SECOND NPOWER TEST, Trent Bridge, day two:
England 198 all out v India 254-3 (close) Sachin Tendulkar was in imperious form at Trent Bridge |
India lead England by 56 runs after reaching 254-3 in their first innings before bad light brought the second day's play to an end at Trent Bridge. Sachin Tendulkar became only the third batsman in history to score 11,000 Test runs on his way to an unbeaten 57.
Openers Dinesh Karthik and Wasim Jaffer had put on 147 while captain Rahul Dravid added 37 before becoming Monty Panesar's second victim of the match.
India had bowled England out for 198, with Zaheer Khan finishing with 4-59.
Despite their best efforts, England's bowling attack could not find the exaggerated movement they so successfully exploited at Lord's as India's batsmen laid the foundations for a significant lead.
With England struggling at 169-7, India opted for the experience of Anil Kumble to skittle England's tail-enders out at the start of the day's play.
The leg-spinner struck in the fifth over of the day when he bowled Chris Tremlett with a slider for 20.
Zaheer soon dismissed Panesar before Kumble wrapped up the innings when he removed James Anderson's off stump.
 Kumble proved a real handful for the tail-enders |
India openers Karthik and Jaffer initially batted with caution, reaching the lunch interval at 40-0 before unleashing their strokes in the afternoon session.
Jaffer brought up the half-century stand with a crisp back-foot cover drive for four off Sidebottom, handing England captain Michael Vaughan his first genuine Test dilemma of the summer.
The opener was given a lifeline when Ian Bell grassed a difficult diving, left-handed catching chance at gully off Tremlett's bowling.
Increasingly frustrated, Vaughan turned to talisman Panesar, who should have had a wicket with his very first ball of the match. The spinner had Karthik trapped in front of the stumps attempting to sweep a full, straight ball.
But umpire Ian Howell was the only person unconvinced the ball would have gone on to hit the stumps.
 | 606: DEBATE |
Panesar was again denied by umpire Howell in his next over - this time rapping Jaffer on the front foot in line with off stump, the type of decision which has gone in Panesar's favour throughout the summer.
Karthik brought up his 50, swiftly followed by Jaffer, with neither player looking as if they were about to give their wicket away.
But Tremlett made the breakthrough 10 minutes before the tea interval when Jaffer gloved a sharp, rising delivery to wicket-keeper Matt Prior.
And Panesar gave England the perfect start to the evening session when Karthik bat-padded his first delivery to Alastair Cook at short leg.
 Panesar took the vital wicket of Dravid |
Karthik's dismissal brought Tendulkar to the crease and he was soon startled by a short, sharp and quick bouncer from Anderson, which clattered into his helmet.
But captain Dravid kept the score flowing cutting Panesar, clipping Tremlett and driving Anderson off the back foot for boundaries.
The tourists overhauled England's total when Tendulkar clipped Anderson off his hips, a shot which also brought up the 50 partnership between the two batsmen.
And Tendulkar registered yet another career landmark when he drove Panesar through cover for four, a shot which brought up his 11,000th Test run.
He joined Brian Lara and Allan Border in an exclusive group of batsmen to have reached the landmark.
A fine sweep off Panesar brought up Tendulkar's 50 but the spinner made the vital breakthrough when Dravid tried to pull out of a drive, but found the hands of a diving Ian Bell at short mid-off.
Former captain Sourav Ganguly joined Tendulkar at the crease and managed a beautiful through cover drive off Panesar before the weather brought an intriguing day's play to a premature end.