England v India: third men’s cricket Test, day four – live

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Play will begin in about ten minutes time. No you’re excited. I’m in the press box so have got to keep a lid on it, to an extent. Too much exclaiming and there’s still enough gnarly old boys about who will likely greet such effusing with a withering glance.

Anyway, there’s just time enough to get yourself up to speed by reading young whippersnapper Ali Martin’s report of yesterday’s action:

Simon Law isn’t afraid of a plug on the sabbath:

“Our band put out a song a while back called ‘Sunday Morning, New York City’… I’d like everyone to listen and reimagine it as ‘Sunday Morning, St John’s Wood’.

Meanwhile, Barney Ronay delved into the the murky world of ball chat:

Andy Bull has been in fine fettle as per forever, I loved his piece on Jofra Archer on day two:

and here he is on yesterday and the Gautam Gambhirification of Bazball:

Harry Brook was having some throw downs in the Nursery ground nets as I walked past half an hour ago. Most of the England players are now on the outfield playing their game of keepie uppies.

India’s players are in a huge team huddle about 80 metres away. It’s a tired old cliche but the first hour of play this morning really is the definition of a big one.

Preamble

Sunday morning coming down? Hardly.

This third Test between England and India is on a knife edge. But more than that. How about a trapeze artist in 7inch heels tottering along a greased up machete above shark infested waters. In a howling gale. Something like that I suppose.

England lead by the grand total of two runs on first innings and things got a bit spicy on the third evening last night.

Zak Crawley gave a cynical/hilarious/his best Daniel Day Lewis impression to make sure England only had to face one over at the close, it was less My Left Foot and more My Right Glove (there will be definitely wasn’t any blood). Shubman Gill and his men took umbrage and it all got a bit shouty and pointy at the close.

A bit of good old fashioned needle to keep us all on our toes this morning then. England will likely try and force the game along in the first session but with that comes a certain risk. We wouldn’t want it any other way, eh?

Play begins at 11am, Jim here at a muggy Lord’s (dare I say it could be bowling conditions…) on the tools until this afternoon when Rob Smyth will take you tenderly by the hand at lwead you through the rest of the day.

Do give us a shout if you are tuning in. Thought, theories, predictions and pension advice all welcomed.

Let’s get into it.