Broad counter attack rescues England

NOTTINGHAM, England, July 29 (Reuters) - Stuart Broad launched a late counter-attack with a blazing 64 to help England fight back against India on the first day of the second test on Friday.

India were 24 for one at the close after England had been bowled out for 221 after tea with rookie opener Abhinav Mukund out to the first ball of the innings, caught in the gully by Kevin Pietersen off James Anderson.

Although India finished with the upper hand, England would feel they had clawed their way back into the game after they were reduced to 124 for eight at tea. Broad’s innings came from only 66 balls and he added a crucial 73 with Graeme Swann (28) for the ninth wicket.

“We had a chat at tea and thought we needed to grab some of the momentum back,” Broad told reporters. “If there was any width I was going to throw my hands at the ball. I knew we had to put the Indian bowlers off their line and lengths.”

The Indian pace bowlers shared the wickets evenly as Praveen Kumar claimed three for 45, Ishant Sharma three for 66 and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth three for 77. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh chipped in with the final wicket when Broad was caught on the mid-wicket boundary.

Swann left for an X-ray on his left hand late in the day after the delivery which dismissed him popped dangerously off a full length from Kumar. The X-ray showed no significant damage and the off-spinner is expected to bowl on Saturday after another assessment.

Sreesanth preferred to pay tribute to Broad’s daring innings than express any disappoitment that India had let the match slip.

“That’s how it goes, all credit to him,” Sreesanth said. “He came after us and he took his chances, he played well. It’s good that he came out fighting. It should be a good game.”

The day was one big struggle for batsmen as the ball swung consistently in overcast conditions. England lost Alastair Cook (2) and Jonathan Trott (4) early to make it 23 for two.

Cook was lbw to Sharma, although television replays suggested the ball may have gone over the stumps, while Trott was caught at second slip in Sreesanth’s first over.

Captain Andrew Strauss and Pietersen took the score to 73 for two. From there, wickets fell quickly and no batsman ever looked settled until Broad and Swann came out with their carefree game-plan.

Pietersen (29) fell to the fifth ball after lunch, edging Sreesanth to Suresh Raina at third slip, playing at an out-swinger that he could perhaps have left. A white curtain that formed part of a sightscreen had fallen and may have distracted him.

KUMAR FINED

The batsman had earlier survived one close lbw appeal and at the end of the over an angry Kumar remonstrated with umpire Marais Erasmus. He had to be dragged away by team mate Harbhajan Singh and the International Cricket Council announced later that he had been fined 20 percent of his match fee because of the incident.

Strauss batted patiently for 32 in 165 minutes but he lost patience and was drawn into a full-blooded drive when the probing medium-paced Kumar bowled a rare wide delivery and Raina held a sharp head-high catch at third slip.

The score slumped from 85 for three to 85 for five when Eoin Morgan was dismissed without scoring off his third ball. He was lbw as Kumar moved the ball from leg to middle and off. It was 88 for six when Matt Prior (1) edged another accurate ball on off stump to Dravid at first slip.

Tim Bresnan, playing in place of the injured Chris Tremlett, showed brief resistance before he also edged to Dravid for 11. Ian Bell was the eighth man out, but his dismissal was more out of self-indiscipline than good bowling as he edged an attempted square cut to the wicketkeeper off Sharma.

Bell had been fortunate to survive earlier, when he edged Kumar to Dravid but the ball spilled out of the first slip’s hands as he fell.

“It has been a good exciting day’s cricket,” Broad added. “I always think these days are better than 300 for one or two. India won three quarters of the day but we have changed the momentum a little.

“It’s now down to the bowlers and we’re all excited about what can happen in the morning. It will still swing whether the sun is out or not, it’s not like Lord’s.”

England, who lead the four-match encounter 1-0 after winning the first test at Lord’s, are seeking a sixth straight series victory.