The backbone of India's reply was a brilliant unbeaten century by Dilip Vegsarkar (109*). But he couldn't find any real support, Gavaskar's 33 being the next highest score, as India were bowled out for 253 after lunch on day 2. With the pitch looking as though first innings runs would count, the lead of 63 would surely be significant.
This was especially so when the early loss of Boycott (9) and Larkins (13) saw England slump to 34/2. Gooch and especially Gower then counter-attacked to build a solid partnership in rapid time, the 50 coming up off just 51 balls, and there was no further loss in the session, England 107/2 at the tea break.
The two English-men remained solid in the evening session, shutting India out with no-risk cricket, bringing up the 100 partnership off 157 balls - the second 50 more taking more than twice as long as the first. And on they batted, Gooch reaching a brilliant century, and their partnership worth 176 before Gower was bowled behind his legs trying to sweep the hitherto hapless Yadav in the penultimate over of the day, England eventually closing the day on 211/3, a lead of 150.
India struck back in the morning, Gooch (122) and Botham (14) both falling in the first hour, to leave the game finely poised: England 184 ahead with 5 wickets left.
But, as Gooch and Gower had done, so now did captain Brearley and keeper Taylor shut out India with a brilliant partnership, going into lunch with no further loss at 327/5, their partnership worth 79 at that stage.
It would become the second century partnership of the innings, eventually worth 117 when Brearley fell for 78, caught behind off Ghavri, who bowled Embury for a duck 2 balls later. But Lever shepherded Taylor to his 50, the keeper eventually making 58 as England ended up all out for 402, a lead of 341.
India then had a target of 342 - with more than 2 days left there would certainly be a result. England's 2nd innings performance indicated there weren't as many demons in the pitch as feared, and Gavaskar in particular started well. But Binny looked less comfortable, and fell early to a fine catch in the slips off Botham to leave India 20/1. They then crumbled, losing 3 wickets for 0 runs on 30 to slump to 30/4. It could have been worse too as Lever was denied the wicket of Patel when England's appeal for a glove behind was denied, despite replays indicating the ball certainly caught the glove rather than the arm guard.
However, the collapse was well established: Botham and Lever had softened up the top order with aggressive short-pitched bowling, and Underwood ran through the lower-order. Underwood would have had the astonishing figures of 4-3 had last man Doshi been taken at 2nd slip, the drop delaying the victory celebrations by a few overs. However, Underwood eventually got his man, spinning one past the attempted sweep to clip the bails and bowl the tail-ender, leaving India all out for 87 and England victors by 254 runs.
This comprehensive victory matches the real world result, where England won by 10 wickets.
A video of some highlights:
Next up - home and away series vs the West Indies!
