Zaheer Khan took three wickets as India reduced England to 169 for seven at stumps on the first day of the second Test at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Friday. India’s performance was all the more impressive as all the wickets fell in just two sessions after a wet outfield meant there was no play before lunch.
The weather came to India’s rescue as they drew the first Test at Lord’s on Monday with England just a wicket away from going 1-0 up in the three-match series. Bad light, which forced an early tea, with India, at 282-9, still 98 runs shy of their imposing victory target of 380, initially gave the tourists a dramatic reprieve.
Kevin Pietersen’s first Test hundred against India set up a strong position for England at stumps on the fourth day at Lord’s on Sunday. The tourists — dismissed for a meagre 201 in their first innings — were 137 for three at the close, needing a further 243 runs to reach their target of 380.
James Anderson took a Test-best five for 42 on his return to the side to give England the advantage over India in their series opener at Lord’s on Saturday. England were 77 for two in their second innings — a lead of 174 — at stumps on the third day after India had collapsed to 201 all out.
India fought back with two wickets late in the final session to leave England 268-4 at stumps on the first day of the first Test at Lord’s on Thursday. England, 247-2 when play resumed after a second bad-light stoppage, lost two wickets for three runs in nine balls as they declined to 255-4.
Sachin Tendulkar says it is a passion for cricket rather than a desire to keep adding to his already impressive list of records that provides the reason for him to extend his career. Tendulkar has had his motivation called into question recently after a poor World Cup in the Caribbean where India exited at the first-round stage.
Stand-in skipper Chris Gayle praised West Indies’ resolve as they came from behind to clinch a 2-1 one-day series success against England with a crushing 93-run win at Trent Bridge. West Indies, overwhelmed 3-0 in the preceding Test campaign, were a team transformed and dominated England in all departments during Sunday’s match.
South Africa stand-in skipper Jacques Kallis said the way in which younger players had made their mark eased some of the pain involved in a 2-1 one-day international series defeat against India. Three close matches at Stormont ended on Sunday with India’s second successive six-wicket win, this time with four balls to spare.
Sachin Tendulkar became the first man to score 15 000 one-day international runs as India beat South Africa by six wickets in the second one-day international at Stormont in Belfast on Friday. Tendulkar top-scored with 93 as India finished on 227 for four with five balls to spare, and so levelled the three-match series at 1-1.
South Africa captain Jacques Kallis’s unbeaten 91 saw his side to a four-wicket win over India at Stormont in Belfast on Tuesday in the first of three one-day internationals. Kallis’s well-paced innings saw South Africa overhaul an India total of 242 for eight built around a third-wicket stand of 158 between Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid.