SHOAIB BASHIR watched with disbelief and joy as the ball trickled on to the stumps with just enough force to dislodge a bail.
When the little piece of wood fell to earth, Bashir sprinted 50 yards in the direction of point with ten rejoicing England players in pursuit.
GettyEngland players celebrate wildly after the freakish final wicket fell[/caption]
GettyShoaib Bashir wheels away after taking the decisive wicket of Siraj[/caption]
ReutersBashir had barely been involved after breaking a finger on his non-bowling hand[/caption]
AFPMohammed Siraj looks on in vain as the ball trickles on to the stumps[/caption]
GettyThe bails appeared to fall in slow-motion as the bizarre dismissal sealed the third Test[/caption]
GettySiraj was inconsolable at the end as England players rushed to comfort him[/caption]
All the pain and frustration of his broken finger disappeared at that moment. Bashir had won a thrilling, nerve-shredding Test match with a freakish wicket that was somehow fitting of the roller-coaster occasion.
Bashir played the second half of the match as a guest bowler, not required to field but allowed to come on when Stokes wanted his off spin.
He bowled only 5.5 overs on the final day but what an impact he made with his dismissal of India’s No.11 Mohammed Siraj.
Pantomime villain Siraj – who hours earlier had been fined 15 per cent of his match fee for screaming in Ben Duckett’s face yesterday – appeared in tears as he was consoled by England’s players.
Bashir has been officially ruled out of the final two Tests because of a fractured left pinky, sustained when dropping a return catch in India’s first innings.
Captain Ben Stokes said: “It’s very disappointing for Bash and the team. But the courage he showed going out to bat in our second innings and sitting on the bench waiting for his moment to bowl was fantastic.
“Every time I looked at our bench and asked for a drink, I saw Bash’s little head peeking through, ready to go.
“It proves how much it means to put on the shirt. Not even a couple of breaks are going to stop anyone. It’s great Bash was able to get that last wicket after what he’s had to deal with this week.”
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It is 20 years now since the greatest Test series of all time. Well, this one could run it a close second.
We’re three matches in and the drama includes piles of runs, devastating bowling, fluctuating fortunes, a nail-biting finish and a decent dollop of aggro.
Each game has extended deep into day five.
The excitement reached new levels yesterday with a thrilling conclusion to the Third Test at Lord’s which England eventually won by 22 runs to lead the series 2-1.
England vs Australia in 2005 stands alone as the most astonishing series of modern times. But England vs India in 2025 will be getting an honourable mention.
England looked home and hosed when Nitish Kumar Reddy was caught behind from the final ball before lunch. India were 112-8 and still 81 short of their target of 193.
But Ravi Jadeja managed his partnership with Jasprit Bumrah so skilfully that 35 were added for the ninth wicket. It took 22 anxious overs with the dial set at Tension Mark 10.
Eventually, Bumrah’s patience snapped and he mis-hit a pull off Stokes straight to mid-on.
Still, Jadeja continued playing the percentages. Even though he was now batting with Siraj, the last man, Jadeja attempted no big hits and instead manipulated the strike.
It was working, too, as India inched towards their target of 193 before, in a moment of what seemed like suspended animation, that leg bail popped out of its groove and fell.
The day comprised just 112 runs from 57.1 overs and, despite the slow scoring, it had more excitement and meaning than any T20 or Hundred match. This was proper cricket on the edge and how we loved it.
Player of the Match Stokes continued his brilliant all-round contribution by taking his match tally to five wickets in 44 overs as well as innings of 44 and 33 and the vital run out of Rishabh Pant.
The conflicts built after Shubman Gill asked Zak Crawley to “grow some f***ing balls” during the time-wasting antics at the end of day three.
Stokes had plenty to say to Reddy at one stage and then intervened when Jadeja ran into Brydon Carse and the quick bowler responded with a mouthful.
It was tough, passionate, patriotic cricket but nobody went over the top. There was mutual respect at the end, with Crawley, Joe Root and Stokes immediately comforting a heartbroken Siraj.
Stokes added: “In big series like this, there was always going to be a moment where the teams would clash. I’m all for it – it never really stepped over the line.
“There are 22 people playing for their country. It’s the highest honour you can have in our sport. So you can understand sometimes emotions and tensions can get quite high.
“But I don’t think anyone in either dressing-room is going to cry themselves to sleep over what was said or done.”
England won the game by taking three wickets in the final half-hour of Sunday’s play – leaving India four down – and removing Rishabh Pant and K.L.Rahul in the opening 35 minutes of day five.
Pant was castled by a Jofra Archer ripper that nipped away from the left-hander down the slope. Rahul was lbw to Stokes following a review.
Washington Sundar was smartly caught and bowled by Archer for a duck and then Reddy nicked off to Chris Woakes on the stroke of lunch.
Jadeja, with help from Bumrah and Siraj, nudged India closer but the injured Bashir would not be denied his moment of glory.
APSiraj could barely look up after realising he’d lost the match in the strangest of circumstances[/caption]
GettyBashir was over the moon but will miss the rest of the series with his injury[/caption]
GettyEngland captain Ben Stokes was named Player of the Match[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
