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06-Aug-2021 17:43:00 GMT
Eng vs Ind - 1st Test, Trent Bridge, day 3

Rain forces early stumps after India take 95-run lead

England 183 (Root 64, Bumrah 4-46, Shami 3-28) and 25 for 0 (Burns 11*) trail India 278 (Rahul 87, Jadeja 56, Robinson 5-85, Anderson 4-54) by 70 runs

Nottingham: Ollie Robinson's maiden five-wicket haul continued England's resurgence in the first Test against India - but the hosts' sloppiness in the field cost them on day three at Trent Bridge.

Robinson, playing in his second Test after the discovery of offensive historical tweets overshadowed his debut, took 5-85 and James Anderson 4-54 to dismiss the tourists for 278.

However, England dropped two catches and missed four clear run-out opportunities to go with a drop and a squandered run out from day two.

One was particularly costly. Ravindra Jadeja should have been run out on four, going on to make a valuable 56.

He added 60 for the sixth wicket with KL Rahul, who was dropped for a second time by Joe Root on 78, only to be dismissed six runs later for 84.

India's last three wickets added 72, with number 10 Jasprit Bumrah swinging his way to 28, to extend their lead to 95.

Faced with such a deficit, England's fragile batting was under pressure, but Rory Burns and Dom Sibley were untroubled in moving to 25-0 when rain frustratingly arrived at 17:15 BST. Farcically, play was abandoned for the day an hour later, even though the ground was bathed in sunshine.

More bad weather is forecast on Saturday, potentially ruining a contest that could yet provide an intriguing conclusion.

This was an eventful day played in front of a lively crowd, and one that could have been even better for England.

Though their fightback from being bowled out for 183 on the first day is impressive, it could have been even better had they been sharper in the field.

Just as when Sibley dropped Rahul when he had 52 on Thursday, Dan Lawrence's failure to run out Jadeja could be decisive in the outcome of this match.

With Jadeja well short of his ground, Lawrence's throw from the covers should have gone to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler, but instead he aimed to hit the stumps direct and missed.

England missed with three other shies at the stumps - Bumrah could have been run out before he had scored, with Anderson this time guilty of being off-target.

Reprieved, he was able to cause chaos, at one stage taking Sam Curran for 14 in three deliveries, as India's tail wagged for priceless rewards.

England's revival was begun on day two by the masterful Anderson and continued on Friday by Robinson, a pace bowler at the opposite end of his international career.

Robinson was banned after racist and sexist tweets were discovered on the first day of his Test debut against New Zealand in June, but his on-field performance at Lord's suggested he had the skills to succeed in Test cricket.

That suspicion was confirmed at Trent Bridge, as he worked his way through the India lower-order with nagging length and seam movement.

Anderson had earlier been involved in an exchange with Rahul when the batsman wanted to leave the field during a shower and had the frustration of seeing him dropped by Root, before he produced a wonderful delivery that was feathered behind.

Shardul Thakur edged Anderson to first slip Root, then Robinson got to work. Jadeja skied to mid-off, Mohammed Shami was bowled by one that nipped back and Bumrah was eventually well held by Stuart Broad at fine leg.

The combined nine-wicket return of Robinson and Anderson compensated for the struggles of Broad and Sam Curran and, as Robinson took the applause, there was a sense that he may form an important part of England's attack for some time to come.


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