Bhuvneshwar Kumar took his Test-best figures for the second time in as many innings, but could not prevent England achieving a first-innings lead at Lord’s yesterday.
India, at lunch on the third day of the second Test, were 11 without loss in their second innings — a deficit of 13 runs.
Murali Vijay was nought not out and Shikhar Dhawan 10 not out.
Photo: AFP
Earlier England’s tail wagged effectively as they added exactly 100 runs to an overnight 219 for six before being bowled out for 319.
Fast-medium bowler Kumar’s haul of six wickets for 82 runs in 23 overs surpassed his haul of five for 82 in last week’s draw at Trent Bridge — the seamer’s first Test outside of India.
However, even Kumar could do little about nightwatchman Liam Plunkett’s Test-best 55 not out off 79 balls, including eight fours.
Together with No. 11 James Anderson, fresh from his Test-best 81 at Nottingham and a share of a record 10th-wicket partnership of 198, he added 39 in 43 balls for the last wicket yesterday.
England resumed on a total owing much to Gary Ballance’s 110.
Despite early morning rain play started on time, although the overcast conditions saw the floodlights at Lord’s switched on.
Plunkett, who started the day on four not out, showed his batting prowess with a flurry of boundaries, including a back-foot cover-drive off Ishant Sharma and one off the front foot against Kumar.
Matt Prior (23) with a top-edged pull off Mohammed Shami was well caught by Dhawan running back from the slip cordon.
Kumar, having started the day with 4-46, reduced England to 280 for nine with a burst of two wickets for four runs in three balls.
He produced a fine delivery that swung away from Ben Stokes to bowl the all-rounder for nought.
Kumar followed up by having Stuart Broad edging to Dhawan at first slip. At that stage, England were still 15 runs behind.
However, Anderson took England into the lead with a straight-driven four off Kumar.
However, he was out for 19 when he nicked left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja to slip.
Significantly, Anderson ran off quickly to get ready for his bowling stint, not glancing at Jadeja.
The two players could both be banned from matches during the rest of this series after they were charged under the International Cricket Council’s code of conduct for an alleged clash at Trent Bridge.
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