new leadership duo of captain Ben Stokes and red-ball coach Brendon McCullum while whitewashing test world champions New Zealand 3-0, England sent in Jack Leach as a nightwatchman.

Leach, however, was caught behind for a duck off Mohammed Siraj in a five-ball stay where he was also dropped in the slips.

The in-form Jonny Bairstow was 12 not out and skipper Stokes unbeaten on nought at stumps.

BOWLING TOO SHORT

Broad had become just the sixth bowler to take 550 test wickets when he lost his composure by bowling too short at Bumrah, deputising as captain for the Covid-hit Rohit Sharma.

No 10 Bumrah was anything but intimidated during eight remarkable deliveries from Broad, even though the seamer was armed with the new ball.

The six legitimate balls were thrashed for 23 runs, including four fours and a six.

Broad, 36, also sent down a wide that sailed over the head of wicketkeeper Sam Billings for four and a no-ball Bumrah top-edged for six.

The previous record of 28 runs in a test over had been achieved on three occasions in the format's 145-year history, with Broad's teammates James Anderson and Root two of the bowlers on the receiving end.

Broad was already the joint record-holder for the most expensive over in a Twenty20 international, also against India, having conceded 36 runs when Yuvraj Singh hit him for six sixes during a 2007 World Twenty20 match in Durban.

But he is unlikely to add the corresponding one-day international record as well given Broad hasn't played a 50-overs per side match for England since 2016 in order to extend his test career.

'HUGE CREDIT TO JADEJA AND PANT'

India, 338-7 overnight, smashed 78 runs in 11.5 overs.

Ravindra Jadeja, resuming on 83 not out, completed the third test century of his career and first abroad.

Jadeja had been the junior partner in a stand of 222 with Rishabh Pant, who hit a rapid 146, that rescued India from the depths of 98-5.

"Huge credit to Jadeja and Pant," Anderson, whose 656 wickets are the most taken by any fast bowler in test history, told the BBC. "Sometimes you have to take your hat off to the opposition and obviously they have bowled well."

Matthew Potts could have had Jadeja out for 92 but a thick edge off the shoulder of the bat split slips Zak Crawley and Root before heading to the boundary.

But one ball after his reprieve, he commandingly cut Potts to complete a 183-ball century with his 13th four.

Broad then achieved his landmark wicket when Leach caught Shami.

Anderson bowled Jadeja for 104 and then ended the innings when Siraj holed out to finish with 5-60 in 21.5 overs.

Bumrah followed his 31 not out by bowling opener Alex Lees between bat and pad for six, with fellow opener Crawley's poor run of form continuing when he nicked the captain to third slip on nine.

Bumrah completed his removal of England's top three when Ollie Pope exited for 10 after an edged drive was caught in the slips by Shreyas Iyer at the second attempt.

This decider should have been played in Manchester last September only to be postponed just hours before the start because of coronavirus concerns within the India camp.

Report Day 1

ENGLAND: Zak Crawley, Alex Lees, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (capt), Sam Billings (wk), Matthew Potts, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, James Anderson

INDIA: Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah (capt)

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