England’s Broad concedes the ‘costliest over’ in Test history

BIRMINGHAM: 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 in 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. Broad had become just the sixth bowler to take 550 Test wickets when he lost his composure by bowling too short at Bumrah, deputizing 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.

Bumrah ‘serious’ about batting

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. “Whenever Bumrah bats in the nets he takes it seriously,” India all-rouder Ravindra Jadeja, who earlier Saturday hit his first Test century overseas, told reporters. “It is not like when he bats he has a casual approach, he puts a price on his wicket.”

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 team-mates 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 to his unwanted list as well given Broad hasn’t played a 50-overs per side match for England since 2016 in order to extend his Test career. India, 338-7 overnight, smashed 78 runs in 11.5 overs with Jadeja, resuming on 83 not out, completed the third century of his 60-Test career. “To do it outside India, especially in England to hit a hundred as a player is a really big thing,” said Jadeja.

“I can really take some confidence in myself as a player from this, to score a hundred in England especially in swinging conditions, it feels really good.” The 33-year-old 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 told the BBC. “Sometimes you have to take your hat off to the opposition and obviously they have bowled well.” Anderson eventually 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 removing England’s top three of Alex Lees, Crawley and Ollie Pope, who managed just 25 runs between them on Saturday.Lees was bowled between bat and pad, with Crawley and Pope caught in the slips. 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. – AFP

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