England’s Anderson and Broad skittle India in 40 minutes

Monday, 20 August 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

NOTTINGHAM, England (Reuters): Pacemen Stuart Broad and James Anderson skilfully exploited helpful conditions to each take two wickets as India were dismissed for 329 in 40 minutes on the second morning of the third test at Trent Bridge on Sunday.

England’s openers then survived a tricky session before lunch, eventually making quick progress to reach 46 without loss from nine overs with Alastair Cook on 21 and Keaton Jennings on 20.

Play had resumed at 1130 local time with India 307 for six after a half-hour delay caused by a sprinkling of rain on a grey morning.

England’s swing bowlers could not have designed better conditions and from Broad’s first over it was clear that Rishabh Pant, on an overnight 22, and new batsman Ravichandran Ashwin would struggle to survive once the attack got their length right.

India probably hoped to get close to 400 but that prospect disappeared with the wicket of Pant, who dragged a tempting delivery from Broad on to his stumps when on 24.

Anderson was less than impressed to see Ashwin put down off a sharp chance to Ollie Pope at slip, but the let-off was brief as Broad bowled the right-hander middle stump in the next over with a full delivery that swung markedly.

India’s final two batsmen fell to successive balls from Anderson, who had Mohammed Shami caught at mid on by Broad after a wild swing and followed up by bowling a bemused Jaspit Bumrah first ball.

Anderson and Broad joined Chris Woakes, who did not bowl on Sunday, in each taking three wickets as India posted a score in excess of 300 in England for the first time in four years.

The quick end to India’s innings left England’s openers with a tricky 40-minute session up to lunch and both batsmen looked initially uncomfortable, flashing through the slips as India’s seamers also got the ball to move around.

Cook has only posted one fifty in 11 tests at Trent Bridge and flicked his first ball from Shami through the slips for a lucky boundary.

Jennings also flirted with disaster, edging Bumrah’s first delivery at catchable height in the gap between third and fifth slips as the openers were given a thorough examination of temperament and technique.

At least the edges allowed the scoreboard to rattle along and by lunch both were looking more comfortable as England looked well set to make significant inroads into India’s total.

England are 2-0 up in the five-test series.