Trent Bridge Test: Root takes hold after India's seamers spark England slump

NOTTINGHAM UK Indias seamers maintained the tourists grip on the first Test against England at Trent Bridge on Friday England were 352 for nine in reply to Indias first innings 457 a deficit of 105 runs at stumps on the third dayAfter resuming on 43 for one following the loss of struggling skipper Alastair Cook for five on Thursday England got through Fridays morning session without losing a wicket But all that changed after lunch as Ishant Sharma the only member of Indias attack to have previously played a Test in England took three for 29 in seven overs to turn 131 for one into 172 for fourSignificantly the tall paceman gained a measure of reverse swing that had largely eluded Englands seamers as he countered a stilldocile pitchFellow seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar followed up with a quartet of wickets on his way to Testbest figures of four for 61 in 25 overs His return came a day after having made his highest Test score of 58 during an Indian tenthwicket record stand against England of 111 with Mohammed Shami 51 not out that put the visitors on topHowever England number 11 James Anderson whose last innings ended in tears after his valiant effort to hold out for a draw in Sri Lankas second Test victory at Headingley saw him dismissed off the penultimate ball then kept Joe Root company for over an hour At the close the resolute Root was 78 not out and Anderson unbeaten on 23 with their lastwicket stand so far worth 54 runsEnglands Joe Root celebrates after reaching his halfcentury on Day 3 of the first Test match between England and India at Trent Bridge in Nottingham central England on Friday PicAFPBoth Australiaborn opener Sam Robson and Zimbabweborn lefthander Gary Ballance were 59 not out at lunchRobson though was lbw to Sharma without adding to his score Replays suggested a thin inside edge but Australian umpire Bruce Oxenfords decision given the ball hit Robsons back pad was understandableAnd with the Decision Review System DRS not being used this series because of Indian objections it was the end of a secondwicket partnership worth 125Sharma struck again with a fine delivery that straightened to have Ballance unquestionably lbw for 71Ian Bell in his 101st Test looked in superb touch making a 25 that included 24 runs in boundaries But the righthander withdrew his bat too late from an attempted cut shot off Sharma and feathered a catch through to India captain and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh DhoniShami then produced a lifting delivery which Moeen Ali carelessly turning his head away from the ball gloved to Shikhar Dhawan in the slipsKumar then rocked England with a burst of four for 16 in 26 balls Matt Prior five was given out caught behind by opposing keeper Dhoni standing up to the stumps Replays suggested the noise that prompted Sri Lanka umpire Kumar Dharmasenas raised finger had come from the bat hitting the pad but with no DRS a disbelieving Prior had to goThere was no controversy regarding Ben Stokes exit for a duck when the recalled allrounder pushing away from his body was also caught behind off KumarAllrounder Stuart Broad who had been severely critical of the state of his Nottinghamshire home pitch counterattacked after tea To the first delivery with the new ball lefthanded batsman Broad stroked Kumar through extra cover for four as England avoided the followon But having made a dashing 47 he was lbw to an inswinging delivery from Kumar to end a quickfire stand of 78 Broad made his displeasure at Dharmasenas decision clear but replays confirmed the ball had pitched in line and would have hit the stumpsKumar then bowled Liam Plunkett to leave England 298 for nineAnderson then did more than hold an end up and twice expertly reverseswept leftarm spinner Ravindra Jadeja for four