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England openers run riot in India finale after Atkinson strikes / Photo: © AFP
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England openers run riot in India finale after Atkinson strikes
England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett shared a blistering stand in the fifth and deciding Test against India at the Oval on Friday before Akash Deep sparked the latest flare-up in a controversial series.
The pair added 92 in under 13 overs before Duckett was dismissed just prior to lunch on the second day for a typically dashing 43, with the hosts 2-1 up in the series.
Duckett was caught behind trying to scoop recalled paceman Deep, who put his arm round the unimpressed batsman's shoulder and appeared to say a few words as he walked off.
India's KL Rahul pulled Deep away from the clearly unimpressed Duckett before the bowler could say anything else.
Friday's incident came after India captain Shubman Gill accused England of ignoring the "spirit of cricket" with time-wasting tactics in the third Test at Lord's.
England were then angered by the India's decision to bat on in last week's fourth Test at Old Trafford rather than agree a draw as soon as possible.
At lunch at the Oval, England were 109-1 after Gus Atkinson took five wickets in India'a first-innings 224 all out.
Crawley, whose fifty featured 48 runs in boundaries -- was 52 not out.
Crawley and Duckett's dynamic run-scoring at the top of the order has been a hallmark of England's aggressive 'Bazball' approach to Test cricket under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.
And the duo quickly punished an India attack without Jasprit Bumrah after the tourists stuck with a plan to only deploy the world's top-ranked Test bowler in three matches -- a figure he reached at Old Trafford -- of this series to protect a back injury.
- Atkinson shines -
Crawley struck Mohammed Siraj for consecutive fours, a cover-drive followed by a whip through midwicket.
England went to 50-0 in just seven overs in style when Duckett audaciously scooped an attempted Siraj yorker for six.
The hosts suffered a setback before play on Friday, with paceman Chris Woakes effectively ruled out of the rest of the match after suffering a shoulder injury when diving in an attempt to prevent a boundary on Thursday.
But Atkinson, one of a trio of recalled England quicks following last week's draw in Manchester, responded with a superb return of 5-33 in 21.4 overs after striking twice on Thursday, when he also ran out the in-form Gill.
The 27-year-old's fourth five-wicket haul in just 13 Tests was all the more creditable as this was Atkinson's first senior match since being sidelined with hamstring trouble following a one-off Test against Zimbabwe in May.
India, who resumed on 204-6, lost their last four wickets for just 20 more runs in 5.4 overs on Friday, with set batsmen Karun Nair and Washington Sundar both falling early on.
Nair, 52 not out overnight, had added just five runs to his innings top-score when he was plumb lbw to a straight delivery from Josh Tongue.
India were then 220-8 when Sundar, fresh from a maiden Test century at Old Trafford, fell for 26 when he carelessly hooked an Atkinson short ball to deep square leg.
Sundar sank to his knees in disbelief before Atkinson polished off the tail.
D.Parker--SFF
