India strike early to leave England in spin

AHAMEDABAD - England made a calamitous start in reply to India's 521 for eight, reaching 41 for three at stumps on day two in the first Test in Ahmedabad.

Saturday, November 17, 2012

AHAMEDABAD - England made a calamitous start in reply to India's 521 for eight, reaching 41 for three at stumps on day two in the first Test in Ahmedabad.Cheteshwar Pujara resumed in the morning on 98 not out and reached 206 unbeaten as India built their advantage steadily, before declaring with 18 overs left in the day.England looked to survive until the close, but India's spinners picked up three wickets in three overs to leave the tourists in a mess with three days still to play.Debutant Nick Compton took most of the strike, and his technique held up well for 52 balls until Ravichandran Ashwin bowled him through the gate for nine runs.James Anderson was sent in as nightwatchman with 20 minutes of the day remaining, but was quickly exposed, perishing for two after a sharp bat-pad catch by Gautam Gambhir off the bowling of Pragyan Ojha.That brought the man he was protecting, Jonathan Trott, to the crease, and he departed in the same fashion for a four-ball duck to Ashwin, Pujara capping off an excellent day with the catch.Kevin Pietersen (six) and Alastair Cook (22) took England through to stumps, a very distant 480 runs adrift of their hosts.