India staring at third straight defeat after England post 710-7 decl on Day 3

India staring at third straight defeat after Cook's 294 and Morgan's 104 help England post 710-7 decl; Sehwag's first-ball duck again has visitors struggling at 35-1 on Day 3

India staring at third straight defeat after England post 710-7 decl on Day 3

India staring at third straight defeat after Cook's 294 and Morgan's 104 help England post 710-7 decl; Sehwag's first-ball duck again has visitors struggling at 35-1 on Day 3

12, 1, 2, 5 ufffdnow 294. England opener Alastair Cook sure knows how to make it large. Yesterday, on Day Three of the third Test against India, the tall Essex man shrugged off his low scores in the first four innings of this landmark series in more emphatic fashion than on Thursday when he stayed unbeaten on 182 in response to India's feeble 224.

There will be no second chance for Sehwag. The first one came and went in one ball on Wednesday morning. A horrific first innings golden duck was followed by a sickening pair. Good teams become great teams when they have realistic plans for each batsman. They are also masters of seduction and that's what probably got Sehwag. Wonder whether the fact that India trailed by 483 runs at the time of him taking strike, dawned on him. Sure, he hit the first ball he faced to the boundary several times during the last World Cup. But this is Test cricket. India's cricket credibility is at stake.

That Rahul Dravid had to come in to do battle yet again with the scoreboard reading precious little enlarged his image of being Mr Atlas of Indian cricket. The Indians will pray for heavy rain to duck a bullet at Edgbaston. Else, England will win the series here and with it, their well deserved World No 1 status.

Two good: Alistair Cook (right) congratulates Eoin Morgan after the
latter reached his century at Edgbaston yesterday. Pic/getty images

Now, to Cook. To say he cashed in on his overnight score of 182 is like saying a bank has money by the bags. Though the bowling was not top-class by any stretch of imagination, Cook did not exactly indulge in big-hitting. He faced 545 balls for his 294 in nearly 13 hours to grind the Indian bowling. His solidity deserved a 300 plus score, but he missed it by six runs when he hit one straight to Suresh Raina who fell on his back to take a famous catch in the deep on the off-side off Ishant Sharma. As expected, Andrew Strauss declared the innings closed. With a first innings score of 710 for seven, England had batted India out of the Test match.

Eoin Morgan's century effort helped England in no small measure. Like Cook, he cashed in, not so much on his overnight 44, but on his two chances the previous day. The left-hander played fluently and reached his fifty off 73 balls and went on to score his second Test hundred. He put on 222 runs with Cook for the fourth wicket.
Cook's 294 is yet another example India being at the receiving end of a big innings at this ground. David Lloyd and David Gower took double hundreds off India in 1974 and 1979 respectively. Another left-hander joined in yesterday.

India's foibles still dominate cricket discussions here, but to be fair to the tourists, they were better in the field yesterday than Thursday. It will take a huge effort to save this Test, but at least they can show some steel today. The tense last half an hour does not lend much hope of survival, but the Indian batsmen don't have to look too far ahead for inspiration. He will be right there at short leg or silly point.

Brief scores:
India 224 (MS Dhoni 77, S Broad 4-53, T Bresnan 4-62) & 35-1 (G Gambhir 14 no, R Dravid 18 no) trail by 451 runs; England 710-7 dec (A Cook 294, E Morgan 104, A Mishra 3-150)

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