Zaheer injury, Trott reprieves rock India

Hosts 127 for two before bad light forces early tea.

LONDON:

India spearhead Zaheer Khan left the field injured as England fought back on the first day of the first Test at Lord’s yesterday.

England, having lost the toss, were 127 for two when bad light forced an early tea.

Jonathan Trott, dropped twice, was 58 not out and Kevin Pietersen 22 not out with the two South Africa-born batsmen’s unbroken third-wicket stand worth 65.

Left-arm fast-bowler Zaheer had been the pick of India’s attack, taking two wickets for 18 runs in 13.3 overs, when he suffered what appeared to be a hamstring injury and slowly walked off the field with England 107 for two.

Before lunch Trott was on eight when he got an outside edge off Harbhajan Singh that Rahul Dravid could not grasp.

Shortly after lunch, India did reduce England to 62 for two when captain Andrew Strauss miscued a pull off a Zaheer bouncer straight to Ishant Sharma and was out for 22.

It was a welcome sight for India after Strauss had made 78 and 109 not out against them ‘guesting’ for Somerset in their drawn lone warm-up match last week.

If England win this four-match series by a two Test margin they will displace India at the top of the Test standings.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22^nd,  2011.