Duckett, Root star as England beat India in thrilling 1st Test
LEEDS: Ben Duckett's superb 149 laid the foundation for a record-breaking England win as they beat India by five wickets in a dramatic first Test at Headingley on Tuesday. Victory meant England became the first team to concede five individual hundreds in a first-class game—a span of more than 60,000 matches—and still win. England, set 371 for victory, finished on 373-5 in the last session of the fifth day as they went 1-0 up in a five-match series.
When England resumed Monday on 21-0, needing 350 more runs, the overcast conditions were against the batsmen. But Duckett and Zak Crawley (65) swung the game England's way with an outstanding opening partnership of 188.
Jamie Smith (44 not out) stayed true to England's aggressive 'Bazball' style by hitting the winning runs courtesy a six off spinner Ravindra Jadeja, while Joe Root ensured the hosts overcame a brief stumble with a typically composed 53 not out on his Yorkshire home ground.
India's attack was led by Jasprit Bumrah, the world's number one-ranked Test bowler but, remarkably, the paceman failed to take a wicket in the second innings following his 5-83 earlier in the game. England's win meant all of their three-highest successful fourth-innings run chases in Test cricket had come in the past six years.
'Awesome Test'
Tuesday's effort was just behind the 378-3 they made at Edgbaston three years ago against another India attack featuring Bumrah and just ahead of the 362-9 they posted at Headingley in 2019 when current captain Ben Stokes' remarkable 135 not out sealed a stunning one-wicket win over Australia.
'We have got some good memories at Headingley over the last few years and this is another to add to it,' said Stokes at the presentation ceremony. 'It was an awesome Test to be part of... That partnership between Duckett and Crawley set us up brilliantly. Ducky got the big score but Zak stayed composed and in the moment and his 65 was important.'
But this result condemned Shubman Gill, who scored a first-innings century, to defeat in his first match as India captain, with Rishabh Pant (134 and 118) only the second wicket-keeper to score hundreds in both innings of a Test. But collapses of 7-41 and 6-31 at end of each innings proved costly for India in Leeds. 'We had our moments on top, but England are so good and we needed to kill the game when we had the chance,' Gill told the BBC. 'We still have a young team and a few catches didn't go our way so that's where the game slipped away,' added 25-year-old Gill.
The match was still in the balance in the final session. With England 253-4, needing a further 118 to win, Stokes joined Root after Shardul Thakur took two wickets in two balls including the prize scalp of Duckett. The experienced duo shared a fifty partnership before Stokes top-edged a reverse-sweep off Jadeja to Gill at short third man. Root's poise and a late flurry of power from Smith carried the hosts home with five wickets to spare. Prasidh Krishna, in only his fourth Test, had previously struck twice in quick succession to leave England 206-2.
After a 20-minute rain delay in the afternoon, India broke through when Crawley edged paceman Prasidh Krishna to KL Rahul at first slip. Crawley's exit brought in Ollie Pope, who made 106 in the first innings, but he was bowled for eight by Krishna. Duckett continued his assault with a remarkable reverse sweep for six off Jadeja.
But he was fortunate to complete his sixth hundred in 34 Tests. Duckett was on 97 when he top-edged a pull off Siraj only for Yashasvi Jaiswal, running in from the boundary, to drop the catch to the bowler's visible fury. Duckett's impressive innings ended when he drove Thakur to short extra cover.
By coincidence his score was the same total as Ian Botham, with 149 not out, managed in a celebrated 18-run win over Australia at Headingley during the 1981 Ashes series. Next ball Harry Brook, out for 99 in the first innings, fell for a duck but the bulk of England's work was already done. — AFP
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