LEEDS, England (AP) — Openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley comfortably cut 96 more runs off England’s winning target of 371 against India by lunch on the last day Tuesday of the test-series opener at Headingley.
England was 117 without loss, needing 254 more runs. Duckett was 64 not out, and Crawley 42 not out. They were batting at a rate of 3.9 an over, which was what was required.
Their positive start on day five without being rash defied conditions that suited India’s bowlers; leaden skies, floodlights on, and a pitch offering some turn and movement. But it had no demons for the batsmen.
Not even star pacer Jasprit Bumrah could dent Duckett and Crawley. Bumrah beat Duckett’s edge twice and Mohammed Siraj beat Crawley twice in impressive opening spells.
But once they finished, the opening batters feasted on Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna.
Bumrah came back before lunch and dropped a difficult caught-and-bowled chance off Crawley on 42.
India also thought it had Crawley lbw on 21 but the ball was going way down the leg side and the review was wasted.
Duckett brought up his 20th fifty-plus score in his 34th test. He was 64 off 89 balls, past his 62 in the first innings.
Their latest century stand helped them pass 2,000 runs and made them England’s most successful opening partnership since Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss, who last opened together 13 years ago.
England is attempting to pull off its second highest successful run chase but it has a reputation for it. In 17 run chases under coach Brendon McCullum, England has won 11 and lost six.
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