England take decisive lead in Eden Test
Friday December 07, 2012 07:15:09 PM,
IANS
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Kolkata: England
skipper Alastair Cook missed out on a deserving double century as
the visitors hurtled towards a decisive first innings lead on day
three of the third cricket Test against India at the Eden Gardens
here Friday.
At 509/6, and 193 runs ahead of the Indians, England seem to be in
a position where they cannot lose the match, while the hosts need
to gear up for a grim fight for survival. With the four-match
series now locked at 1-1, the winner at Eden Gardens will take an
unassailable 2-1 lead in the four-match series.
Matt Prior (40) and Graeme Swann (21), who so far have stitched
together 56 runs, were at the crease at the close of play.
Cook (190) fell ten short of his third double hundred when he was
run out for the first time in Tests, and that too in a bizarre
manner. The left hander took evasive action and the ball hit the
stumps while he still was away from the crease. The incident
brought some cheers for the home crowd who had nothing much to
applause till the dismissal.
Buoyed by the return of Cook - the highest run getter in the
series so far - the Indians bowled well and tasted success, taking
three English wickets.
Ian Bell (5) edged Ishant Sharma behind the wicket, Mumbai Test
Man of the Match Kevin Pietersen (54) was trapped in front by
offie Ravichandran Ashwin after completing a half century, while
Virender Sehwag juggled before latching on to a thick edge offered
by Samit Patel (33) off Pragyan Ojha.
Ojha (3/140) was the most successful Indian bowler while Sharma
and Ashwin chipped in with a wicket each.
Earlier, resuming at 216/1 overnight, Cook and Jonathan Trott (87)
went from strength to strength crossing personal milestones. They
remained unseparated in the morning session as England reached
296/1 at lunch.
Cook notched up his 150 in the 89th over as England went past 250
runs. Trott hit consecutive fours off pacer Zaheer Khan on way to
completing his 13th Test 50 in 63 innings.
Luck smiled on Cook - then on 156 - when he lobbed a simple catch
back to bowler Sharma, who could not hold on to the opportunity.
This was the second reprieve for the southpaw as he was dropped at
first slip by Cheteswar Pujara on 17.
Dhoni took the second new ball in the 89th over but the Indian
bowlers tasted success only in the 120th when Ojha had Trott
caught behind.
Cook and Trott put on a 173-run partnership for the second wicket
- the second century-plus stand of the innings after the 165-run
stand between the England captain and fellow opener Nick Compton.
Cook, however, continued to grind runs, while hitting the
occasional boundaries, and even clobbered Ashwin for a six down
the ground demonstrating England's urgency to step up the scoring
rate.
With the wear and tear on the pitch evident, Dhoni started the
post lunch session with his spin duo of Ojha and Ashwin who
immediately settled into a good rhythm troubling the batsmen as
the wicket afforded turn.
Meanwhile, an unfazed Cook went past 500 runs in the series, only
the third batsman from his country to do so in a series in India
after Ken Barrington and Mike Gatting.
With Indians showing positive intent, they were immediately
rewarded with some good fortune with Cook departing just 10 short
of a double century.
Along with West Indian great Vivian Richards and India opener
Sehwag, Cook is one of the three batsmen to get out for scores in
the 290s, 190s, 90s in Tests.
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