Siraj’s late strike lifts India in fifth England Test after Jaiswal’s ton

LONDON: Mohammed Siraj cleaned up Zak Crawley on the final delivery of the third day to tilt the tide in India’s favour as England were reduced to 50/1 while chasing 374 here at The Oval on Saturday.

At the stumps on day three, the home side were 50/1, needing a further 324 runs with opening batter Ben Duckett unbeaten on 34.

Duckett will be joined by stand-in captain Ollie Pope at the commencement of the penultimate day when England resume their pursuit of pulling off the highest run chase at the venue.

The hosts had a cautious start to the run chase, with their opening pair of Duckett and Crawley putting up 50 runs until Siraj breached the latter’s defence to uplift India.

Crawley scored 14 off 36 deliveries with the help of two fours.

Earlier in the day, India resumed their second innings from 75/2 through Yashasvi Jaiswal and nightwatchman Akash Deep.

The pair frustrated England’s bowling attack as they added 102 runs to their overnight partnership, which saw Deep score his maiden half-century.

He was eventually dismissed by Jamie Overton after scoring 66 off 94 deliveries with the help of a dozen boundaries.

Jaiswal, on the other hand, was then involved in brief partnerships with Shubman Gill (11) and Karun Nair (17) until receiving ample support from the other end in the form of Ravindra Jadeja.

Jaiswal and Jadeja anchored India’s innings with a 44-run partnership, which culminated with the opener’s dismissal, briefly after he amassed a well-crafted century.

He remained the top-scorer for India in the second innings with 118 off 164 deliveries, studded with 14 fours and two sixes.

Jadeja then knitted a 70-run partnership for the seventh wicket with wicketkeeper batter Dhruv Jurel (34) and briefly supported Washington Sundar in their 24-run stand as Josh Tongue got him caught at slip to reduce India to 357/8.

The in-form all-rounder played a vital 53-run knock from 77 deliveries.

Following his departure, Sundar single-handedly added 39 runs to bolster India’s total to 396 until falling victim to Tongue, who ended up with a five-wicket haul.

Sundar smashed four fours and four sixes on his way to a 46-ball 53.

Besides Tongue, Atkinson picked up three wickets for England in the second innings, while Overton bagged two.