Manchester, July 24 Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley got England off to a flying start as the hosts’ reached a rapid 77/0 in 14 overs and trail India by 281 runs at tea on day two of fourth Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test at Old Trafford on Thursday.
Skipper Ben Stokes previously led the way for England with 5-72 as they bowled out India for 358 in 114.1 overs. For India, vice-captain Rishabh Pant astonishing everyone by coming out to bat despite a fractured fifth metatarsal in the right foot, hit a brave 54 off 75 balls – a knock which will be talked for ages to come.
Questions were around how the Indian bowlers would make use of bowler-friendly conditions, but Crawley and Duckett, unbeaten on 33 and 46 respectively, came out all guns blazing by feasting on the inconsistent lines and lengths from the tourists’ bowling line-up.
Duckett laid the platform for England by hitting four boundaries off debutant Anshul Kamboj, before glancing Jasprit Bumrah for three boundaries. While Duckett has feasted on anything on his legs, Crawley took a liking to Mohammed Siraj’s freebies and hit three boundaries. The duo would take a four each off Siraj and Kamboj to ensure England hit a great punch till tea break came.
Previously, Pant, who retired hurt on 37 after the painful blow to the foot on day one, added 17 more runs to India’s total and that meant they managed to cross 350-run mark. The second session began with Washington Sundar getting a healthy edge off Stokes for four, before he hooked a short ball from Chris Woakes to deep fine leg and fall for 27 off 90 balls.
Stokes completed his first five-wicket haul in eight years when his outswinger took an edge of Kamboj’s bat and was caught safely by Jamie Smith. Pant finally got the timing right when he nailed a pull off Archer for six and reached his 18th Test fifty in 69 balls by reaching out to Stokes’ wide ball and sent it cracking through cover for four.
But for the second consecutive time, Archer sent Pant’s off-stump on a cartwheel ride, as hit gutsy knock came to an end at 54 off 75 balls and received rousing reception from the spectators.
Siraj and Bumrah hanged around to hit a boundary each, before the latter swung a leg-side delivery off Archer and the ball was caught by Smith. After Root persuaded to go for a review, that proved to be a shrewd move as a nick was detected and resulted in India’s innings coming to an end, with Archer taking 3-75.
Brief Scores: India 358 in 114.1 overs (B Sai Sudharsan 61, Yashasvi Jaiswal 58; Ben Stokes 5-72, Jofra Archer 3-73) lead England 77/0 in 14 overs (Ben Duckett 46 not out, Zak Crawley 33 not out) by 281 runs
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