India vs England 1st Test Day 5 Leeds weather: Shubman Gill and Co. face rain threat with 23-year first in sight
Rain might play a factor as India and England race towards the finish line at Headingley, with all three results on the table.
A pristine first four days of Test cricket in Yorkshire has ensured that the first Test match of the England vs India Test series is set up for a cracking finale on the final day's play, with England needing another 350 runs to win while India are on the hunt for 10 wickets. However, there remains one minor roadblock towards getting a result, for one team or the other, in what is sure to go down as a classic Test match to kick off the inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
DAY 5 LIVE BLOG: IND vs ENG Live Updates, India vs England Test Series Day 5
While there has been minimal rain over the first 4 days, with only a couple of hours being lost on days two and three with late afternoon showers. While day four was spotless with a full day of cricket, there have been overnight showers in Leeds that means the groundstaff will have to be on their toes early in the morning for day 5. More pertinently, there are expected to be some morning showers as well, with AccuWeather stating a 55% chance of precipitation at 10 AM local time (with the start of play at 11 AM local).
Is better weather expected in Leeds?
The good news is that it drops from then, with play’s start at 11 expected to have a 40% chance of rain. Fans will be hoping for minimal delay in the start of play, with 90 overs crucial for a result one way or another in this intriguing match. While the chance of rain decreases throughout the day, there is still a healthy chance, upwards of 30% for much of the afternoon. The good news is that whatever rain is in the air will pass through before late afternoon/early evening, with the close of play expected to see sunshine — good news in case an extra hour of play is required.
So what can be taken away from the weather forecast is that it likely won't be a total washout, with enough time for most of play. But hopes of a full day of cricket are still tentative, with the likelihood being that at least a few overs are lost to inclement weather. The cricket gods have been generous with the weather thus far in the Test match: fans of both teams will be hoping that continues to be the case.
