Test Match Breakfast takes a look at some of the biggest issues around cricket during England’s huge third Test against India at Lord’s.
Before the third day of the third Test, RICHARD GIBSON discusses the ongoing rise of Jamie Smith, Mohammed Siraj’s heartwarming tribute to Diogo Jota and why Joe Root and Harry Brook are involved in a friendly battle.
Fortunes always… improving!
Jamie Smith’s rapidly-changing status was reflected on the back of his bat yesterday. Between hitting 184 not out and 88 in the second Test defeat at Edgbaston and this match, Smith, 25 today, agreed a lucrative bat sponsorship with Whitepaper, a London-based construction company.
The deal, worth a five-figure fee per Test appearance, began with a 51 that saw the Surrey player equal Quinton De Kock’s record for a wicketkeeper reaching 1,000 runs, doing so in his 21st innings.
Londoner Smith began the week by receiving an early birthday present from his beloved West Ham – a new 2025-26 home shirt – ahead of an interview in the club programme for the first home game of the season against Chelsea.
Despite growing up in Crystal Palace-territory, Smith has followed the Hammers home and away since he can remember thanks to his mum Bernie’s East End roots.
Jamie Smith has agreed a lucrative bat sponsorship with Whitepaper, a London-based construction company
The deal, worth a five-figure fee per Test appearance, began with Smith reaching the 1,000 mark for Test match runs
Siraj’s Jota tribute
Mohammed Siraj celebrated Smith’s dismissal by making the numbers two and zero with his fingers on either hand.
The poignant ’20’ gesture was a tribute to Diogo Jota, who died last week. Siraj is a passionate Liverpool fan.
Fine dining
If Wimbledon is all about strawberries and cream and Pimm’s, the Lord’s alternative is scones and champagne.
The ground took delivery of 12,000 scones – split 50-50 between plain and fruit – plus a whopping 8,500 bottles of Veuve Clicquot for this week’s frivolities. No wonder corks are routinely swept off the outfield by stewards.
There were also 286,000 pints and 2,500 bottles of Whispering Angel rose on site at the start of the match for beer and wine drinkers.
Precautions were taken, however, in anticipation of spectators becoming dehydrated, with free bottles of water being handed out by MCC officials around the ground.
Mohammed Siraj, a big Liverpool fan, paid tribute to Diogo Jota when he dismissed Smith
Cheteshwar Pujara had his first pre-season net ahead of matches beginning on the subcontinent in October
One of the best
Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara won’t be playing county cricket with Sussex this summer, but he has been in getting into shape for a 21st season of domestic cricket while on commentary duty here.
Pujara, 37, went home between first and second Tests to visit family and took the opportunity to have his first pre-season net ahead of matches beginning on the subcontinent in October.
And he has been in the gym every other day, keeping fit in a bid to add to his 66 career First-Class hundreds – 10 of which have come in 22 appearances for Sussex.
Yorkshire team-mates battle it out
Joe Root lost the title of world’s No 1 batsman to Yorkshire team-mate Harry Brook this week, but launched his bid to get it back immediately with his 37th Test hundred.
The last time Brook hit the summit, he remained there for a week in December and Root’s 105 – his third century in as many innings at Lord’s matching the feats of Jack Hobbs and Michael Vaughan – threatens a repeat.
Root also completed a spectacular one-handed grab at first slip off the bowling of Ben Stokes to dismiss Karun Nair and set a new record for catches in Test cricket, surpassing Rahul Dravid with the 211th of his career.
Harry Brook (left) and Joe ROot (right) are locked in a battle to be the world’s No 1 batsman
More than £300,000 was raised by stumps for the seventh edition of Lord’s Red For Ruth Day
Red For Ruth delivers again
More than £300,000 was raised by stumps for the seventh edition of Lord’s Red For Ruth Day.
The major fund-raising day for the charity launched in the memory of Sir Andrew Strauss’ late wife Ruth provides support to families facing grief.
England’s players had their names and numbers in red on the back of their shirts to mark the occasion.
