BUMBLE ON THE TEST: Haseeb Hameed running out Dawid Malan was clumsy in the extreme

It’s clumsy in the extreme to have a run out on the last day when you’re chasing a target or looking to survive. 

Haseeb Hameed was on another blockathon and I’m afraid it was his call. Dawid Malan is no slouch but he was well short. 

He would have been out by half the pitch with a direct hit. And Hameed wasn’t able to make up for it in the middle either.

Dawid Malan was run out in a careless loss of a crucial wicket on the final day 

But where was the positive intent after that wonderful start? England had a hundred on the board when they lost their first wicket but they didn’t seem to believe they could win. 

People like Ian Botham, Andrew Flintoff, Kevin Pietersen and Ben Stokes would have an unshakable belief they would get the job done. There was nobody like that there yesterday.

So it just fizzled out for England. I repeat, you don’t win anything with blocking. But congratulations to India. 

They had massive belief and pushed the game forward. Look no further than Rishabh Pant and Shardul Thakur on Sunday.

India were six down but then they took the game away from England. One side at the Oval had balls, the other one hadn’t.

Shardul Thakur showed the kind of aggression that England lacked at key moments 

I’ve been following the current round of County Championship games and it’s no accident there have been some unbelievably low scores. 

The pitches are just not good enough. And don’t tell me it’s all about weather – Surrey produced a proper Test match pitch. The county ones should be just like the Oval because it’s their job to produce England players.

The two new additions to my family, fox terrier puppies Scrappy and Spot, have been having a fantastic time running around in my garden. 

And they’ve got a pal now too because my builder Charlie got a fox terrier for his birthday, Vinnie. But one question. Why do they love rolling around in fox poo? Maybe there’s a clue in the name of the breed…

England will have to have a re-think on their fast bowlers before the last Test because they’ve given it everything. 

There will be a conversation between Jimmy Anderson and the management over whether he’s got enough left in the tank. 

They talk about the red zone – I’m sure Jimmy will be in it. But it doesn’t matter if the game is at Old Trafford or Timbuktu. If Anderson doesn’t feel absolutely ready he will tell them.

James Anderson has bowled plenty of overs and might not have enough left in the tank 

I hope everyone has coped without me during this Test. Nobody’s rung to see how I am. Not heard a word from anybody. 

I’d have hoped our team changes in Mark Butcher and Rob Key would have been in touch. I just trust they’ve had some proper red-ball Test match experience while I’ve been playing about with my hydraulics. 

And while all my water has been leaking. But I will be back at Old Trafford! The series is not over yet! See you Friday.