Rain Plays a Role in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Finale
The much-anticipated Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy reached a thrilling climax at The Oval, with rain adding an unexpected twist to the drama. As the series decider entered its fifth day on Sunday, August 3, play was halted early due to bad weather, leaving England needing just 35 runs for victory, while India aimed to secure three—possibly four—wickets. With the excitement of this two-month long series, can we really dismiss the chance of a nail-biting draw?
Play was officially called off at 10:30 PM IST, just 30 minutes before the scheduled end. Rain set in for an hour, and by that time, the momentum had shifted towards India, particularly after England’s top scorer Joe Root fell just before the break.
Throughout this fiercely contested series, all four previous Tests went into a fifth day, and there were hopes that the finale might wrap up one day earlier. However, as it turned out, it extended into the final day.
Players and fans alike are gearing up for what might only be a brief session of cricket on Monday. England resumed their innings at 50 for 1, still needing a daunting 324 runs to win. Early breakthroughs for India suggested they had the upper hand, with the dismissals of opener Zak Crawley and acting captain Ollie Pope.
A turning point came with a critical dropped catch by Mohammed Siraj, who managed to hold onto a catch but inadvertently stepped on the boundary while doing so, awarding Harry Brook six runs instead of sending him back to the pavilion. Brook, then on 19, capitalized on this escape, ultimately scoring a remarkable 111 runs from just 90 balls—a milestone for him in fourth-innings Test cricket.
Brook and Root then put together a solid partnership, combining for 153 runs at an impressive rate of 5.43 runs per over. By the time tea was taken, England appeared to have a comfortable hold on the match, needing only 57 more runs with six wickets remaining.
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Published By: Akshay Ramesh
Published On: August 3, 2025
