logo
England crash to India defeat with Jamie Smith shining brightest in bid for draw

England crash to India defeat with Jamie Smith shining brightest in bid for draw

For the first time in three years of the 'Bazball' era England accepted that a stalemate was the best they could hope for, attempting to frustrate the tourists on the final day rather than hunt an astronomical target of 608.
But a team who have made their name as thrill-seeking fourth-innings chasers were not built to produce a day-long rearguard and were bowled out for 271 with 27 overs still in front of them.
Jamie Smith was their best performer in front of a heavily pro-India crowd, following up a career-best 184 not out in the first innings with 88 in the second, but even he was unable to knuckle down for the long haul.
He was caught on the boundary attempting to pull a third consecutive six, going down with a flourish rather than a fight.
England's fate had been mostly sealed in the first session, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook both dismissed in the first half-hour to leave the hosts 83 for five and Ben Stokes lbw to the last ball before lunch.
Akash Deep took the plaudits with six for 99 to complete a 10-wicket match and India will be licking their lips at the prospect of pairing him with Jasprit Bumrah at Lord's in next week's third Test.
Heavy morning showers pushed the start back by an hour and 40 minutes, though rejigged session times meant only 10 of the scheduled 90 overs were lost.
That nudged England's required run-rate up to 6.7 an over, effectively removing whatever sliver of optimism they had about embarking on a world record run chase.
Instead, the game was all about India's hunt for wickets. It did not take long for them to open their account, danger man Deep taking just seven balls.
Pope had watched his first over from the non-striker's end but was removed at the first time of asking, failing to smother the bounce as he deflected it back into his stumps off his arm. He threw his head back in frustration, gone for 24 to follow his golden duck on day two.
Brook enjoyed considerably better fortunes in the first innings, making 158, but he was sent on his way in Deep's next over as the pitch began to offer some serious assistance.
Targeting a sizeable crack just short of a good length, the seamer hit the jackpot as the ball jagged back dramatically and pinned a wrongfooted Brook on the inside of the knee. DRS upheld the umpire's lbw decision as Brook limped away beaten and bruised.
Deep could easily have taken a third in a consistently menacing opening spell, Stokes just escaping a drag-on and Smith's stumps somehow surviving two near misses in four balls.
The pair rallied for a workmanlike partnership worth 70, but India reaped the rewards of hustling one extra over before lunch. Ravindra Jadeja looked to be bowling the last over but dashed through it so quickly there was time for another. Washington Sundar used it to decisive effect, beat Stokes' flat-bat defence and striking him clean in front for 33.
Batting looked increasingly treacherous as India used spin at both ends at the start of the afternoon session but attacking fields allowed Smith to score briskly on his way to another half-century.
Victory for India at Edgbaston.
We go to Lord's 1-1 in the series 🤝 pic.twitter.com/nk7Vt4rIzR
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 6, 2025
He took 17 off a single over from Sundar, including two hearty blows for six and a guided edge for four, to hasten the return of the quick men. The switch proved costly for Chris Woakes, who was tempted into pulling Prasidh Krishna and skied a top-edge up in the air.
India prodded Smith's ego by asking Deep to bowl bouncers at him and, while the first two sailed into the stands, he shovelled the third into Sundar's hands.
Number 10 Josh Tongue was expertly caught by Mohammed Siraj and Brydon Carse thrashed 38 before skying Deep to India captain Shubman Gill, whose magnificent match haul of 430 runs paved the way for his side.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Horse racing tips: ‘He looks sure to score at his beloved track' – Templegate's NAP unstoppable on Tuesday
Horse racing tips: ‘He looks sure to score at his beloved track' – Templegate's NAP unstoppable on Tuesday

The Sun

time2 hours ago

  • The Sun

Horse racing tips: ‘He looks sure to score at his beloved track' – Templegate's NAP unstoppable on Tuesday

TEMPLEGATE tackles Tuesday's action confident of building the bank for the Newmarket July Festival. Back a horse by clicking their odds below. TIME PATROL (7.12 Brighton, nap) He can notch up yet another win at his beloved Brighton. Tony Carroll's five-year-old has landed three victories from four visits to the seaside and came home quickly when just denied here last time. The handicapper has left his mark alone and he takes a drop in class which can get him back to winning ways. He gets on well with today's rider Jack Doughty and decent ground is ideal. CRYSTAL MER (8.30 Uttoxeter, nb) He looked a cut above when bolting up over course and distance last month and can strike again under champion jockey Sean Bowen. The six-year-old powered clear with loads in hand that day and still looks well treated for Hughie Morrison who rarely misses when targeting these races. That was his debut for the yard and there's a lot more to come. SHADY BAY (7.42 Brighton, treble) She caught the eye with a five-length win at Nottingham last time out. She showed a blistering turn of pace there and clearly enjoyed dropping to this distance. She is back out quickly under a 5lb penalty and has a big chance of following up under Hollie Doyle. COMMAND THE STARS (4.25 Lingfield, Lucky 15) He showed bundles of promise on debut and then absolutely bolted up at Beverley, pulling four lengths clear despite still running green. That performance marked him out as well above average and this step up to 7f is sure to suit given his stout Sea The Stars pedigree. Templegate's tips Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who:

Man United 'end £10m talks with streaming giant' over behind-the-scenes documentary - with Ruben Amorim role key as 'reasons for axing plans are revealed'
Man United 'end £10m talks with streaming giant' over behind-the-scenes documentary - with Ruben Amorim role key as 'reasons for axing plans are revealed'

Daily Mail​

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Man United 'end £10m talks with streaming giant' over behind-the-scenes documentary - with Ruben Amorim role key as 'reasons for axing plans are revealed'

Manchester United have 'pulled the plug on a fly-on-the-wall documentary that would have banked them more than £10million'. United had been in talks with Amazon over being the latest side in their All or Nothing series and they were locked in negotiations for months. But according to The Athletic, the club decided on balance that the intrusion could negatively impact performances on the pitch. They report that Ruben Amorim was not comfortable with the arrangement - despite the temptation to cash in with what would have been the highest amount paid for an All or Nothing series. Time pressure of the upcoming campaign and commercial reasons were reportedly other key factors, but ultimately without Amorim's support there was no progress to be made. Opening up United to the cameras during what is a turbulent time at Old Trafford could have made for compelling viewing. Amorim has made his feelings known on Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford, with the Portuguese manager not one to pull punches. United endured an awful season after Amorim took over from sacked Erik ten Hag, leading them to 15th in the Premier League. Missing out on the Champions League by losing the Europa League final against Tottenham was also a massive blow, especially financially. There was support for the documentary from the commercial department but only if the football department agreed. Chief executive Omar Berrada was also said to be on board with the Amazon proposal. The fact that United were happy to go with Amorim's view of a distracting, negative impact shows they are putting their full weight behind him. The club have already signed Matheus Cunha and are closing in on Bryan Mbeumo - two additions who should in theory make United markedly stronger. There remains an issue with outgoings, with Rashford and Garnacho among those the club desperately want to move on. Netflix, Amazon and Disney all reached out to United with interest in making a documentary following a revival under Sir Jim Ratcliffe. But given the poor start to INEOS' stewardship, it is perhaps no surprise there is an unwillingness to push for the access-all-areas show. So far, there have been more than 450 redundancies at the club and Ratcliffe claimed they were in danger of going out of business back in March without his deeply unpopular cost-cutting methods.

Wimbledon: Dimitrov retires injured while leading Sinner by two sets
Wimbledon: Dimitrov retires injured while leading Sinner by two sets

BBC News

time3 hours ago

  • BBC News

Wimbledon: Dimitrov retires injured while leading Sinner by two sets

Update: Date: 21:31 BST Title: Thanks for joining us Content: It wouldn't be Wimbledon without drama - and boy have we had plenty today. Novak Djokovic came from behind to keep his quest to equal Roger Federer's Wimbledon title haul alive. And Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva kept her remarkable run going by reaching the quarter-finals. But the enduring memory will, sadly, be that of a tearful Grigor Dimitrov who appeared set for a sensational upset of world number one Jannik Sinner until injury intervened. We'll be right back here on Tuesday morning to capture day nine of these captivating Championships. See you then. Update: Date: 21:31 BST Title: 'Recurring pattern' for Dimitrov Content: Jonathan JurejkoBBC Sport senior tennis reporter at Wimbledon Poor Grigor Dimitrov. Unfortunately, retiring injured is a regular pattern for the 34-year-old Bulgarian. Dimitrov has been forced to quit 12 times since the start of the 2021 season, more than any other player on the ATP Tour. Remarkably, he has now seen each of his past five Grand Slam appearances ended by injury. Update: Date: 21:28 BST Title: What to look out for tomorrow Content: We're really getting towards the serious end of the Championships now. Tuesday marks the start of the quarter-final stage in the singles. Here's a look at what's to come tomorrow. Centre Court Aryna Sabalenka v Laura Siegemund (13:30 BST) Cameron Norrie v Carlos Alcaraz Court One Taylor Fritz v Karen Khachanov (13:00 BST) Amanda Anisimova v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova Update: Date: 21:26 BST Title: Today's recap Content: What an incredible end to the second Monday at Wimbledon it's been. If you missed it, where were you? No worries, we've got you covered. Here's a rundown of what happened on day eight of the Championships. This video can not be played Djokovic and Shelton top best shots from day eight at Wimbledon Update: Date: 21:23 BST Title: 'Dimitrov has so many ways to win points' Content: Sinner 3-6 5-7 2-2 Dimitrov ret. Tracy AustinTwo-time Grand Slam champion on BBC One Grigor Dimitrov was really serving well. In the past, he has had service yips where he hasn't been able to get the right smooth motion. However, he has been serving well and moving well. It is also his ability to hit so well on the move, he has a great feel at the net, he has an ability to anticipate shots. There aren't that many players anymore that are so comfortable at playing in the forecourt. There are also not that many players that have his wonderful backhand slice, which is a weapon. He has so many ways to win points and it all seemed like it was coming together. Update: Date: 21:20 BST Title: 'A man who has put his heart and soul into this sport' Content: Sinner 3-6 5-7 2-2 Dimitrov ret. Tracy AustinTwo-time Grand Slam champion on BBC One How well Grigor Dimitrov was playing is the hard part. You know that his game matches up so well on this surface. He has that ability to hit a heavy slice that stays down so low. The fact that it was one serve that did it for him is the hard part. This is a man who has put his heart and soul into this sport. He works so hard and he is so fit. He crosses all the t's and dots all the i's. It all happened on one shot. He must be so desperately disappointed because somewhere in his thoughts will have been that he was two sets up and Jannik Sinner isn't playing his best tennis. Update: Date: 21:16 BST Title: 'I don't take this as a win at all' - Sinner Content: Sinner 3-6 5-7 2-2 Dimitrov ret. More from Jannik Sinner on BBC One after his walkover win against the injured Grigor Dimitrov: "I don't take this as a win at all, this is just an unfortunate moment for us to witness. "He has struggled in Grand Slams with injuries a lot so seeing him again with this injury is very tough. We all saw by his reaction how much he cares about the sport and he is one of the hardest working players on tour. "Thank you for coming, but this is not the end we wanted to see and it's very sad. We all wish him only the best - let's give an applause for him and his team." Update: Date: 21:13 BST Title: 'He has been so unlucky' - Sinner on Dimitrov Content: Sinner 3-6 5-7 2-2 Dimitrov ret. Jannik Sinner spoke courtside after Grigor Dimitrov was forced to retire in their fourth round match: "I don't know what to say. He is an incredible player and we all saw this today. "He has been so unlucky in the past couple of years. He is an incredible player who is a good friend of mine. We understand each other very well off the court. "Seeing him in this position - if there was a chance for him to be in the next round he would deserve it. I hope he has a speedy recovery." Update: Date: 21:11 BST Title: What the stats showed Content: Sinner 3-6 5-7 2-2 Dimitrov ret. A look at the stats shows just why Grigor Dimitrov has such reason to be absolutely devastated by that freak injury he suffered. Not only had he matched the world number one - he outplayed him in many parts of the match. Unfortunately the Bulgarian's huge serve - powering down 14 aces - proved to be his ultimate undoing, with what appears, to our untrained eye, to be an injury to his pectoral muscle. Update: Date: 21:07 BST Title: 'In the blink of an eye his body failed him' Content: Sinner 3-6 5-7 2-2 Dimitrov ret. Tim HenmanFormer British number one on BBC One Grigor Dimitrov played a brilliant two sets to be up against the world number one, but then in the blink of an eye his body failed him. He had no opportunity to continue. It will be a strange emotion for Jannik Sinner, who will go through to the quarter-finals. Update: Date: 21:06 BST Title: 'Sport can be beautiful but also horribly cruel' Content: Sinner 3-6 5-7 2-2 Dimitrov ret. Andrew CotterCommentator on BBC One Sport can be beautiful but it can also be horribly cruel at times. Centre Court rise to Grigor Dimitrov as if he won the championship because they feel such sympathy. Jannik Sinner is spared only really by the cruel fate of sport. An extraordinary end to this match. Update: Date: 21:05 BST Title: Post Content: Sinner 3-6 5-7 2-2 Dimitrov ret. After escorting his devastated opponent to the dressing rooms, Jannik Sinner is back on Centre for his post-match on-court interview. As he did at the time of the injury, the world number one seems almost as disconsolate as Grigor Dimitrov. Not the way any sportsperson wants to win. Update: Date: 21:02 BST Title: 'Dimitrov has been through so much' Content: Sinner 3-6 5-7 2-2 Dimitrov ret. Jonathan OverendBBC Radio 5 Live commentator Grigor Dimitrov has been through so much over the last few years. He has had to retire from the last four Grand Slams, including Wimbledon last year where he retired at this same stage against Daniil Medvedev. This is one of the most shocking scenes I've seen in a sporting arena in recent times, just because of how sudden it was. Update: Date: 21:00 BST Title: Sinner wins by forfeit Content: Sinner 3-6 5-7 2-2 Dimitrov ret. A tearful Grigor Dimitrov cannot continue. The Bulgarian receives a standing ovation from Centre Court as he and Jannik Sinner depart side by side. That will be of little consolation to the 34-year-old, who had the world number one exactly where he wanted him, only for fate to intervene. Update: Date: 20:58 BST Title: 'Not way we want match to end' Content: *Sinner 3-6 5-7 2-2 Dimitrov Greg RusedskiFormer British number one on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds Dimitrov is playing the tennis of his life. We didn't see this coming whatsoever. This is not the way we want this match to end. He is holding his pectoral muscle which is a chest muscle, so let's hope he can find a solution because we don't want to see this happen right now. Update: Date: 20:57 BST Title: Medical time-out called Content: *Sinner 3-6 5-7 2-2 Dimitrov Grigor Dimitrov is rubbing his eyes, maybe to try to hold back tears of pain or sadness. Jannik Sinner is over, kneeling at the changeover point, and conversing with his opponent. We're going to have a medical time-out in the hope the trainers can somehow work muscle magic. Update: Date: 20:55 BST Title: Post Content: *Sinner 3-6 5-7 2-2 Dimitrov The Bulgarian looks in real pain. It's really difficult to see how he can continue, judging by his body language. Two sets up against the world number one, what horrible luck. Dimitrov has been forced to withdraw from the past four Grand Slams with various injuries, including here last year. Update: Date: 20:54 BST Title: Post Content: *Sinner 3-6 5-7 2-2 Dimitrov Jess AndersonBBC Sport at Wimbledon After all that, Grigor Dimitrov has hurt himself after serving that ace! He sits on the turf and looks to be in serious discomfort. Jannik Sinner rushes over. Update: Date: 20:53 BST Title: Post Content: *Sinner 3-6 5-7 2-2 Dimitrov Oh no! Grigor Dimitrov slumps to the turf holding his pectoral area after holding serve with an ace. Update: Date: 20:52 BST Title: Sinner's five-set struggles Content: Sinner 3-6 5-7 2-1 Dimitrov* Grigor Dimitrov might not know it but he's in an even more commanding position than he perhaps realises. At the worst, this match is going to five sets. Jannik Sinner has won just one of the past seven five-set matches he has contested, against Daniil Medvedev in the final at the 2024 Australian Open. Quite an amazing stat given he's world number one. He has also lost both five-set matches he has contested at Wimbledon – in the quarter-finals in both 2022, when he lost to Novak Djokovic despite holding a two-set lead, and last year to Medvedev.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store