Fri, 29 Jul 2011 - England vs India, India Tour of England 2011, 2nd Test Match - Bulletin

India 288 & 158 (47.4 overs), England 221 & 544

Ruthless England humble feeble India, take 2-0 lead

Before the start of the series, cricket pundits gave the contest a top billing. But, for India, the two matches played so far in the series have turned out to be nightmarish. And, the hosts, England are making merry being ruthless, clinical and aggressive in their approach. India have been otherwise.

India were handed over a humiliating 219 run defeat by England at Nottinghamshire on the fourth day that meant the home team take a 2-0 lead in four match test series. Having five session and 20 minutes to either survive or chase down a mammoth target of 478 was always going to be a near impossible affair. Cricket fans would, at best, expected a fighting performance from what is addressed as the best batting lineup on the planet. Much to the disappointment of die-hard Indian fans, their batsmen lacked grit, determination, patience and, at times, skill and expertise to challenge well oiled English bowling unit. The home team was full of what their opponents lacked and emerged as outright winners. Such was the sorry state of Indian scorecard that only three of batsmen, two of them tail-enders, could cross double figures.

For England, there were plenty of heroes who scripted the memorable victory. On the fourth and final day, it was Tim Bresnan who emerged as cut above the rest for the home team. He followed his scintillating 90 in the pre-lunch session with one of the most aggressive spells of fast bowling in the second session scything through Indian top order. He might have missed his maiden ton by 10 runs but grabbed his maiden fifer to puncture India’s staging any fightback.His fats bowling colleagues Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad were also too hot to handle for batsmen as wickets fell in a clutter. Anderson claimed three while Broad bagged two.

In pursuit of big target, India were dealt with a real punch minutes before lunch when Broad removed the tourists’ best batsman on the tour Rahul Dravid by getting one to curl in and seam away. Dravid edged the ball to Prior for 6 that dented his team big time. Post lunch, there was flurry of wickets. Anderson bowled the ball of the series to castle VVS Laxman for four as stylish batsman looked very perplexed seeing his off-stump going for a walk.

It was Bresnan show after that removing next four batsmen. His well directed short balls disturbed Indians big time. Young opener Abhinav Mukund looked awkward as he gloved one to Andrew Strauss in the slips. Suresh Raina’s susceptibility against the short stuff was again evident top edging a pull shot to deep fine-leg and Yuvraj Singh looked uncomfortable in his 32-ball stay before Bresnan short ball undid him. Next ball, Bresnan got one to jag back and Indian skipper MS Dhoni preferred to shoulder arms only to see the ball hit his pad and for umpire to make an easy LBW decision. Harbhajan Singh negotiated hat-trick ball by hitting a four, but, India were reeling at 55 for 6.

There was some resistance from Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh for the seventh wicket. Both of them tried to hit their way out of trouble as Sachin unfurled some terrific straight drives and cover drives to give Indian fans something to cheer about. Sachin brought his first half-century of the tour and looked all set for a big score.

Anderson had different ideas though. Batting on 56 with the help of eight fours, Sachin shouldered arms to an Anderson in-swinger but the ball struck him on his pad and an easy decision for umpire to make. Harbhajan and Praveen too had some fun slamming a flurry of boundaries.

Bresnan came back to hurl a short ball at Harbhajan that was top-edged to deep square leg to give the fast bowler his first five wicket haul in test cricket. He went for 46.Anderson cleaned up Praveen with a Yorker and Broad completed England’s famous victory by castling Sreesanth.

The match saw England fightback on Day One when the home team was in trouble at 124 for 8 but Broad and Swann took them to 221. India were all set for a big first innings lead when centurion Dravid and Yuvraj were batting and for second tome Broad came to England’s rescue bowling a terrific spell with second new ball to restrict India’s lead to only 67. The home team then outbatted in the second innings posting a mammoth 544 and giving India 478 to win. India didn’t show any resistance and were folded out for paltry 158.

Earlier England added another 103 to their overnight score of 441 for 6 to set a daunting target of 478 to the tourists. For the home team, Bresnan batted beautifully and added quickfire 92 in just 13 overs in Broad’s company. After losing overnight unbeaten batsman Matt Prior who edged Praveen Kumar’s out -winger to the wicketkeeper Dhoni, the pair went hammer and tongs to collect runs at a brisk rate. The England wicketkeeper added only nine runs to his overnight score of 64.

Bresnan resuming his innings at 47 not out made batting look very easy, cutting the ball ever so confidently; unleashing flurry of cover drives and was pretty strong off his legs. Broad followed his counterattacking 64 in the first innings with a whirlwind 32 ball 44 punctuated with five fours and two leg side sixes. Bresnan hit 17 fours in his 118-ball knock before the duo got out on successive deliveries.

Broad was run-out while attempting a quick run and Bresnan followed him next ball when he gloved a rising delivery from Praveen to be caught at point. Ishant Sharma dismissed Graeme Swann as home was bowled out for 544.

Praveen was the pick of the bowlers bagging four wickets in his marathon 36-overs while Sreesanth and Sharma chipped in with two wickets each but gave away far too many runs.

For India it is case of rising from the ashes which they have done so well in the past and the home team will make sure momentum is sustained.

Day 3: Bulletin on next page