Moeen Ali starred in a dramatic England victory for the second time in as many matches as they crushed India by an innings and 54 runs to win the fourth Test at Old Trafford on Saturday with more than two days to spare.
India suffered their second spectacular collapse of the match in losing nine wickets after tea on the third day – including five for 13 in 21 balls – as England went 2-1 up in the five-match series ahead of next week’s finale at The Oval.
After a Test-best six for 67 to seal England’s 266-run win in the third Test at Southampton, their first victory in 11 outings, Ali took four for 13 in 37 balls on Saturday on the way to innings figures of four for 39 in 13 overs.
“You don’t often get nine wickets in a session,” said England captain Alastair Cook at the presentation ceremony.
“Moeen was terrific – I’ve never seen a bloke work so hard and improve so much in international cricket.”
India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni admitted that poor batting had been his side’s Achilles heel.
“Even in the first innings, we weren’t up to the mark. We have to improve before the next Test. So far in this series, our batting has not clicked.”
At tea, the tourists were 1-33 in their second innings, with all-rounder Chris Woakes having taken his first wicket of the series to dismiss Murali Vijay.
This was quickly transformed into 6-66.
The collapse was all the more extraordinary as England fast-medium bowler Stuart Broad, who took six for 25 in India’s first innings, was off the field after being hit on the nose by a Varon Aaron bouncer while batting.
Among the victims was Virat Kohli, falling for seven on his Lancashire home ground to leave the talented batsman with a tally of just 108 runs in eight innings this series at an average of 13.50.
Skipper Dhoni, having made 71 in the first innings, again provided some resistance with before he was brilliantly caught for 27 by Gary Ballance, diving to his right at midwicket.
India were 7-105, with all-rounder Ali having taken four for 13 in 27 balls.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, ‘caught’ off a Jordan no-ball on nine, did not make the most of his reprieve when run out for 10 by Ali’s throw to Joss Buttler.
Jordan, however, got in on the act by taking the last two wickets in as many balls, with Varun Aaron caught behind and Pankaj Singh yorked for a duck as India were dismissed for 161 in 43 overs.
Ravichandran Ashwin was 46 not out, the top score in an innings where Dhoni’s 27 was the next best.
England resumed on Saturday on 6-237.
Pankaj Singh’s long wait for a first Test wicket – after a debut record worst wicketless return of none for 179 at Southampton – eventually ended when the tall paceman took two for four in 15 balls with the new ball.
He dismissed both Joe Root (77) and Buttler (70) after the pair had put on 134 for the seventh wicket.
But England still compiled a total of 367 that gave them a first-innings lead of 215 – more than enough runs as it proved to withstand Broad’s absence.
