TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2016 SPORTS Kohli turns peacemaker to douse Ashwin-Anderson fire MUMBAI: Virat Kohli adopted an Ashwin appeared irked by trying to calm things down in the mid- “I think he (Ashwin) told me he was Alastair Cook saying it was unnecessary uncharacteristic role as peacemaker Anderson’s comments on Sunday that dle at a time when James Anderson is pretty disappointed with what he said and left a “sour” taste. yesterday when the India captain acted Kohli’s technique was not being thor- involved,” a grinning Kohli, who is often and it is important to accept defeat as it “It was a bit of a sour end really. A to pacify an angry exchange between oughly tested on the docile pitches in very demonstrative on the field, told is. Later on, I told James these things disappointing end in terms of how well off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and India after he hit 235 at the Wankhede reporters after India moved 3-0 ahead happen and let’s move on.” the spirit’s been between both sides,” England paceman James Anderson on Stadium for his third double hundred in the five-match series. Anderson has a history of disputes Cook said. “It was clearly reference to the final day of the fourth test. of 2016. “Ashwin wasn’t pleased with what he with India and the team filed a charge what Jimmy said yesterday which has The incident occurred when England’s record wicket-taker in tests (Anderson) said in the press and I didn’t against him for pushing Ravindra Jadeja kind of been blown out of all propor- England number 11 Anderson walked dismissed Kohli four times during India’s even know about it. He told me on the during the Trent Bridge test in 2014. tions, which it can do here. He was just out to bat and was greeted by a volley tour of England in 2014 but the bats- ground. “So I didn’t know what to make He was later cleared by the govern- stating a fact which if you asked Virat is of angry words by Ashwin, whose man has flayed Anderson and his bowl- of it, I was laughing about it, Ashwin ing body International Cricket Council probably quite true. views were echoed by his team mates ing partners this time, already amassing wasn’t too impressed and he let him (ICC). Yesterday, the contretemps “But yes it was obviously just sticking in the innings and 36 runs victory for 640 runs in the ongoing series at an know without using any bad words, between Ashwin and Anderson threat- up for their captain which I thought was the hosts. average of 128. “For the first time I was honestly,” Kohli added. ened to boil over with England captain slightly unnecessary.” — Reuters Cook bemoans weakened spin options in Mumbai loss MUMBAI: England no longer have the bowlers, two seamers and two spinners, world class spin options available to them but in this side we need more options.” that they enjoyed when they stunned India Cook admitted England had erred by in 2012, captain Alastair Cook said after his picking an extra seamer in Jake Ball while side fell 3-0 behind the hosts in the five- overlooking Gareth Batty as the pitch had match series yesterday. nothing in it for the quicker bowlers. England are the last team to win a series “Here we knew it was going to spin,” in India when they beat the hosts 2-1 four Cook said. “But one thing we have strength years ago with spinners Graeme Swann in depth in is our seamers and we can get and Monty Panesar revelling in the condi- control with our seamers if it is not spin- tions, and ably supported by prolific wick- ning a huge amount. et-taking paceman James Anderson. “Generally here in Mumbai it spins During that series, Panesar took 11 wick- slightly later on in the game but it spun ets at the Wankhede Stadium while Swann pretty much from ball one and last time in picked up eight more to help England 2012 it didn’t and the pitch looked exactly thrash India by 10 wickets. the same.” However, leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who is Cook was also left to rue England’s fail- England’s highest wicket-taker in the ongo- ure to take the chances that came their ing series with 22 victims, and off-spinner way. Jonny Bairstow missed a stumping Moeen Ali have failed to match those per- opportunity of Murali Vijay on 45, while formances. Rashid dropped a difficult return catch “No disrespect to Mo and Rash but from India captain Virat Kohli on 68 and Joe Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar were Root also put down Jayant Yadav at slip on world class bowlers in 2012,” Cook told eight. Vijay scored 136, Kohli went on to reporters after England’s defeat by an make 235 and Yadav 104. “We missed three innings and 36 runs. “In these conditions good chances to take wickets and they you need that. madeus pay,” Cook said. “Missing Kohli, “Mo and Rash have bowled well but missing Vijay and Yadav cost us dearly. they are not yet in that league... I do not “It is just frustrating. To beat India in mean that disrespectfully at all and that is these conditions you have to play the per- why we need a slightly different balance to fect game and we haven’t managed to do the side. “In 2012, we could play the four that.” —Reuters MUMBAI: India captain Virat Kohli (L) celebrates with Ravindra Jadeja (2nd L), Ravichandran Ashwin (3rd R) and their teammates during a victo- ry lap after winning the fourth Test cricket match against England at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai yesterday. — AFP Ashwin leads India to series win over England MUMBAI: Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin blew away England’s lower order resistance to SCOREBOARD spin India to a crushing series-clinching victo- ry on the final day of the fourth test at the MUMBAI: Scoreboard on the final day of the fourth Test between India and England in Mumbai yesterday. Wankhede Stadium yesterday. The touring side, who resumed the final England 1st innings 400 (K. Jennings 112, J. Buttler 76; J. Buttler not out 6 day on 182 for six, were only able to add 13 R. Ashwin 6-112) C. Woakes b Ashiwn 0 runs to their total as Ashwin (6-55) took all India 1st innings 631 (V. Kohli 235, M. Vijay 136; Rashid A. Rashid c Rahul b Ashwin 2 four remaining wickets in a little more than 4-192) J. Anderson C Yadav b Ashwin 2 half an hour and the hosts won by an innings England 2nd innings 195 Extras (b15, lb2, nb2) 19 and 36 runs. The five-wicket haul was the 24th A. Cook lbw b Jadeja 18 Total (10 wickets, 55.3 overs) 195 for the world’s top-ranked test bowler and his K. Jennings lbw Kumar 0 Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Jennings), 2-43 (Cook), 3-49 (Ali), 4- seventh 10-wicket haul, after the 30-year-old J. Root lbw J. Yadav 77 141 (Root), 5-180 (Stokes), 6-182 (Ball), 7-185 (Bairstow), also took six wickets in England’s first innings, M. Ali c Vijay b Jadeja 0 8-189 (Woakes), 9-193 (Rashid), 10-195 (Anderson) inspired India to an unassailable 3-0 lead. J. Bairstow lbw Ashwin 51 Bowling: Kumar 4-1-11-1, U. Yadav 3-0-10-0, Jadeja 22-3- England had beaten India in their last three B. Stokes c Vijay b Ashwin 18 63-2 (1nb), Ashwin 20.3-3-55-6, J. Yadav 6-0-39-1 (1nb) test series including a 2-1 triumph on their J. Ball c Patel b Ashwin 2 Result: India win by an innings and 36 runs. last visit to the South Asian country in 2012 but the tourists have been thoroughly out- knuckle, to be struck in front of the wicket first innings and still lose by an innings. played by the hosts since drawing the open- after adding just a run to his overnight score “Historically on this ground 400 is a good ing match in Rajkot. and was unable to overturn the leg before score in the first innings and in the second “This series win is probably the sweetest of decision on review. innings, we had our chances,” rued England MUMBAI: India’s captain Virat Kohli (R) greeting England’s Joe Root after India won all we’ve won so far in the past 14-15 months,” captain Alastair Cook. “We’ve just not taken the fourth Test cricket match between India and England at the Wankhede stadium India captain Virat Kohli said at the presenta- ANGRY EXCHANGE those chances. “We were in the game for three in Mumbai yesterday. — AFP tion following his side’s fifth series victory in a Ashwin then claimed a wicket in each of his days but not good enough to take those row. “It could not get any better. next three overs to bring about a quick end to opportunities and that’s what cost us.” “To win at Wankhede, going three-nil proceedings as England’s lower order capitu- Ashwin, who has won the man of the series against a top quality side that has beaten us lated meekly. There were some angry words awards in each of India’s last four test series, convincingly last two times, it feels really exchanged between James Anderson and the took his tally to 27 wickets from the four Root ‘ready’ to good.” Trailing by 49 runs entering the final India players when the England number 11 matches against England.