England became the world’s No. 1 Test side as they beat India by an innings and 242 runs to win the third Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham yesterday.
England’s victory gave them an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the four-match series and meant they replaced India at the top of the ICC’s Test Championship table after winning this series by the required two-match margin.
It is the first time England have topped the Test table since its creation in 2003.
Photo: Reuters
England piled up a massive 710 for seven declared — their highest Test innings total for 73 years — that featured Alastair Cook’s career-best 294.
That was in reply to an India first innings total of 224 where England seamers Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan took four wickets apiece.
Fast-medium bowler James Anderson then took four for 85 as India were dismissed for a second innings 244, with the tourists much vaunted batsmen still to make 300 this series. England won with more than a day to spare for the second match in succession after their 319-run triumph at Trent Bridge.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni top-scored in his side’s second innings with an unbeaten 74.
Only Sachin Tendulkar, who made 40, offered much top-order resistance before his latest bid to become the first batsman to score an unprecedented 100 international hundreds ended in unlucky fashion when he was run-out backing-up.
The tourists resumed on 35 for one after Alastair Cook’s Test-best 294 had propelled England to a massive 710 for seven declared — their highest Test innings total for 73 years.
Gautam Gambhir was 14 not out and Rahul Dravid 18 not out after India had lost Virender Sehwag for a “king pair” to Anderson late on Friday.
Anderson then struck again with his first ball yesterday as India lost Gambhir without addition when he edged to Graeme Swann at second-slip.
Dravid, like Gambhir, failed to add to his overnight score when, after Anderson angled the ball in toward him only for it to cut away outside off stump, he was caught behind by wicketkeeper Matt Prior.
New batsman Venkatsai Laxman could only manage two before, pushing tentatively outside off-stump, he too fell to Anderson.
The fourth and final Test starts at The Oval on Thursday.
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