CRICKET:STUART BROAD launched a late counter-attack with a blazing 64 to help England fight back against India on the first day of the second Test at Trent Bridge yesterday.
India were 24 for one at the close after England had been bowled out for 221 after tea, with rookie opener Abhinav Mukund out to the first ball of the innings, caught in the gully by Kevin Pietersen off James Anderson.
Although India finished with the upper hand, England would feel they had clawed their way back into the game after they were reduced to 124 for eight at tea. Broad’s innings came from only 66 balls and he added a crucial 73 with Graeme Swann (28) for the ninth wicket.
The Indian pace bowlers shared the wickets evenly as Praveen Kumar claimed three for 45, Ishant Sharma three for 66 and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth three for 77. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh chipped in with the final wicket when Broad was caught on the mid-wicket boundary.
Swann left for an X-ray on his left hand late in the day after the delivery which dismissed him popped dangerously off a full length from Kumar. The X-ray showed no significant damage and he is expected to bowl today.
The day was one big struggle for batsmen as the ball swung consistently in overcast conditions. England lost Alastair Cook (2) and Jonathan Trott (4) early to make it 23 for two.
Cook was lbw to Sharma, although television replays suggested the ball may have gone over the stumps, while Trott was caught at second slip in Sreesanth’s first over.
Captain Andrew Strauss and Pietersen took the score to 73 for two. From there, wickets fell quickly and no batsman ever looked settled until Broad and Swann came out with their carefree game-plan.
Pietersen (29) fell to the fifth ball after lunch, edging Sreesanth to Suresh Raina at third slip, playing at an out-swinger he could perhaps have left.
The batsman had earlier survived one close lbw appeal and at the end of the over an angry Kumar remonstrated with umpire Marais Erasmus. He had to be dragged away by team-mate Harbhajan Singh.
Strauss batted patiently for 32 in 165 minutes but he lost patience and was drawn into a full-blooded drive when the probing medium-paced Kumar bowled a rare wide delivery and Raina held a sharp head-high catch at third slip.
The score slumped from 85 for three to 85 for five when Eoin Morgan was dismissed without scoring off his third ball. He was lbw as Kumar moved the ball from leg to middle and off. It was 88 for six when Matt Prior (1) edged another accurate ball on off stump to Dravid at first slip.
Tim Bresnan, playing in place of the injured Chris Tremlett, showed brief resistance before he also edged to Dravid for 11. Ian Bell was the eighth man out, but his dismissal was more out of self-indiscipline than good bowling as he edged an attempted square cut to the wicketkeeper off Sharma.
