‘If England bat sensibly…’: Sachin Tendulkar says first hour at Headingley is going to be critical
Sachin Tendulkar reckons the opening first hour of Day 4 will be crucial for England at Headingley to win the Test match.
England are 27 without loss in their pursuit of 251 to win the third Ashes Ashes Test. Ben Duckett had 18 and Zac Crawley 9. Two overs from Australia captain Pat Cummins conceded 17.
“The first hour at Headingley is going to be critical tomorrow,” Sachin wrote on Twitter.
The first hour at Headingley is going to be critical tomorrow.
I feel the wicket is playing absolutely fine and if England bat sensibly and are positive in their approach they will get there. They require discipline in their shot selection with a positive approach and the total…
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 8, 2023
Sachin feels England are favourites but they need to bat sensibly.
“I feel the wicket is playing absolutely fine and if England bat sensibly and are positive in their approach they will get there.
“They require discipline in their shot selection with a positive approach and the total will be chased,” he added.
Rain at Headingley prevented play from starting for nearly five hours, well after tea, then England used conditions ripe for seam and swing to reduce Australia from 116-4 overnight to 170-8 in 14 overs.
But with Australia eight down and leading only 196 runs, and Todd Murphy walking out to bat in his fifth test, Head, on 34, decided to blast as many runs as possible.
But, first, he had to wait while Murphy hit two boundaries off England’s fastest bowler, Mark Wood, with a cover drive and gloved one down the leg side.
Head smoked two boundaries off Woakes in an over and England spread the field, with nobody in the ring against Australia’s last recognized batter.
Trying to protect Murphy, Head crashed two more boundaries in an over off Wood and reached his 22nd half-century.
He pulled Woakes for a six over midwicket, then Murphy was out leg before to Stuart Broad with 11 valuable runs in a stand of 41 for the ninth wicket.
