Favoured by radiant sunshine and a pitch that seemed purpose-built for run-feasts, England capitalized fully on Brearley’s stroke of luck at the toss. Though ultimately outclassed, India’s batsmen mounted a brave and often stirring resistance. Yet beyond Kapil Dev—whose spirited pace earned him all five England wickets—and the modest off-spin of Venkataraghavan, much of the Indian bowling proved erratic and lacked the penetration demanded by so perfect a batting surface.
Boycott Anchors a
Monumental Total
England’s monumental innings was anchored by the
ever-dependable Boycott, whose vigil extended more than seven and a half hours.
With twelve crisply struck boundaries in his stoic 155, Boycott underpinned the
colossal total of 633 for five declared. When he finally departed at 426,
England had already registered their third-highest home score—surpassed only
twice before, and both occasions against Australia in the storied summer of
1938.
Gower’s Masterclas
The innings, however, truly belonged to the fair-haired
Gower. With elegant left-handed grace, he compiled an unbeaten 200—his highest
first-class effort—and deservedly claimed the Man of the Match award of £300.
Though less audacious than usual, he treated the bowling with cautious respect,
yet for six delightful hours he caressed the ball through cover, and dispatched
anything remotely short with fluent hooks and pulls. His innings sparkled with
a six and twenty-four fours, a portrait of effortless mastery.
Gooch Sparks the
Flow, Reddy’s Sharp Keeping
The foundation had been laid by a watchful opening stand of
66 between Boycott and Brearley, swelled by 24 extras. Gooch arrived shortly
before lunch after Randall’s departure, injecting life into the proceedings.
His breezy 83, adorned with one six and thirteen boundaries, came at a lively
clip over two hours. By stumps on the first day, England stood imperiously at
318 for three, with Boycott serenely unbeaten on 113 and Gower settling on 43.
Notably, all three wickets had fallen to the nimble glove-work of Reddy,
India’s debutant wicket-keeper, who effected three sharp dismissals.
A Second Day of
Records and Indian Misfortunes
The second day saw England plunder 315 runs in just four and
a half hours, with Gower commanding the stage. His partnership of 191 with
Boycott, followed by an unbroken stand of 165 with Miller—the latter making
merry for nearly two and a half hours—set a new English record for the sixth
wicket against India. Meanwhile, India’s misfortunes compounded. Chandrasekhar,
initially declared unfit due to Achilles trouble, gamely played but could not
sustain his early promise. Amarnath too hobbled off, leaving Kapil Dev and the
tireless left-armer Ghavri to shoulder a daunting load.
Early Strikes Leave
India Reeling
India’s reply began under gathering dusk and psychological
fatigue. Within minutes, Botham made an impact, forcing Chauhan into an
involuntary fend that Gooch clasped expertly at third slip. Gavaskar and
Vengsarkar then settled the innings, only for calamity to strike off the very
last ball of the day: Vengsarkar fell to another sharp Gooch catch, this time
at silly point, leaving India on a tentative 59 for two.
Gavaskar and
Viswanath’s Brave Stand
Saturday’s play brought a large crowd to witness a gallant
rearguard. For over an hour and a half, Gavaskar and his brother-in-law
Viswanath defied all of Brearley’s tactical shifts, until misfortune struck. A
hesitant single turned tragic: Viswanath sent Gavaskar back, but Randall
swooped in from mid-on, and Taylor, alert and agile, raced up to shatter the
stumps with Gavaskar well short. Thus ended what promised to be Gavaskar’s
twentieth Test hundred—three hours of serene assurance under his trademark
white sunhat, yielding just three boundaries but immense psychological ballast.
England’s Fielding
and Follow-On Pressure
Viswanath battled on for another hour and a half, striking
nine fours before falling to a bat-and-pad catch off Edmonds. Gaekwad stayed
gritty for two hours and Amarnath weathered a short-pitched barrage from
Botham, but the English were relentless—sharp in the field and guided by
Brearley’s astute captaincy. India were forced to follow on, a daunting 336
behind, yet held firm over the weekend to stand none down.
Botham’s Devastating
Fourth-Day Spell
It was on the fourth day that Botham once again showcased
his flair for dramatic interventions. Until then, India had resisted stoutly,
raising hopes of saving the game on a pitch that remained benign. But when
England seized the second new ball at 227 for four, Botham wrought havoc. In a
blistering forty-minute spell, the last six wickets tumbled for a mere 26 runs
in 10.1 overs. Botham’s figures—four for 10 in just five overs—were testament
to his control and cunning; reducing his pace, he rediscovered the late swing
that spelled ruin for Indian ambitions. His match haul of five for 70 pushed
his tally to an astonishing 94 wickets from just eighteen Tests.
Hendrick, Gooch and
the Final Flourish
Hendrick offered sterling support with four for 45, while a
surprise lifting delivery accounted for Gavaskar—caught by the ever-vigilant
Gooch at third slip. Gooch, indeed, sparked the final collapse with another
low, instinctive take off Gaekwad. Willis, meanwhile, watched from the
boundary, sidelined by a nagging rib complaint.
Though Taylor’s glovework briefly faltered—missing stumpings
of Viswanath and Amarnath off Edmonds—England’s fielding was otherwise
razor-sharp. Thus concluded a contest shaped by batting opulence and punctuated
by moments of bowling brilliance, with Botham’s decisive burst ensuring
England’s supremacy under a sun that, fittingly, never seemed to tire of
shining on them.
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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