England eye victory in Kolkata

England have put themselves into position to win the third Test in Kolkata after batting throughout day three to reach 509 for 6 - a lead of 193 runs.

The grind of Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott, who added 173 in 67 overs for the second wicket, was followed by some excellent strokeplay from Kevin Pietersen, Samit Patel and Matt Prior as India were made to toil in the field.

Cook, resuming on 136 and horribly missed by Ishant Sharma on 157 - the fast bowler dropping a straightforward waist-high caught and bowled chance - was finally dismissed on 190 in the most bizarre circumstances.

Backing up when Pietersen clipped Zaheer Khan to square leg, Cook failed to ground his bat as he swayed back to avoid a throw at the non-stiker's stumps by Virat Kohli, and slumped over his bat in weary realisation that he had been run out. But captain Cook had more than done his bit, facing 377 balls and hitting 23 fours and two sixes. He has now made 547 runs in the series, in 26 hours at the crease, at an average of 136.

Trott, on 21 overnight, put a run of poor form behind him with a solid innings of 87 from 223 balls before edging a forward defensive stroke at Pragyan Ojha, from a ball which turned, to keeper MS Dhoni.

After Cook's dismissal, and the early exit of Ian Bell for 5, inside-edging a drive at Ishant Sharma to Dhoni, Pietersen took it upon himself to inject a fresh urgency into England's first innings. He hit each of the first three balls after tea, from Ojha, to the offside boundary after some careful reconnaissance before the interval, and had scored a controlled 54 from 85 balls when he missed a sweep at a quicker ball from Ravi Ashwin and was adjudged lbw.

That was 420 for 5, but Patel and Prior - with a useful contribution late on from Swann - made sure the momentum of the match did not swing back towards India. Indeed, the Indian fielding was ragged all day and their body language seemingly resigned.

Patel had batted assuredly for 33 off 47 balls when he toe-ended a cut at one from Ojha that turned even further wider of off stump and saw Virender Sehwag somewhat fortunately complete a catch at slip after knocking the ball up with his right hand in a reflex action.

Prior, however, pulled Sharma for one utterly dismissive six over mid wicket and cruised to 40 from 46 balls while Swann, with an unbeaten 21, helped him to add an unbroken 56 for the seventh wicket.

Date: 07/12/2012 10:49:47 by TheCricketer
In: Today | England |