| Andy Jalil at Old Trafford In association with INVESTEC cricketarchive.com, pcboard.com.pk © Andy Jalil |
| Ground: | Old Trafford, Manchester |
| Scorecard: | England v India |
| Event: | India in England 2014 |
By Andy Jalil at Old Trafford In association with INVESTEC
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Manchester Poor weather, for so long an absentee this summer, made an unwelcome return causing the second days play in the fourth Test to be abandoned from mid-afternoon. It was of some credit to the ground staff to get the ground prepared for a possible resumption of play after the downpour which began at 2.15pm local time had left puddles all over the outfield.
After an umpires inspection which took place at 5.40pm it was announced that no play was possible as the slippery conditions would have been too hazardous for the players and with just 36 overs bowled on the day, 54 overs have been lost. With Englands score standing on 237 for six in their first innings, they are leading India by 85.
Having resumed on the overnight score of 113 for three and trailing by 39 runs, England lost the nightwatchman, Chris Jordan, in the seventh over to a well taken low catch at mid-wicket by Varun Aaron off Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Ian Bell, 45 not out overnight, meanwhile had brought up his 42nd Test half century. He had cut Kumar for four in the first over of the morning to get to 49 before running a single in the next over.
But Kumar, who was getting prodigious ball movement in both directions, produced an excellent ball which seemed to have had Bell in two minds as it moved away taking the outside edge for a catch behind and England were 140 for five. Bells 58 came from 82 balls and having come to the crease with England on 36 for two, he consolidated the innings over nearly two-and-a half-hours.
England went on to add 30 runs before Moeen Ali, on 13, got a huge in-swinger from Aaron that went between bat and pad to crash into the stumps. Aaron had worked up a fine pace and his short balls had caused problems to Joe Root, once hitting him on the helmet as he took his eye off the ball. But Root and Jos Buttler then settled into a stand taking England to lunch on 201 for three. After the break Root played some fine strokes.
He took two fours in an over from Pankaj Singh, the first was a drive off the back foot and the second was powerfully cut, both shots to the backward square leg area. Later a delicate late cut to third man off Ravindra Jadeja saw him into the forties.
Just over half-an-hour into the second session, with Root on 48 from 94 balls faced and Buttler on 22 from 53 were in an unbroken 67-run partnership from 115 balls when the deluge brought the eventual end to the days play. According to forecast there is more rain to cause further disruption during this Test match with the series standing evenly balanced at one Test each.
(Article: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only.
Copyright © 2014 Andy Jalil)