England's batsmen battle back after Pant's Test heroics
The hosts were 2-225 at the close of play, still trailing the tourists by 133 runs after an absorbing day of at Old Trafford.
A gutsy half century from the injured Rishabh Pant helped India post 358 in their first innings at Old Trafford, with England captain Ben Stokes' first five-wicket Test haul in eight years helping see off the tourists' tail.
Crawley and Duckett moved at a rapid rate before tea to eat into India's total as England's reply got under way, but neither could convert their impressive starts into centuries, the pair falling for 84 and 94 respectively in the evening session.
Joe Root and Ollie Pope survived several close calls to see England through to the close, putting the hosts in with a chance of sealing victory in the five-match series with one Test to spare.
Resuming the day on 4-264, Pant appeared in the India dressing room in his whites after retiring hurt on Wednesday trying an audacious reverse scoop shot when on 37, before heading to hospital for scans.
After England fast bowler Archer removed Ravindra Jadeja for 20 early under grey Manchester skies, and Shardul Thakur (41) followed him back to the pavilion, Pant received a standing ovation as he surprisingly limped down the steps and onto the field.
Running between the wickets was difficult, but Pant, effectively on one leg, steered the tourists through to lunch on 6-321.
Zak Crawley goes BIG against Jadeja 🚀🚀🚀 pic.twitter.com/oPVeOU5lK6
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 24, 2025
As play restarted, the battling Pant pulled out the big shots. He slogged Archer for six before moving past fifty, his 18th in Test cricket, with another boundary.
After Stokes had removed Washington Sundar and debutant Anshul Kamboj, Archer ended Pant's resistance by sending the injured wicket-keeper's off stump flying for 54. Pant has now amassed the most runs by a wicketkeeper in a series on English soi
Duckett continued where Pant left off when England came to the crease in reply, scoring at over a run a ball as he reached his 15th Test fifty in the evening sunshine.
Crawley quickly followed, his 23rd score of fifty or more helping England's opening pair pass their century partnership for the fifth time as a duo.
The partnership was ended at 166 as Crawley was caught in the slips by KL Rahul having achieved his highest ever test score against India.
Duckett did not last much longer, Kamboj snaring his maiden Test wicket, to leave the batsman six short of a ton.
Pope offered up several catchable chances, with Root surviving two loud lbw appeals.
However, both added more runs into the final over, setting things up nicely for more thrills and spills on Friday.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
What happens behind the scenes in WWE? This SMU alum shows you exclusively on Netflix
Did you ever wonder what happens behind the scenes in WWE? WWE (World Wrestling Entertainmant) is the top pro wrestling / sports entertainment company in the world. The financial success of this long-running organization has other pro sports groups taking notice. There's the athletic side of WWE and also the entertainment side. Yes, fans know results are predetermined, but who and how it's determined who will win are part of the company's mystique. It's a process, a very interesting process. SMU alum Chris Weaver will give you a first-hand look at what occurs there as the director of the new docuseries 'WWE: UnReal,' which premieres July 29 on Netflix. From Monday Night RAW to WrestleMania, 'WWE: UnReal' goes backstage with WWE Superstars and staff as they bring the company's major spectacles to life. Season 1 covers from January to WrestleMania in April. So, WWE's biggest battles aren't always in the ring. 'WWE: Unreal' dives into the writers' room where legends — and feuds — are made. Paul Levesque, a 14-time WWE World Champion best known in the ring as Triple H and WWE's chief content officer since 2022, serves as the narrator of the docuseries. Weaver, who has a degree in Communication Arts: Cinema with a minor in English from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, is a senior producer for NFL Films, including the successful NFL reality docuseries 'Hard Knocks' on HBO. He is in his 22nd year working with NFL Films. Prior, he was an intern in the Broadcast Department for the Dallas Cowboys. During his teens years, Weaver gradauted from Mesquite High School in 1998 outside Dallas. Here is my video interview with 'WWE: UnReal' Director Chris Weaver. Weaver is a 9-time Emmy winning filmmaker. He has been instrumental in developing and launching new series such as 'Quarterback' for Netflix, 'Hard Knocks: in Season' for HBO, 'Peyton's Places' for ESPN+, 'All or Nothing' for Amazon, 'NFL Icons' for MGM+, 'NFL Films Drawn' for Youtube, and now 'WWE: UnReal: for Netflix. He has produced numerous features for 'Hard Knocks: Training Camp' for HBO, 'NFL Films Presents' for FS1, 'NFL Gameday All Access' for Youtube, 'Inside the NFL' for CW, 'Hey Rookie: Welcome to the NFL' for ESPN, 'A Football Life' for NFL Network and many more. His current focus is on story producing, lead editing, writing, and field directing. In an unprecedented turn, 'WWE: UnReal' takes you behind the scenes - into the writer's room and the homes of WWE's greatest Superstars - to show the year-round work it takes to execute one of the most secretive shows in the world week over week. And when the curtain falls down, the business of getting a show to air is just as compelling as the Main Event. Trailer: NETFLIX: JULY 29, 2025 EPISODES: 5 episodes x 50 Minutes EPISODE TITLES: Episode 1 - New EraEpisode 2 - PushEpisode 3 - Worth The WaitEpisode 4 - Heel TurnEpisode 5 - Wrestlemania THOSE FEATURED: Triple H, Cody Rhodes, John Cena, Rhea Ripley, CM Punk, Jey Uso, Bianca Belair, Chelsea Green, Charlotte Flair, and Xavier Woods. Logline: For the first time ever, step into the WWE writer's room and outside the ring with your favorite WWE Superstars, where the drama is just as intense offstage as it is under the spotlight. Director: Chris Weaver Showrunner: Erik Powers Executive Producers: Peyton Manning, Jamie Horowitz, Ross Ketover, Keith Cossrow, Ken Rodgers, Jessica Boddy, Lee Fitting, Ben Houser, Marc Pomarico Production Companies: Omaha Productions, NFL Films, Skydance Sports, WWE Visit:
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
Ichiro Suzuki steals show with witty Hall of Fame speech in English
COOPERSTOWN — Ichiro Suzuki stole the show with his nearly 20-minute speech, delivered in English. Long known to those around him for speaking English well, Ichiro always chose to speak publicly in Japanese, using an interpreter. Now a Hall of Famer, Ichiro chose Sunday to break out a witty speech in front of a crowd of thousands of fans wearing his No. 51 Mariners jersey. Advertisement Afterward, speaking in Japanese again following his speech, Ichiro said he 'always knew' he would deliver the speech in English, in hopes of letting his American fans understand it as well as possible. 5 Ichiro Suzuki delivers a nearly 20-minute speech in English at his Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post 'I played with him, so I knew he could do that,'' CC Sabathia said of Ichiro's speaking ability. 'It was good for people to get to know his personality and how hard he worked.' Advertisement Brian Cashman had a similar story, saying that when he traded for Ichiro in 2012, he and an interpreter spent over an hour on a phone call with Ichiro and his interpreter to explain what his role would be if he agreed to come to the Yankees. 'It took forever,'' Cashman said. A week later, Cashman introduced himself to Ichiro in person in The Bronx and was surprised. 5 Ichiro Suzuki jokes with fellow Hall of Famers Derek Jeter and Cal Ripken Jr. before his speech. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Advertisement 5 Billy Wagner and Ichiro Suzuki chat during their Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post 5 Ichiro Suzuki's wife, Yumiko Fukushima, watches her husband be inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post 'He responded by speaking better English than I did,'' Cashman said. Ichiro, in addition to thanking the Mariners and their fans, as well as his Orix team in Japan that let him come to the majors in 2001, also fondly recalled his time with the Yankees from 2012-14. Advertisement 'I enjoyed my two-and-a-half years in pinstripes and to get to experience the great leadership of Derek Jeter and the organization's proud touch,' Ichiro said. Billy Wagner said he'd been preparing his Hall of Fame speech 'for about 10 years' while waiting to get inducted. He finally got his chance Sunday, when the lefty became the first left-handed reliever to be enshrined in the Hall, in part thanks to his three-plus years with the Mets. 5 Billy Wagner shows off his new Hall of Fame ring. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post And while he's most remembered for his years in Houston — where his first manager was Terry Collins in 1995 and '96 — he noted the role his time in Queens played in his path to Cooperstown. But he also praised the Mets and their former owners, the Wilpons. Advertisement 'For a small-town guy like me, going to a big city, Fred Wilpon and his son, Jeff, and the Mets organization made it easy to come to the field and compete,' Wagner said. 'Because I got to ride in [to the ballpark] with Tom Glavine. They always had a great team surrounding me and that helped me reach this stage today.' Wagner noted that he and Whitey Ford are the only pitchers in the Hall of Fame who are shorter than 6 feet tall. He also noted that he is the only pitcher from a Division III college (Ferrum College) to get to Cooperstown. 'I'm from a very small part of southwest Virginia,'' Wagner said. 'To grow up in a small, rural area, this isn't something you think about.' Advertisement Dave Parker died in June at age 74. He had been preparing a speech for his induction and his son, Dave II, spoke on his behalf. The late Dick Allen's wife, Willa, also spoke on her husband's behalf. … Sandy Koufax, the oldest living Hall of Famer at age 89, was in attendance. … The start of the ceremony was delayed by an hour due to inclement weather. There were an estimated 30,000 fans in attendance.
NBC News
4 hours ago
- NBC News
Ichiro Suzuki adds humorous touches to Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremonies
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — If you want someone for your next celebrity roast, Ichiro Suzuki could be your guy. Mixing sneaky humor with heartfelt messages, the first Japanese-born player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame stole the show Sunday in Cooperstown. Morning showers and gloomy skies delayed the ceremonies by an hour, but the moisture gave way to bright skies and warm temperatures. The sun seemed its brightest during Suzuki's acceptance speech. The outfielder was joined by pitcher CC Sabathia, also elected in his first year of eligibility, and closer Billy Wagner, who made it in his final try on the writers' ballot. Suzuki fell one vote shy of being a unanimous selection and he took a jab at the unidentified sports writer who didn't vote for him. "Three thousand hits or 262 hits in one season are two achievements recognized by the writers. Well, all but one," Suzuki said to roaring laughter. "By the way, the offer for the writer to have dinner at my home has now expired," he added, with emphasis on "expired" for good measure. A pair of Era Committee selections rounded out the Class of 2025: Dave Parker, who earned the nickname Cobra during 20 big league seasons, and slugger Dick Allen. Parker died June 28, just a month before he was to be inducted. An estimated 30,000 fans crowded onto the field adjacent to the Clark Sports Center, sun umbrellas and Japanese flags sprinkled around. Suzuki's No. 51 was seemingly everywhere as fans, thousands of them Seattle Mariners boosters who made the trek from the Pacific Northwest, chanted "Ichiro" several times throughout the day. A sign that read "Thank You Ichiro! Forever a Legend" in English and Japanese summed up the admiration for Suzuki on his special day. With 52 returning Hall of Famers on hand, Suzuki paid homage to his new baseball home in Cooperstown and his adoring fans by delivering his 18-minute speech in English. His humor, a surprise to many, delighted the crowd. He threw shade at the Miami Marlins, the last stop of his professional career. "Honestly, when you guys offered me a contract in 2015, I had never heard of your team," Suzuki joked. He kidded that he showed up at spring training every year with his arm "already in shape" just to hear Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs scream, "'Holy smokes! Another laser-beam throw from Ichiro!'" He even took a moment for some tongue-in-cheek modesty. "People often measure me by my records. Three thousand hits. Ten Gold Gloves. Ten seasons of 200 hits. "Not bad, huh?" Suzuki said to more laughs. He thanked his late agent Tony Anastasio for "getting me to America and for teaching me to love wine." But he also took time to get to the root of what made him extraordinary. "Baseball is much more than just hitting, throwing and running. Baseball taught me to make valued decisions about what is important. It helped shape my view of life and the world. … The older I got, I realized the only way I could get to play the game I loved to the age of 45 at the highest level was to dedicate myself to it completely," he said. "When fans use their precious time to see you play, you have a responsibility to perform for them whether you are winning by 10 or losing by 10. "Baseball taught me what it means to be a professional and I believe that is the main reason I am here today. I could not have achieved the numbers without paying attention to the small details every single day consistently for all 19 seasons." Now he's reached the pinnacle, overcoming doubters, one of whom said to him: "'Don't embarrass the nation.'" He's made his homeland proud. "Going into America's Baseball Hall of Fame was never my goal. I didn't even know there was one. I visited Cooperstown for the first time in 2001, but being here today sure feels like a fantastic dream." Sabathia thanked "the great players sitting behind me, even Ichiro, who stole my Rookie of the Year award [in 2001]." He paid homage to Parker and spoke about Black culture in today's game. "It's an extra honor to be a part of Dave's Hall of Fame class. He was a father figure for a generation of Black stars. In the '80s and early '90s when I first started watching baseball and Dave Parker was crushing homers, the number of Black players in the major leagues was at its highest, about 18%. Me and my friends played the game because we saw those guys on TV and there was always somebody who looked like me in a baseball uniform. "Baseball has always been a great game for Black athletes, but baseball culture has not always been great to Black people. I hope we're starting to turn that around. I don't want to be the final member of the Black aces, a Black pitcher to win 20 games. And I don't want to be the final Black pitcher giving a Hall of Fame speech." Wagner urged young players to treat obstacles not as "roadblocks, but steppingstones." "I wasn't the biggest player. I wasn't supposed to be here. There were only seven full-time relievers in the Hall of Fame. Now, there are eight because I refused to give up or give in," he said. Suzuki received 393 of 394 votes (99.7%) from the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Sabathia was picked on 342 ballots (86.8%) and Wagner on 325 (82.5%), which was 29 votes more than the 296 needed for the required 75%. After arriving in the majors in 2001, Suzuki joined Fred Lynn (1975) as the only players to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. Suzuki was a two-time AL batting champion and 10-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, hitting .311 with 117 homers, 780 RBIs and 509 stolen bases with Seattle, the New York Yankees and Miami. He is perhaps the best contact hitter ever, with 1,278 hits in Nippon Professional Baseball and 3,089 in MLB, including a season-record 262 in 2004. His combined total of 4,367 exceeds Pete Rose's major league record of 4,256. Sabathia, second to Suzuki in 2001 AL Rookie of the Year voting, was a six-time All-Star who won the 2007 AL Cy Young Award and a World Series title in 2009. He went 251-161 with a 3.74 ERA and 3,093 strikeouts, third among left-handers behind Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton, during 19 seasons with Cleveland, Milwaukee and the New York Yankees. A seven-time All-Star, Wagner was 47-40 with a 2.31 ERA and 422 saves for Houston, Philadelphia, the New York Mets, Boston and Atlanta. Tom Hamilton and Tom Boswell were also honored during Hall of Fame weekend. Hamilton has been the primary radio broadcaster for the Cleveland Guardians franchise for 35 seasons and received the Ford C. Frick Award. Boswell, a retired sports columnist who spent his entire career with The Washington Post, was honored with the BBWAA Career Excellence Award.
