The Surrey head groundsman and the chief curator, Lee Fortis, is highly likely to have the last laugh in the battle with the India National Cricket Team head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Lee Fortis’ use of a heavy roller will be playing a major role in determining the outcome of the fifth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, which is likely to go in England’s favor.
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England on the verge of winning 3-1 against India
India and England entered the fifth Test of the series with four changes each to their line-ups and the Three Lions having a 2-1 lead.
Shubman Gill-led side lost the toss and were invited to bat first. They didn’t do very well in tough conditions and ended up scoring 224 runs, with Karun Nair being the top scorer with 57 runs in his bag.
Then, with the ball, the Indian team did a good job and bowled out England for 247 runs, making sure that they didn’t take a big lead in the match as Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna shone with their 4-wicket hauls.
The visitors significantly bettered their performance in the third innings and piled up a score of 396 runs, thanks to young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal’s excellent hundred and Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, and Akash Deep’s sensational half-centuries.
Chasing the target of 374 runs, Joe Root (105) and Harry Brook (111) showcased a batting masterclass on Day 4, and as India bowlers staged a mini comeback, the play was called off due to bad light and rain. On Day 5, England need just 35 runs to win and have four wickets in hand.
Lee Fortis’ move to give England a massive advantage
Lee Fortis had an ugly altercation with India head coach Gautam Gambhir ahead of the Oval Test between India and England. He told the Indians to see the pitch standing 2.5 metres away from the strip and tried poking the visitors, which angered Gambhir, who was heard telling Lee Fortis that he was “just a groundsman”.
Now, Lee Fortis’ move is set to determine the outcome of the Oval Test, likely in England’s favor. Batting side England, as per the rules, will be allowed up to seven minutes of either roller before the start of the play on Day 5.
They are likely to use the heavy roller, which usually smoothens any unevenness on the surface and makes the pitch flatter, at least for a brief period.
The pitch can be rolled at the request of the batting team’s skipper before the start of play on each subsequent day of a Test match, as per ICC rules. In this case, Ollie Pope can request for a rolling to start once there is half an hour left before the play or can delay it until not less than 10 minutes before the play commences.
The use of a heavy roller will make things easier for Jamie Smith (2*) and Jamie Overton (0*), and the duo can quickly finish off the game on the final day.
Heavy roller set to give England an advantage, says Joe Root
Speaking after the end of the fourth day’s play at the Kennington Oval, Joe Root said that the use of a heavy roller had been an advantage for England every single time they used it in the series and was hopeful of the same thing happening on the final day.
“I’d like to think we have got what we need to get across the line tomorrow,” Root said after the day’s play on Sunday at the press conference
“In terms of the roller, we’ll see. I haven’t got a crystal ball unfortunately, but it has made an impact so far throughout this game.
“Whether that changes on day five, we’ll see, but hopefully it works well in our favor in flattening things out.”
