England are once again facing a massive fourth innings chase on a logic-defying day of Test cricket in the second Test at Edgbaston.
Jamie Smith [184*] and Harry Brook [158] both hit huge centuries in a partnership of 303 but England still fell 180 runs short of India’s first innings total after a record-breaking SIX batters were out for ducks.
India are leading by 244 runsAFPWhat made the partnership even more incredible was that it started with Smith facing a hat-trick ball following the quick-fire dismissals of Joe Root [22] and Ben Stokes [0] in the second over of the day.
There was a touch of fortune about Root’s dismissal as he got a fine edge down the leg side from Mohammed Siraj.
But the wicket of Stokes was straight out of the old school as Siraj banged one in short and Stokes could only glove it through to the keeper.
Despite the jeopardy, Smith dreamily drove it through extra cover for four and from that moment on the game went back the way of England as records tumbled, the field spread and India started to toil.
Smith was especially dominant through extra cover but also quick on the pull through midwicket.
India tried a short ball ploy which Smith took 25 from another expensive Prasidh Krishna [0-72] over.
There were two half chances in the morning with Brook cutting hard to Shubman Gill at first slip and Washington Sundar getting fingertips to a drive from the bat of Smith but apart from that little fazed either batter as England added 173 in the session.
And despite being 84-5 when the partnership started Smith reached his century in just 80 balls, the joint fourth fastest in the history of England Test cricket.
After lunch the scoring slowed with India bowling wide of off stump and packing the covers. England didn’t lose a wicket in adding 107 as they continued to eat into India’s lead.
After tea India seemed desperate to get to the second new ball and the plan worked with Mohammed Siraj coming into the game much as he did at the start of play.
Smith was one of the stars of the show on FridayGetty He and Brook starred on a dramatic day of test cricketGettyHowever he needed his new ball partner Akash Deep to blast out Brook with a brilliant delivery that jagged back into the right hander to take the stumps.
And in a blink of an eye England were all out, losing their last five wickets for just 20 runs to hand India a 180 lead.
With just under an hour to navigate both openers started quickly with India reaching 50 inside eight overs only for Josh Tongue to pin Yashasvi Jaiswal LBW for 28.
But KL Rahul and Karun Nair saw them through to stumps on 64-1 a lead of 244 and two full days to come.
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