The End of the English Summer was a fairytale one for England as not only team managed to win a tough series by a margin of 4-1 but two of finest cricketers produced by the country were able to achieve perfect moments for them. While Cook scored a century in his last test and was the man of the match, Anderson became the most successful pace bowler in the history of the game with the last wicket of the summer
It was 5.30 pm in Kia Ovals’s clock around 13.3 overs were left for English summer of 2018 to come to an end when James Anderson bowling his third ball of his 23rd over breached the defense of India’s no. 10 Mohammad Shami. The moment was significant as the whole English cricket fraternity sunk into it. England have defeated no.1 ranked test side by 4-1, It would not be wrong to term it as one of England’s finest home victories in past two decades. The most successful batsman and one of the finest gentlemen ever produced by the country has bowed out on winning note and with a century and man of match, while the most successful bowler in their history became the most successful bowler ever to grace the game and to think that all that came against a very good quality opponent . The script couldn’t have ended better than this for England.
However, all this didn’t come before a remarkable fightback from India. Once again they fought back and this time the fight came from an unexpected quarter. India started the day at 58-3 with Rahul and Rahane adding another 62 runs and just when it looked they will take India to safety the partnership was broken with Rahane edging a sweep against Ali to Jennings. Things became bleak for India as Hanuma Vihari was caught behind on a sharp ball from Stokes. India was reduced to 121-5 and still, 71 overs were left to be negated.
On the pitch came India’s keeper 20-year-old Rishab Pant to support KL Rahul who had been left alone once again in this battle of Survival. Pant was under severe pressure as he had only scored 48 runs in 5 innings and had already conceded 76 runs as byes in 6 innings. However, with nothing to lose he decided to cut loose and his work was easier by Joe Root as he continued using an off colour Rashid. He continued hitting Rashid off the ground, and when he regained the confidence he started playing Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Stuart Broad with confidence as well . The young man brought a hundred with a six off Rashid to ensure a bright future ahead. On the Other hand KL Rahul had been batting cautiously however once the target started to inch closer he also started to take own the bowling.
India reached 325-5,with partnership 204 and Root was forced to bring in James Anderson to cut the flow of the runs .The senior pacer immediately showed his effect stopping the flow of runs but it was Rashid , the man who has been in shadows throughout the series who breached Rahul’s defense with a ripping leg break which pitched ala Shane Warne’s style outside the leg stump and turn sharply to knock the top of Rahul’s off stump . It was the moment for which Rashid was included in the team and probably that ball got him the ticket for Sri Lankan tour in November. He, later on, got Pant as well who while trying to hit the fifth six off the legie was caught by Moeen Ali.S uddenly the wicket changed the approach of both the teams. India started defending while England again started attacking. Ishant and Jadeja played off 8 overs but then the golden arm boy Sam Curran returned to knock off Ishant and later Jadeja as well to but England on brink of the remarkable win. Later Anderson cleaned up Shami to mark the moment everyone had been waiting for.
After a winter of horror, England finally returned with the bang with all the major markers coming in the final moment of the summer. Cook’s farewell with the man of the match performance, Anderson’s reaching at the summit of pace bowling and above all England, at last,
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