India v England – 4th Test – Live Cricket Score and Match Update – England make history at Nagpur
Ending a 28-year drought of Test series wins in India, England conquered the final frontier and made history as they finished the final Test at Nagpur on a draw, securing their first extended-overs series win in India since 1984-85.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Vidarbha-c860 Cricket Association Stadium in Jamtha, Nagpur, with the series score standing at 2-1, in the Poms’ favour. Both teams endured a hard-fought battle on a difficult surface from December 13 to 17, before the visitors forced the match to a draw.
Four crucial half-centuries – from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RA-Jadeja-c2238 (37-17-58-2), succeeded in bowling the tourists out.
India’s first innings stretched over three days, with the only competitive performances coming from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/GP-Swann-c1501 (31-10-76-3), kept the host team down, and India, anxious for a result, eventually decided to declare at 326, on the fourth day of play.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/IR-Bell-c1597 remained fixed at the crease.
Both batsmen built substantially on their overnight scores on the final day of play, and the partnership between Trott and Bell swelled to a gargantuan 208 for the fourth wicket. Ashwin finally dislodged Trott after he had amassed a final total of 143, but then Bell took charge, and went on to remain unbeaten on 116. Assisted by Joe Root (20*), Bell got England up to 352, and the team decided to declare after tea.
The Player of the Match award went to Anderson, while Cook, with 3 centuries this series to his credit, clinched the Player of the Series title. The dénouement is undoubtedly a cause of celebration for England, who went into the series struggling to overcome the aftermaths of Kevin Pietersen’s long-winded dispute with the England and Wales Cricket Board, the loss of their number one Test team ranking to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757, and with a new Test captain at the helm to boot.
On the other hand, the home team is left with much to ponder as they seek to learn from their errors, and deal with the disappointing termination of what had, until today, been an 8-year run without a series defeat on home soil.
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