Batsmen restore India's control
Tuesday, 23 December 2008
MOHALI, Dec 22 (BBC): Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh kept India in control of the second Test despite England's impressive bowling display on day four in Mohali.
Following a fog-delayed start, England resumed on 282-6 in reply to India's 453 but they were bowled out for 302 as Harbhajan Singh finished with 4-68.
The tourists fought back to reduce India to 44-3 and then 80-4.
But Gambhir (44no) and the explosive Yuvraj (39no) guided the hosts to 134-4 at the close, a lead of 285.
With his side having offered such a poor display with the bat, England captain Kevin Pietersen will have been delighted by the way they performed in the field.
But the arrival of Yuvraj, their nemesis in the abandoned one-day-series, allowed India to reassert their authority going into day five.
A draw remains the most likely result and that would be enough to seal the series for India, who are 1-0 in the two-Test series after their victory in Chennai.
For the second successive day, thick fog meant the start of play was delayed considerably and it was not until 0530 GMT, two hours late, that the players and umpires came to the middle.
That gave England, who lost the crucial wickets of Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff late on day four, plenty of time to focus on the task ahead.
It was vital that nightwatchman James Anderson and Matt Prior batted cautiously to see England through the opening exchanges and, if possible, guide them towards India's first-innings 453.
But such hopes were banished when Prior clipped the first ball of the third over, from Harbhajan, into the hands of wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni when attempting to work it through the leg side.
India sensed England were there for the taking and they made further inroads when Broad shouldered arms to a straight delivery in Harbhajan's next over and it went on to knock back the left-hander's off stump.
Zaheer Khan then bowled Graeme Swann with a sumptuous in-swinger before Harbhajan had Monty Panesar caught at short leg by Gambhir.
Openers Gambhir and Virender Sehwag were forced to navigate two potentially tricky overs before lunch but they did so comfortably, Gambhir flicking Anderson for two fours as India reached the interval on 9-0.
But England seemed to come out for the afternoon session with a spring in their step and although India kept the scoreboard ticking over, the tourists were rewarded with the wicket of Sehwag.
India 453 and 134 for 4 (Gambhir 44*, Yuvraj 39*) lead England 302 by 285 runs
Following a fog-delayed start, England resumed on 282-6 in reply to India's 453 but they were bowled out for 302 as Harbhajan Singh finished with 4-68.
The tourists fought back to reduce India to 44-3 and then 80-4.
But Gambhir (44no) and the explosive Yuvraj (39no) guided the hosts to 134-4 at the close, a lead of 285.
With his side having offered such a poor display with the bat, England captain Kevin Pietersen will have been delighted by the way they performed in the field.
But the arrival of Yuvraj, their nemesis in the abandoned one-day-series, allowed India to reassert their authority going into day five.
A draw remains the most likely result and that would be enough to seal the series for India, who are 1-0 in the two-Test series after their victory in Chennai.
For the second successive day, thick fog meant the start of play was delayed considerably and it was not until 0530 GMT, two hours late, that the players and umpires came to the middle.
That gave England, who lost the crucial wickets of Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff late on day four, plenty of time to focus on the task ahead.
It was vital that nightwatchman James Anderson and Matt Prior batted cautiously to see England through the opening exchanges and, if possible, guide them towards India's first-innings 453.
But such hopes were banished when Prior clipped the first ball of the third over, from Harbhajan, into the hands of wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni when attempting to work it through the leg side.
India sensed England were there for the taking and they made further inroads when Broad shouldered arms to a straight delivery in Harbhajan's next over and it went on to knock back the left-hander's off stump.
Zaheer Khan then bowled Graeme Swann with a sumptuous in-swinger before Harbhajan had Monty Panesar caught at short leg by Gambhir.
Openers Gambhir and Virender Sehwag were forced to navigate two potentially tricky overs before lunch but they did so comfortably, Gambhir flicking Anderson for two fours as India reached the interval on 9-0.
But England seemed to come out for the afternoon session with a spring in their step and although India kept the scoreboard ticking over, the tourists were rewarded with the wicket of Sehwag.
India 453 and 134 for 4 (Gambhir 44*, Yuvraj 39*) lead England 302 by 285 runs