London, Sep 4 (IANS): The ball seems to be swerving in the air for fielders as they are finding it difficult to take catches in the ongoing fourth Test at The Oval. The biggest beneficiary of this strange phenomenon was Indian opener Rohit Sharma.

The right-handed batsman, who batted grittily to see India go past England's deficit without being conquered, had got a life late on Friday evening when slip fieldsman Rory Burns misjudged a catch in a strange manner. As the edge from a James Anderson delivery flew off Sharma's bat, Burns looked to his right at the fielder next to him. The ball, however, came to Burns and hit his right foot.

Burns's immediate reaction with hands suggested that the ball had swerved into him by a distance.

On Saturday morning, Sharma again got a life off Anderson as he chipped one towards mid-on. The fielder Chris Woakes got into position to take the catch but then the ball suddenly swerved towards his left and deceived him.

Sharma got a third life in the first session when a ball off Ollie Robinson flew off the edge of his bat but couldn't be pouched by Burns -- again -- standing in the slips.

The veteran batsman cashed in on it and went on to complete his 15th Test half-century and helped India clear the first innings deficit.