The Rose Bowl in Southampton will be the setting for the fourth Test between England and India which gets underway on Thursday.
The visitors have clawed their way back in the five-series after a thumping 203-win at Trent Bridge following losses at Edgbaston and Lord’s.
With the series poised finely heading into the fourth Test, the stakes will be high for both teams when they take the field at Southampton.
Here, we take a look at the two previous Tests to be held at the ground.
ENGLAND V SRI LANKA, JUNE 2011
Result: Drawn
The Rose Bowl played host to the third Test between England and Sri Lanka during the latter’s tour of 2011. England skipper Andrew Strauss put Sri Lanka in to bat after winning the toss and saw the visitors fold for just 184 in their first innings with pacer Chris Tremlett picking up 6-48.
Led by an unbeaten ton from Ian Bell and an 85 from Kevin Pietersen, the hosts declared their first innings at 377-8 leaving Sri Lanka with plenty of work to do in their second innings.
In a rain-effected match, the visitors responded in earnest as Kumar Sangakkara registered his maiden ton on English soil. The Sri Lankan great put together a 75-run stand with night watchman Rangana Herath for the fourth wicket to frustrate England before putting together a 141-run stand with Thilan Samaraweera to effectively end the contest and earn a hard-fought draw for the subcontinent side. The visitors ultimately ended their second innings at 334-5 with Samaraweera remaining unbeaten on 85.
Sangakkara and Samaraweera saved the day for Sri Lanka.
ENGLAND V INDIA, JULY 2014
Result: England won by 266 runs
Such was India’s great fortune at the start of their tour in 2014 that they arrived in Southampton for the third Test with a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Unfortunately for the visitors, the Rose Bowl would start a run of three-consecutive crushing losses. England skipper Alastair Cook had no hesitation in batting first after winning the toss and his decision was vindicated with the hosts going on to post a mammoth 569-7 before declaring their first innings.
While Cook (95) himself shone with the bat, it was Gary Ballance (156) and Ian Bell (167) who took the winds out of India’s sail. In reply, none of the Indian batsmen would progress beyond 54 as James Anderson’s five-wicket haul (5-53) saw the visitors hit just 330 in their first innings.
England chose not to enforce the follow-on and a quick-fire 205-4 in just 40-odd overs in their second innings meant that India were set a daunting chase of 442.
Ajinkya Rahane (52 not out) registered his second fifty in the match but it was not enough to save India’s blushes as they were bundled out for just 178 in their final innings. It was Moeen Ali who did the primary damage in the second innings with the England off-spinner claiming 6-67 to lead the hosts to a commanding victory.
Moeen Ali spun England to a big win with a 6-67 in the second innings.
