Strauss puts England in control in Chennai
Posted on Dec 13, 2008 at 09:28 | Updated Dec 14, 2008 at 10:04
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Chennai: India found the noose tightening around them after England wriggled out of an early slump to take a substantial lead and gain firm control of the first Test on Saturday.
The visitors took a handy first innings lead of 75 runs by dismissing India for 241 immediately after lunch and then recovered from a jittery 43 for three to reach a comfortable 172 for three at close on the third day.
England have taken an overall lead of 247 runs with seven wickets still intact and are in a good position to dictate terms in the remaining two days.
First innings centurion Andrew Strauss again played a pivotal role with an unbeaten 73 to pull the tourists out of the pits and put the home team completely on the back foot.
The left-handed Strauss found an able ally in Paul Collingwood (batting 60) as the duo stitched a vital 129-run partnership for the fourth wicket to take the game away from the Indians.
With two days left and the MA Chidambaram track expected to deteriorate further, the Englishmen will fancy their chances of going 1-0 up in the two-match series by setting up a daunting target for the Indians who have to bat last.
The Indians had themselves to blame for being in such a sorry situation as they batted poorly in the first innings and then failed to peg down the visitors after the three early blows.
The pitch had something for the spinners in the first two sessions but seemed to ease out a little in the last session with the Indian bowlers failing to make much of an impact against the well-settled duo.
Strauss, who scored 123 in the first innings, notched up his half-century and played with a great deal of application though he did survive some anxious moments early in the innings.
Earlier, resuming on their overnight score of 155 for six, Dhoni and Harbhajan took upon the battle gamely piling up runs with ease for the seventh wicket but England fought back well in the second hour taking three quick wickets in the space of five overs.
Monty Panesar was the most impressive among the English bowlers and captain Kevin Pietersen pinned his hopes on the left-arm spinner.
Panesar, who opened the attack from the Pavilion end with a maiden over, scalped both Harbhajan and Dhoni as the visitors got back their hold on the match. Panesar's wicket-taking second spell read an impressive 6-1-17-2.
With Harbhajan looking for some quick runs, the Indian scoreboard started moving at a brisk pace. Harbhajan reverse swept Panesar to the ropes to hoist the 50-run stand in 63 minutes off 103 balls between them.
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