England crushed India by 319 runs to win the second Test at Trent Bridge with more than a day to spare and go 2-0 up in the four-match series.
India, set what would have been a record total of 478 to win, collapsed to 158 all out with Tim Bresnan taking a Test-best five for 48. Sachin Tendulkar top-scored for India in their second-innings with 56 but that meant he still has 99 international hundreds.
With the second loss in a row, India captain MS Dhoni admitted his team’s batting form was a worry. “It is a bit of a concern that we haven’t made 300 and it’s a continuation of the series in West Indies. My form is a worry too because if you are the leader you need to perform.”
Strauss pleased
On the other side was an ecstatic England captain Andrew Strauss. “There have been some outstanding performances in the two Tests,” said Strauss. “It was a fantastic turnaround and I’m proud on what we’ve done. Bresnan was unlucky not to be playing in the first Test and he keeps putting his credentials in place making it harder and harder.
“I didn’t tell Graeme Swann and Broad to do anything other than play their natural games. Ian Bell, too, was outstanding. To score that freely in tough conditions was outstanding.”
The collapse
Before lunch England saw the back of Rahul Dravid, who made 117 in India’s first-innings, for just six when he was caught behind off Stuart Broad who was named man of the match after taking eight wickets and scoring 64 and 44 in two innings. After the interval VVS Laxman was bowled by a James Anderson delivery.
Opener Abhinav Mukund fell to Bresnan’s fifth ball. And Bresnan succeeded with the short ball again when Suresh Raina miscued to substitute Scott Elstone.
Yuvraj Singh gloved another rising delivery before Dhoni, inexplicably playing no shot, was lbw to leave the tourists 55 for six and Bresnan on a hat-trick. Harbhajan survived but it was scant consolation.
The post-tea session did not last long either as England’s fast-bowling trio of Anderson, Broad and Bresnan cleaned up the tail.
England will replace India at the top of the ICC’s Test Championship table if they win this series by at least a two-Test margin.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 2nd, 2011.
COMMENTS (14)
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@Asma Ahmad: You are right, even Bhajee is not doing well at the moment and he along with Yuvraj have been ruled out for rest of the series due to injuries is yet another blow to us. Our lucky and dashing Sehwag has reached England and my intution tells me that we will win one of the two matches and may manage to draw the last one to save our no 1 position. Even if we wont, England deserves the number one spot.
@ R S JOHAR: They might lose on your turning tracks, but at the moment, even your spin department is worse than their. Or are we thinking Bhajji is any good?
@Asma Ahmad: Surely our fast bowling department is weak and England bowlers are far superior than us. But the same England team will lose to us in India when they come to and play on our turning tracks.
@MAD MAN:
If the World cup was fixed then Pakistani players have betrayed their Country by accepting money. Think before you speak.
@BK
Who stopped the batsmen from opposing teams to score on those flat(?) pitches? Being better (as you seem to think) players they should have scored more I should think. I don't know your age, but your argument is childish.
India was on top of table due to playing a lot of tests and that on flat pitches. Moreover, they have greats like Dravid, Tendulkar & Laxman etc. that are all near their 40s and have plenty of experience, however, on bouncy pitches india will always have trouble.
Hahaha India got what they actually deserved...Pakistan played way better than them in England & that too without our main players...thats y I say Pakistan is way better than this over rated indian team...
India didn't stand a chance with their below par bowling line-up. I just want to comment on the 'Spirit of Cricket' thing though. People are quick to criticize captains for playing by the rules when someone makes stupid mistakes like Bell did. I am not talking about decisions where an in-game incident causes the player to react in a manner through which he can get out (Inzamam's self defense moves come to mind) because there are grey areas in those cases. But with the Bell incident, there were no grey areas and yet the fielding captain was under pressure to show the spirit of cricket...he was supposed to play the nice guy. Why is the spirit of cricket not applicable on batsmen? Bell could easily have said 'Hey, I made a mistake. I was out and I would like to stay out.' It would have been in the spirit of the game because there are no rules that say acting stupid should not cost you your wicket...
the only charm in current test team of india is Dravid who played superb but the moment he got out, it looked like as if English team is playing against street players!
Hard work pays! Welcome back to the IPL Kevin! Missed you a lot last time. You are from our Deccan Chargers team. We miss Afridi the other Charger.