peasy23

Root also now tops the all time records for the highest percentage of a team's total runs scored by a batsman in a calendar year.

Definitely. They are effectively pro as they are practicing and playing just about full time.

Unfortunately, as long as the ECB make it so hard for players to get time playing red ball cricket then it's hard to see how it's the pinnacle. Little wonder so many batsmen struggle to play any kind of defensive game when for the bulk of the rest of the year they are only trying to whack it around the ground. England's tactics this morning were baffling, and Root has said maybe he could have tried different tactics. The concern for me is that nobody on the field appeared to question them at the time. Fair enough to give Bumrah a couple of overs of short stuff as payback for the other day, but then it has to be to get back to the task in hand and bowl at the top of off stump. If it's good enough to get the proper batsmen out then it should be good enough to get out guys who average 3. Even after that though, England should still have been able to put the shutters up and get a draw. The fact they couldn't is down to Root being the only batsman worthy of the name. A couple were done by really good balls, but not that many.

Kohli drops Buttler in the slips,came at him fast but he should have held it.

Definitely. They had a very good chance to win this morning, especially when they got Pant out quite early. It was a heads gone after that though as they were more determined to exact some sort of retribution on Bumrah than get him out. The fact that India got to a position where they could declare is laughable.

Yep. Can't see the remaining batsmen keeping a fired up India at bay. Spectator ran on the field right after tea and was making a beeline for Kohli.

Bairstow goes right before tea, great use of a review by India.

You feel England can hang on as long as Root is there, but if India can get him out and have 15-20 overs at the rest of England's line up? Not so sure they would hold out.

Shami and Bumrah both now on their highest test scores. India had a lead of 167 when Pant was out, it's now 258.

Shami. [emoji23] Gets to 50 with a 4 and a huge 6.

Given that England refused to even try and chase down NZ with a similar required run rate, it's either going to be a draw or an India win. England have gone from a 40% chance of winning to virtually zero in half an hour.

Just reading some comments on Twitter. Obviously great to see Bob, Calum and Grant Forrest doing well. The common denominator is that all 3 played college golf in the US. Have we lost the ability to produce home grown talent without them getting that competitive experience that the US college system provides?

And they are getting there. I wonder how many tail enders have their best score against England? Bowl at the stumps ffs.

Delighted that he has finally got over the winning line after being in the mix quite a few times.

That should be good enough. I hope.

Hill on the fringe at the back of the green, up and down from about 45 feet to win it. Hojgaard had to hole it from 113 yards to get to 16 under.

Par from Hill wins it....

Hill finds the fairway, Hojgaard wild to the right and in trouble.

Great up and down by Hill on 17 keeps him at 16 under. Hojgaard follows him in for par to stay 1 back. Fairway finder required for Hill on 18.

A reminder that this is tomorrow night at 7pm, hopefully ITV have it on. John Higgins is in effect the reigning champion as he won it when it was last played 17 years ago.

Right then Calum Hill, this is your moment.

Looks like we are on a new host/server as the loading time is much quicker today and the address is different.

Kohli gone, edging Curran to Buttler right before lunch, a ball he could have left. Pujara might bat out the rest of the day and score 8.

Dead in the box.

Excellent spell by Wood, averaged over 90mph in the first innings, steaming in again here.