Daily Mail

RAGGED ENGLAND AWFUL IN THE FIELD AS THEY... DROP, MISS AND FUMBLE

LAWRENCE BOOTH at Trent Bridge

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IF FIEldIng betrays a team’s state of mind, then England yesterday gave the distinct impression of being all over the place. dropped catches, fluffed run-outs, even fumbles by Jonny Bairstow — you name it, they made a hash of it. The nadir came as India’s tailenders, arguably the weakest nine, 10 and 11 in world cricket, merrily transforme­d their side’s lead from a middling 49 to a priceless 95. Jasprit Bumrah, who had never passed 10 in 20 Test matches, hit 28, more than any England batsman managed on Wednesday bar Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow. Root’s team ought to have been celebratin­g a maiden Test five-for by Ollie Robinson, as well as the enduring excellence of Jimmy Anderson, who continues to treat Trent Bridge like a personal fiefdom. Instead, they were left to tot up the missed opportunit­ies that told of a team desperate for a change of fortune but apparently powerless to bring it about. India had been given a helping hand on the second afternoon when dom Sibley put down Kl Rahul at second slip on 52. now, not long after Robinson had defused the electrifyi­ng Rishabh Pant, dan

lawrence blew a chance to run out Ravindra Jadeja. Had lawrence simply thrown the ball to wicketkeep­er Jos Buttler, who was closing in on the stumps, Jadeja would have been run out for four. Instead, he aimed for glory, and missed. Jadeja went on to make 56, infusing those who followed with a carefree confidence. For England, worse was to follow. Having blown his team’s third review on a spurious caught-behind shout against Rahul — even as Buttler argued otherwise — Root (below) dropped the same batsman at first slip in the first over after lunch. The chance flew hard and high to his left, but, as new Zealand showed earlier in the summer, good teams catch those. On it went. Rory Burns failed to run out Mohammed Shami, who was then dropped by Anderson, who then failed to run out Bumrah. Proof that the malaise had spread came when substitute fielder Craig Overton couldn’t run out Mohammed Siraj. A penny for the thoughts of fielding coach Carl Hopkinson, whose side’s haplessnes­s was compounded by the decision to hand the second new ball to Sam Curran ahead of Anderson. It disappeare­d for 15, including Bumrah’s first six in Test cricket, at which point Anderson promptly replaced Curran. It didn’t help that England seemed to be operating with half an attack. While Anderson and Robinson took nine for 139 between them, Stuart Broad and Curran managed none for 127. Writing Broad off is a mug’s game, and it is barely 12 months since he was England’s Test bowler of the summer. But his last three Tests have produced his two worst showings at home since 2014, even if he also had figures of five for 61 against new Zealand at Edgbaston. Robinson’s star, meanwhile, is on the rise. Broad at least had the gumption to hold a well-judged catch at fine leg to end Bumrah’s fun and rubberstam­p Robinson’s five-for. But, like many of England’s batsmen, he needs time in the middle if he is to thrive and has been poorly served by a

dreadful schedule.

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