Thursday 10 July 2014 23:16, UK
A last-wicket partnership of 111 between Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami helped India post an imposing first innings total of 457 in the first Test with England at Trent Bridge.
A lower-order collapse after the lunch interval looked to have ended their hopes of surpassing the 400 mark as England took four wickets for two runs in 29 balls to leave the tourists at 346-9.
However, final-wicket pair Kumar (58) and Shami (51 not out) came together to defy the home side with a superb stand and the latter then claimed the wicket of England captain Alastair Cook as the hosts closed on 43-1.
It was another disappointing failure for the under-pressure Cook who was, allbeit rather unfortunately, bowled off his thigh-pad, shuffling across his stumps for just five.
The India collapse started in the second over after lunch when Ravindra Jadeja, who had given the scoring rate a much-needed boost with a rapid-fire 25, edged Ben Stokes through to wicket-keeper Matt Prior when attempting a drive.
The next wicket fell in Stokes’ next over when Mahendra Singh Dhoni (82) tried to run a quick single but was caught short of his ground by a direct hit from James Anderson.
Three balls later Stokes claimed another when Stuart Binny (1) offered a simple catch to Joe Root at point, then in the next over Stuart Broad took out the off stump of Ishant Sharma (1).
At that point England would have fancied their chances of bowling the opposition out for fewer than 350, but Kumar and Shami ended an extended afternoon session with their wickets intact after putting on India’s highest ever 10th-wicket Test partnership against England.
Both men would go on to record maiden Test fifties as England's obvious frustration was prolonged well into the final session. Moeen Ali finally claimed the wicket of Kumar who was caught at mid-on by Joe Root after attempting one big hit too many.
In the morning session, India’s overnight centurion Murali Vijay was removed for 146, making slow but steady progress before finally being dismissed courtesy of a dubious lbw decision.
Captain Dhoni reached the interval unbeaten on 81 having been dropped by Prior on 50, while Jadeja hit Moeen for two straight sixes to ratchet up the run rate.
Dhoni’s reprieve came in the third over of the day, the right-hander wafting at a wide one from Broad and sending an outside edge behind the stumps to Prior, who could not gather a diving catch down low to his right.
It looked as though India might make it through to lunch unscathed but Vijay fell in the final half hour when Anderson reared one up through the batsman's defences and struck him on the back thigh pad.
Umpire Bruce Oxenford raised the finger to bring the opener’s six-hour knock to an end, but the verdict from Hawk Eye was that the ball would have bounced over the stumps. The absence of the decision review system in this series meant the dismissal could not be overturned.
England will resume on Friday morning with Sam Robson (20 not out) and Gary Ballance (15 not out) at the crease, looking to take advantage of what remains a benign surface.
