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19 March 2024

India vs England 3rd Test Day 1: Ballance hits century, England 247-2 at close

Published
By Cricket Correspondent and Agencies

Under-fire captain Alastair Cook at last found his form but fell for 95 as he and century-maker Gary Ballance put England in control at the end of the first day of the third Test against India on Sunday.

Ballance was unbeaten on 104, which included 15 fours, and beleaguered captain Cook silenced his critics for now with a battling innings as England reached an imposing 247-2 at the close.

Ian Bell (16) and Ballance safely negotiated the new ball to ensure both will resume on Monday.

Cook, in dreadful recent form which has led to calls from former England captains Michael Vaughan, Geoffrey Boycott, Mike Atherton and Kevin Pietersen for him to resign the captaincy, had a huge slice of luck on 15 when he was dropped by Ravindra Jadeja at slip.

He survived to add 158 with Ballance, who joined an elite group of players with his third century in five tests for England.

Cook batted with few alarms and was looking good for his 26th test century, when he feathered a faint edge down the leg side off Jadeja and was caught by Mahendra Singh Dhoni behind the stumps.

He did however reach a personal landmark as he overtook David Gower and moved into third place in the list of England's all-time leading Test run scorers, on 8,257. Graham Gooch leads the list with 8,900 from Alec Stewart on 8,463.

Cook made the brave call to bat after winning the toss and despite a hint of movement for the seamers, they lost only Sam Robson for 26 to Mohammed Shami before lunch.

The afternoon session belonged to England, although India's Bhuvneshwar Kumar and debutant Pankaj Singh began to find their length with much greater consistency.

Ballance survived a close caught behind call and several deliveries whistled just past the outside edge, before he and Cook reached tea with an unbroken partnership of 131.

Ballance had upped the scoring rate and he reached his century with a perfectly-timed boundary.

He was well backed by Bell, who himself was fortunate to still be there at the close following a close leg before shout off Singh.

India, who lead the five-match series 1-0, made two changes from their victory at Lord's as Singh replaced the injured Ishant Sharma and Rohit Sharma came in for Stuart Binny.

England themselves opted for three changes as Jos Buttler took the place of Matt Prior, Chris Jordan replaced Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes was preferred to Liam Plunkett.

CLOSE

England are 247-2 in 90 overs at close with Ballance unbeaten on 104 while Cook fell five runs short of a century.

Ballance steers Shami to third man for a boundary to reach his third Test century. Eng 238-2 in 84 overs.

Bell flicks Pankaj to fine leg for his first boundary. Eng 232-2.

Bell survives a couple of confident leg before shouts off Pankaj. Eng 223-2.

India have taken the second new ball immediately as it was due with England 220-2.

Cook falls short of a century as he nicks one the leg side off Jadeja. Eng 213-2 in 76 overs.

Alastair Cook c Dhoni b Jadeja 95 (231b 9x4 0x6)

India have packed the leg side but Ballance manages to find the gap by threading it for a boundary.

Ballance square drives Pankaj over the point fielder for a boundary.

Cook pulls a short ball from Shami for a boundary to move into the 90s.

Ballance hits the first boundary after tea glancing Shami to fine leg. Eng 193-1.

Under-fire captain Alastair Cook battled to an unbeaten 82 as England reached 186 for one at tea on the first day of the third Test against India on Sunday.

Cook, dropped on 15 after winning the toss, shared a steady unbroken second-wicket partnership of 131 with Gary Ballance who was 72 not out at the interval.

The only wicket fell before lunch when Mohammed Shami tempted Sam Robson into an awkward prod outside off stump which was taken at third slip by Ravindra Jadeja, who had earlier dropped an equally simple chance offered by Cook.

Robson's departure for 26 ended an opening stand of 55 and England took lunch on 78 for one.

The Indian fast bowlers looked more dangerous at the beginning of the afternoon session as debutant Pakaj Singh and Bhuvneshwar Kumar found their length with greater consistency.

Ballance survived a few scares, including a close caught behind call, and several deliveries whistled past the outside edge, but gradually he settled in to provide Cook with sensible support.

Cook, who hit eight fours, started to show the class and temperament that have been missing from his recent performances as he edged towards a first Test century in 28 innings.

TEA

England are 186-1 in 63 overs at tea with Cook unbeaten on 82 and Ballance on 72.

Dhawan bowls the last over before tea but India go wicketless in the afternoon session. Eng 186-1 in 63 overs.

Cook clips Jadeja to the fine leg fence. Eng 183-1.

Ballance flicks Pankaj down the leg side for another boundary. Eng 178-1.

Ballance gets a couple of boundaries off Pankaj through the covers and to third man. Eng 171-1.

Ballance rocks back and cracks a short ball from Rohit over the cordon to the third man fence. Eng 163-1.

Ballance completes his third fifty in six Test matchesh. Eng 157-1.

The 100 partnership between Cook and Ballance for the second wicket comes in 198 balls. Eng 155-1.

Ballance slams a short ball from Rohit through the covers for a boundary. Eng 149-1.

Cook is now England's third highest Test run-scorer, behind Graham Gooch and Alec Stewart having overtaken Pietersen and David Gower during his monumental knock.

Ballance drills a short one from Kumar over the slip cordon for a boundary. Eng 142-1.

Ballance flicks Kumar to the long-on fence. Eng 109-1.

Cook steers Pankaj to third man boundary to bring up the 50 partnership with Ballance off 91 balls. Eng 105-1.

Ballance upper cuts Shami to the third man boundary. Eng 101-1.

Ballance survives an appeal for a caught behind off a diving Dhoni with replays also not convincing. Eng 91-1.

Cook pulls Shami for a couple as he completes his 36th half century which has been long overdue. It is his fifth against India and first in seven months.

The England captain gets applauded all round at the Rose Bowl and then smacks Shami to the midwicket fence sealing his return to form. Eng 88-1.

Ballance hits the first boundary after lunch tucking away Pankaj to fine leg. Eng 82-1.

Cook won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket that looked like it would favour the fast bowlers and, after being badly dropped at third slip on 15, he played with growing confidence.

He and Sam Robson shared the first half-century opening partnership for England in 11 innings before Mohammed Shami removed Robson for 26, the right-hander edging a simple catch to Ravindra Jadeja at third slip.

Jadeja clung on this time after dropping a straightforward opportunity presented by Cook off the bowling of Pankaj Singh.

Cook was joined by Gary Ballance who was unbeaten on four at the interval.

The decision to bat first was a brave one considering Cook's recent lack of form and with the surface offering a hint of movement for the bowlers, although it was not as quick as first anticipated.

After a steady start in which where England had few scares, tall fast bowler Singh got one to nip away from Cook and his edge carried at a nice height to the slips where Jadeja spilled it.

Shami tempted Robson into an awkward prod outside off stump that carried to Jadeja, who would have been grateful for the simplicity of the chance as he made up for his earlier mistake.

LUNCH

England at 78-1 at lunch in 29 overs with Cook unbeaten on 48.

Jadeja squeezes in an over before lunch and Cook again smacks a half tracker to backward point for a boundary. Eng 78-1.

Rohit Sharma comes on to bowl and over of spin before lunch but Cook pounces on a loose delivery to pick up another boundary through point. Eng 73-1.

Cook steers Shami through the vacant region for another boundary. Eng 64-1.

Shami strikes half an hour before lunch as Robson edges to slip with Jadeja making no mistake this time. Eng 55-1.

Sam Robson c Jadeja b Mohammed Shami 26 (59b 4x4 0x6)

Cook cuts Kumar through point for a delightful boundary which would have given him loads of confidence. Eng 55-0.

Robson gets a boundary off Shami with a sweetly timed drive through extra cover. Eng 51-0.

England openers Cook and Robson have survived the first hour of the third Test reaching 41-0.

Cook got a reprieve on 15 when Jadeja dropped a catch at slip.

Cook (8,184) goes past Kevin Pietersen as the fourth highest run getter in Tests for England.

Robson clips Pankaj to the midwicket fence. Eng 38-0.

Robson drives Kumar beatuifully through the covers for another boundary. Eng 33-0.

Cook gets a life  on 15 as Jadeja at third slip drops a regulation catch off debutant Pankaj Singh. Eng 26-0.

Robson hits his first boundary with a classic cover drive off Kumar. Eng 25-0.

Cook hits the first boundary of the match latching onto an overpitched delivery from Shami to steer it to third man of a thick outside edge. Eng 13-0.

Cook edges the first ball from Kumar short of the slip cordon before scampering for a single next ball to get off the mark.

England have won the toss and elected to bat first in the third Test at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on Sunday.

England, 1-0 down in the five-match series, made three changes from the side which lost the second test at Lord's with wicketkeeper Jos Buttler replacing Matt Prior and Chris Jordan and Chris Woakes coming in for Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett.

India handed a debut to Pankaj Singh, who replaced the injured Ishant Sharma, and Rohit Sharma came in for Stuart Binny in the two changes from the side that won their first overseas Test since 2011 on Monday.

TEAMS

England: Alastair Cook, Sam Robson, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Joe Root, Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes, Chris Jordan, Stuart Broad, James Anderson

India: Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Pankaj Singh

DHONI FUMING

India were hurting at the International Cricket Council's (ICC)decision to fine Ravindra Jadeja 50 percent of his match fee after the row with England's Jimmy Anderson, Mahendra Singh Dhoni said on Saturday.

The punishment was unjust and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) were looking into a possible appeal, Indian skipper Dhoni told reporters ahead of the third test at Southampton which starts on Sunday.

The Jadeja-Anderson altercation happened as the pair left the field during the drawn first Test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, earlier this month.

David Boon, of the ICC's Match Referees Elite Panel, fined Jadeja but found him not guilty of the Level 2 offence with which he was originally charged but guilty of a Level 1 offence relating to "conduct contrary to the spirit of the game".

Anderson faces a Level 3 accusation, the ICC's highest disciplinary charge, and his hearing is set for August 1, at the end of the Southampton Test. If found guilty, Anderson could be given a four-test ban.

"It's a very hurtful decision, frankly, because I felt a lot of things were neglected in judging the case," said Dhoni.

Dhoni said something was said to Jadeja in the corridor and he just turned around to see what was happening and on that basis he has been fined.

"He was pushed so hard he could barely keep his balance. If something is said from behind, you instantly turn around which is what he did," added Dhoni.

"I don't think what Jadeja did was aggressive at all and that's the reason we are very hurt by the wording that has been given.

"The beauty of it is that the allegation was of level two and he got fined under level one. You can't usually appeal that kind of offence but the BCCI and the legals are working things out because we are not at all happy and I don't think Jadeja did anything wrong."

India lead the five test series 1-0 after victory in the second test at Lord's.

Dhoni added: "By their (The ICC's) logic if you were to say 'excuse me' behind me in the corridor and I turned around to face you I would also get fined 50 percent of my match fee."

Jadeja was pivotal to India's win in the second Test at Lord's with a swashbuckling innings of 68 off just 57 balls to help set England what proved to be an unreachable target.

Captain Dhoni had previously intimated that Jadeja lacked confidence but he believes that he can once again do some damage with bat and ball.

He said: "What we have seen is when he starts being himself he has a lot of talent so I think the last innings that he played will give him a lot of confidence, not only over here but also in any other Test matches he will play.

"It gives us the liberty of using other bowlers as he is good at keeping it tight whether the ball is turning or not but still attacking and keeping the batsmen quiet."

COOK DEFIANT

Alastair Cook insisted on Saturday he was strong enough to tough out the attacks on his form and ability as England captain and would carry on in the role.

"My position remains the same and I'm desperate to carry on because I love being England captain and it is an honour," Cook told reporters ahead of the third test against India starting on Sunday in Southampton.

"Until the time where I don't feel I can carry on or someone taps me on the shoulder that's what I'll do."

Cook, beaten in seven of the last nine Tests in charge and going through a dreadful run of form with the bat, also shrugged off increased calls for him to go.

Kevin Pietersen, sacked by England in February, is the latest player to say Cook should quit because he isn't up to the job.

Cook added: "The last three of four weeks everyone has been saying that, so he's no different to anyone else.

"I'd much rather them say nice things about me but they've been through it themselves and they have been criticised in the past.

"I'm a strong-willed guy who doesn't take much notice of what is said from the commentary box or in the media.

"I've just got to be true to myself. It would be good for me to get through this tough period as a person, a captain and a leader."

Cook also said he had the support of the dressing room, saying: "Every guy who has spoken to me has given me their support, unless they're lying to my face."

The beleaguered batsman remains without a century in his last 27 innings but he is confident he can turn his form around.

"I've been putting in the hard yards without getting any rewards which is incredibly frustrating," Cook said.

"The ball has been hitting the middle of the bat and I feel like I've been moving my feet well and it was just two mistakes that got me out (in the last Test) at Lord's. To me it's not far away but I need to prove that by scoring runs.

"At the beginning when it was going really well and I was scoring runs people were saying being captain was helping my batting but now it's not going well people are saying it's not helping and that can be frustrating."

Stuart Broad will be fit to play at The Ageas Bowl but Chris Jordan could replace Ben Stokes in the only other change after Jos Buttler came in for the injured Matt Prior.