Wed, 10 Aug 2011 - England vs India,India Tour of England 2011,3rd Test Match- Bulletin

Day 4: India: 224 - 244 / 10 in 55.3 overs RR: 4.40,England: 710/7 d in 188.1 overs RR: 3.77

England Rise, India Fall

Ever since India have landed in England for what was deemed as the best versus best contest, the former have looked poles apart in terms of skill, effort, determination, will to fight when chips and making things happen. And three matches into the four match series, India have lost the series, conceded the top test ranking and, much to the disappointment and surprise of millions, haven’t matched English in any department of game. The hosts surged to the top inflicting India with another humiliating defeat. In a lop-sided affair, as has been the case in other two tests, the tourists went down by a massive margin innings and 242 at Edgbaston.

Having two full days and nine wickets to save the match, India never looked pulling off a miracle as James Anderson who had removed Virendar Sehwag for a king pair yesterday scythed through India’s top order in his morning spell. Courtesy Anderson triple strike India were reduced to 56 for 4 and all hopes of saving the match evaporated. Like in the first innings, Indian skipper MS Dhoni in Praveen Kumar’s company put up a fight but England had done enough in last three days and pre-lunch session to script a huge one. Dhoni remained stranded on aggressive 74 but had to face inevitable losing the first test series ever since taking the charge of the team.

Anderson was wrecker-n-chief yet again forcing Gautam Gambhir to edge seventh ball of the day, his first that moved away from the left hander to edge to third slip for Graeme Swan to take a smart catch. Gambhir didn’t trouble scorers on the day four. Anderson didn’t relent hurling a peach of an out-swinger to draw Rahul Dravid forward and feather it to the wicketkeeper. The subsequent replays though suggested Dravid hadn’t edged the ball, but, surprisingly, he didn’t review it either. VVS Laxman didn’t last long as well hanging on the backfoot to an away-going delivery and edging it to Matt Prior to take third catch of the innings.

Swann got into the act beating struggling Suresh Raina to have the left hander trapped leg before the wickets. In between those wickets, Sachin Tendulkar unleashed some trademark drives and flick strokes but had to depart in an unlucky manner. He was backing too far when Dhoni straight drive was deflected to the stumps by Swan to catch the master short of the crease. Sachin went for a good looking 40 and India were looking down the barrel at 89 for six.

Dhoni didn’t budge to the pressure adding 41 for the seventh wicket with Amit Mishra either side of lunch. Mishra on 22 went for a glory but hit that only for as Stuart Broad at mid-off for Swan’s second wicket. England off-spinner, however, was given a pasting by Praveen as Swan conceded 51 in his last four overs.

Dhoni and Praveen went for big shots and succeeded in their endeavors as runs came thick and fast for struggling India. Broad’s introduction into the attack gave English side a breakthrough with Praveen edging one to Prior ending a 75 run stand between the duo. Ishant Sharma didn’t show much of a fight succumbing to Broad and Tim Bresnan completed the famous victory by removing Sreesanth.

Now with top spot in bag, England will be eyeing for a whitewash in the fourth match. For India it is the perfect case of playing for that clichéd word: pride.

Day 3: Bulletin on next page