India vs England Lord's Test Day 3: Vijay stays defiant as India look to build lead

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.

Having taken a 24-run lead, England bowled with greater accuracy than in India's first innings, when they wasted their advantage on a green-tinged pitch that is now showing a touch of variable bounce.

After getting rid of Shikhar Dhawan before tea, England's four-strong seam attack had shown signs of tiredness on a warm London afternoon, having bowled a combined 222 overs on a dead pitch in the drawn first test at Trent Bridge.

That surface was so poor it has since been reported to the International Cricket Council (ICC) by match referee David Boon.

Just as Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara started to look set, however, a double strike by Liam Plunkett injected some much-needed life into the England side.

First he had Pujara (43) feather an edge through to Matt Prior, before moving the next ball in off the pitch, hitting Virat Kohli's stumps with the batsman not playing a shot.

Next to go was first-innings centurion Ajinkya Rahane, given out caught by Prior off Stuart Broad on five despite the ball hitting his arm-guard, the third wicket to fall in the space of five runs.

VIJAY STEADY

While Vijay continued to look steady at one end, captain Dhoni rode his luck, surviving two lbw shouts from Plunkett in one over as he insisted on playing as few balls as possible.

Vijay passed 50 off 162 balls, while Dhoni knuckled down to offer the opener valuable support as India aim for a lead of at least 300.

"Overall I think it's evenly balanced, but what we need to do is really bat well tomorrow and we need somewhere near 300 runs on the board and then get them out," Pujara told reporters.

"The wicket has started deteriorating a bit, we have seen variable bounce on the wicket, so we are very confident we can get them out.

"First thing is, bat well tomorrow."Earlier Plunkett's maiden Test half-century helped England add 100 runs to their overnight total, their first innings eventually ending on 319.

After Gary Ballance's second Test century on Friday, nightwatchman Plunkett provided the main resistance, reaching his half-century off 75 balls on his way to an unbeaten 55.

India's Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed career-best bowling figures of 6-82.

"I take pride in my batting, I love to bat, I started in the juniors as a batsman mainly," Plunkett said.

"I still work hard on it, it's always nice to get a Test 50 and obviously runs at the end have been crucial, as Jimmy (Anderson) showed last game, so to get a partnership at the end past their score was a good feeling."

He acknowledged the importance of his double breakthrough midway through the final session, just as India looked to be gaining the upper hand.

"I felt in good rhythm, obviously I got my lengths wrong first innings. It started to swing and it was good to get them two wickets in two balls," he said.

CLOSE

India are 169-4 at close on day three, enjoying a lead of 145, with Murali Vijay unbeaten on 59.

Anderson returns to the attack and Vijay cracks two consecutive boundaries. Ind 156-4.

India are stuttering with Broad having Rahane caught behind. Ind 123-4 in 46.3 overs.

Ajinkya Rahane c Prior b Broad 5 (8b 1x4 0x6)

Double blow for India as Pujara and Kohli fall in succesive balls. Ind 118-3 in 43.4 overs

Pujara is caught behind while Kohli is castled for a golden duck by Plunkett.

Virat Kohli b Plunkett 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)

Chesteshwar Pujara c Prior b Plunkett 43 (83b 7x4 0x6)

The second Test between England and India at Lord's remains finely poised on Saturday, the visitors holding a slim 60 run lead at tea on the third day.

Murali Vijay (21) and Cheteshwar Pujara (25) will resume after the break with India at 84 for one, Shikhar Dhawan the only wicket to fall in a slow middle session.

England bowled with greater accuracy than in India's first innings, when they wasted their chance to take advantage of a green-tinged pitch that is now showing a touch of variable bounce, without seriously threatening to make inroads.

After recovering from the loss of Dhawan, brilliantly caught by Joe Root at point off Ben Stokes, Vijay and Pujara slowly set about building a base as they attempt to hand England a tricky fourth-innings chase.

TEA

India are at 84-1 in 31 overs at tea, enjoying a lead of 60, with Vijay (25) and Pujara (21) having added 44 runs for the second wicket.

Pujara cracks a couple of boundaries off Plunkett as India take their lead to 50. Ind 74-1.

Plunkett returns to the attack and Pujara steers him to third man for another boundary. Ind 60-1.

Vijay flicks Broad to the fine leg fence. Ind 56-1.

Pujara gets his first boundary with a lovely cover drive off stokes. Ind 52-1.

Stokes strikes in his third over as Dhawan slashes at a short ball with Root at point lunging to his left and taking a superb catch. Ind 40-1 in 14 overs.

Shikhar Dhawan c Root b Stokes 31 (45b 4x4 0x6)

Dhawan cracks Anderson through the covers for his fourth boundary. Ind 33-0.

India wipe off the slender lead held by England. Ind 25-0.

Dhawan hits the first boundary after lunch pushing Broad past backward point. Ind 19-0.

England claimed a slim first-innings lead thanks to some lusty lower-order hitting and Liam Plunkett's maiden half century on the third morning of the second Test against India at Lord's on Saturday.

England resumed at 219 for six in pursuit of India's first innings tally of 295 and nightwatchman Plunkett (55 not out), assisted by Matt Prior and number 11 James Anderson, knocked off the 76-run deficit with the innings eventually ending on 319.

India were 11 without loss in their second innings at lunch with Murali Vijay, who had yet to score, and Shikhar Dhawan (10) set to resume after the break.

Plunkett, through a mixture of expansive shots and edges behind the wicket, reached his first Test 50 off 75 balls, with India's bowlers unable to generate much movement despite the overhead conditions.

The Yorkshire quick made a fast start alongside Prior before the wicketkeeper fell to a good catch by Shikhar Dhawan off Mohammed Shami for 23.

India's standout bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar (6-82) secured a well-deserved five-wicket haul when he bowled Ben Stokes for a duck and claimed his sixth wicket when Stuart Broad (4) clipped him to Dhawan at slip.

However James Anderson, fresh off his top score of 81 in the drawn first test at Trent Bridge, offered fellow paceman Plunkett good support as they raced past the 300 mark.

They put on 39 at nearly run a ball for the final wicket before Anderson fell for 19, England having scored 100 runs in the morning session to lead by 24.

LUNCH

India's openers Dhawan and Vijay survived four hostile overs from Anderson and Broad before taking lunch at 11--0, trailing by just 13 runs.

Dhawan stands tall and steers Broad to the point boundary. Ind 11-0.

Dhawan hits the first boundary of the innings jabbing Broad to third man. Ind 6-0.

Anderson begins with a maiden to Vijay as India begin their second innings.

ENGLAND FIRST INNINGS

England are all out for 319 in their first innings, a lead of 24, half an hour before lunch day three.

Kumar finished with excellent figures of six for 82, only the third Indian to take a six-wicket haul at Lord's.Anderson is the last man out attempting a reverse switch off Jadeja only spooning a catch to Rahane at slip. Eng 319 all out in 105.5 overs.

James Anderson c Rahane b Jadeja 19 (21b 3x4 0x6)

Plunkett hits his maiden Test half century with two consecutive boundaries off Kumar through the covers and third man. Eng 314-9.

Anderson cuts a short ball from Shami through the covers for a boundary. Eng 305-9.

Anderson lofts Kumar over midoff for a boundary as England overhauled India's total of 295. Eng 298-9.

Anderson survives a confident appeal for leg before off Kumar and then slams him through the covers for a boundary. Eng 284-9 in 99.2 overs.

Broad whacks a boundary of Kumar but edges the next ball to slip. Eng 280-9 in 98.4 overs.

Stuart Broad c Dhawan b Kumar 4 (2b 1x4 0x6)

Kumar claims his fifth wicket castling Stokes for a duck with a beauty. Eng 276-8 in 98.2 overs.

Ben Stokes b Kumar 0 (8b 0x4 0x6)

Plunkett gets another boundary steering Sharma through the slip cordon but is treated to a bumper barrage thereafter. Eng 276-7.

Plunkett gets a streaky boundary attempting to drive on the off but getting a thick inside edge to fine leg. Eng 272-7.

Prior's aggressive knock comes to an end as he top edge Shami with Dhawan running back to take a superb catch. Eng 265-7 in 94.3 overs.

Matt Prior c Dhawan b Mohammed Shami 23 (42b 4x4 0x6)

Plunkett is on fire plonking Sharma through the covers and then hooking to the square leg fence off consecutive balls. Eng 261-6.

The floodlights are on at Lord's with conditions being overcast and umpire Dharmasena checking the light meter.

Positive start by England with Prior and Plunkett picking up boundaries off Shami. Eng 253-6.

Plunkett also gets a boundary with a confident looking shot on the back foot punching Kumar through the covers. Eng 243-6.

Shami comes into the attack after two overs from Sharma and Prior clips him to square leg for another boundary. Eng 239-6.

Prior hits the first boundary of the third morning glancing Kumar to fine leg. Eng 231-6.

Dhoni has set an attacking field with three slips and a gully with Sharma and Kumar opening bowling.

England's Gary Ballance scored his second Test century as the second Test against India sat evenly-poised following a sweltering day's play at Lord's on Friday.

Having dismissed the visitors for 295 on a pitch that appears to be getting easier to bat on, England reached 219 for six at the close of day two. Liam Plunkett (4) and Matt Prior (2) will look to reach India's total on Saturday should the predicted poor weather hold off, while the visitors will be desperate to take a lead into their second innings.

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