England wrap up 10-wicket Mumbai win

England took just 85 minutes on the fourth morning to wrap up a thumping 10-wicket victory in the second Test in Mumbai, levelling the series 1-1 with two matches to play.

Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar, England's spinners, shared all ten wickets as India, who resumed their second innings on 117 for 7, were bowled out for 142. Alastair Cook and especially a cavalier Nick Compton, with 30 not out from 28 balls, then knocked off the 57 runs needed in just 9.4 overs to set the seal on a magnificent England performance.

India took ten runs from the day's first over, Harbhajan Singh lofting Panesar over mid off for four from the opening ball and Gautam Gambhir also finding the long leg boundary.

But Indian hopes of a prolonged counter-attack soon vanished as Swann, with his fourth ball of the morning, had Harbhajan taken at slip by Jonathan Trott as he tried to cut a ball which turned sharply into him and also bounced steeply.

Zaheer Khan did not last long, attempting a violent heave to leg but succeeding only in skying an easy catch to Matt Prior, and the end for India would have come at 136 if Aleem Dar, the umpire who is having a poor series, had correctly given Pragyan Ojha out when he gloved Panesar to Swann at backward short leg.

Six runs later, however, another umpiring error - this time by Tony Hill - made up for it as Gambhir was adjudged lbw to Swann despite a thin inside edge. Gambhir's 65 was India's only meaningful second innings resistance.

Swann finished with 4 for 43 and Panesar 6 for 81, giving the left-arm spinner career-best match figures of 11 for 210 and underlining just what a nonsense it was to leave him out of the opening Test in Ahmedabad.

Cook and Compton were, quite rightly, aggressive in their approach to the task of chasing down 57 for victory - with Compton jumping down the pitch several times to Ojha and including one flat six in a series of big drives. There was also a reverse swept boundary off Ravi Ashwin.

England now go to Kolkata for next week's third Test with all the momentum in their favour, and knowing that Panesar and Swann have outbowled India's three frontline spinners in this match. Pietersen's return to form with the bat - and return to the team - is also a major boost, whereas India have a number of significant selection issues to resolve, not least what to do with an out-of-sorts Sachin Tendulkar.




Date: 26/11/2012 05:43:36 by TheCricketer
In: Today | England |