NOTTINGHAM, July 31, 2011 (AFP) – Ian Bell’s maiden Test hundred against India allied to a sporting reprieve saw England into a commanding lead on the third day of the second Test at Trent Bridge here on Sunday.

England, in their second innings, were 441 for six at the close, giving them a lead of 374 runs.

Bell made a superb 159, but only after being run out when on 137 to the last ball before tea.

Having completed three runs with Eoin Morgan following a misfield by Praveen Kumar, he sprinted off the field believing the umpires had called ‘time’.

In fact the ball was still ‘live’ — Morgan gestured to his partner to regain his ground — and, after calling in the third umpire, the on-field officials gave a stunned Bell out.

England coach Andy Flower and captain Andrew Strauss went to the visitors’ dressing room at tea to ask India, whose coach is ex-England supremo Duncan Fletcher, if they wanted the appeal to stand.

And minutes later India withdrew their appeal.

Umpires Marais Erasmus of South Africa and Pakistan’s Asad Rauf emerged after tea to boos from spectators, unaware the decision had been reversed, as did India before the jeers became cheers when Bell resumed his innings.

Although Bell made only 22 more runs following the reversal of a decision which was quite correct, he added an additional 69 with Morgan in what turned out to be a fourth wicket partnership of 104.

Bell’s eventual 159 included 24 fours and was made in nearly five-and-a-half hours at the crease.

He was finally out when his cut off part-time left-arm spinner Yuvraj Singh was caught by Venkatsai Laxman at slip.

Left-hander Morgan went to a 60-ball fifty, featuring seven fours, with a straight six against off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

But the advent of the new ball, as it had done in India’s first innings on Saturday, led to wickets with medium-pacer Praveen Kumar taking two for five runs in nine balls.

Morgan was caught behind for 70 before Jonathan Trott, batting down the order after suffering a shoulder injury while fielding on Saturday, gloved a rising delivery to Rahul Dravid in the slips.

England were 339 for six at that point, but wicketkeeper Matt Prior again proved a thorn in India’s side with the bat, hooking fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth for six on his way to an unbeaten 64.

He received excellent support from Tim Bresnan, 47 not out, in an unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 102.

Ealrier, Bell had helped add 162 for the third wicket before Kevin Pietersen (63) was caught behind off Sreesanth by India captain and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Bell, 84 not out at lunch and scoring briskly, went to 98 with a fluent cover-driven four off Kumar.

Then a leg-glanced two off Sreesanth saw the 29-year-old Bell, batting at number three because of Warwickshire colleague Trott’s injury, to his 15th hundred in 67 Tests and fourth this year.

England resumed on 24 for one, still 43 runs behind despite Stuart Broad taking a hat-trick on Saturday on his way to Test-best figures of six for 46 on his Nottinghamshire home ground.

India’s first innings of 288 also saw Dravid make 117 — his 34th Test century and second in as many matches after his 103 not out during England’s 196-run first Test win at Lord’s.

England will replace India at the top of the ICC’s Test Championship table if they win this four-match series 2-0 or better.
Courtesy: http://cricket.yahoo.com/cricket/news/article?id=item/2.0/-/story/cricket.yahoonews.com/reprieved-bell-leads-england-into-strong-position-20110731/

NOTTINGHAM: Stuart Broad again proved a thorn in India’s side with the bat as he rescued England from total collapse on the first day of the second Test at Trent Bridge on Friday.

Scorecard | Match in Pics

England slumped to 88 for six after losing the toss in overcast, swing-friendly, conditions.

But Broad, batting at number nine on his Nottinghamshire home ground, top-scored with 64 in a total of 221. India at stumps were 24 for one in reply, a deficit of 197 runs, as they looked to level this four-match series at 1-1 after losing the first Test at Lord’s by 196 runs.

Rahul Dravid, who made an unbeaten century at Lord’s, was 7 not out and Venkatsai Laxman 13 not out after India lost opener Abhinav Mukund to the first ball of their innings when he pushed at James Anderson and was caught in the gully by Kevin Pietersen.

“India certainly won three quarters of the day but we managed to grab a bit of momentum back towards the end and probably ended up a bit disappointed not to pick up more wickets,” Broad said.

“Unfortunately we lost six pretty quick wickets but we are still in with a shout of winning the Test match. It is swinging consistently as it always does at Trent Bridge.”

Earlier, India’s pace trio of Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, recalled in place of the injured Zaheer Khan, all took three wickets apiece.

“I enjoy bowling here (in England),” said Sreesanth, who took three for 77 in 19 overs.

“We missed Zaheer and I was lucky enough to come in. I enjoyed bowling on this wicket and felt like taking it (the pitch) wherever we go.”

Sreesanth, who in India’s seven-wicket win over England at Trent Bridge in 2007 was fined for shoulder-barging Michael Vaughan and also bowled a beamer at Pietersen, received some flak from the crowd after trying to claim a ‘catch’ when the ball had bounced in front of him.

But the 28-year-old said the jeers had motivated him in an innings where Kumar took three for 45 and Sharma three for 66.

“I love it, it’s better to leave me alone. Thanks to them for cheering me up,” Sreesanth explained.

England captain Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell were the only other batsmen apart from Broad to make more than 30.

But Broad, who together with Nottinghamshire colleague Graeme Swann added 73 for the ninth wicket at better than a run-a-ball, said life had been tough for England’s top-order.

“You can’t look and blame anyone for throwing their wickets away, I thought India bowled pretty well. The ball has done a little bit today (Friday) and it was a good toss to win.”

England came into this match knowing they would replace India at the top of the ICC’s Test rankings if they won this 2-0 or better.

But during the last decade India have either won or squared several series after losing the first Test.

And although they were without left-arm quick Zaheer due to the hamstring injury that had forced him off the field early on at Lord’s, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni opted to field after winning the toss.

Sharma made the breakthrough when he had Alastair Cook lbw for two before Sreesanth had Jonathan Trott, on four, caught by second slip Laxman.

England, 69 for two at lunch, lost six wickets for 55 runs in the second session with Kumar striking twice in four balls.

Five balls after lunch, Pietersen, on 29, was squared up by Sreesanth and nicked to third slip Suresh Raina.

Swing bowler Kumar rocked England with a Test-best five for 106 at Lord’s and, on Friday, he dismissed Strauss when a full-blooded drive was well-caught by Raina.

That same over saw 85 for four become 85 for five when Kumar’s outswinger to Eoin Morgan had the left-hander lbw for nought.

Matt Prior had frustrated India with an unbeaten century after England had collapsed to 62 for five in their second innings at Lord’s.

But on Friday he made just one before edging Sreesanth to first slip Dravid.

Bell, dropped on 22, got himself out when he flat-footedly cut at Sharma and was caught behind by wicketkeeper Dhoni.

Broad and Swann hit out before their stand ended when Swann gloved a rising delivery from Kumar to Mukund on 28.

Off-spinner Swann was sent for an X-ray on his left hand but scans, according to an England statement, showed “no siginificant damage” and he is expected to be fit to bowl.

Left-handed batsman Broad, who made an unbeaten 74 in the second innings at Lord’s, on-drove Kumar for his seventh four to complete a 56-ball fifty before he was last man out when he holed out to off-spinner Harbhajan.

London, July 22 (AP): India coach Duncan Fletcher claimed the loss of opening bowler Zaheer Khan to a leg injury cost the visitors the chance of “having a very good day” in the opening Test against England.
Khan was easily India’s best bowler at Lord’s on Thursday before he went to hospital for a scan on his left leg. He took both wickets as England reached 127/2 before rain ensured just over half the scheduled 90 overs were bowled on the first day.
“He showed he’s probably the bowler we miss the most,” Fletcher said. “Probably, the others lacked experience. Him going off was a big miss. From our point of view, I think maybe we would have been happy with three wickets. I think if he had stayed there and got three or four, we would have ended up having a very good day.”
Before limping off the field midway through the 42nd over, Khan proved penetrating and miserly, recording figures of 2-18.
He trapped Alastair Cook lbw in the morning session and then duped England captain Andrew Strauss into a rash pull that was caught by Ishant Sharma at fine leg shortly after lunch.
“He’s probably the one that could have got us three or four wickets, so he was quite a loss at that stage,” Fletcher said.
India’s other bowlers proved significantly less threatening, however, and while Praveen Kumar and Harbhajan Singh were perhaps unlucky not to claim wickets, Sharma was inconsistent and failed to pressurise batsmen.
Fletcher argued they still bowled reasonably well.
“It was difficult for our bowlers to get used to the swing,” he said. “I still think we bowled pretty well, but they need to get their lines right.”
England’s Jonathan Trott lived dangerously on his way to 58 not out. Having been dropped by Dravid at first slip off Harbhajan, he then edged a delivery from Khan between wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Dravid.
“I think they were two very difficult chances,” Fletcher said. “I think on another day one might have been taken, but they were very difficult chances and we’ve seen that happen at Lord’s on numerous occasions.”
He also defended his players against suggestions they lacked intensity in the field.
“Not at all. I thought those players were really up for the game,” he said. “They wanted to play at Lord’s and give it their best shot. Those players have just had three hard Test matches in the West Indies.”
“It’s not just a question of coming over here and getting used to the conditions. We’ve seen players play a whole Test series and struggle in the field.”