England v India: First Test match Recap - India’s Second Innings
India had to chase down 458 runs for victory against England in the first of the four-match Test series, at the Lord’s, London in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013, on the fourth and fifth days of play on Sunday, July 24 and Monday 25, 2011.
The problem for the number Test team in the world was that they didn’t have too much play left to chase down the massive target. The team had to survive four sessions of play, which they failed to do so in the end.
There was not much assistance for the bowlers in the pitch and India were expected to draw the match easily. The team didn’t suffer too many loses in the final session of the fourth day’s play. They ended the day on 80/1 with two set batsmen http://www.senore.com/Cricket/R-Dravid-c2229
and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/VVS-Laxman-c2772 unbeaten at the crease.
Opening batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Abhinav-Mukund-c41758 was the only man to be dismissed on the second last day for the visitors. He managed just 12 runs in his short stay at the crease and was dismissed in almost the similar fashion like his first innings. The ball took the inside
edge of his bat and crashed into the stumps.
A 75-run stand for the second wicket between Laxman and Dravid gave a lot of confidence to the visitors, but the latter was unable to make most of the start he got to his innings, getting out for 36.
Laxman was a touch unlucky to get out. He was batting solidly on 56 and pulled one short ball straight into the hands of the fielder positioned at midwicket. The shot was on, but the veteran batsmen didn’t get much elevation in it.
Just four runs later, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/G-Gambhir-c1447 was also sent back to the pavilion, leaving India in deep trouble at 135/4. The stylish left-handed batsman collected 22 runs before being dismissed.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750’s best player was dismissed after adding just 12 runs to the total. The Master Blaster struggled in the middle, as he faced 68 balls to score his runs.
Lower-order batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MS-Dhoni-c2028 put together 60 runs for the sixth-wicket partnership and guided the team safely to the final session of play.
However, the post tea session didn’t prove to be an ideal one for the Men in Blue, as Dhoni got out at early after scoring just 16 runs. He was followed by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Harbhajan-Singh-c61453, who managed 12 runs in his outing.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/P-Kumar-c2143 was the eighth wicket to fall in the innings. He managed just a couple of runs in his short outing.
Raina was very fortunate to be given not-out when he was batting on 63. He was caught plumb in front of the stumps, but the umpire had some doubt in his mind. However, the promising batsman failed to save the game for his side, as he got out after adding
78 runs to the total.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/I-Sharma-c1566 was the last Indian wicket to fall, as the English dressing room erupted with joy on their solid victory.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KP-Pietersen-c1806 was declared as player-of-the-match for his spectacular double century in the first innings.
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