England demolish India to win series

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England ripped out India for 94 to win the fifth Test by a crushing innings and 244 runs at The Oval on Sunday and clinch the series 3-1.

India capitulated inside 30 overs in another feeble batting display, Stuart Binny top-scoring with 25 not out and Chris Jordan taking four wickets for the hosts.

Earlier, Joe Root’s unbeaten 149 put England in complete control of the match as they added 101 runs in rapid time before being bowled out for 486, a lead of 338.

They picked up the wickets of openers Murali Vijay and Gautam Gambhir to leave India tottering on nine for two at lunch.

Vijay was trapped LBW by James Anderson for two and Gambhir, looking for a non-existent single, was run out by a direct hit from Chris Woakes after being sent back by Cheteshwar Pujara.

The procession continued after an interval extended by a rain delay.

Pujara edged a catch to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler to give Anderson his 380th test wicket, three behind the English record held by Ian Botham.

Ajinkya Rahane was brilliantly caught one-handed by a diving Gary Ballance at third slip off Stuart Broad and MS Dhoni, so often India’s saviour in this series, was caught by Sam Robson at short leg off Woakes to leave India in disarray at 46 for five.

Virat Kohli’s miserable series continued when, on 20, he edged Jordan to Alastair Cook at first slip and Ravichandran Ashwin was caught by Ian Bell at second slip off Jordan after Ballance had pushed the ball up.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar edged Jordan straight to Bell and Varun Aaron failed to beat Moeen Ali’s throw from the boundary and was run out trying to make a needless second run.

Jordan had the final say to complete figures of four for 18 when a vicious short ball forced Ishant Sharma to loop a simple catch to Moeen.

England had torn into the Indian attack after resuming on 385 for seven.

Root clipped Sharma for three through mid-wicket to reach his fifth test century, celebrating with a leap in the air and flamboyant fist pump.

Jordan, on 20, edged a fierce Sharma delivery through to wicketkeeper Dhoni to end an eight-wicket partnership of 82 from 76 balls.

Broad threw his bat at everything and raced to 37 off 21 deliveries, including a six and five fours, before he gloved a short ball from Sharma to Kohli at third slip.

Root, reprieved on 110 when he was bowled by a Sharma no-ball, continued to plunder the wayward attack and struck a succession of boundaries all round the wicket.

Anderson was LBW to Ashwin for one to end the carnage and Root was left unbeaten on 149 from 165 balls, including a six and 18 fours.