Buttler ends long wait for first Test century but Rashid and Anderson only delay inevitable
JOS BUTTLER’S maiden Test century has provided him with his proudest moment as an England cricketer – whatever the format.
Buttler (106) and Ben Stokes (62) defied India in a fifth-wicket stand of 169 that helped to take the third Specsavers Test into a final day – albeit with England on 311-9 and therefore bound for almost certain defeat, still 210 runs behind at Trent Bridge.
Barring a double-century last-wicket stand between Adil Rashid and James Anderson, England will head to Southampton for next week’s penultimate Test with only a 2-1 series lead.
Buttler therefore admitted to a tinge of regret he and Stokes could not defy an India attack led by Jasprit Bumrah (5-85) even longer, but after recording his first Test hundred, in his 38th innings and four years after his debut, he rightly allowed himself a smile of satisfaction too.
“This is definitely the proudest moment in an England shirt,” said the 27-year-old. “It was really satisfying. It has been a long time coming, and a few months ago it was a million miles away.”
Rashid had ridden his luck to leave England merely on the brink after India managed only one of the two wickets they still needed in the extra half-hour.
Rashid was on his way back for a single when he was caught in the slips, only for Jasprit to be called for over-stepping, and was then dropped in the cordon by Virat Kohli on 20 in a ninthwicket stand of 50 with Stuart Broad.
Jasprit finally had Broad caught in the slips anyway, but Rashid and No 1 11 Anderson kept the tourists out in a bizarre nonconclusion.
Until then, the spotlight had fallen on Buttler and Stokes.
Stokes was a study in selfrestraint, taking 48 deliveries to reach double-figures and 147 to complete his slowest Test 50.
Jonny Bairstow, who had dropped down the order to allow Buttler’s promotion after breaking a finger keeping wicket the previous day, was bowled for a golden duck as Bumrah put himself on a hat-trick.
Four wickets fell for 10 runs, Stokes’s the last to a KL Rahul catch at second slip off Hardik Pandya after 187 balls of skilful resistance. But India’s rush up the home straight foundered against the England tail.
The hosts’ openers came through nine murky overs after India’s declaration on the third evening, but were almost instantly unable to defy the odds on the resumption.
Keaton Jennings fell to the fifth ball of the morning and fellow left-hander Alastair Cook went in Ishant Sharma’s next over.
Joe Root and Ollie Pope got as far as a hard-working 62-2 before both falling without further addition in successive overs.
Root edged Jasprit to Rahul and Pope’s response was to go after an expansive drive at Shami, which ended only with Kohli’s head-high grab charging from third slip across second.
It has been a long time coming. Jos Buttler, who waited four years for his first Test century following his debut.