Stokes' miracle men crash down to earth

ENGLAND LEFT TO RUE HAWK-EYE 'MISTAKE'

- Rory Dollard 

 

IN the end, England ran out of miracles.

The odds were stacked against the tourists from the start. But they pitched up on day four in Visakhapatnam with real belief that they could do the unthinkable by chasing 399 a huge target no England side has ever reached and more than any team has made batting last on Indian soil.

Instead, their knack of turning cricketing logic on its head deserted them and they were knocked over for 292 as India levelled the five-match series at 1-1.

The decisive moment came just before lunch, when topscorer Zak Crawley fourth-innings and dangerman Jonny Bairstow were both lbw inside five deliveries.

Captain Ben Stokes felt England were let down by technology but refused to blame the result on "ifs, buts and maybes".