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Fri, 09 December 2016
4th Test: Vijay, Pujara lead India's strong reply after Eng post 400

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16:38   Vijay, Pujara lead India's strong reply after Eng post 400


STUMPS - DAY 2

India 146-1 (50 ovs) vs England 400 | Scorecard


At stumps on Day 2, India have taken the slight upperhand as they reach 146 for one in 52 overs. They took control in the post-lunch session, scoring 84 runs in 30 overs without losing any wickets.

Vijay roared back to form with a smashing innings of 70 not out, having hit six fours and two sixes in his 169-ball knock.

At the other end, Pujara continued his stellar run with the bat to be unbeaten on 47 at close of play.

The duo were involved in an unbroken stand of 107 runs to drive India forward after they had lost the wicket of KL Rahul, who was bowled by Moeen for 24.

The hosts trail England's first innings score of 400, by 254 runs with another 54 runs needed to avoided the follow-on.

Spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja shared 10 wickets between them but England posted a respectable 400 in their first innings.

Joss Buttler (76) and Jake Ball (31) raised a 54-run stand for the ninth wicket to frustrate India.

Off-spinner Ashwin bagged six for 112, his 23rd five-wicket haul in his 43rd Test, while left-arm spinner Jadeja claimed four for 109.
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16:30   Vijay, Pujara drive India forward on Day 2


India 144-1 (50 ovs) vs England 400 | Scorecard


The runs are coming quite easily for the Indians and the pitch seems to have gone completely flat at the moment unlike when Ashwin and Jadeja were bowling, who seemed to get a lot of turn and bounce.

Moeen drops short as Vijay rocks back and pulls it in the gap between deep square leg and deep midwicket for a four.

After a few below-par performances, Vijay looks back to his best form and is looking really threatening as far as England is concerned with his ability to hit big hundreds once he gets going.

Pujara is looking totally in control as India make merry on the second day. The Saurashtra right-hander comes down the pitch and flicks Moeen through midwicket for a four.

Woakes is taken off as he makes way for Rashid, while Moeen is replaced by part-timer Joe Root as England aim for a breakthrough with a few overs to go for stumps.


16:02  


India 128-1 (43 ovs) vs England 400 | Scorecard


This is turning out to be too easy for the Indians with the scoreboard moving at a good rate.

Moeen drops short as Vijay hits him through the thirdman region for a four to bring up his fifty in some style, from 128 balls, having hit five fours and a six.

In the next over, Pujara punches a short ball from Anderson through the covers for another four and then takes a single.

Vijay then nudges Anderson on the leg side for a couple as he again pushes Pujara to come back for the second.

The right-hander then goes after Moeen, hitting him for a straight six over mid-off and Pujara punches Woakes through the covers for another boundary.
15:42   Vijay hits half-century to put India on top


India 104-1 (35 ovs) vs England 400 | Scorecard


Ben Stokes comes into the attack and starts with a maiden to Puarja, who has once again looked in complete control. In the next over, he cuts Rashid for two runs to the point region before Stokes bowls another tight over, conceding just a single to Vijay.

Vijay then turns Rashid through the leg side for two runs before he hits a full toss over mid-off for a four and then takes one to close in on his half-century.

The ball was changed after 31 overs with the umpires unhappy with the shape.

Rashid has been pretty disappointing and has struggled with his line. He bowls another on the leg side which Vijay turns fine and urges Pujara to come back for three runs.

Double change for England as Moeen and Anderson come into the attack, replacing Rashid and Stokes.

While Moeen concedes just one in the first over of his new spell, Anderson is hit for a couple of boundaries by Pujara.

The first ball of Anderson's fifth over is steered through the vacant thirdman region for a four before he cuts a short ball past point for another boundary to take India past the 100-run mark, in the 35th over.

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14:45   Vijay, Pujara steady India after Rahul's dismissal


India 71-1 (23 ovs) vs England 400 | Scorecard


Pacer Ball to resume proceedings after the tea break. Pujara drives the first ball straight down the ground, half stopped by the bowler himself to keep it down to two runs.

Rashid, who went for runs in the post-lunch session, comes back for a new spell as he replaces Moeen.

There is a huge appeal for LBW against Pujara, who kicks one outside the off-stump as the umpire turns it down. Interestingly, England have gone for the DRS but it goes against them and they end up losing a review.
14:16   Vijay, Pujara take India to 62-1 at tea after England post 400


TEA - DAY 2

India 62-1 (22 ovs) vs England 400 | Scorecard


At tea on Day 2, India have reached 62 for one in 22 overs, still needing another 138 runs to avoid the follow-on.

Vijay has batted well after a cautious start to hit 31 from 73 balls, including a few boundaries against Rashid. Pujara was unbeaten on seven at the break.

Rahul looked good during his innings of 24 before he was bowled by Ali, trying to drive against the spin through the off-side.

Earlier, Buttler stroked 76 to carry England to 400 in their first innings with Ravi Ashwin claiming 6-112 and Jadeja taking 4-109.
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14:12   Vijay, Pujara take India to 62-1 at tea after England post 400


India 62-1 (22 ovs) vs England 400 | Scorecard


India looking to be positive against the spinners, especially Rashid, against whom both Rahul and Vijay have taken some risks.

England have set an in-out field for Moeen with three fielders on the boundary to save fours and keep India's scoring rate in check but Vijay and Pujara pick two singles each.

As expected, Rashid has been taken off after five overs for 24 runs as he makes way for pacer Jake Ball, who starts his spell with a maiden.

Vijay and Pujara bat with caution with the tea interval fast approaching, not looking for anything fancy.
13:53  


India 55-1 (17 ovs) vs England 400 | Scorecard


This time Vijay plays a loose shot as he looks to chip Rashid back over his head but tails to get proper timing on it and is lucky that the ball cleared mid-off, for a couple of runs.

The leg-spinner then gets one to turn enough to beat the defensive prod of Vijay.

In Rashid's next over, Vijay again hits a lofted straight drive and this time he fails to get enough distance but manages to clear mid-on for a four. He has looked to attack Rashid but has not been able to get proper timing on his shots so far. He has looked quite lacklustre at the moment.

Vijay then tries the sweep but misses and is struck on the pads. But he doesn't give up as he crashes the fifth ball over mid-on, this time he makes full connection to send it soaring over the ropes for the first six of the Indian innings.

13:44   Rahul bowled for 24, lndia lose 1st wicket


India 39-1 (14 ovs) vs England 400 | Scorecard


Rashid bowls another long hop as Rahul cuts it past point for his fourth four to take his score to 21.

Interestingly, Rahul is caught in two minds as he looks to paddle sweep before bailing out of the shot at the last moment before the two openers pick a single each from the last two deliveries of the over.

Now, Ali drops short as Vijay goes back and slaps it through the covers for a four.

Ali strikes in his next over with the wicket of Rahul, who looks to drive against the spin through the off-side but is beaten and is bowled through the gate for 24.

Ali got that one to turn big and Rahul made the mistake of leaving a big gap between the bat and ball as he went for the cover drive... too risky a shot on this kind of a pitch!

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13:25   India off to a good start after England post 400


India 26-0 (10 ovs) vs England 400 | Scorecard


Rahul opens the face of the bat and drives a wide delivery from Anderson through the covers for a four.

England introduce spin early as off-spinner Moeen Ali comes into the attack in place of Woakes, who bowled three overs.

Vijay comes down the track and drives the second ball through the covers for a couple of runs before he takes one two balls later and Rahul keeps strikes with a single from the last ball.

A break for Anderson after a first spell of four overs for runs as he makes way for leg-spinner Adil Rashid.

Rahul goes after him immediately as he lofts the first ball over mid-off for a four and drives the next ball through the covers for one before Vijay defends the rest of the over.

Vijay is again taking his time to get his eye in but he is being helped greatly by his partner Rahul, who has looked to get the boundaries early on.

India have reached 26 for no loss in 10 overs with Vijay on nine from 31 balls and Rahul on 17 from 29 balls.
13:05  


India 11-0 (5 ovs) vs England 400 | Scorecard


James Anderson to open the bowling for England as the two Indian right-handed openers  -- Murali Vijay and KL Rahul -- stride out to the middle.

Both are in need of some runs at the moment with Vijay struggling after a century in the first innings, while Rahul has battled injuries in the last few months.

Rahul sees off the first over from Anderson with utmost caution but Vijay starts with a bang, driving the first ball from Chris Woakes straight down the ground past mid-off for a four.

Rahul gets off the mark from the last ball of the over as he flicks it square on the leg side for two runs.

Anderson follows up with another maiden over as he tests Vijay with a couple of bouncers but the India opener is content to leave them alone. He has been dismissed quite a few times by the short balls and he spent quite some time in the nets working on the weakness.

Rahul punches a full delivery from Woakes straight down the ground past mid-off for his first four of the innings while Anderson sends down another maiden over as India reach 11 for no loss in five overs.
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12:38   Ashwin claims six as England finish on 400


England 400-all out (130.1 ovs) vs India | Scorecard


Jadeja ends England's innings with the wicket of Buttler, who is bowled after a superb innings of 76, which was laced with six fours and a six in his 137-ball knock.

He was looking to break free as he showed when he lofted Ashwin for a six over long-on in the previous over.

Buttler tried to repeat a similar shot against Jadeja, but missed and was bowled as England finished on a respectable 400 in their first innings.

A splendid showing with the ball once again by India's spin sensation Ashwin, who claimed six for 112 in 44 overs, while Jadeja bagged four for 109 in 37.1 overs on a pitch offering a lot of assistance to the spinners.

England will be happy to have reached 400 and the onus now lies on India to match that score if not get some lead as batting in the fourth innings will not be easy.

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12:33   England bowled out for 400


England 390-9 (128 ovs) vs India | Scorecard


Ashwin strikes early after the lunch break, getting the wicket of Ball, who is caught behind for 31.

This is the off-spinner sixth wicket of the innings as Ball was beaten by some extra bounce as he looked to cut a short ball with Parthiv doing well to hold on to the edge.

Ball played a good hand of 31, adding 54 runs for the ninth wicket with Buttler.

With one just wicket left, Buttler shows his intent as he comes down the track but can only get a single to long-on as the Indians spread the field around for him.
11:36   Buttler hits half-century to guide England on 385-8 at lunch


LUNCH - DAY 2

England 385-8 (125 ovs) vs India | Scorecard


A superb knock from Buttler, who battled at the start, before playing a few shots to reach 64 not out at the lunch interval, hitting six fours in his 122-ball knock, while No. 10 batsman Jake Ball played a handy knock of 29.

The two batsmen were involved in an unbroken stand of 51 runs for the ninth wicket to take England closer to the 400-run mark.

India's spinners claimed three wickets in the session but England were able to build their score as they added 97 runs in 31 overs.

Ashwin dismissed Stokes for 31 to complete his five-wicket haul, while Jadeja bagged the wickets of Woakes (11) and Rashid (4) in the morning session.

India will be hoping to finish off England as soon as possible on a pitch where the second innings could be quite to difficult to bat on.
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11:31   Buttler hits half-century to guide England on 385-8 at lunch


LUNCH - DAY 2

England 385-8 (125 ovs) vs India | Scorecard


India have finally taken the new ball, after 121 overs -- 40 overs after it was actually due.

It is a desperate move from the Indians with England on 372 for eight, and slowly looking pushing towards the 400-run mark.

Buttler has looked quite solid in the last hour or so and is looking to bat more freely after getting to his fifty. Even No. 10 Ball has looked quite good with the bat so far.

Bhuvneshwar gets the second new ball. The second ball is a wide half volley and Ball smashes it square on the off-side for a four, his third of the innings, to take his score to 22. He throws his bat at another wide delivery but is beaten and the next one stays a bit blow and beats the bat again.

Umesh Yadav on from the other end as Buttler and Ball pick a single each.

Buttler has kept the runs coming in the company of Ball. The right-hander goes across his stumps and flicks Bhuvi fine on the leg side for a four and then takes a single to raise the 50-run stand for the ninth wicket and push England closer to the 400-run mark.

Just one over with the new ball for Umesh as Jadeja comes back to bowl the final over of the session. Ball sees off the over to take England to 385 for eight in 125 overs at the lunch break on Day 2.
11:07   Buttler hits half-century as England cross 350


England 357-8 (117 ovs) vs India | Scorecard


Kohli puts down a tough chance at second slip. New batsman Jake Ball goes after Jadeja but gets a thick outside edge which goes to Kohli, who barely has time to react and gets his left hand but is unable to hold on.

Kohli has resisted against make any changes at all so far on Day 2 with Ashwin and Jadeja bowling non-stop with the old ball, which is 115 overs old now.

He doesn't want to take the new ball which could go for some runs and is happy to keep things as they are at the moment.

Meanwhile, Ball rocks back and cuts a short ball from Jadeja through point for a four.

Finally, Ashwin gets a break after a long first spell of 11 overs in which he claimed one for 27. He makes way for the young Jayant Yadav, who comes in to the bowl the 23rd over of the day.

Buttler takes a single from the first ball from Jayant to bring up his fifty, from 106 balls.
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10:44   Rashid bowled for 4, England lose 8th wicket


England 334-8 (112 ovs) vs India | Scorecard


Jadeja finally gets his man Rashid, who offers no shot and watches the ball crash into his stumps.

The left-arm spinner set up the batsman quite well. The first ball spun sharply beating Rashid's attempted forward defensive shot as the huge appeal for caught behind was turned down. Surely, if the Indians had a DRS review left, they would have taken it, they seemed so confident.

But Jadeja got his man two balls later. This time, Rashid offered no shot but the ball was a well disguised arm ball which went straight on and crashed into the stumps.

India have a real chance of bowling out England for around 350 and now it all depends on how Buttler plays from here on.
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10:35   Buttler drives England forward after Ashwin claims 5


England 333-7 (111 ovs) vs India | Scorecard


Jadeja gets his second wicket as he dismisses Chris Woakes caught behind for 32 with wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel taking a sharp catch behind the stumps.

That pitched perfectly on and around the off-stump and drew Woakes into having to defend but he could only manage an edge.

Buttler has held forte on a pitch offering a lot of assistance to the spinners, to score a battling 41 from 91 balls, while Adil Rashid has made 11.

The Indians have also not taken the second new ball, which has been since the 81st over and rightly so.

England have scored 45 runs in 17 overs in the morning session while losing two wickets to reach 333 for seven in 111 overs.
10:12  


England 316-6 (105 ovs) vs India | Scorecard


Ashwin drops it well short as Buttler rocks back and pulls it through midwicket for a four to take England past the 300-run mark, in the 99th over.

The right-hander nudges Jadeja fine on the leg side for a couple before he is beaten by one which turns big as he looks to defend.

England have taken their score to 305 for six in 100 overs with Buttler on 28 and Chris Woakes yet to get off the mark.

Buttler goes after Ashwin, as he chips down the track and lofting him over mid-on and fails to time it properly but Pujara at mid-on can't get back quickly to take what Ashwin and captain Kohli believe was possibly a chance as he also stumbles. Infact, an infuriated Kohli immediately gets Jadeja in that position, a bit deeper at long-on, while Pujara is sent to square leg.

Buttler, 28 is struck on the back foot as he goes back to defend Jadeja. The Indians all go up in appeal but umpire Erasmus is not interested and they immediately take the DRS. The replays show the ball is just clipping the outside half of the leg stump and so the decision stays with the umpire's call, which means Buttler survives.

A slight moment of worry for all Indians as Kohli looks in some pain after getting his knee stuck while trying to slide to retrieve the ball at thirdman. The physio runs out as everyone at the Wankhede watches anxiously but he is okay to continue and gets a huge cheer from the crowd.
09:46   Stokes dismissed for 31, Ashwin gets 5th wicket


England 297-6 (97 ovs) vs India | Scorecard


It's spin to start off with for the Indians as their premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin opens the bowling on Day 2.

Jos Buttler drives the third ball down the ground to long-on for a single to get the first runs on the second day. Ben Stokes looks to sweep but gets a top edge which falls short of the fielder on the square leg fence. He was slow to come to the ball, had he reacted faster that was a possible chance but he stayed back and stopped the ball on the bounce.

In the next over, Stokes connects with the sweep, hitting Jadeja powerfully square on the leg side for a four and picks a single off the next delivery.

The Indians go up in appeal for a caught against Stokes in the slips off Ashwin but the umpire is not interested. Immediately, the Indians go for the DRS and their review is upheld with the snickometre confirming the edge. However, the bat could have hit the ground and made the slight noise but all that doesn't matter as the third umpire rules it out and Stokes has to make his way back.
09:38  


England 288-5 (94 ovs) vs India | Scorecard


It's spin to start off with for the Indians as their premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin opens the bowling on Day 2.

Jos Buttler drives the third ball down the ground to long-on for a single to get the first runs on the second day. Ben Stokes looks to sweep but gets a top edge which falls short of the fielder on the square leg fence. He was slow to come to the ball, had he reacted faster that was a possible chance but he stayed back and stopped the ball on the bounce.

In the next over, Stokes connects with the sweep, hitting Jadeja powerfully square on the leg side for a four and picks a single off the next delivery.

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09:13   India eye quick wickets, England target 400-plus
Welcome to coverage of Day 2 of the fourth Test between India and England at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai, on Friday.

The first day witnessed an exciting day of cricket. England opener Keaton Jennings struck a century on debut before off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin led an Indian fightback with late wickets to leave the visitors 288 for five on the first day of the fourth Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, on Thursday.

The touring side, trailing 2-0 in the five-match series, had been cruising on 230-2 thanks largely to left-handed opener Jennings who made 112 after being dropped on nought.

But Ashwin, the world's top-ranked Test bowler, picked up four wickets to peg back England who had been eyeing a large first innings total on a track already assisting the spinners.

At stumps on the opening day, honours were even with Ben Stokes unbeaten on 25 and Jos Buttler on 18.

Incidentally, For the first time since India played its first ever Test in Mumbai in 1933, no Mumbai player could make it to the playing eleven of a Test played in the nursery of the country's cricket, on Thursday.

Since 1933 when the Bombay Gymkhana, also in South Mumbai, played host to the first Test not only in this city but in the entire country, no Indian team has been without a Mumbai player in the eleven.

However, with Ajinkya Rahane being ruled out of the rest of the series after sustaining a freak finger injury during practice on Wednesday and Thakur, who was in the squad as a cover for Mohammed Shami, also not included, meant there was no representation from Mumbai, the premier team in Indian domestic cricket with a total of 41 Ranji Trophy titles and having produced some of the greatest names in Indian cricket like Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar among others.

The first day's play also saw on-field umpire Paul Reiffel was forced to leave the field on Thursday for medical attention after being hit on the back of the head by a throw from fielder Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the post lunch session.

The former Australia fast bowler was standing at square leg when the ball thrown by Kumar from deep square leg hit him flush on the back of the head and he fell down on the turf.

Play was halted for a while as on-field medical attention was administered before the dazed official left the ground to go into the pavilion for further rest and recuperation.

Reiffel was replaced by Marias Erasmus, who was doing the third umpire's duty indoors and his duties were transferred to reserve official C Shamsuddin sitting inside.

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