Siraj scythes England's last stand in final twist for warhorse series

Left arm in a sling, face riven with agony, Chris Woakes could only look on helplessly from the far end. Mohammed Siraj detonated Gus Atkinson's off-stump at 11.56am yesterday to seal a six-run triumph for India and end one of the most intense hours of Test cricket ever witnessed.

- Ali Martin

A series that seemed to have it all saved its best for last, a mini-session of unrivalled gut-twisting, tortuous drama that instantly made this fifth Test an all-time classic. Needing 35 runs to chase down 374, four wickets in hand, England collapsed in a wall of Indian noise inside a packed Oval and the first Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy was shared with a 2-2 scoreline.

It was fitting Siraj should land the final blow, India's firecracker the only fast bowler to go the distance in a series that chewed players up and spat them out over 25 gruelling days. England had been cruising a day earlier, centuries from Harry Brook and Joe Root their rocket fuel, only for Siraj to bend the script to his will with a stunning five-wicket haul.

Woakes was the only other seamer to play all five, but a dislocated shoulder on day one left him a bystander. That was until the fall of Josh Tongue's wicket, 17 still needed, and he walked down the steps to a standing ovation. Left arm hidden under his cable-knit sleeveless sweater, bat in the other hand, and intending to play left-handed if necessary, one of England's most dependable and selfless cricketers answered his country's call.