In-focus

Sports

Indian batsmen tumble as England nears historic win

Dunya News

India were 116 for six at lunch on the fourth day of the third Test at Edgbaston on Saturday.

They needed a further 370 runs to make England bat again. India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was nine not out and Amit Mishra 16 not out.James Anderson scythed through Indias top order as England closed in on the victory that would make them officially No. 1 in the world. He took his innings tally to four wickets during a devastating spell of swing while Graeme Swann got into the act, both with a wicket and when Sachin Tendulkar was run-out backing up in an apt microcosm of a desperate state of affairs for India.Tendulkar was the only India batsman to appear up for the fight and had moved to 40 when MS Dhoni drove towards Swann who got his right hand to ball, deflecting it into the stumps with Tendulkars bat on the line. While its always a tough way to fall, Tendulkar had backed up a long way which leaves the chance of such a dismissal. Regardless, though, Tendulkar wouldnt have saved the match for India because of the earlier damage inflicted in the first hour.Anderson didnt wait long to make an impression as he found Gautam Gambhirs outside edge with his first ball of the day as the left hander offered a catch to Swann at second slip. Its a great skill for a fast bowler to be pin-point with his first delivery and not just begin with a loosener outside off.Gambhir has shown in the past the ability to occupy the crease - he cited his 436-ball innings at Napier as how India could save this game - but with him removed early the pressure was squarely on Rahul Dravid and, of course, Tendulkar. Dravid, though, did not last long but his dismissal appeared to throw up a bizarre set of circumstances.When he played forward to Andersons outswinger the noise suggested a clear outside edge and Simon Taufel gave the decision. However, subsequent replays showed that the sound didnt quite match the pictures and it appeared Dravids shoelace may have flicked the bottom of his bat. Dravid could have reviewed but didnt take the option and whether there would have been enough clear evidence to overturn will never be known.India were 40 for 3 and sinking fast. Tendulkar gave momentary relief with a couple of sweet drives, but VVS Laxman was given a tough time by Englands quicks. Andersons swing and Stuart Broads extra bounce kept him on nought for 16 balls before Anderson produced another fine delivery to take the outside edge.Broad, meanwhile, tried to take advantage of Tendulkars problems with the sightscreen behind the bowlers arm. In a similar manner to Andrew Flintoff against Jacques Kallis in 2008, Tendulkar was having trouble picking up deliveries from a set of dark windows and Broad probed away with a series of very full balls as he tried to squeeze under Tendulkars bat.Tendulkar, though, responded with a fighting effort although a few of his drives came with a hint of frustration - even anger? - at Indias position. With Indias long tail its debatable whether hed have had the chance to register his 100th hundred, but the wait now carries on until at least The Oval and there is a growing sense that it isnt meant to happen in this series.Before Swanns literal hand in Tendulkars scalp hed been brought on to target Suresh Raina and it was an absorbing, if brief, battle. Raina should have gone for 1, but Andrew Strauss couldnt hold a low chance at gully as Swann tried to add to his lean tally of two wickets in the series. Raina didnt hold back, crunching a straight drive past Swanns right hand then driving over cover, but Swann had the final say when he gained an lbw decision from Steve Davis.Raina wasnt happy, and even signalled for a review having forgotten they cant be used for lbws, but replays confirmed Davis was spot with the ball hitting middle and leg.
Related Topics
France