Cricket England beaten as India draw series with six=run win in Kia Oval thriller

INDIA completed one of the most dramatic Test match victories ever seen on British soil, squaring the series with a stunning six-run victory after Chris Woakes attempted to carry England over the line with a dislocated shoulder.

- Rory DOLLARD

England arrived on the final day of a classic Test summer needing 35 runs to complete a remarkable chase of 374 but were blown away on a morning of unbearable tension and true sporting drama.

They lost four for 28 as Jamie Smith, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson succumbed to searing pressure at the Oval.

Woakes, who is expected to be out for several months with the injury he sustained in the field on Friday, answered his country’s call by coming out at number 11 to try and finish the job.

Holding the bat in hand, with his left arm bundled up in a sling under his sweater, he joined the fray with 17 runs still needed and was grimacing in pain throughout his brief stay.

In the end he did not face a ball as Mohammed Siraj clean bowled Atkinson to secure a sensational result and a 2-2 series draw.

The drama unfolded across 57 unforgettable minutes that tested the courage, character and cricketing will of both sides to the limit.

Had Woakes played his part in edging England to their target, batting left-handed and against all medical good sense, it would have gone down in the pantheon of great moments at this famous ground. As it was it a near miss.

It was also a fitting conclusion to see the inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy shared between two teams who have pushed each other to the physical and psychological depths over seven gripping weeks.