MANCHESTER: England fast bowler Stuart Broad took six wickets to skittle out India for 152 and the hosts finished on 113 for three in reply to take control on an absorbing opening day of the fourth Test yesterday.
Broad and James Anderson reduced India, who won the toss, to eight for four and only a defiant 71 by the touring side’s captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni saved them from complete collapse.
England lost openers Sam Robson, for six, and Alastair Cook (17) but Gary Ballance and Ian Bell added 77 for the third wicket before Ballance was trapped lbw for 37 by Varun Aaron just before the close.
Bell will resume on 45 not out with night-watchman Chris Jordan on nought.
The start was delayed by half an hour due to overnight rain and Anderson and Broad took full advantage of favourable conditions, obtaining prodigious swing to send back Gautam Gambhir, Murali Vijay, Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara in the space of 13 balls.
It was a fine performance on his home Old Trafford ground by Anderson, who was cleared to play after being found not guilty of breaching the ICC’s code of conduct in an incident with India’s Ravindra Jadeja during the first test.
Gambhir, recalled to the side, was first to go for four when he got a leading edge to a full delivery from Broad and the ball flew straight to Joe Root at gully.
Vijay, on nought, prodded at a perfect outswinger from Anderson and Cook took a straightforward opportunity at first slip.
Two balls later the out-of-form Kohli fell in identical fashion for a duck and Pujara drove loosely at a full ball from Broad, Jordan clutching a sharp catch at third slip to leave India in tatters at eight for four.
Dhoni and Ajinkya Rahane stopped the rot with a fighting fifth-wicket partnership of 54 as conditions for batting improved.
Resuming in the afternoon session on 63 for five, India soon lost Jadeja for a duck, lbw to Anderson. Dhoni received solid support from Ravichandran Ashwin, however, and the pair added 66 runs in quick time.
The Indian captain reached fifty with his 11th four but Broad struck again, bowling Bhuvneshwar Kumar for nought. He then bowled Pankaj Singh, condemning India to equal the world record of six individual ducks in a Test innings.
REUTERS
