Day 2 of the fifth Test between England and India at The Oval saw 15 wickets fall in three sessions. Despite a collapse in the morning, India recovered with a brilliant bowling performance to finish the day with a 52-run lead.
Resuming Day 2 on 204/6, India were bundled for 224, gaining only 20 runs in less than 30 minutes. Gus Atkinson finished with five wickets and closed up the tail. Karun Nair was the first to go in the morning, compliments of Josh Tongue. Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna followed in fast succession, with Atkinson taking three of those four wickets.
In reply, England’s openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett rushed to 92 in just 77 balls. Duckett was seen reverse-scooping Akash Deep over the slips and even ramping Siraj for six. He eventually fell for 43, attempting a third such shot, with Deep getting the breakthrough. Crawley raced to a 42-ball fifty, his third of the series, before falling to Prasidh. By lunch, England’s scorecard read 109/1.
Post-lunch, India’s bowlers. including Mohammed Siraj, who produced a brilliant second spell, picking up three wickets for 35 in eight overs. He removed Ollie Pope, Joe Root, and Jacob Bethell, all LBW.
Prasidh came in support as he took out Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton in quick succession. He later removed Gus Atkinson and Harry Brook, finishing with figures of 4/62. England were all out for 247, taking a narrow 23-run lead.
India’s second innings began with Yashasvi Jaiswal scoring an unbeaten 51 off 49 balls, hitting seven fours and two sixes.
KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan fell cheaply, but India still ended on 75/2 at stumps. Umpires called stumps due to bad light after Ollie Pope declined the option to continue with spin bowling.
India
