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Thursday March 28, 2024

Ton-up Kohli piles on the agony for England

By AFP
August 22, 2018

NOTTINGHAM, United Kingdom: India captain Virat Kohli led from the front with a well-made hundred to strengthen his side’s iron grip on the third Test against England at Trent Bridge on Monday.

Kohli, who fell for 97 in India’s first innings, top-scored with 103 as the tourists, looking to bounce back from 2-0 down in this five-match series, piled up a total of 352 for seven declared.

That left England needing a mammoth 521 for victory, albeit with more than two days to get the runs.But no side have made more to win in the fourth innings of a Test than the West Indies’ 418 for seven against Australia at St John’s, Antigua, in 2003.

England’s corresponding record is their 332 for seven against Australia at Melbourne back in 1928/29.Kohli’s declaration left England with an awkward nine overs in which to bat.

But Alastair Cook (nine not out) and Keaton Jennings (13 not out) got them through to a close score of 23 without loss.India resumed Monday on 124 for two, already 292 runs in front, with Cheteshwar Pujara 33 not out and Kohli unbeaten on eight.

With three days still left to play, India could dictate the course of the game after skittling England out for 161, with pace bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya taking a

stunning five for 28 in six overs.

From 54 for none, England lost nine wickets for 74 runs and only avoided the follow-on thanks to Jos Buttler’s 39.England lost all 10 of their wickets inside a session — the third time that had happened since 2016.

And a score of 86 for four meant that in their past 61 Test innings, England had lost their fourth wicket having scored 100 runs or fewer on 30 occasions.Another longstanding problem for England has been their slip catching and they floored their fifth chance in the cordon this match when second slip Buttler, a wicket-keeper by trade, grassed a low, left-handed chance after Pujara, on 40, edged James Anderson.

To make matters worse for England, wicket-keeper and leading batsman Jonny Bairstow suffered a finger injury after failing to gather a swinging Anderson delivery.An x-ray later revealed Bairstow had suffered a small fracture to his left middle finger.He was, however, expected to bat in England’s second innings.

England One-Day gloveman Buttler, who was a wicket-keeper early in his Test

career, took over behind the stumps.It wasn’t until Monday’s 41st over that India lost their third wicket, with Pujara edging a routine chance to first slip Cook off recalled all-rounder Ben Stokes.Pujara faced 208 balls, including 19 fours, and put on 113 with Kohli.

TOSS: ENGLAND

INDIA 1ST INNINGS: 329

ENGLAND 1ST INNINGS: 161

INDIA 2ND INNINGS (overnight 124-2)

Dhawan st Bairstow b Rashid 44

Rahul b Stokes 36

Pujara c Cook b Stokes 72

Kohli lbw b Woakes 103

Rahane b Rashid 29

Pant c Cook b Anderson 1

Pandya not out 52

Shami c Cook b Rashid 3

Ashwin not out 1

Extras (B-1, LB-9, W-1) 11

Total (7 wkts dec, 110 overs) 352

Fall of wickets: 1-60, 2-111, 3-224, 4-281, 5-282, 6-329, 7-349.

BOWLING: Anderson 22-7-55-1; Broad 16-3-60-0; Woakes 22-4-49-1; Stokes 20-3-68-2 (1w); Rashid 27-2-101-3; Root 3-0-9-0.

ENGLAND 2ND INNINGS

Cook not out 9

Jennings not out 13

Extras (NB-1) 1

Total (0 wkts, 9 overs) 23

BOWLING: Bumrah 3-1-16-0; Sharma 4-1-5-0 (1nb); Ashwin 2-1-2-0.

Match officials: Umpires: Chris Gaffaney (NZL), Marais Erasmus (RSA); TV umpire: Aleem Dar (PAK); Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL).