Nottingham: Five wickets by Tim Bresnan and a tame surrender by the Indian batsmen handed England a massive 319-run victory in the second Test and a 2-0 lead in the four-Test series here at Nottingham on Monday.
India lost the wicket of batting icon Sachin Tendulkar soon after the maestro brought up his 60th Test fifty, in the last session of play on day four of the second Test against England on Monday.
Tendulkar padded up to a James Anderson delivery which was swinging into him and was given out for 56.
Hrabhajan Singh soon followed Tendulkar in the dressing room who scored an entertaining 46 from 44 balls. He was caught in the deep of the bowling of Bresnan.
A dismal batting performance by India and a fine exhibition of fast bowling by Tim Bresnan left the world champions staring at a humiliating defeat, when tea was taken.
At the end of the second session, the Indians were 68/6 still 410 runs away from their target with just four second innings wickets in hand.
Sachin Tendulkar on 35 and Harbhajan Singh on 10 were the not out batsmen, as Bresnan followed up his scintillating performance with the bat with figures of 4/17.
Things went from bad to worse for India as Yuvraj Singh and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni fell off consecutive deliveries before the tea break.
Yuvraj (8) tried to fend off a rising delivery from Bresnan only to be caught by Alastair Cook at silly point.
Bresnan got his fourth wicket of the innings when he trapped Dhoni leg before wicket for a first ball duck.
The Indian innings was in shambles as Abhinav Mukund (3) and Suresh Raina (1) fell in quick succession during the post lunch session.
Mukund's uncomfortable stay at the crease came to an end when he failed to get out of the way of a Bresnan bouncer, and the ball ballooned in the air for England captain captain Andrew Strauss to take the simplest of catches at first slip.
Bresnan also accounted for Raina whose attempted hook shot went straight down the throat of substitute fielder SL Elstone at fine leg.
Anderson struck straight after lunch by castling VVS Laxman, as India lost their second wicket.
Laxman was out for four as he was done in by a peach of a delivery which swung away from him and sent his off stump cartwheeling.
Earlier, India were dealt a killer blow when Stuart Broad had Rahul Dravid caught by wicketkeeper Matt Prior for just six at the stroke of lunch.
At the end of the first session, India were 8/1 with Mukund on two and Laxman yet to open his account.
Praveen Kumar took 4/124 as England's second innings finally folded up for 544 to set India a winning target of 478.
The hosts lost their last three wickets for four runs after Bresnan and Broad put on 82 runs to take England's total past the 500 mark.
England lost their eighth wicket when Broad was run out by a direct hit from substitute fielder WP Saha for 44.
Praveen then grabbed his fourth wicket of the innings when he had Bresnan caught by Dravid for 90, before Graeme Swann fell to Ishant Sharma for three to bring the England innings to an end.
Matt Prior who smashed 73 became the seventh England wicket to fall when he was caught behind by Dhoni off the bowling of Praveen.
A magnificent 159 by Ian Bell and some uninspiring bowling by the Indians allowed England to march to an imposing total of 441/6 at the end of the third day's play.
At stumps, Prior was sitting pretty on 64 while Bresnan was giving him company on 47 as the home team extended their lead to 374.
Post a Comment