England vs India Lord's Test Day 4: England battling for survival

England face an uphill battle to save the second Test at Lord's after slumping to 105 for four at the close of Sunday's fourth day in pursuit of 319 to beat India.

England, chasing a first Test win in 10 matches after series defeats by Australia and Sri Lanka, lost three wickets in 20 balls to leave them teetering at 72 for four.

Joe Root (14) and Moeen Ali (15) ensured there was no further damage, and will resume on Monday needing a further 214 runs for victory as England eye their second-highest successful fourth-innings chase and biggest at Lord's.

Their target is at least 50 runs more that they would have liked, but a thrilling 99-run, eighth-wicket stand between Ravindra Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar Kumar took India's lead past the 300 mark.

Having lost Sam Robson for seven in a tricky period before tea, Alastair Cook and Gary Ballance set about building a platform after the break.

They put on 58 for the second wicket before Ballance (27), who hit 110 in the first innings, was caught by Mahendra Singh Dhoni from the first ball of Mohammed Shami's second spell, a hint of away movement taking an edge.

In the next over, Ian Bell (1) missed a straight ball from Ishant Sharma to leave his side teetering at 71 for three, and shortly afterwards the willowy right-armer also got rid of the out-of-form Cook for 22, caught again by Dhoni behind the stumps.

England's captain, without a test century in over a year, has now scored 115 runs in his last seven innings, the pressure on the 29-year-old likely to increase further after this latest failure.

With Matt Prior and Ben Stokes both struggling for form, much rests on the shoulders of Root and Moeen should England have any hope of avoiding defeat on the final day.

Earlier Jadeja and Kumar put on 99 runs in 100 balls as they hit the England attack to all corners of the ground.

Jadeja, frequently booed by the Lord's crowd over a clash with England paceman James Anderson during the drawn first match at Trent Bridge, brought up his maiden test half-century off 42 balls before falling for 68.

Number nine Kumar continued his fine start to the series, passing 50 for the third time in four innings, having taken career best bowling figures of 6-82 in England's first innings.

He was last man out as India were dismissed for 342.

Opener Murali Vijay top-scored, falling five runs short of a ton when caught by Prior off Anderson shortly after the new ball was taken after spending over six hours in the middle.

TEA

England are 18-1 at tea chasing a record target of 319.

What an amazing day Jadeja is having. He has struck with his first ball. Eng 12-1 in 6.1 overs.

Sam Robson lbw b Jadeja 7 (27b 1x4 0x6)

Robson gets a boundary off Shami whipping him off his pads. Eng 10-0.

Cook begins England's run chase with a boundary in the second over from Shami cutting through point.

INDIA SECOND INNINGS

India have set England a target of 319 in four sessions after being all out for 342.

The visitors were bolstered by a blistering knock of 68 off 57 balls by Jadeja during a 98-run stand for the eighth wicket with Kumar (52) after opener Vijay (95) fell short of a century.

Stokes claims his third wicket as Kumar edges to second slip. Ind all out 343 in 103.1 overs

Bhuvneshwar Kumar c Bell b Stokes 52 (71b 8x4 0x6)

Kumar lofts Stokes back over his head for a boundary to complete his third Test 50 in four innings.

Shami does not last long being caught behind off Moeen. Ind 338-9 in 100.2 overs.

Mohammed Shami c Prior b Ali 0 (2b 0x4 0x6)

Stokes finally gets rid of Jadeja as Cook takes another skier. Ind 334-8 in 99.1 overs.

Ravindra Jadeja c Cook b Stokes 68 (57b 9x4 0x6)

England's woes continue as Jadeja is dropped by Bell at square leg off Stokes. Ind 333-7.

Kumar gets another all-run four after on-driving Broad past mid-on. Ind 316-7.

Big over for India as Kumar upper cuts Anderson for another boundary as they race past 300. Ind 302-7.

Jadeja is rocking answering fire with fire blasting a couple of boundaries off Anderson. 

Kumar drives Plunkett elegantly through the covers for a boundary. Ind 289-7.

Jadeja continues from where he left off at lunch lofting Broad over extra cover for another boundary. Ind 279-7.

Murali Vijay fell five runs short of a well-deserved century on Sunday as England took three valuable wickets in the morning session of fourth day of the second Test at Lord's.

A free-hitting Ravindra Jadeja (37) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (13) will resume after the break with India on 267 for seven, having extended their lead to 243 as they seek to give England a challenging fourth innings chase.

Opener Vijay looked set for his fifth Test century, having resumed on 59, but fell shortly after the new ball was taken, edging James Anderson to wicketkeeper Matt Prior.

England's bowlers had started poorly, pushing the ball either side of the wicket, but once against Yorkshire paceman Liam Plunkett provided the burst of inspiration his side desperately needed.

On Saturday afternoon, as the England attack grew increasingly weary, he removed Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli in consecutive balls to haul his side back into the match.

The following morning, a touch of extra bounce saw an unusually circumspect Mahendra Singh Dhoni (19) edge through to Ian Bell at slip.

Moeen Ali was introduced for a few overs of spin before the new ball was taken and Alastair Cook's decision immediately vindicated when Stuart Binny, yet to get off the mark, skied a shot that the captain caught at full stretch.

The hosts will be conscious of wrapping up the India innings quickly, with Jadeja prepared to chance his arm in the pursuit of quick runs and Kumar, who was dropped by Joe Root, full of confidence after two half-centuries in the drawn first test at Trent Bridge.  

LUNCH

India are 267-7 at lunch, enjoying a lead of 243, with Jadeja unbeaten on 37 off 30 balls having slammed six boundaries.

Kumar hits a boundary with a classic square drive on the back foot off Anderson. Ind 266-7.

Jadeja is turning it on slamming a couple of boundaries off Broad. Ind 256-7.

Jadeja steals a march over his nemesis Anderson with a superb cover drive to the boundary. Ind 246-7.

Anderson strikes with a ball zipped at Vijay who nicks it behind falling short of a century. Ind 235-7.

Murali Vijay c Prior b Anderson 95 (247b 11x4 0x6)

Jadeja is on fire guiding a short ball from Broad to the fine leg fence. Ind 235-6.

England have taken the second new ball with India 225-6 after 80 overs.

Jadeja slams Plunkett through the covers for a boundary as India's lead goes past 200. Ind 225-6.

Moeen goes for 12 with Jadeja making his intentions clear using his feet and smacking a low full toss to the mid-on boundary. Ind 217-6.

Moeen strikes with Binny going for a big hit only to sky it to mid-off. Ind 203-6 in 76.5 overs.

Stuart Binny c Cook b Ali 0 (9b 0x4 0x6)

Plunkett strikes as Dhoni jabs at a length ball only edging to Bell at second slip. Ind 202-5 in 75.1 overs.

MS Dhoni c Bell b Plunkett 19 (86b 2x4 0x6)  

Stokes comes into the attack and Vijay helps himself to another boundary with a judicious drive through the covers. Ind 196-4.

Vijay thumps Plunkett down the ground for a boundary. Ind 191-4.

Vijay edges Broad again to the third man boundary. Ind 185-4.

Vijay opens with a boundary off the first ball of the day from Broad edging past the slips to third man. Ind 181-4.

The floodlights have come on as the conditions are overcast.

A defiant half-century by opener Murali Vijay kept alive India's hopes of setting England a tough fourth-innings chase in a tense second Test at Lord's on Saturday.

The second match of the five-Test series remains finely poised heading into Sunday's fourth day, the visitors finishing at 169 for four.

Vijay (59) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (12) will resume on Sunday with India 145 runs ahead with six second-innings wickets left as they aim to extend England's run without a Test victory to 10 matches and go 1-0 up in the series.

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