5th Test: Brook's blazing hundred, Root's unbeaten 98 put England on course for series win

London, Aug 3 (IANS) Harry Brook hit a blazing 111 off 98 balls while Joe Root kept his good run going by being unbeaten on 98 as England reached 317/4 in 66 overs at tea on Day Four of the fifth and final Test and need 57 runs more to secure a sensational Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series win.

England were at 106/3 and still needing 268 more runs to win when Brook arrived at the crease. After ending the first session on 38 not out, Brook completely flipped the script in the afternoon session by hitting his tenth Test century, laced with 14 fours and two sixes.

His 195-run stand with Root also rendered Shubman Gill and India devoid of ideas to stop England’s run-flow. With the ball going softer and the pitch not showing many signs of wear and tear, India couldn’t do much as England scored 153 runs in the afternoon session and put themselves on track for a 3-1 series win, though rain’s arrival means the final session will have a delayed start.

The session began with Brook flicking and slashing Prasidh Krishna for two fours, before bringing up his 14th Test fifty off 39 balls. With Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja not getting much turn and help from the pitch, as well as pacers tiring out, Root and Brook continued to hit boundaries effortlessly, with the former bringing up his fifty off 81 balls to ensure India didn’t have any kind of respite.

After Brook pulled Akash and Siraj for boundaries, he and Root were at ease in getting fours off Jadeja and Washington through extra cover and mid-wicket. Eventually, Brook brought up his hundred off just 91 balls and followed it up by hitting Akash for consecutive boundaries.

Brook’s wonderful knock came to an end when he danced down the pitch against Akash, but lost his bat in the process, and was caught by Siraj at mid-wicket. Root survived an lbw appeal off Siraj, as India burnt a review. But his hitting three boundaries at the fag end of the second session means he stands on the cusp of a match-winning century and leading England’s successful chase.

Brief scores:

India 224 and 396 lead England 247 and 317/4 in 66 overs (Harry Brook 111, Joe Root 98 not out; Mohammed Siraj 2-91, Akash Deep 1-73) by 57 runs

--IANS

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