Captain Cook steadies sinking England ship
England openers made a confident start with a century stand after the visitors were made to follow on, getting bowled out for paltry 191 in their first innings. Trailing by 330 runs after a poor batting display in the first two sessions, skipper Alastair Cook (74*, 124b, 13x4) and debutant Nick Compton (34*, 104b, 2x4) showed solidity in the evening session to take England to 111 for no loss in 38 overs at stumps on day three in the first Test at Sarder Patel Gujarat Stadium here in Motera on Saturday.
The English pair’s strong batting performance depicted there were no demons on the day three pitch as the Indian bowlers seemed tired after a good bowling performance during first innings.
England still need to bat well to wipe out the remaining deficit of 219 runs and make India bat again.
In contrast to their improved display, English batsmen looked clueless against spin in their first innings. Indian spin duo of Pragyan Ojha 5/45 and Ravichandran Ashwin 3/80 got into the act again to bundle out the visitors in 74.2 overs in response to India’s huge total of 521/8 declared.
Prior wages valiant battle
Wicket-keeper batsman Matt Prior (48, 100b, 7x4) and skipper Alastair Cook (41, 109b, 7x4) offered some resistance but rest of their batsmen including their trumpcard Kevin Pietersen (17) crumbled under mounting pressure.With a light roller in the morning the puff of dust disturbing batsmen last evening settled for some time as Cook and Pietersen tried to claw their way back. But Pietersen struggled against Ojha and the left arm slow bowler got one to turn sharply through the gate of Kevin Pietersen to rattle his stumps.
Ojha then removed Ian Bell in his next ball to reduce England to 69/5.
Dhoni rotated the bowlers smartly giving no bowler a lengthy spell. Cook's dogged resistance for 109 balls was ended by an off-break from Ashwin after he edged to Virender Sehwag at first slip. Umesh Yadav got his first over in the 48th of the innings just before lunch.
He struck immediately trapping Samit Patel (10) in front as England were tottering at 97/7.
As the ball got softer, spinners couldn’t impart much turn which allowed Prior and Bresnan (19, 60b, 2x4) to settle into a rhythm. But Ojha brought an end to England’s highest partnership of 47 in the first innings for the eighth wicket after Bresnan was held at silly mid-off by Virat Kohli.
Probing spell by Zaheer
Ojha was replaced by Ashwin after bowling just one over and Broad greeted the Tamil Nadu spinner with a four and a six. Zaheer finally reaped rewards for some probing bowling after he dismissed Broad (25) in his 15th over. Ojha wrapped up the innings after Prior played on to his stumps to force early tea.
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