Tag 2nd-test-2011

For challengers England to be no.1, they need to beat champions India by clear two test match margin in current nPower series and noting that, it seems like, pitch curators are determined to prepare lively wickets, making sure draw doesn't happen. 1st test at Lord's was played on a 22 yard stip with more juice than usual and for this 2nd test, Trent Bridge conditions are even tougher for batsmen..

The scores
England 221 allout in 68.4 overs
India are 24 for 1 wkt from 15 overs.
Full scorecard : 2nd test, Trent Bridge, 2011.

"Heads" called MS Dhoni half an hour before start of play, inserting England in on an overcast morning today, revealing Gautam Gambhir's elbow has made way for yet another test comeback for Yuvraj Singh while hamstring strained Zaheer Khan has been replaced by S Sreesanth. For first five overs, Praveen Kumar & Ishant Sharma (with new shortly cut hair style) moved the ball around but lefty openers Alastair Cook & Andrew Strauss negotiated them out well. Cook had survived a closer lbw appeal than the one he was given out by umpire Marais Erasmus before Sreesanth, in his very first over, bowled that perfect outswinger to fox Jonathan Trott into false drive. Kevin Pietersen joined captain Strauss and saw home team through to lunch without anymore casualty.

After lunch, Sreesanth claimed Pietersen who was repeatedly trying to charge bowlers like he had successfully done in previous test but this time ball took outside edge of his bat and flew to Suresh Raina at 3rd slip who held onto a alert catch. Raina took another fine catch half an hour later, of Strauss off Praveen Kumar who trapped Eoin Morgan's leg before wicket couple of deliveries later. Wicket keeper Matt Prior went courtsey Rahul Dravid who dived forward just in time.

6 wickets down for just 88 runs on board, England's innings was in dire straits and situation got even worse when allrounder Tim Bresnan was dismissed by Ishant Sharma in 49th over of the day. Ian Bell got anxious at the other end and fished outside offstump to give Sharma two wickets in back to back overs.

Finishing tea break at 124 for 8 wickets, England came out with a plan to counter attack with last recognised pair Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann at the crease which took visitors by surprize, big time. Broad and Swann collected 73 off just 70 balls, lofting Indians all around the park and finding gaps too. Swann was out to a Praveen Kumar snotter that jumped off a length (thanks to patches of live grass on the pitch) and sent him straight to hospital for precautionary x-ray of his hand. Broad, though, continued, raising his fifty in another 24 run stand with last man James Anderson.

Stuart Broad top scored, was last man out, and his innings made sure England now have a fighting total on board.

With little over an hour remaining in the day's play, Indians began their first innings, losing Abhinav Mukund off the first ball who tried to drive way outside offstump. VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid dodged everything England threw at them to complete the first satisfactory day for them of the tour so far.

Harbhajan Singh overtakes Curtley Ambrose
in list of most test wickets in test career. Harbhajan was required to do little today, got Stuart Broad's wicket, and now has 406 wickets from 98. His next target is Wasim Akram who took 414 wickets from 104 tests.

Graeme Swann's fine
and is expected to bowl on day two after a reassessment in the morning as no significant damange has been done on his left hand (not bowling hand).