Time for me to say farewell, thanks for your company and comments. Goodnight.

39th over: England 128-6 (Jones 51, Ecclestone 0) Amy Jones gets an inside edge to Rana and takes the single. I think we are headed into a fourth day, folks.

38th over: England 127-6 (Jones 50, Ecclestone 0) Shafali Verma on for a late dart. Amy Jones punches into the off side to bring up her second half-century of the match. She’s had a good game but would love to see her kick on and get a ton.

37th over: England 126-6 (Jones 49, Ecclestone 0) Sophie Ecclestone joins Amy Jones, shadows strewn across Lord’s and lots of hubbub around the bat.

36th over: England 125-5 (Jones 48, Villiers 26) Oooof! Amy Jones has hearts in mouths as she swipes Deepti into the leg side and the ball goes over midwicket’s outstretched fingers by this much. Ten minutes left in the day.

35th over: England 120-5 (Jones 47, Villiers 25) Villiers drives compactly for a single. India have fielders all around the bat but this is good resistance from England.

34th over: England 118-5 (Jones 47, Villiers 24) Deepti Sharma switches to the Nursery End, India hunting a couple of late wickets to try and force the extra half an hour from 6.30pm. Villiers and Jones defy her though, and pocket three runs off the over.

33rd over: England 115-5 (Jones 46, Villiers 22) Jones clips two through midwicket to bring up the fifty partnership between herself and Villiers. Charani is then too full and put away for four by Jones in the same place. Sweet timing.

32nd over: England 107-5 (Jones 38, Villiers 22) Just as it was looking like England might push things into a fourth day Rana gets the edge from Villiers… but Bhatia spills the chance behind the stumps!

31st over: England 107-5 (Jones 38, Villiers 22) Shree Charani to Amy Jones. The bowler drops short and the batter pulls for four. Amy Jones heading to a second fifty of the match.

30th over: England 102-5 (Jones 34, Villiers 21) Rana gives it some air and gets one to spin back into Jones. It looks like it was sliding down but umpire Anna Harris raises the finger! Jones reviews… wisely – it was leg side and high. On we go.

29th over: England 100-5 (Jones 32, Villiers 21) Amy Jones is very nearly skittled playing back to Deepti Sharma, do not do that! The ball missing the off peg by a whisker. A single to cover brings up the England hundred and Lord’s explodes into giddy cheers offers up some perfunctory applause.

28th over: England 99-5 (Jones 31, Villiers 21) Amy Jones whips Rana into her boot and the ball flies just short of Rodrigues at short leg. The replay shows it might have hit the floor first so no mither. Nice from Villiers, she’s works for two to take England to the cusp of three figures.

27th over: England 96-5 (Jones 30, Villiers 19) Watchful stuff from Jones and Villiers, they collect a couple off Deepti Sharma after the drinks break.

The players take drinks at Lord’s.

Small matter of the Wimbledon men’s single final happening over the river right now:

26th over: England 94-5 (Jones 29, Villiers 18) Gaud sends down a full bunger that Amy Jones clubs away to the boundary at square leg. The next ball is a yorker that Jones does well to jam her bat down on in time. Four more! Amy Jones waits and waits for a short ball before pulling for four through the long shadows in the deep.

25th over: England 84-5 (Jones 19, Villiers 18) Deepti Sharma with close fielders all around the bat. She drops short and Villiers hauls her away through the on side for four.

24th over: England 80-5 (Jones 19, Villiers 14) Apologies I lost internet connection for some unknown reason and had to fire up the old personal hotspot in something of a tizz. Jones and Villiers are still there though and England are in danger of making three figures in their fourth innings.

21st over: England 64-5 (Jones 12, Villiers 5) How has that missed!? Rana spins one back and Villiers’ gate is like a gaping Grand Canyon. Heads in hands all round. Villiers gets four with a slap through off side but it was uppish and not entirely convincing.

India need five wickets to win.

England need 393 runs.

You stop it.

20th over: England 60-5 (Jones 12, Villiers 1) Mady Villiers joins Amy Jones and drops a single to get off the mark. England in danger of sliding to an embarrassing defeat this evening.

19th over: England 59-4 (Capsey 21, Jones 12) Rana drags one down and Amy Jones doesn’t miss out with a powerful pull for four.

18th over: England 53-4 (Capsey 21, Jones 6) Capsey has settled nicely and picks up a brace of twos off the returning Satghare, the latter off an outside edge but she played with soft hands. The final ball of the over ploops into short leg’s hands but unlike Heather Knight a few minutes ago there was no edge from Capsey’s bat.

17th over: England 49-4 (Capsey 17, Jones 6) Just a single to Capsey off Rana. Bright sunshine still blazing at Lord’s, we’ll play to 6.30pm and if India are just a couple of wickets from victory then they can claim the extra half hour from there too.

16th over: England 48-4 (Capsey 16, Jones 6) Capsey times perfectly off her pads through midwicket for four. It would be stirring to see these two make India work for this, they have the shots and the technique to score runs at a decent pace. No one is thinking about an England victory but to take the match into a fourth day would be something of an achievement from here.

15th over: England 43-4 (Capsey 11, Jones 6) Jones flashes four past point the ball after nearly inside edging Rana onto her stumps.

14th over: England 36-4 (Capsey 8, Jones 2 ) Amy Jones is the new batter and she’s off the mark straight away with a nurdle off her pads for a couple. Over to the next generation.

13th over: England 33-3 (Knight 13, Capsey 7) Charani to Knight. A bit of sharp turn and bounce, the ball takes the pad and loops to short leg, India appeal but not convincingly and they don’t review.

12th over: England 31-3 (Knight 12, Capsey 6) Shot. Capsey gets on the front foot and drives Rana for four with real control. Two more clipped past square leg and time for a drink.

11th over: England 24-3 (Knight 11, Capsey 0) Double change and double spin as Shree Charani is introduced. Heather Knight is surrounded by close fielders. Beaten! Knight pokes out past her pad and nearly feathers behind. A single gets the retiring legend off strike and brings Capsey on strike. You can just feel that Capsey wants to play a big shot and scatter the chirruping fielders but she keeps her head down… for now.

10th over: England 23-3 (Knight 10, Capsey 0) Lovely flight and turn from Rana who celebrates with relish. Alice Capsey arrives to a short leg, slip and plenty of chatter. Capsey blocks out the over. Good captaincy from Harmanpreet there, she introduced spin and broke the partnership straight away. A wicket maiden, England need to show some mettle.

9th over: England 23-2 (Knight 10, Sciver-Brunt 11) England’s experienced hands nudge and nurdle. Kranti Gaud is going to have a breather, Sneh Rana’s spin is summoned.

8th over: England 19-2 (Knight 7, Sciver-Brunt 10) Sciver-Brunt cuts Gaud for four in a much more authoritative fashion. Gaud chastises herself for offering a bit too much width, she finishes with three dots to finish her fourth over.

7th over: England 14-2 (Knight 6, Sciver-Brunt 6) Knight picks up a single to point and Sciver-Brunt then collects her first boundary in the same region, both were hit uppishly but both batters are looking to get out to the ball and not be caught on the crease like Beaumont and Bouchier.

6th over: England 9-2 (Knight 5, Sciver-Brunt 2) Close! Sciver-Brunt nearly chops on attempting to punch Gaud into the off side, the ball flies off the inside edge past the stumps for two runs that get the England captain off the mark. Gaud is on the money for the rest of the over, 70mph and on a postage stamp around off stump.

5th over: England 7-2 (Knight 5, Sciver-Brunt 0) Satghare is getting some decent movement with the new Dukes, she hoops a few into Knight who defends with a straight bat. A maiden.

4th over: England 7-2 (Knight 5, Sciver-Brunt 0) Gaud is zeroing in once more on stumps and front pad. Knight clips a single and NSB defends. If one of these two goes cheaply then this game could very well finish this evening.

3rd over: England 6-2 (Knight 4, Sciver-Brunt 0) Nat Sciver-Brunt joins Knight in the middle. What a start for India, they’ve put the ball in the right place and reaped the rewards. NSB is watchful and blocks out a maiden, a wicket maiden.

2nd over: England 6-1 (Bouchier 2, Knight 4) Phew. As Beaumont departs Heather Knight enters the fray for the final time. How are your tear ducts? Kranti Gaud has her dander up, is she about to see off another England great? No! Knight chops down off the back foot and hits her first ball for four!

Big shout for lbw! Oh my days, India go up en masse as Gaud nips on back into Knight but after what seems like an age they opt against a review. Rightly so, it hit Knight outside the line.

1st over: England 2-0 (Bouchier 2, Beaumont) Sayali Satghare starts with the ball for India. Bouchier is off the mark with a clip off her pads for two. Crikes! We nearly have an Alex Carey/Jonny Bairstow Ashes 2023 moment as Bhatia underarms the stumps down with Bouchier looking like she might’ve toppled out of her crease… NOT OUT. Phew. Bouchier’s heel was back behind the line. That would have set a few chins wagging!

Bouchier and Beaumont mark their guards. Can England make a decent fist of this? The wicket looks to have flattened out a little, there are still plenty of runs to be made out there. Let’s play!

Tammy Beaumont is stood in her pads on the boundary edge, just taking it all in. In a few moments she will come out to bat in international cricket for the final time.

“That was a commanding batting performance from India” writes Guy Hornsby.

“We did well to come back from 160-odd for 1 but really 456 to win is beyond even the most optimistic of bazzballers. This is about showing we won’t fold twice in a row. The romantic in me would dream of a Tammy and Heather ton to save us on Day 4, but let’s be real, it’s unlikely to happen. But there’s a big difference between a gusty late day 4 loss and being skittled out to lose by 300. Let’s see which plays out.”

They’ve taken tea at Lord’s. Richard Gould is about to talk to Nick Knight on Sky about the sacking of McCullum. The timing seems very curious, especially in the middle of a landmark women’s Test match, can only think someone was about to leak it and forced the ECB to announce early.

86th over: India 340-7 (Ghosh 49, Satghare 18) No need to farm the strike from Sayali Satghare! She slaps three boundaries off Lauren Filer, through gully, point and square leg. Easy pickings, England have well and truly wilted.

85th over: India 327-7 (Ghosh 48, Satghare 6) ‘Ave it! Ghosh launches Ecclestone down the ground for a one bounce four. She tries the same the next ball but drags it straight to Issy Wong at long on and she DROPS a simple chance. It’s been that sort of Test match for England. Harmanpreet has a little chuckle on the balcony.

84th over: India 322-7 (Ghosh 43, Satghare 6) Filer is chopped for a single behind point by Ghosh. Harmanpreet is now stood on the balcony…

83rd over: India 321-7 (Ghosh 42, Satghare 6) A single to Ghosh and five dots blocked back from Satghare. India obviously want to grind England into the dirt and they have absolutely earned the right to do that. Some stubborn English resistance that takes things into tomorrow afternoon might just get them wondering about this passage play though that does seem a long shot. I reckon we might well see plenty of wickets tumble this afternoon and early evening.

82nd over: India 320-7 (Ghosh 41, Satghare 6) Harmanpreet Kaur is beaming and luxuriating in her team’s position in the St John’s Wood sunshine. And why not. Satghare punches Lauren Filer for four behind point to streeeeetch the lead still further.

81st over: India 315-7 (Ghosh 40, Satghare 1) Thanks Alex (and Cameronese). All eyes on the India balcony to see if the declaration is in the offing. Some players are in their whites but still no wave to be seen as Ecclestone whirls through a maiden. India want more more more! (The lead is 431…)

80th over: India 315-7 (Ghosh 40, Satghare 1)

Ghosh finishes off that Wong over with back-to-back boundaries, finding the gaps in a weary England field. She is purring in admittedly ideal circumstances, reaching 40 off 39 balls. Does the India captain want to let Ghosh reach her half-century before declaring?

We stop for some delicious drinks and I’ll pass you over to the expert hands of James Wallace. Ta!

79th over: India 305-7 (Ghosh 31, Satghare 1)

Ecclestone is back on and concedes a couple of singles – she’s two away from 10 wickets in the match, though I doubt we get that far. You never know! Satghare is off the mark but Ghosh is understandably keen to hog the strike.

78th over: India 303-7 (Ghosh 30, Satghare 0)

Richa Ghosh is turning down singles here, which I don’t quite understand. She does hit one fine four off Wong though and is batting well. India’s lead stretches to 418 as they surpass 300 in the second innings. Still nothing from the skipper, Harmanpreet Kaur.

77th over: India 299-7 (Ghosh 25, Satghare 0)

So Ecclestone’s wicket in that over and India have slowed down a bit with Sayali Satghare the new batter in. They’re crawling towards 300 in the second innings – I’m expecting a declaration very soon. But what do I know?

76th over: India 298-6 (Ghosh 25, Rana 1)

Sneh Rana gets off the mark against Wong, who is still wicketless in India’s second innings. Ghosh adds another single, India apparently happy with steady accumulation for now, grinding England down and ensuring a long, hot day in the field for now.

75th over: India 296-6 (Ghosh 24, Rana 0)

Oh a couple of lovely, flowing shots from Richa Ghosh go for four in that Ecclestone over. She’s enjoying the sunshine and the batting conditions at Lord’s. England understandably looking a bit tired in the field as India’s lead grows.

74th over: India 288-6 (Ghosh 16, Rana 0)

Thanks Cameron. Just one run off this Issy Wong over though you’d have to expect – even with a new batter in – India will be looking to press the accelerator here as they push towards a declaration.

73rd over: India 287-6 (Ghosh 15, Rana 0)

The lead passes 400. India well and truly in cruise control even with that wicket.

Righto, that’s your lot from me. I’m handing over to Alex Reid who is saving the day for 30 minutes before Jim Wallace will be with you at around 2:40.

72nd over: India 287-5 (Bhatia 113, Ghosh 15)

Bhatia is going through the gears here. Eight overs to go until the new ball and she figures it’s time to get going. A big slog across the line against Issy Wong brings two and then she offers up a fiendishly difficult caught-and-bowled chance that almost takes Wongs head off. Somehow after all that it’s just four runs off the over.

71st over: India 283-5 (Bhatia 110, Ghosh 114)

Runs are a-flowing at Lord’s. Eleven off Ecclestone’s latest which included a half-chance that was slashed over Heather Knight at first slip. It also looked like Lauren Bell is sat on the balcony in her training, not playing kit. Hmmm…we’ll keep an eye on that.

Some big news breaking right now. Brendon McCullum has been stood down as England’s Test head coach. Read more here.

70th over: India 272-5 (Bhatia 110, Ghosh 3)

Issy Wong concedes a third identical boundary in seven balls. A bit of width to Bhatia, and she guides it backward of point and away to the boundary. A bit more control on offer against the new right-handed batter Ghosh but eight runs still come off the over.

69th over: India 264-5 (Bhatia 105, Ghosh 0)

The new batter is the powerful Richa Ghosh. Ecclestone has three wickets now and has bowled unchanged all day. A mega spell from England’s best bowler.

68th over: India 259-4 (Bhatia 100, Sharma 10)

And in all, Issy Wong’s first over of the day goes for nine. India will be looking to put the hammer down now.

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd we’re back. An email is in from Venkat who is asking in good faith whether we should be getting rid of the slope at Lord’s. Have some romance I say. Or even…now you mention it, maybe rather than getting rid of the slope here, we should be adding them elsewhere. I’d watch a lot more tennis if it was played on a hill.

I ask in all seriousness, as someone who has watched cricket with pleasure for over 30 years: will the pitch/ ground at Lord’s ever be straightened so that we can take the mystique of “the slope” out of the equation?!

Imagine any other sport being played on “a slope.” Football? Ludicrous. Tennis? Laughable. Track and field events? Surely not. What is the big deal about “the slope” anyway? Why are we so attached to it?

66th over: India 247-4 (Sharma 9, Bhatia 89)

And this time Bhatia takes the attack to Ecclestone and just about clears sub-fielder Emma Lamb running back at mid-on. She’s having a bit of a hurry up as we approach lunch. There’s plenty of time Bhats no rush!

65th over: India 243-4 (Sharma 9, Bhatia 86)

Half a chance! Mady Villiers flings herself to her left and attempts to haul in a powerful drive from Bhatia but can only get a fingertip to it. She’s one of the best fielders in the team, so if Villiers ain’t getting to it, no one is.

64th over: India 241-4 (Sharma 8, Bhatia 84)

Well, we have delays of all sorts going on. A brand spanking new helmet has been run out for Tammy Beaumont who’s fielding in close. Fresh out the box and everything.

And then we’ve also had a change of ball as well. And after all that, the fourteenth over of Ecclestone’s spell goes for just one. Nine minutes until lunch.

63rd over: India 240-4 (Sharma 8, Bhatia 83)

Spin from both ends here we go. Mady Villiers is going to have a bowl and is drop kicked back over her head for four by Bhatia. Welcome to the game.

Five runs off her first over of the day. Bhatia is batting beautifully and closing in on a place on that honour’s board. Lead is 355.

62nd over: India 235-4 (Sharma 8, Bhatia 78)

I promise I’ll give you an update when one happens. But it’s all just pottering along at the moment. Two runs from Ecclestone’s over. She’s now bowled 13 overs in this spell. A big old effort.

61st over: India 233-4 (Sharma 7, Bhatia 77)

Well, having just said England were tightening up a bit, seven runs come off Filer’s over as runs leak both sides of the wicket.

If we were just looking at this morning in isolation. You’d say England have done pretty well. The problem is the last two days has seen them end up 348 behind and counting.

60th over: India 226-4 (Sharma 5, Bhatia 72)

This has been good from England the last couple of overs. Just tightening the screw ever so slightly. Two runs off the latest.

59th over: India 224-4 (Sharma 4, Bhatia 71)

That’s a wide ball from Lauren Filer to begin with and then a short-ball is pulled away for four. This lead is swelling even further now. It currently stands at 339.

58th over: India 217-4 (Sharma 3, Bhatia 66)

More tidy stuff from Ecclestone who’s in the groove this morning. Just three runs off the over. Deepti Sharma is the new batter by the way. She has history at Lord’s.

57th over: India 214-4 (Sharma 1, Bhatia 65)

A pretty uneventful over from Lauren Filer passes with just two conceded. Ecclestone is going to continue in what’s turning into a bit of a mammoth spell. She’s into her eleventh on the bounce.

56th over: India 212-4 (Sharma 0, Bhatia 64)

Three wickets for England this morning. Still six to go. Good stuff from Ecclestone who completes a wicket maiden.

We’ve got a review coming….Harman is struck on the back pad by Ecclestone. The umpire isn’t impressed, but England want a look.

Bit of an extended break here as Bhatia’s been getting some treatment. She’s sprawn across the Lord’s outfield getting a massage which, in my opinion, is potentially even better than getting on the honour’s board.

55th over: India 212-3 (Harman 16, Bhatia 64)

No slip and the ball flies through the vacant first slip region. Big drive from Harman and it beats a diving Amy Jones. Would’ve been in the bread basket had a slip been in place.

That’s the first hour of the day done and the players trot off for a drink. The lead is 327.

54th over: India 207-3 (Harman 11, Bhatia 64)

More runs. Harman cuts Ecclestone for four to go along with a couple of singles. Even with the two wickets. It’s all just seeming very easy at the moment.

53rd over: India 199-3 (Harman 6, Bhatia 61)

Lauren Filer has her first bowl of the day. She’s only bowled four overs all innings which is slightly peculiar. By contrast Lauren Bell has bowled 16.

The over only goes for one run, but Filer is loose with her liens as well. Amy Jones is on two occasions forced to scramble down the legside.

52nd over: India 198-3 (Harman 6, Bhatia 60)

There’s no justice in this world. Amy Jones has kept very well this match, but those byes from Lauren Bell means she has equalled her own record of most byes conceded in a Test innings of 23. The last 13 of which came from Bell’s bowling in the last 20 minutes or so and for which she had absolutely no chance.

51st over: India 196-3 (Harman 5, Bhatia 59)

All of a sudden Lauren Bell has lost her way. She threw four byes down the legside an over ago, and now she sneaks one down the legside to the right-hander that Amy Jones can get half a glove on to keep it to one. And then to the left-hander she bowls two balls down the legside which both disappear for four byes. No chance for Jones on either occasion. I suspect that’ll be the end of Bell’s spell.

50th over: India 187-3 (Harman 5, Bhatia 59)

I think that’s a dropped catch by Tammy Beaumont at short-leg. A beauty from Sophie Ecclestone dips and takes the inside edge of Harman and deflects to Beaumont who just can’t manage to scoop it up.

The telly is telling me it didn’t quite carry but I’m really not too sure. Oh, here we go, a super slow motion and yep it doesn’t quite reach Beaumont on the full but…I dunno. If her hands moved further forward then it would’ve carried if you get what I mean. Maybe I’m being unreasonable, who knows.

49th over: India 181-3 (Harman 0, Bhatia 58)

India’s skipper comes to the crease at No.5 so it doesn’t get any easier for England.

One ball is pushed down the legside for four byes, but an otherwise successful over for the home team.

48th over: India 177-2 (Rodrigues 3, Bhatia 58)

The runs continue to trickle along. Just a tiny bit of width offered up by Ecclestone and Bhatia is on it in a flash, cutting away for four.

The lead is 292 now. How many do you think England could chase in the fourth innings? Let us know here.

47th over: India 171-2 (Rodrigues 3, Bhatia 52)

Lauren Bell’s over started well, but drifted off. After the boundary that took Bhatia to her 50 a full toss slips in and another run is ticked off.

46th over: India 165-2 (Rodrigues 2, Bhatia 47)

Rodrigues is off the mark with a single. Slip and a short-leg in place for the new batter, but for Bhatia it’s still a bit more defensive.

Four singles off Ecclestone’s over.

45th over: India 161-2 (Rodrigues 0, Bhatia 45)

An excellent start for England who so desperately need wickets and fast. Rodrigues faces her first two balls and Bell gets one to nip past her outside edge and then the next ball nips back in and strikes the pad. Excellent stuff from England’s fast-bowler.

44th over: India 161-1 (Mandhana 70, Bhatia 45)

Well, it’s Sophie Ecclestone to bowl the second over of the day. And it’s a pretty defensive field first up which is surprising. A few fielders out on the fence which feels a bit welcoming to all involved.

A beauty to finish off with though beats Bhatia’s outside edge. They have a polite check for a stumping but Bhatia’s foot is down and safe.

43rd over: India 159-1 (Mandhana 69, Bhatia 44)

Oh, drama first up! Lauren Bell, with the very first ball of the day, clean bowls Yastika Bhatia. Except she doesn’t as the bails don’t fall off! An absolute beauty from Bell beats Bhatia and clips/thumps off-stump on the way through but nothing doing.

And then to add insult to injury from the very next ball Bhatia thumps Bell down the ground for four. One more single arrives and it’s five off the first over of the day.

Right, we’re almost ready to roll. A montage of some of Tammy Beaumont and Heather Knight’s best bits plays on the big screen. Or it might just be a montage of England’s best bits over the last decade. They’ve both, pretty much, been ever presents throughout.

The players are on their way out. Away we go…

How good has Smriti Mandhana been this Test?

She will resume on 69 not out this morning to back up her 83 in the first-innings. On the broadcast, Mel Jones is saying England need clearer plans to the Indian left-hander this morning. Backs in Lauren Bell to start well for England today who had a tough day one.

Best Heather Knight moments?

The 2017 World Cup win as captain is the most obvious. As is just…her longevity in the role. Nine years she led England which is just remarkable.

And, of course, she became the first English player – man or woman – to score a century in all three formats. Truly an icon of the game.

Reminder to get in touch with any of your thoughts, facts or feelings about the game.

Particularly keen to hear some Heather Knight memories. In all, Knight will finish with 320 appearances for England. The most of anyone in history.

Along with Tammy Beaumont’s retirement, the furniture of English cricket is being moved around. There’s too much change I don’t like it.

Yesterday was also a record breaking day, as 15,432 fans were in at Lord’s. The most ever for a single day of women’s Test cricket.

We’re surely heading towards the record for the most attended women’s Test ever? Although I’ll have to get to googling to confirm that.

If you want some extra reading to settle into your Sunday morning. Raf also put together this excellent feature ahead of the Test match.

I can’t stop thinking about the football. He’s only 23!

Was an absolute ghost town this morning travelling across London. Think there might be a few dusty heads kicking around and having a few more hours kip. Not here at the Guardian OBO though. Fit, firing and ready to go.

45 minutes away from the start of day three now at Lord’s. If England are going to pull off an unlikely victory they’ll need to hit the ground sprinting today. Lots of wickets to be taken.

Want to catch up on what happened yesterday? Well, look no further than Raf’s report.

Kranti Gaud was the star of the show for India. She made history as her five-wicket haul meant she became the first woman to get her name up on the Lord’s honours board.