England's fielding performance on day three of the final Test displayed a poor attitude, epitomized by dropping six catches during India's innings. This marked the highest number of dropped catches by an England team in nearly 20 years. The presence of Jamie Overton added a notion of menace, although his performance was inconsistent. The game led to a sense of ennui among spectators, as England's bowling strategy appeared repetitive and ineffective, culminating in a languishing atmosphere at the Oval.
What attitude was expressed by England's fielding on day three of this fine-margins final Test, as India batted their way to a lead of 373? England dropped a total of six catches in India's second innings at the Oval, the most by any England team in almost 20 years.
It was at least a chance to experience in real-time the exact meaning of the English word overton, which describes a state of glazed and sated melancholy induced by watching excessive amounts of lumbering fast-medium bowled by a man in a visible black nylon under-vest.
For long periods this induced a kind of dog days late-summer ennui. By 2pm the entire Oval crowd was languishing in a state of deep Overton.
It has felt at times in this Test as though Jamie Overton has been picked purely for his air of menace at on-field flashpoints, like a doorman or a bailiff's assistant.
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