 |
| England batsman Ian Bell plays a lofted drive against India on day 2 of the third test |
The hosts also found new hope. Jos Buttler, the limited-overs specialist who replaced Matt Prior as wicketkeeper, played the type of inputs used to Adam Gilchrist, rattling along over a run a ball against a listless attack and gardeners shabby. He missed a century on debut just because he was accelerating his team to a statement.
England scored 117 in 18.4 overs after tea, and left arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja of India suffered more. He had conceded just 34 in 22 overs on the first day; it was 119 in 23.4 overs in the second.
The scenario for the Tea Party England had established in previous sessions when Bell hit as if he had never been short of runs. He got the 142 for the second wicket with Gary Ballance, who turned his night 104 at its highest test score.
Bell and Ballance were almost perfect in the sun. They were beaten only occasionally edge less frequently, had fewer scares, and scored quickly. The omens were ominous for India. M Vijay was indifferent to mid-on and allowed the second race of the day, and when debutant Pankaj Singh Bell found edge, the ball went between third slip and gully. Bell received a snack on the side of the leg next ball, which looked for four.
India hopes to long periods Bhuvneshwar Kumar and economic bowl but was off his game. Shami did not improve on a disappointing first day. Too often was too wide straight or slaughtered, and shot a poor length. Pankaj lost discipline in its second stage, having been impressive in his first, and both batsmen were soon scoring throughout the wicket.
Jadeja had no impact either. In his second, Bell jumped down and lofted the left arm spinner on the right edge, a shot echoed later in the day to bring up his 21st test hundred pass 7,000 runs.
 |
| Gary Ballance hit a brilliant double century to take England past 500 |
Bhuvneshwar Joe Root was caught behind just before the second drinks break as advanced hitter, but the good spirits of India were short-lived. When Dhoni decided to bowl again Jadeja, Bell started with him hitting two sixes and two fours in one over 21 years of management.
With tired seamers, Dhoni persisted with Jadeja at one end and kept turning his quicks in the other. Bhuvneshwar Moeen Ali was caught behind trying to pull a short ball, increasing weakness in-game hitter. Bhuvneshwar almost gave Butler a duck on debut, too. Ajinkya Rahane had claimed a low catch at second leaf, but the batter was pardoned after replays indicated doubt, as they often do with such references. He hit the next ball through cover for his first test runs just before tea.
Buttler initial goal was Jadeja, who was driven through and over the deck repeatedly. He also used his limited overs nous and reverse-swept the spinner twice. India could have saved some pain Shikhar Dhawan was caught Buttler, 23, at first slip; instead fall-lace account rose at six in the series. Bell and Buttler took 13 runs off Jadeja off successive. Acceleration was successively.
Bell 150 and then reached down to pull Pankaj disdainfully eventually in the limit; Buttler Jadeja charged and released six to take England past 500. Their stand of century took only 132 balls.
England might have expected to Bell for a century of marriage, but he holed out to give his third wicket Bhuvneshwar. Buttler continued sweeping, however, India and shattered. Dhoni missed a stumping ridiculously easy, and Pankaj, after being retired six consecutive lost a clear opportunity to run out for 21 Chris Woakes hit. When Buttler bottom edge to his stumps for 85 - cold comfort for Jadeja - Cook stated to give India 14 overs to face in the gloom. James Anderson and Stuart Broad ran hot, swinging and seaming the ball, his extraordinary pace that caused more discomfort than slower seamers India did. Dhawan did not survive, his miserable career exacerbated by a series Anderson delivery that angled back at him from the window, saluted him and took the edge of the first sheet. It was a perfect day for England at the end.
