http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 – 3rd Test - 2nd Day’s Summary
India 224 v England 456/3 (115.0 ov) -
England lead by 232 runs with 7 wickets remaining in the 1st innings
England took a lead of 232 runs on the second day of the third Test against India at Edgbaston, Birmingham after posting a mammoth total of 456 runs for the loss of three wickets in reply to India’s first innings score of 224 runs.
Starting the day’s proceedings, the English openers http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AN-Cook-c1026 sought to add their overnight score of 84 runs against India as the batsmen stood defiant against the rampant Indian bowling arsenal.
Meanwhile, India worked really hard to get an early breakthrough to make the hosts yield by restricting them to a meagre total.
However, England had other plans as the batsmen crafted a sensational opening partnership of 186 runs which left the Indians flabbergasted as they had no clue how to put an end to the batting onslaught that was triggered by the England openers.
The Indian skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MS-Dhoni-c2028 tried almost everything to get the batsmen out, nonetheless, Strauss and Cook were determined to play a long innings without making a mistake.
It was in the 56th over of the English innings when India finally grabbed the wicket of Strauss, who after playing a commendable knock of 87 runs off 176 deliveries, had his stumps uprooted http://www.senore.com/Cricket/A-Mishra-c871.
The demise of the English skipper did not ruin the plans that England had for India as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/IR-Bell-c1597 alongside Cook continued the batting onslaught against the Indian bowlers, crippling the opposition once again.
The Indians failed to capitalize on the wicket of Strauss as Bell and Cook became unstoppable, making the Indian bowlers look puny in the contest.
India’s ace bowler in the series http://www.senore.com/Cricket/P-Kumar-c2143 finally managed to remove Bell in the 71st over when an astounding delivery uprooted the batsman’s stumps. Bell left the ground after playing an innings of 34 runs off 43 deliveries as at the time
of his departure the team stood on 252 runs for the loss of two wickets.
Next man in was England’s bad boy http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KP-Pietersen-c1806, who also showed good eye as he middled the ball well enough to score runs all around the park.
KP and Cook then went on to form another productive partnership as the batsmen made things extremely difficult for the Indian pacers who were running out of steam as the day went on.
Both batsmen scored 122 runs in the third wicket partnership which actually buried India’s chances of making a comeback in the match on the second day.
It was in the 93rd over when Pietersen after smacking 63 runs off 78 deliveries in an innings that included nine boundaries and a six, lost his wicket when he was given leg-before-wicket on a delivery bowled by Kumar.
However, nothing was easy for India as this was clearly not their day because after seeing the back of Pietersen http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Eoin-Joseph-Gerard-Morgan-c56032 alongside Cook smashed 44 runs off 66 deliveries, leaving the Indians in disarray.
While on the other end, Cook crafted a stupendous innings of 182 runs as both batsmen ended the day by posting a formidable tally on the board.
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