England at 339-6 needs 35 more runs to beat India as 5th test thriller goes to the last day

LONDON (AP) — It’s gonna be a Monday morning thriller to decide the cricket series between England and India after bad light and rain forced an early end to play in the fifth and final test on Sunday with England needing another 35 runs to win.

England was 339-6 at stumps on day four, chasing a target of 374. England leads the series 2-1.

India needs to claim another four wickets — perhaps three — for victory and tie the series.

Joe Root was again England’s savior on Sunday with 105 runs, and Harry Brook hit 111, as England aimed to pull off another awe-inspiring run chase. India quick Mohammed Siraj claimed 2-95 to make him the leading wicket-taker in the series with 20.

Only 10 overs were completed after tea. Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith (2 not out) and bowler Jamie Overton (0 not out) are at the crease.

England has potentially only three wickets left because of allrounder Chris Woakes’ shoulder injury. Woakes was seen in his cricket whites at the Oval on Sunday but with his left arm in a sling amid speculation he would come out at No. 11 if needed and bat one-handed.

“You probably saw him in his whites in the dressing room. He’s all in, like the rest of us,” Root said.

“Clearly, he’s in a huge amount of pain. But it means a huge amount to him and it just shows the character and the person that he is, that he’s willing to put his body on the line like that for England.

“If it does come to that, hopefully he can get us across the line and win an incredible series.”

England chased down 371 in the Leeds opener, its record run chase at Headingley.

India storms back

Root and Brook had hit what looked to be series-clinching test centuries — Root’s 39th and Brook’s 10th — before India stormed back to set up an agonizing day five finish as the two batters stumbled with victory in sight.

Jacob Bethell also fell to a dreadful shot, piling the pressure on England.

England had been set to achieve its most audacious chase of the Bazball era, and the second highest in its history, with apparent ease. But its late stumble started when Brook threw his bat and wicket away against Akash Deep, skying a catch to mid-off. The century in his 30th test made Brook the fastest man to 10 hundreds in 70 years.

Brook had made India dearly pay for not getting him out on 19 before lunch, when Siraj caught Brook but stumbled back on to the boundary cushion. Brook rubbed salt into the wound by smacking 16 runs off Prasidh Krishna’s over. About 20 minutes later when lunch arrived, a still sorry Siraj pointedly walked over to Krishna to give him a hug.

The jittery Bethell produced an ugly swipe to drag down his stumps, before Root was caught behind in a wicket maiden for Krishna (3-109), with the hosts still needing another 37 runs.

India’s morning

Root and Brook had reversed the momentum of the match in a cruisy afternoon session after India won the morning session and was heavily favored at lunch.

England resumed the day on 50-1 and scored only 37 runs in the first hour as the India seamers got the ball to nip around under London’s grey skies.

Ben Duckett, who lost his opening partner Zak Crawley to the last ball on Saturday, was uncharacteristically subdued, possibly still bothered by the hit on his glove by Krishna late Saturday.

He still reached his fourth fifty of the series, though, with an edged four past gully. But the pressure from Siraj and Deep tempted him to go after Krishna and give up his wicket by edging to Lokesh Rahul at first slip.

Duckett scored 54 off 83 balls.

The Oval lights came on and Root was under fire, notably from Krishna, who unsuccessfully appealed for lbw. Reviews showed the ball clipping leg stump.

Pope unleashed three boundaries in an over against Krishna but his second innings troubles returned when he was out to a Siraj nip-backer. Pope averages 46.69 in first innings but 19.64 in second innings. His 27 was his second highest score in a fourth innings.

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