Oval Test: Will rain hamper proceedings on Day 5?
What's the story
The final day of India's tour of England has arrived, with the visiting team hoping for a miracle. At the start of Day 5 at The Oval, England will need just 35 runs for victory. Notably, the fourth day's play was cut short due to rain, leaving many questioning the decision. Despite some sunshine and a dry spell later on, the match wasn't concluded then and there. Here is the weather report for Day 5.
Climate concerns
Rain has impacted the Oval Test
The weather in Kennington, South London, has been mostly cold and gloomy this week. Dark clouds and sporadic rain have made it hard to play long sessions of cricket. After a couple of rain breaks on Day 4, both teams are now wary of the weather. They are particularly concerned about any cloud cover that could make the new ball difficult to handle.
Prediction
What does the weather forecast for today say?
According to BBC Weather, there is no rain expected in Kennington for the first few hours of play. A light cloud cover is predicted, which will be a relief for England's batters after a tense closing period on Day 4. However, by noon on Day 5, darker clouds are expected with a slight chance of rain (19%).
Weather influence
Will rain affect the game on Day 5?
Rain is likely to be a major factor later in the day, from 2pm onwards. However, the match should be easily concluded by then. The weather in London could delay the inevitable for Shubman Gill and his team. AccuWeather predicts mostly cloudy and breezy conditions throughout Monday with a temperature of around 23°C and a 60% chance of rain in the afternoon.
Match recap
England on the driver's seat
At the end of day four's play, England were 339/6 with Jamie Overton (0*) and Jamie Smith (2*) unbeaten. They still need 35 runs to win, with uncertainty over Chris Woakes coming to bat or not after a shoulder injury. Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna took wickets toward the end while Mohammed Siraj bowled a relentless spell toward the end of this session, giving India fans some hope. Notably, England are 2-1 up in the series.