Duckett, Crawley give England solid start in big run chase

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Cricket - International Test Match Series - First Test - England v India - Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds, Britain - June 24, 2025 England's Ben Duckett in action Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers REUTERS

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Cricket - International Test Match Series - First Test - England v India - Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds, Britain - June 24, 2025 England's Ben Duckett in action Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes REUTERS

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Cricket - International Test Match Series - First Test - England v India - Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds, Britain - June 24, 2025 England's Zak Crawley in action Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers REUTERS

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Cricket - International Test Match Series - First Test - England v India - Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds, Britain - June 24, 2025 India's Jasprit Bumrah reacts after missing a catch to take the wicket of England's Zak Crawley Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers REUTERS

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Cricket - International Test Match Series - First Test - England v India - Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds, Britain - June 24, 2025 India's Mohammed Siraj appeals unsuccessfullly for the wicket of England's Zak Crawley Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers REUTERS

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UPDATED Jun 24, 2025, 08:25 PM

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LEEDS, England - A half-century from Ben Duckett, well supported by Zak Crawley, helped England close on what would be an historic victory over India on Tuesday, heading into lunch on day five at 117-0, chasing 371 to win.

Looking to achieve what would be their second highest successful run chase in tests, England started the day on 21-0 and continued to look untroubled.

Uncharacteristically for a team renowned for their ultra-aggressive batting, Crawley and Duckett took 99 balls to bring up their 50 partnership -- the longest it has taken the pair to do so for England.

Duckett continued his consistent form as he reached fifty in tests for the 19th time, before another fine Crawley drive took the England openers past 2,000 test runs together, with India's attack offering little threat.

The openers did start to play more shots, the second 50 coming in half the time, before the world's number one-ranked test bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, came back to cause a few problems.

Crawley and Duckett survived several close shaves, however, to see England through to the interval unscathed with the pair unbeaten on 42 and 64. REUTERS

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