England v India

At Lord's, June 22, 23, 24, 26. England won by an innings and 124 runs, with a day and a half to spare.

India, dismissed for 152 and 110, failed with the bat after Pataudi won the toss and took first innings on a hard, fast pitch.

Injuries kept out Hanumant and their two fastest bowlers, Guha and Mohol. Compared with Leeds, England included Amiss and Brown for Boycott and Higgs.

Engineer, after taking two 4's in Brown's first over, edged an intended drive in the fourth over of the match. Much more serious was the loss of Sardesai in the ninth over when a ball from Snow struck his right hand and broke a bone. Although he returned later, before an x-ray revealed the fracture, Sardesai took no further part in the tour.

The pace of Snow and Brown on a murky day brought about India's downfall and only the stylish, left-handed, Wadekar proved equal to the situation; he hit nine boundaries during his stay of two and a quarter hours.

The first day's cricket provided a triumph for Murray, who by holding six catches equalled the world's Test wicket-keeping record held by Grout (Australia) and Lindsay (South Africa).

England soon lost Edrich, but Barrington (54 not out) and Amiss placed them in a strong position. They finished the first day only 45 behind, with eight wickets in hand. The batsmen proceeded with the utmost care during the three hours in which cricket was possible on the second day.

A crowd of 12,000 watched almost silently while Barrington, Graveney and D'Oliveira treated Chandrasekhar and the two left-arm bowlers, Surti and Bedi, with such respect that only 145 runs were added for the loss of Barrington. Chandrasekhar upset the latter's off stump as soon as he returned for his second spell.

So Barrington, 93 at Headingley and this time 97, again departed when in sight of a hundred. He had spent just over four hours for his runs, which included ten 4's and in fourteen Test innings at Lord's he had yet to reach three figures.

Graveney, elegant as ever, placed his forcing strokes so skilfully that he hooked Bedi for 6 and also hit ten 4's while reaching 74 not out before rain intervened shortly after three o'clock.

The early cricket on Saturday belonged almost entirely to Graveney. Fifteen years previously he had hit his first Test hundred against India in Bombay and now he progressed towards his ninth in Tests and the 113th of his career.

While D'Oliveira struggled to find his form -- he added only six in an hour -- Graveney never looked in the slightest trouble and when stumped off the third ball after lunch he was sixth out, having hit two 6's and twenty 4's in his superb 151 made in five hours. England, in an impregnable position, offered no further resistance.

In fact, the last five wickets went down in three-quarters of an hour after lunch for the addition of 27 runs to the interval total. Despite India's poor catching and ground fielding, Chandrasekhar mixing his pacey googlies with occasional leg break, bowled untiringly for long spells.

India wanted 234 to compel England to bat again, but could not begin the task until Monday owing to more rain. Apart from Kunderan, who opened the innings in place of Sardesai, India gave another inept display with the bat on a damp pitch which helped the pace bowlers to acquire lift and the spinners to turn the ball. Nevertheless, the pitch was not spiteful and Kunderan hit six 4's, staying two and three-quarter hours until he was eigth out.

Illingworth came on at 18 and except for changing ends bowled till the match was completed. In two hours before lunch, India made 75 for three, but during the interval a sharp shower livened the pitch and the remaining six wickets went down in less than an hour for 35 runs, Illingworth taking five for 12 in 10 overs.

Although the match went into the fourth day, England won in two and a half days' playing time. Victory came so soon after lunch on Monday that play had finished half an hour before the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh arrived. The teams and officials were presented on the field by Sir Alec Douglas-Home, the President of M.C.C.