England make quick inroads into record chase against India

04.07.2022 - 18:05 bt.com

Alex Lees and Zak Crawley shared a brilliant century stand as England set about a record chase of 378 in the series-deciding Edgbaston Test against India.

England’s best ever fourth-innings pursuit of 359 came three years ago when Ben Stokes produced his Ashes miracle at Headingley, but their openers carved off a huge chunk of that task on the fourth afternoon as the home side took tea on 107 for one.

With a high-class attack, a wearing pitch and both top-order players in need of a score, all conventional logic pointed to an India win but Lees (56 not out) and Crawley (46) attacked the equation with absolute freedom.

They roared past 50 in just nine overs, raced to three figures in the 20th and shared 15 boundaries in their first ever century stand together.

cricket England James Anderson Zak Crawley Jasprit Bumrah New Zealand India

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