England yesterday declared on 396-7 in reply to India’s first-innings 107, a lead of 289 runs, on the fourth day of the second Test at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.
Chris Woakes was 137 not out, his maiden Test century, after Sam Curran was last man out for a brisk 40 that included a six off Mohammed Shami.
England added a further 39 runs in 36 minutes after resuming on their overnight 357-6 before captain Joe Root declared in a match where the whole of the first day and much of the second was lost to rain.
Photo: AP
England lead this five-match series 1-0 after a 31-run win in the first Test at Edgbaston last week.
Chris Woakes on Saturday continued a superb return to England duty with a maiden Test century as the home side took a firm grip on the match.
When bad light forced an early close on the third day, England were 357-6 in reply to India’s meagre first-innings 107 — a commanding lead of 250 runs.
Woakes was 120 not out, having shared a partnership of 189 with Jonny Bairstow (93) that was an England record for the sixth wicket in Test matches against India, beating the 171 put on by Ian Botham and Bob Taylor in Mumbai in 1980.
It was a stand made all the more valuable by the fact that England had slumped to 98-4 at lunch, after their latest top-order collapse threatened to undo the bowlers’ good work.
Warwickshire favorite Woakes, recalled after England omitted Ben Stokes because of fitness concerns following knee and calf injuries.
The 29-year-old had already proved his worth with the ball by taking 2-19 on Friday.
In his 25th match at this level, Woakes surpassed his previous Test best of 66, made against Sri Lanka at Lord’s two years ago, before completing a 129-ball hundred, including 15 fours, with a pulled three off Hardik Pandya.
His innings meant Woakes’ name was now on all three Lord’s honors boards that record centuries, five-wicket innings returns and 10-wicket match hauls in Tests at the “home of cricket.”
Woakes took 6-70 and 5-32 in a match return of 11-102 against Pakistan at Lord’s in 2016.
“It’s hard to put into words, I suppose” Woakes told Sky Sports. “I didn’t have that [a Test century] on my radar at the start of the day. It’s an incredible feeling to raise your bat at Lord’s and be on that honors board.”
Woakes was for the most part admirably straight in both defense and attack, as exemplified by a classic on-drive for four off Pandya, but he demonstrated his range with a vertical-bat flick down to fine leg when Ashwin strayed in direction.
At lunch yesterday, India were 17/2, needing another 272 to make England bat again.
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