England go 2-1 up with big win
Report courtesy of Eurosport.
England sealed the third test against India by seven wickets early on the fifth day in Kolkata on Sunday, taking a 2-1 lead with one match remaining.
Full Scorecard: India v England
Having been frustrated by the last-wicket stand late on day four,
England needed just 10 balls to finish it the following morning, with
James Anderson bowling Pragyan Ojha, leaving Ravi Ashwin stranded
on 91. I
t left England with a mere 41 runs to chase, but India, opening with
their two main spinners, sparked a little panic in the tourists by
reducing them to eight for three.
Alastair Cook, looking to get the match over in a hurry, was out
stumped for one in Ashwin's first over. Ojha then got in on the act, trapping Jonathan Trott in front of the
stumps for three, before a duck for Kevin Pietersen, tickling Ashwin
behind to MS Dhoni, left England reeling.
The statisticians were frantically checking the history books for lowest
scores and smallest totals defended - but Ian Bell, who had scratched
around with the bat all series, settled the nerves with a run-a-ball
innings of 28, including some confident boundaries which will give
him a much-needed boost ahead of the final test.
Nick Compton, who had not batted with any other player in his England career other than his captain, was also unbeaten
on nine. The final test begins on Thursday in Nagpur, with England's advantage in the series now unassailable,
and the tourists within sight of a first series victory in India in 28 years.
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Report Day 1
Report Day 2
Report Day 3
Report Day 4
INDIA: V Sehwag, G Gambhir, CA Pujara, SR Tendulkar, V Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (capt & wk), R Ashwin, Z Khan, PP Ojha, I Sharma
ENGLAND: AN Cook (capt), NRD Compton, IJL Trott, KP Pietersen, IR Bell, SR Patel, MJ Prior (wk), GP Swann, MS Panesar, JM Anderson, ST Finn
