England collapsed from 198-5 to 225 all out, with Ishant Sharma taking a
seven-wicket haul as India won the second test at Lord's on the final
day by 95 runs for a 1-0 lead in the five test series. Resuming after
lunch on 173-5, Matt Prior made 12 before he was caught by Murali Vijay
at deep midwicket off the bowling of Sharma. Ben Stokes followed for his
third consecutive duck when he toe-ended Sharma to Cheteshwar Pujara,
before Joe Root ended his brilliant 66 in indiscipline style, finding
Stuart Binny at deep backward square leg, again off Sharma. All three
dismissals came off short deliveries. Broad then gloved Sharma behind to
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, before India completed the win when Ravindra
Jadeja ran out James Anderson with a direct hit. Anderson ran for a
single when one was never available, and it ended a farcical second
session for England. Speaking before Prior's later withdrawal, England
captain Alastair Cook backed his wicketkeeper but understood those who
feel it is time for change.
"Matt has a serious amount of talent," Cook said. "I think he is the best wicketkeeper batsman in the country. When you lose games of cricket, there are always possibilities for people to come in and freshen things up. That's obviously the first thing you start looking at when you lose games. If the selectors feel we're playing the wrong team, they are meeting tomorrow to decide." For England, the scrutiny surrounding Cook's position as captain and other senior players' place in the side will only intensify. Ian Bell made 17 across two innings, and Cook has now gone 27 innings without a century. "The older guys aren't playing as well as their record suggests and that is hurting us. I've got to start scoring runs as well and that only happens with a lot of hard work," Cook admitted. "It has been tough for a while now. I've had some fantastic times as an England cricketer but now we are at the darkest times." Starting day five on 105-4, England had enjoyed a positive opening session, managing to stifle India's momentum until Moeen Ali was caught out on the final ball. Ali fended a fierce Sharma bouncer upwards off his glove, where Pujara took his first catch of the day at short leg, having made 39 runs. For England, it was a disastrous end to an otherwise ideal first session. Root reached his fifth test 50 in a knock that included three fours in one over off Sharma. He took 122 balls to bring up the milestone. It received an appreciative applause from the crowd, whose optimism was increasing as his defiant innings progressed. Ali and Root's fifth-wicket partnership, worth 101 runs, was ended by Sharma in his following over. And there is potential for more bad news to follow for England. Bowler Anderson will find out if he will be banned for four test matches after being charged with pushing Jadeja as the players went for lunch on day two of the drawn first test at Trent Bridge. The third test match starts Sunday in Southampton.
source-http://www.crictoday.com/news/194-slider/1
"Matt has a serious amount of talent," Cook said. "I think he is the best wicketkeeper batsman in the country. When you lose games of cricket, there are always possibilities for people to come in and freshen things up. That's obviously the first thing you start looking at when you lose games. If the selectors feel we're playing the wrong team, they are meeting tomorrow to decide." For England, the scrutiny surrounding Cook's position as captain and other senior players' place in the side will only intensify. Ian Bell made 17 across two innings, and Cook has now gone 27 innings without a century. "The older guys aren't playing as well as their record suggests and that is hurting us. I've got to start scoring runs as well and that only happens with a lot of hard work," Cook admitted. "It has been tough for a while now. I've had some fantastic times as an England cricketer but now we are at the darkest times." Starting day five on 105-4, England had enjoyed a positive opening session, managing to stifle India's momentum until Moeen Ali was caught out on the final ball. Ali fended a fierce Sharma bouncer upwards off his glove, where Pujara took his first catch of the day at short leg, having made 39 runs. For England, it was a disastrous end to an otherwise ideal first session. Root reached his fifth test 50 in a knock that included three fours in one over off Sharma. He took 122 balls to bring up the milestone. It received an appreciative applause from the crowd, whose optimism was increasing as his defiant innings progressed. Ali and Root's fifth-wicket partnership, worth 101 runs, was ended by Sharma in his following over. And there is potential for more bad news to follow for England. Bowler Anderson will find out if he will be banned for four test matches after being charged with pushing Jadeja as the players went for lunch on day two of the drawn first test at Trent Bridge. The third test match starts Sunday in Southampton.
source-http://www.crictoday.com/news/194-slider/1
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