Hurricane Bertha? From the point of view of England, what it can do its worst. India were stunned at the terrible forecast for Sunday could play a role in the fourth round. An exhibition of pitiful batting on the third evening, significantly worse than their effort in the first day, because the conditions were not so demanding, meant India declined to 161 and gave England victory by an innings and 54 runs despite Stuart Broad being in the hospital with a broken nose and suspected ill James Anderson.
Given the way in a corner of the grounds of Old Trafford could not cope with the rain yesterday, it was not beyond the realms of possibility that last day could have been in doubt if the rain on Sunday was been as bad as predicted. India made all the irrelevant conjecture with a performance that lacked stomach, fighting and basic common sense: some photos, as MS Dhoni hit to midwicket, and the period of Bhuvneshwar Kumar suggested that they were not even interested in trying to see if time could help. "We were not up to the mark," Dhoni said at the presentation.
India lost nine wickets after tea, including a period of 5 to 13 in 29 balls, and was not the swing, seam and pace that has caused more havoc. Instead, Ali Moeen did twist and turn your way through 4 to 39, taking his own series of 19, just when it seemed the firepower of England could have reduced crucially.
England were able to secure a three-day victory - their first in India since 1967 in Edgbaston - without the services of wide in the second innings of India, after being forced to retire hurt after a blow to the face a gorilla Varun Aaron squeezed between your grill and helmet. Blood dripped on the pitch as he was quickly attended to by the physio, although it is debatable whether or Large Indian batsmen will leave Old Trafford with the most significant scars.
It took a little longer for the collapse of India to establish in the first innings - Chris Woakes took his first wicket of the series when I caught M Vijay LBW before tea, before Gautam Gambhir and Cheteshwar Pujara reached 53 for 1 - but its disappearance at 66 for 6 was in many ways more remarkable since England was a bowler down, the sun came out and the new ball had resisted earlier.
Anderson, battling what Alastair Cook called "lurgy" removed Gambhir with a short delivery - away from the most vicious of the party - which was gloved to the keeper, and then to the first ball of the next over Pujara was given low weight at birth as he pressed against Moeen forward. It was a big step and Hawk Eye said the ball had gone far enough to slide the leg side. The fact Moeen was turning the ball sharply, and often, it would soon come into play again.
Ajinkya Rahane, however, took less by the change, but one of the weakest shots played in the series - that drive low return catch to Moeen that moved smartly to his right. England, which could not fail to be aware of the forecast, regardless of how little Regard cricketers say they give, could hardly believe that the gifts to be delivered.
For a moment, the butcher returned to the beat; It was a familiar outcome for Virat Kohli v Anderson battle. Kohli had indicated he wanted to hit his way out of trouble, but could only offer another advantage to Anderson - this time a shot instead of the outswinger - that found its way to the second sheet. The challenge of a rare five-Test series is discovering some of the top order India. One search exam Kohli carving out their own test next week end will be required.
Ravindra Jadeja either, which has been a focal point in the series for a variety of reasons, playing in the last game is something else. His outside shot mark, advancing through the countryside in Anderson and slide a short ball through midwicket, suggested that he was there for a good time, not a long time - but also resulted in a small sarcastic applause, even a smile, the under-the-weather Anderson. Next over, Jadeja completed a miserable match with the bat, to follow two mediocre scores on the Ageas Bowl, when he pounced on a slip Moeen and exceeded.
By now Anderson had left the field. Dhoni would probably at least try to bring the deeper game? After AGEAS Bowl, which had told the Indian batsmen had been too deferential to Moeen and you should attack more. He followed his words with facts, but on the flip side of the leg could not beat a diving Gary Ballance at midwicket.
Now it was all-but inevitable that England wrap the game at night. There was momentary frustration when Jordan, who massaged the figures with the two end windows, surpassed when Bhuvneshwar exceeded the second slip but another gift was delivered to England when Bhuvneshwar tried to return for a second and could not beat the arm Moeen - only the speed of band this time, instead of splitting.
R Ashwin continued to look as competent as any of the Indian batsmen in this match, driving and cutting as Jordan struggled to the end windows, but an excellent piece of fielding at deep square leg by substitute Liam Livingstone, a young Lancashire player, Jordan had two balls meant Aaron. One was enough for the No. 10, a short delivery gloved behind, and one long enough to finish the game as a New Yorker defeated Pankaj Singh, who had at least managed to stop 69-in wait for her first Test wicket when removed before Joe Root.
Such was the rapid conclusion, it was easy to forget England began on 237 to 6 to 1 advantage of 85 - with the need to be positive and keep the game moving. Root and Jos Buttler, after waiting for the new ball, perform that function perfectly to take their position at 134 as both reached half-centuries. It was an occasion when a man from Yorkshire, Root, was receiving warm applause at Old Trafford and the audience had a lot to enjoy one of their own - or at least a foster child - as Butler picked up his second fifty in two innings test, but it helped define a test victory.
However, as much as the crowd cheered the batting pair young, there was an equal appreciation when Pankaj glove root found by the side of the leg and finger Marais Erasmus' rose to finally give it a evidence. Buttler was soon his second scalp, driving a slower ball to mid-off, so that the thoughts were firmly while turning what would happen when England took the ball again.
These plans appear to have suffered a major setback when Broad, having thrown six consecutive to Aaron, was nailed in the face the next delivery and left the field bloodied and dazed. So, had not returned from the hospital in time to collect his Man-of-the-Match award.
Given the way in a corner of the grounds of Old Trafford could not cope with the rain yesterday, it was not beyond the realms of possibility that last day could have been in doubt if the rain on Sunday was been as bad as predicted. India made all the irrelevant conjecture with a performance that lacked stomach, fighting and basic common sense: some photos, as MS Dhoni hit to midwicket, and the period of Bhuvneshwar Kumar suggested that they were not even interested in trying to see if time could help. "We were not up to the mark," Dhoni said at the presentation.
India lost nine wickets after tea, including a period of 5 to 13 in 29 balls, and was not the swing, seam and pace that has caused more havoc. Instead, Ali Moeen did twist and turn your way through 4 to 39, taking his own series of 19, just when it seemed the firepower of England could have reduced crucially.
England were able to secure a three-day victory - their first in India since 1967 in Edgbaston - without the services of wide in the second innings of India, after being forced to retire hurt after a blow to the face a gorilla Varun Aaron squeezed between your grill and helmet. Blood dripped on the pitch as he was quickly attended to by the physio, although it is debatable whether or Large Indian batsmen will leave Old Trafford with the most significant scars.
It took a little longer for the collapse of India to establish in the first innings - Chris Woakes took his first wicket of the series when I caught M Vijay LBW before tea, before Gautam Gambhir and Cheteshwar Pujara reached 53 for 1 - but its disappearance at 66 for 6 was in many ways more remarkable since England was a bowler down, the sun came out and the new ball had resisted earlier.
Anderson, battling what Alastair Cook called "lurgy" removed Gambhir with a short delivery - away from the most vicious of the party - which was gloved to the keeper, and then to the first ball of the next over Pujara was given low weight at birth as he pressed against Moeen forward. It was a big step and Hawk Eye said the ball had gone far enough to slide the leg side. The fact Moeen was turning the ball sharply, and often, it would soon come into play again.
Ajinkya Rahane, however, took less by the change, but one of the weakest shots played in the series - that drive low return catch to Moeen that moved smartly to his right. England, which could not fail to be aware of the forecast, regardless of how little Regard cricketers say they give, could hardly believe that the gifts to be delivered.
For a moment, the butcher returned to the beat; It was a familiar outcome for Virat Kohli v Anderson battle. Kohli had indicated he wanted to hit his way out of trouble, but could only offer another advantage to Anderson - this time a shot instead of the outswinger - that found its way to the second sheet. The challenge of a rare five-Test series is discovering some of the top order India. One search exam Kohli carving out their own test next week end will be required.
Ravindra Jadeja either, which has been a focal point in the series for a variety of reasons, playing in the last game is something else. His outside shot mark, advancing through the countryside in Anderson and slide a short ball through midwicket, suggested that he was there for a good time, not a long time - but also resulted in a small sarcastic applause, even a smile, the under-the-weather Anderson. Next over, Jadeja completed a miserable match with the bat, to follow two mediocre scores on the Ageas Bowl, when he pounced on a slip Moeen and exceeded.
By now Anderson had left the field. Dhoni would probably at least try to bring the deeper game? After AGEAS Bowl, which had told the Indian batsmen had been too deferential to Moeen and you should attack more. He followed his words with facts, but on the flip side of the leg could not beat a diving Gary Ballance at midwicket.
Now it was all-but inevitable that England wrap the game at night. There was momentary frustration when Jordan, who massaged the figures with the two end windows, surpassed when Bhuvneshwar exceeded the second slip but another gift was delivered to England when Bhuvneshwar tried to return for a second and could not beat the arm Moeen - only the speed of band this time, instead of splitting.
R Ashwin continued to look as competent as any of the Indian batsmen in this match, driving and cutting as Jordan struggled to the end windows, but an excellent piece of fielding at deep square leg by substitute Liam Livingstone, a young Lancashire player, Jordan had two balls meant Aaron. One was enough for the No. 10, a short delivery gloved behind, and one long enough to finish the game as a New Yorker defeated Pankaj Singh, who had at least managed to stop 69-in wait for her first Test wicket when removed before Joe Root.
Such was the rapid conclusion, it was easy to forget England began on 237 to 6 to 1 advantage of 85 - with the need to be positive and keep the game moving. Root and Jos Buttler, after waiting for the new ball, perform that function perfectly to take their position at 134 as both reached half-centuries. It was an occasion when a man from Yorkshire, Root, was receiving warm applause at Old Trafford and the audience had a lot to enjoy one of their own - or at least a foster child - as Butler picked up his second fifty in two innings test, but it helped define a test victory.
However, as much as the crowd cheered the batting pair young, there was an equal appreciation when Pankaj glove root found by the side of the leg and finger Marais Erasmus' rose to finally give it a evidence. Buttler was soon his second scalp, driving a slower ball to mid-off, so that the thoughts were firmly while turning what would happen when England took the ball again.
These plans appear to have suffered a major setback when Broad, having thrown six consecutive to Aaron, was nailed in the face the next delivery and left the field bloodied and dazed. So, had not returned from the hospital in time to collect his Man-of-the-Match award.