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By Tom Fordyce
Pah, Test cricket. Just another full house, sun shining, stunning collapses, brilliant centuries, a hat-trick, 400 runs scored in a single day and a small incident that will be known forever more as IsHeOutYesHeIsNoHeIsntGate. I just wish there'd been some drama.
Thrilling scenes last night, by the way. After a dramatic four-hour chase involving night-vision goggles, three sniffer dogs, one helicopter and strange backpack containment unit borrowed from Bill Murray, I finally captured the Spirit of Cricket.\u00a0
Cornered it down a dead-end alley near the canal. I'll be honest with you - if MS Dhoni hadn't described it so clearly to me I would never have recognised it. Looks nothing like you'd expect - just a small white wisp about four inches high, with a slight shimmer to it. And a remarkable turn of pace.
Our match situation: England will resume their second innings on 441-6, 374 runs ahead, Matt Prior unbeaten on 64 and Tim Bresnan on 47. Cloudy overhead, another sell-out crowd, two days left.
Having captured the Spirit of Cricket I cupped it in my hands for a while and examined it in detail. The strangest thing? It gives off the faintest aroma of toasted almonds.
"Whatever target England set India, the tourists would have to break a record to win this Test. The highest\u00a0successful run chase\u00a0at Trent Bridge\u00a0was 284-6 by\u00a0England against New Zealand in 2004, with a certain Graham Thorpe scoring 104 not out."
From Paul in Swindon, TMS inbox: "I\u00a0think the spirit of cricket is the only spirit I didn't drink this weekend. I wish I had, I imagine it tastes sweet and full of goodness, unlike the filth I consumed."
"Pitch looks a good one now. The new ball will be the key when England bowl. England to win by tomorrow morning. Should still swing!"
I've got it with me here, on the desk to the left of my laptop. Not sure Henry Blofeld's thermos flask was the ideal place to store it, but it was all I had to hand, and at least it's secure. One other thing that will surprise you: the sound it makes. I'd always assumed the Spirit of Cricket would sound like leather on willow mixed with gentle ripples of warm applause, but it actually emits nothing more than an almost imperceptible high-pitched hum - a bit like an electric toothbrush being used three rooms away.
In case you have just returned from a trip to the moon, a reminder of why the spirit of cricket is foremost in our thoughts today. It all centres around Ian Bell and his decision to trot off for tea while India were busy running him out. England asked India to withdraw their appeal and the tourists agreed, the general consensus being that although Bell was technically out, his dismissal contravened the spirit of the game. Bell later admitted he had been "naive", while Jonathan Agnew praised India for\u00a0a generous gesture that prevented a poisoning of relations between the teams.
England batting coach Graham Gooch on Test Match Special: "We hope to bat to around lunchtime and then with such a huge total the pressure\u00a0will be on\u00a0India, but we'll need to bowl well and\u00a0some of their batsmen are in\u00a0good form."
From Rob at work, TMS inbox: "How about a new urn with the encaptured Spirit as a new trophy between India and England as a constant reminder of why cricket remains the best game ever."
Here we go - Sreesanth to open out from the Pavilion End, and Matt Prior will punch \u00a0away off the back foot for a single to deep point. Tim Bresnan now, and - ooof - that gets big on him, and he edges away through third man for four off the handle, I think. That's Brezucio's 50 - 69 balls, super knock, the fifth score of 50 or more in England's innings. CRASH! Four more, battered down the ground, and England have started like a Ferrari.
From Steve in Leicester, TMS inbox: "Any chance you could repackage the elusive spirit and consign the merest whiff to every Premiership footballer?"
Tempter outside off, tried to run it away, skinny edge through to the stumper.
"What a start to the day, boundaries galore, then a wicket. Kumar has been getting the ball to swing, but that was a tired looking\u00a0catch by Dhoni which you can understand because he's been fielding for a long time."
Anti-climactic end to a fine, biffing knock from Prior. The snick was audible all the way up here, but there followed a rather stunned period of silence from the rapidly-filling stands. Almost an exact repeat of his dismissal in the first Test - that time he was c Dhoni b Kumar 71. Stuart Broad cheered all the way to the middle.
From Rob in London, TMS inbox: "Re. 10.45, the aroma of toasted almonds - it sounds as though the spirit of cricket may have popped a cyanide capsule to avoid being taken alive. Have you checked its pulse?"
Kumar receiving some treatment from the physio on the outfield. Think they're applying some strapping to his bruised ego. Big queues at the Trent Bridge turnstiles and security checks; all four days so far have been sell-outs.
From Gavin, TMS inbox: "Do other sports have a spirit? I can sniff a TV ratings winner here \u2013 a Spirit Superstars. Bet the football spirit has a dodgy perm and falls off his bike."
It's Yorkshire Day today, I'm told. Perfect occasion for Bresnan to clatter some more runs in front of an appreciative crowd. Four more, cut away late to beat the man at backward point to move to 64. Wonder how Lord Boycott of Boycottshire will be marking the date. I'll stick in the champagne graphic in lieu of a pint glass/Jagerbomb combo (other fighting juices also available).
From Rob in West Wickham, TMS inbox: "I've always thought that the Spirit of Cricket would be similar to the Spirit of Ecstasy found perched on the front of a Rolls Royce. Only in Cricket's case it would be Blowers with a glass of port in one hand and found perched on the front of a passing double decker bus."
Dreadful fielding from Harbhajan, who's enduring a frightful match. Broad pushes a tight single and the old boy at mid-off runs straight over it and then carries on jogging towards midwicket. Oh, smashing shot from Bresnan, drilling a delightful cover drive away to race along to 70. If you were Skipper Strauss, when would you declare?
From Isaac in\u00a0Manchester: "All spirits leave hangovers; it's a rather bitter twist that India's hangover from partaking of the spirit of cricket is almost certainly a heavier defeat."
Sreesanth flings in a yorker, perhaps as another nod to the auspicious day of celebration in that particular northern county. Bresnan hails it late and slaps it off his ankles for four to fine leg. Nice line from Malcolm Ashton: 150 runs have been scored through third man during this innings alone. Can you hear me, Dhoni/Fletcher? Stuart Broad might have tweaked something here - the physio is on with a brace of painkiller pills.
FromTom in\u00a0Maidenhead: "Fact of the day, Sreesanth was a national breakdancing champion in the eighth grade."
From Tom, TMS inbox: "Surely horse-racing's spirit would wear a deer-stalker, call its wife the \u2018boobie\u2019 and refuse to get out of bed to take part in any of the challenges."
Mmmm, dreamy drive away by Broad for four through cover as Kumar trundles in like a part-timer. Wider, teasing, slashed away backward of point for another boundary. England making hay, the field placings puzzling at best, and if India are to win this match they will now have to successfully chase down the biggest fourth innings target in Test history.
From Duncan, TMS inbox: "Many years ago I saw the spirit of cricket being cruelly pelted with underarm bowling by Trevor and Ian Chapell. Glad to hear he has recovered sufficiently."
"Very rarely do you score nearly 400 runs in a day. England did that yesterday and\u00a0have flown along and I put that down to some very strange field placings. When India look at the wagon wheel\u00a0they'll see\u00a0a third of the runs, almost,\u00a0have gone down to third man. I\u00a0know it's unfashionable to have a third man\u00a0but you have got to plug that gap. It's unbelievable, and it's soul-destroying for the bowler."
"England's run rate in this second innings is now 4.54... Carnage."
\u00a0
Bresnan piling in to this demoralised Indian attack. What a cover drive that is, sent packing with both timing and muscle. Lots of you saying that you'd let the big man get to his maiden Test ton and then declare, giving India a nasty 40 minutes before lunch. A few more cautious ones wanting to bat till mid-afternoon, but with the score accelerating past 500, what would England be on by then - 700?
Brezucio, I should make clear, is not slogging. He's playing authentic, classy cricket shots that would please a Test no.4. Biffing drive again, the sound of ball coming off bat ricocheting round the ground. 84 now off 106 balls, a ton surely there for the taking.
From Howard, TMS inbox: "How many units a week of Cricketing Spirit is allowed?"
"That was a flan of the highest flan order. Those two balls from Yuvraj\u00a0were short, slow and had nothing on them to worry the batsman. There's a huge gap and you just have to put on ball and you get four runs. It's as simple as that."
Dear oh dear. Yuvraj comes on, and that is absolute filth - short, slow, smashed away by Broad for successive fours. "That's not even pies - it's flan, it's flan of the flan!" growls Phil Tufnell to my left. India seem almost to have given this up - they were twice in dominant positions in this game, once with England at 124-8 on the first day and then when 260-odd for 4 in their own first innings, but they are now staring down the barrel of another spanking defeat.
From Andy in Bristol, TMS inbox: "If I were Skipper Strauss (what a lovely thought on a day stuck in the office), I would allow Biffer Bresnan to continue on his merry way to a well-deserved Yorkshire Day 100 and then unleash hell (or at lest Broad)."
Good question some of you are posing on Twitter: if Bresnan scores a ton here, can he really be dropped for Chris Tremlett? And, related to that, if Jonathan Trott's injured shoulder rules him out of the third Test at Edgbaston, should all these lower order runs persuade Flower and Strauss to go with five bowlers and Prior at six? Short from Raina, pulled away mightily by Broad into the new stand for a huge six. Raina, short again... SIX MORE!
Let's put this all in context: India are ranked as the best Test team in world cricket. They had England two men down and still in arrears this time on Sunday. And yet now England's eight and nine are smashing their attack all over the place in a manner that would embarrass Bangladesh. Short from Sharma, pulled away by Bresnan straight through the man at deep square leg. India's fielding has been nothing short of atrocious.
From Peter, TMS inbox: "If this cricket match was being held in a park or at a school, someone with a level head would have intervened by now and said 'this isn't exactly fair; let's even things up a bit: Stuart and Ian, please go and join the other team'."
England plundered 80 runs in that first hour of play. How many more until Strauss calls them in? Quick single ... risky .... out! Very sharp piece of fielding by the India sub Saha. Underarm throw breaks the stumps.
It's another one. Extra bounce from Kumar, surprises Brezzer, spears off an outside edge, easy catch for Dravid in the gully.
Michael Vaughan to my left disappointed England have not declared. Not much point in Jimmy scraping 10 more is his gist. Boycs saying the same on TMS. Anderson gets behind his first ball.
Another factor at play here. Why risk Swann's wrist injury by making him bat? The England tweaker gets off the mark with a prod into space.Jimmy on strike now - Sharma away-swinger beats the bat.
From Tom Causer, TMS inbox: "This performance by Broad must be one of the greatest of the modern era, 64 runs off of 66 balls in the first innings (with his side 124/8 when he arrived at the crease), 6-46 with the ball (including 5 for 0 in 16 balls) and then 44 runs off of 32 balls in the second innings. What's he got in store with the ball this afternoon?"
Singles pushed away; all around, all are asking the same question: why haven't England declared? Grey overhead, new ball, India demoralised... On TMS, Geoff Boycott is going to town on his love of Katy Perry. "There's just something about her voice..." says Fiery, wistfully.
From anonymous: "Disagree with Sir Geoff and MV. Why not keep India in the field for a bit longer, make them more tired and more frustrated. We've a day and a half to bowl them out."
After all the fun and games, we're now marooned in the doldrums. Swann and Anderson play and miss, spectators stroll off to queue for drinks, a plane drones overhead. Someone get the oars out, we're going nowhere.
Apologies but the TMS video scorecard is currently not working. Rest assured we are working on the problem and hope to have it fixed asap. You can of course follow every ball on the TMS audio stream, which is also available worldwide.
There we go - driven straight to the man at mid-on, and England's innings is finally at an end. India require 478 to win the match.
"It's hopeless to think in terms of getting 478, you try to break it down to little segments and forget about the long-term goal, but if anyone can get this target or bat for five and\u00a0a bit sessions it would be India."
From Ben Spencer, TMS inbox: "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (a decent cricketer himself with WG Grace on his list of wickets taken (WG had already scored 130odd)) was convinced of the existence of spirits. At tea yesterday, it would have been one for Sherlock perhaps? The Case of Wispy White: The Spirit of Cricket."
Here we go - James Anderson tearing in, Abhinav Mukund on a king pair having gone first ball to Jimmy in the first innings. Three slips, gully, point, midwicket, the crowd roaring, the air still. Angled across, edged... DROPPED! He's been dropped first ball! It's Tim Bresnan in there at second slip with Graeme Swann carrying that hand injury, and it was a sharp chance - one-handed to his right, but the ball went into his palm and out again. Anguish every which way you look...
From Tom in Oxford, TMS inbox: "If India win from this, I\u2019ll eat my shoes. If England win, I\u2019ll probably munch on the lovely fruit bread baked in by a colleague. Actually, I\u2019ll probably just eat that anyway."
What a start that would have been. Dravid with the first runs of the day, and then Prior makes a fantastic one-handed catch down leg. England want this reviewed - they think they might just have have him...
Hold on - the umpires aren't going to let England review it. They seem to be saying that it took Strauss too long to ask for it - the England skipper isn't happy, but Rauf might have done him a favour here - the ball flicked the strap on the pad, not the bat...
Mukund still not off the mark as Anderson keeps him guessing during a testing maiden. Last man to get a king pair in Test cricket? Did Aussie wobbler Ryan Harris suffer one in Adelaide last winter?
Dravid on the drive, punching Stuart Broad away through the covers to appreciative bellows from the Indian fans. A reminder that the highest fourth innings score to win a Test match at Trent Brid... HOOWWZAAAA.....
That's the one they wanted, and Stuart Broad's wonderful match continues. It was short and lifting, and Dravid was drawn into an uncharacteristic prod outside off. You could hear the nick all around the ground, and English players and spectators celebrated with equal leaping glee.
From blacksharkbytes: "All in all it's just another nick from the Wall."
From Jack, TMS inbox: "Broad is\u00a0three wickets away from having a 10-wicket haul, a hat-trick and over 100 runs in this match. Anyone know if this has been achieved before in the history of Test cricket?"
Anderson keeps Mukund jumping, and that's lunch - a near-perfect morning session for England, not only smashing the runs at a one-day rate but removing the batsman who has scored centuries in both Test matches of the series so far. Mukund's drop on first ball a minor blemish. Strauss and team will munch with smiling faces.
"Everything going according to plan for England. They need to make use of that new ball and\u00a0so far they have, but it could have been even better had they held on to the catch to dimiss Mukund for a king duck off the first ball of the innings."
From Ben, TMS inbox: "3 hours writing a letter that should have taken 20 minutes. Ah the love of live updates..."
From Chris, TMS inbox: "Re 1252. Ryan Harris did suffer what is probably a unique sequence in the Adelaide Test, when he was out first ball in both innings, had them reviewed and was given out again. Two innings, no runs and dismissed four times. Makes Doug 'The Rug' Bollinger look positively Olympian."
From Adam in Derby: Just screamed out a huge YES in the middle of a conference call. The ticking off is worth Raul Dravid being back in the Club House. Cmon England.
Former England wicketkeeper Paul Nixon \u00a0is on TMS now talking about\u00a0his retirement at the age of 41:\u00a0"Margaret Thatcher was still prime minister when I started out," he says, before\u00a0reminding younger\u00a0listeners\u00a0that he also kept wicket to Aggers during the early days of his career.
From Telescopper: "Whatever the result is, I think M.S. Dhoni should be made Man of the Match for reinstating Ian Bell."
Once again to the breach. Stuart Broad for a canter from the Pavilion End, a post-prandial calm settling over Trent Bridge. Over the wicket, across the leftie Mukund, right on the buttons. To complete the sentence I began at 1254, the highest fourth innings score to win a Test match at Trent Bridge is the 284 England compiled to beat New Zealand in 2004. Graham Thorpe that day - seldom better.
BOWLED HIM! It came back at pace, VVS played late and inside it, and the off stump went somersaulting away like a backflipping Beth Tweddle. Huge wicket again, England tearing this Indian side to pieces...
"That was an absolute beauty from Anderson. It was the inswinger and Laxman played inside it. I've never seen a batsman stop their walk when their stump has flown 20 yards behind them, having been uprooted and sent cartwheeling through the air. England are on top of their game and have got rid of another fabulous player."
Anderson enjoyed that one - he sprinted off on a curving arc past his pursuing team-mates, pumping both arms. Laxman barely moved his feet and just stood there holding his late defensive push. With the stumps still being replaced in the ground the spectators are back on their feet - Sachin Tendulkar is trotting down the pavilion steps.
Anderson to Sachin, the three slips crouching. Bending in towards off stump, seaming away, and the old stager wants absolutely nothng to do with those. 99 international centuries, should anyone have been holidaying in the Bat-Cave for the last two months.
From Rob in London, TMS inbox: "For someone who grew up watching England get battered by all and sundry throughout the 90s I\u2019m loving watching this balanced, hardworking and\u00a0exciting team develop into the best team in the world."
From Kurt in Cheshire, TMS inbox: "If only India's captain was called Nirvana instead of Dhoni. Could have played out the closing credits with 'Smells like Team Spirit', to complete a wonderful few days."
Tendulkar off the mark with a push through the covers for three after a nerve-jangling 10 balls on the quacker. Shot, sir! Driven back down the ground as Anderson goes a little too full searching for the inswinger, four from the moment the thought popped into the batsman's head.\u00a0
Broad switches to round the wicket in an attempt to cramp Mukund up. Three slips in a staggered row, Strauss at first, Bresnan standing in for Swann at second, Alastair Cook at third. KP in the gully, Bell with shades and lid on at short leg. Super bal, snaking back in as the opener shoulders arms.
More signs of uneven bounce at the Pavilion End. Anderson lands one just short of a length outside Tendulkar's off stump and beats him as the ball skids through and lands in front of Prior. Oh, classy shot from the little genius, gliding a fuller one through midwicket for four. And again! Straighter this time, same result. "SACH-EEEN! SACH-EEEN!" yell the India fans over there in the new stand. 17 already, the pot bubbling on the stove.
Bresnan replaces Broad from the Pavilion End, fresh from his powerful 90 in the morning session. Mukund watchful still, just three off 40 balls now for the youngster. Brezzers trying to tempt him outside off. That one a bit shorter - gone! Brute of a delivery, heading straight for Mukund's snout, he used the bat in self-defence but ball caught shoulder en route to skip's paws.
"Mukund was taken by surprise, it was a very awkward height, but if you are brought up on India pitches and don't have a backfoot technique you will get caught out on overseas pitches."
This is like watching England from the past. India, having been spanked to all corners, are now making batting look like blindfolded snooker. Two men in short and straight for Tendulkar, and he bypasses them both with a battering drive after a attempting a wild-eyed upper cut at a fizzing bouncer. Sachin isn't going to hang about here - play some shots, your fellow soldiers are falling all around.
Short, top-edged hook, the ball going high high high down to fine leg - pouched! Wheels coming off.
From Jim: "On the train to Cornwall, just woken up from a 30 minute nap - is this really happening, or am I still asleep?"
"A well-directed bouncer from Bresnan gets him another wicket. England looking as if they will probably finish the match today."
Bresnan has 2-2. In any other match that would be considered a match-winning stat and/or burst, but in this? Footnote - for now. Scott Elstone was the substitute fielder - what a moment that is for him. He had so long to think about it too - the ball was in the air for an age before he snaffled it with fingers pointed skywards.
From Alex, TMS inbox: "Is this England team better than the 2005 Ashes winning side? Obviously the rankings would suggest so but the general level of Test cricket has dropped a bit over the last few years so I\u2019m in two minds."
The emails, Tweets and texts pouring in can be divided into two teetering piles: will Tendulkar run out of partners before he can get anywhere near that century, and can Bresnan be dropped for Tremlett after this performance? Yuvraj... oooh, edging but on the bounce to Cook at third slip.
From Richard, TMS inbox: "There seem to have been a lot of excuses coming from India: Gambhir out causing the batting line-up to be disrupted; Zaheer Khan out thus weakening their bowling; Bhaji the spinner barely bowling due to injury. Well England racked up 500+ with a re-jigged batting lineup due to the injury to Trott, Tremlett, who has been one of England's best bowlers this year, hasn't played in this match, and Swann has been ineffective largely due to an injury. So what's the difference?"
Broad switched to the Radcliffe Road End. Tendulkar greets him with an elbow-high drive back past his bootlaces for four and then takes three more as Cook labours to the rope from mid-on. Yuvraj yet to get off the mark, Tendular to 30 off 44 balls. Drinks.
From anonymous: "Re: can Bresnan be dropped for Tremlett? No need, if Trott is injured play both of them, if Trott is ok to bat, drop Morgan and still play Bresnan and Tremlett."
"If you had about an hour to cancel transportation tomorrow to the Test without having to pay through the nose," asks Abraham Gillis on Twitter, "what would you do?" Come pay homage to the scene of the triumph, AbGills. Short and nasty from Bresnan, smashing into Yuvraj's left hand, and he doesn't like that one little bit. He drops the bat as if it had suddenly heated up to 200 degrees, and the physio will sprint onto the pitch.
From ranj_ran: "I blame Indian battinggate instead of Bellgate for the sorry Indian performance!"
From Peter Spink, TMS inbox: "Re Richard 1441. The difference between the two sides is that when England have people missing, they have the strength in depth to call up quality replacements who are experienced and have done well in international test cricket eg Finn, Onions and (to a slightly less extent) Shazhad: add that to Tremlett to come back. How many of them would get into the current India bowling attack? I'd argue that a three on Tremlett, Finn and Onions would be better then the 3 Indian seamers in this Test."
Broad absolutely peppering Yuvraj - ball after ball clattering into his gloves and past his snout - hopping, ducking, shaking, the ball smashing into something and through to Prior...
Let's have a gander. The ball has hit... his elbow. Not out. Yuvraj looked like he was walking off - not sure how much he wanted to stay out there, he's enduring the very definition of torrid horrors...
From Bill O'Rouke, TMS inbox: "Seriously - can somebody get word to Ian Bell or Stuart Broad to ask IF we win the test, and IF either is man of the match - would they agree to give the award to the Indian skipper instead for his brilliant gesture towards sportsmanship, and any prize that is awarded go to the choice of a charity of the Indian team?"
"It was almost as if Yuvraj was inviting a review that he knew would be overturned.\u00a0That would have been very\u00a0Machiavellian."
Now it's Bresnan's turn to rotate Yuvraj on the spit. Toasting him from every angle, the England attack, short leg joined by a leg slip. Fended off, anywhere, just as long as it's away from his chops - oooh, a foot short of the diving trap.
From Richard Sworder, TMS inbox: "Regarding dropping people, I'm beginning to wonder where an England 2nd XI would feature in the world rankings."
You know what - I might stop typing the Indian target every over. For starters for we all know it's 478 - I must have typed it 40 times - and for entrees it's irrelevant now anyway. Yuvraj jabbing and swaying, Sachin blocking with grim determination.
If you missed the momentous moment earlier on Test Match Special when Geoff Boycott apologised to Jonathan Agnew for giving him a hard time during Sunday's play then we have\u00a0proof that it happened live on air\u00a0(for UK users only I'm afraid). The spirit of cricket lives on...
That was always going to happen. Bouncer, heading like a missile for the teeth, frantic wave of the glove in front of the face and the ball flying up and away for Cook at silly point to sprint back and pouch on the dive.
GOLDEN QUACKER!
"Super cricket, super bowling from Bresnan.\u00a0Give credit where it's due.\u00a0England are a far better side, they are\u00a0intent on being number\u00a0one\u00a0in the world and have that belief, they are up for the challenge."
From Amit, TMS inbox: "It must be immensely pleasing for the bowlers and coaches that the supposed most dangerous batting team in the world hasn\u2019t managed to get over 300 runs in an innings thus far."
Broad will get the joust at Bhaji first after Tendulkar pushes a single. Full and fast, nervous jabbing defence. Poke past the reaching hands of short leg for one, and unless Tendulkar takes a one or three Bresnan will have his hat-trick chance against Harbhajan. Left alone, here we go...
Wonderful atmosphere around Trent Bridge. Two slips, gully, point, short leg, twom men out in the deep for the slog... no! Full toss as Bresnan searches for the yorker, biffed down the ground for four. \u00a0"OOOOH!" roar the crowd, laughing and slapping each other with pleasure.
"ARE YOU AUSTRALIA IN DISGUISE?" yells one wag. Ah, simple pleasures, simple pleasures. Bresnan, having hit 90 blistering runs this morning, is now on for a five-for. On Yorkshire Day. Serendipity, sir, serendipity.
From anonymous: "I hope India have a full strength team for the final games. It's like winning a major without\u00a0 Tiger Woods in it. No Sehwag, Gambhir, Khan and no bowling from Harbhajan all day yesterday."
Swann with the final over before tea... no dangers, but did we need any more? Five wickets for 60 runs in the session, England on the brink of one of their most impressive victories I can remember. Cast your mind back to the first day: they were 124-8. Now they're four tail-end wickets away from a 300+ run win.
From Dave in Lancs: "Re:anonymous. Beating India in this series with Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman is like winning a major with Palmer, Watson and Nicklaus in the field."
From Mark, TMS inbox: "Superb from England, breezing all the way to number\u00a0one Test team and Bresnan proving he can have a massive impact in the Test side! A positive selection headche for Mssrs Strauss and Flower."
Here come the umpires, followed by the England team. Four more wickets for a 2-0 lead. Sachin and Harbhajan follow a few yards behind. Let battle recommence.
Here's a turn up. Kevin Pietersen is bowling the first over after tea. Maybe trying to tempt Harbers into a slog? Flighted ball, Harbers cuts to deep point for one. Then Sachin waits, and waits, and dabs a lovely little shot past slip for four. Then two more to the same area. Not sure if I understand any of that. Surely the seamers would have been champing at the bit to get stuck in again after tea.
This is more like it. Jimmy from the Pavilion End. Harbers blocks a couple then clips one off his toes. Slightly flat atmos post-tea. But that might get them going again. With men crowding the bat, Sachin prods and runs. \u00a0KP chucks at the timbers, but misses. Think he might have been impeded by Jimmy there, so it's probably a good thing that didn't hit, for the 'ol spirit of cricket.
From Laura in Exeter, TMS inbox: "Re: anonymous - Dodgy analogy if you ask me - team sports are a different ball game to individual sports competitions, where part of the game is strength in depth. The equivalent would be the whole team not showing - something even club and village cricketers would be surprised to see (though it has happened to me once or twice)."
Strauss persists with spin at both ends as Swanny picks up the baton. My word - \u00a0Tendulkar has taken the aerial route. Pietersen is underneath it, is he? Running back from mid-on - no the ball just eludes him and takes a couple of bounces before running away for four. Close - very close.
"Pietersen was in\u00a0the three-quarters position, he was in that lurking position\u00a0where the bowler tries\u00a0to lure the batsman into a lofted shot. The plan almost worked but it just went over Pietersen's head. Tendulkar taking on that man, so he must be feeling pretty confident."
Anderson to Harbhajan. Thick outside edge goes along the ground between slips and gully for four. Then a single to give Tendulkar the strike on 49. Make that fifty for the Little Master - a poor ball from Anderson is cut to the fence. That took him 83 balls.
Sam Sheringham with a quick burst there after tea; Fordyce back with you now. Harbhajan slogs across the line, misses and is zehr close to going lbw. Another mighty mow, connecting this time... way over long on for a monstrous six. Swann not happy, and the next ball won't help - four more, slapped away backward of point as the bowler drops short.
Interesting point from @stevegaines via Twitter: "As a consolation, could Tendulkar break the record for highest percentage score of an innings? (C Bannerman @ 67.34%)?" A nosy hover-fly dips into the commentary box and out again as Harbhers gets a thick outside edge to Bresnan's in-swinger and down to Ian Bell at short leg on the bounce. 50 partnership.
From Anish Patel, TMS inbox: "This must be what it feels like to be an Australian."
That's the biggie! Big inswinger, Sachin holding his bat high out of the way - thunking into the front pad, out from the moment it hit. Anderson has now dismissed Tendular seven times in Test cricket - only Murali has done it more.
"Seven times\u00a0Anderson has got Tendulkar out now, one behind the record of Murali, and he just seems to have the nod on\u00a0him with his late inswinging bowling. He's out-thought Tendulkar with\u00a0a great piece of bowling."
Well, that ends the will-he, won't-he for another week. Anderson did him all ends up there, preceding the in-dipper with straighteners and away-drift. Praveen Kumar to join Harbhajan - this might not take long. Oof - edged past second slip for four.
From randomthoughts: "At work huddled around the radio, in comes a customer to our sports shop and asks to sit with us and listen! How british!"
"Do I get national hero status now for world-class mockers?" asks @stevegaines on Twitter. No-one likes a big-mouth, Gaino, but yes you do. Harbhajan lobbing caution and kitchen sink to the wind - cut, slashed away for four, smashing drive back over the stumps for four more. A Nottingham-Mexican wave ripples round the stands.
Kumar with a dreadful swipe at Anderson - the ball's spiraling high in to the cloudy sky, the young substitute fielder Scott Elstone is running back - he's already taken one catch, here comes ano... no! Horrible chance, dropping over his head as he sprinted back, and it slipped through his outstretched fingers.
Short, hooked, Elstone's under this one as well - yeeessss, good lad... Five wickets for Bresnan, the first time he's done that in Tests, and on the day he also battered 90 runs.\u00a0
"Elstone\u00a0got a big thump on the back from Matt Prior. The whole team\u00a0rushed over to say well done, and Elston's\u00a0smile is one of relief."
From Will in Nottingham: England were 88 for 6 in the first innings. And to win by 300 runs with a day to spare. Against the current world no 1. What would the odds for that have been!?
From Ben Weller: "Is it wrong that I'm a little annoyed that it won't go to\u00a0five days, quite enjoying listening to the cricket, don't want it to finish early. Any chance we can\u00a0give\u00a0India a third innings in the 'spirit of the game'?!"
The nigh is singing, the fat lady is end.. oh, you know what I mean. They're singing in the stands, beaming away, taunting the remaining Indian fans about number one rankings and which team might just deserve to have it. Ishant Sharma can't get anywhere near Anderson's snaking swingers.
From dansansom: "Following this excitement is ruining my phone monthly data allowance. Well worth it though. Come on England!!!"
The good news for India? They've just avoided their heaviest ever runs defeat in Test cricket. I say good news. Kumar on the slog, aiming for cow corner and getting somewhere close as Bresnan hunts his sixth scalp.
Just seen a replay of sub Elstone's snag of Harbhajan. Right old fumble into his chest, and when he clung on the relief was smeared all over his face. Good lad. Anderson making Kumar hop, and this really has been a thrashing. A genuine, no-exaggerating thrashing.
From Goldman1007: "I am waiting to cross back in the Channel Tunnel - will I be in time to here the winning wicket on TMS?"
From Ben in London, TMS inbox: "Isn't it amazing that our 5th choice bowler can score 90, take 5 wickets in in an innings and still doesn't have much chance of being man of the match? I could get used to this number 1 in the world thing."
Scott Elstone is trending on Twitter. Of course he is. Drinks break, and you wonder if Sharma and Kumar might put an order in for something stiff. This man of the match business - Dhoni for IsHeOutYesHeIsNoHeIsntGate, Broad for the first innings revival, hat-trick, 5-0, second innings runs etc, Brezucio for 90 and a five-fer in the same day?
"First test match I've ever been to," Tweets Adam Van Coevorden. "Are they all like this?" BOWLED! Cunning to the very end - Strauss sticks almost all his men around the boundary, Anderon bowls two bouncers and then sizzles an unplayable yorker past Kumar's useless thrust. Almost there...
From Alex: "I'm about to get in a car i'm not driving, with 2 people who have no interest in cricket so No chance of hearing the winning runs. I could cry."
Stuart Broad with the opportunity to seal the deal. Sreesanth at the other end, Sharma shoveling one off his nipples over short leg for a streaky single. Three slips, short leg, men in the deep on the leg side. Sreesanth steps three paces back and two forward to slog off the bottom edge to mid-off and then repeats the trick as the ball appears to pass straight through the timbers.
"I don't know where India go from here but they have got to regroup. England have absolutely blown them away today."
From James Bosworth, TMS inbox: "Drop Broad for next test. Only managed one paltry wicket this innings."
Anderson's turn. Sreesanth receives a short one past the chest and plays it like a man putting on the 18th. Clueless. But comedic.
Feel like a late frisson of fear? There are 20 overs left in the day. Sharma and Sreesanth could dig in here... nah, I can't keep it up. BOWLED HIM!
The number one team in the world? Come on, official ICC rankings - pull your finger out, would you?
From kevinjowen: "What a win for England and a massive step towards the number 1 spot. Very well done lads."
It was a yorker from Stuart Broad, and Sreesanth wouldn't have reached it with a shovel. The stumps went everywhere, and the players sprinted into each other's arms to form a giant human pyramid. England 2-0 up in the four-match series, and India offered only the most token resistance.\u00a0
From Jeremy, TMS inbox: "So Ian Bell scores more on his own in the second innings than the entire Indian team. Is this really England we're watching?"
England have been in superlative form this summer, but there's another side to the coin: India have been so below par that you can barely make sense of it. How can you have the opposition 124-8 in their first innings and yet still lose by more than 300 runs?
Small but telling stat for you: England conceded just one extra in this innings. India were woeful in the field, look exhausted and unprepared for English conditions. Gorgeous evening now at Trent Bridge, thousands staying in the ground to watch the presentations.
"England have just bullied them, they are a better team in all departments. I don't think India travel well, I don't think they like facing the short ball and Duncan Fletcher has a huge job to try to rebuild them for Edgbaston. But I don't think it will happen. England are just too good for them."
From Patrick Crawley, TMS inbox: "Is cricket in the 2012 Olympics?"
From Graham in Barcelona, TMS inbox: "England scored more in the last session yesterday than India in their whole innings. Is that a measure of the difference between these two sides?"
England captain Andrew Strauss: "It was an outstanding performance to bounce back from 80 off for six on day one. We have seen quite a few instances of guys standing up when it really matters. We don't intend to get into those situations, but it is a source of great pride to me that people keep doing that. Stuart Broad turned the game on its head. It has been two hard weeks and we have got what we deserved in both weeks."
Our man of the match? Stuart Broad. Eight wickets for 76 runs in the match, including that hat-trick and devastating spell of five wickets for no runs in 16 balls, plus 110 runs at key stages in the England batting performances. Could it really be anyone else?
Man-of-the-match Stuart Broad: \u201cWe were behind for the best part of two days so to then go and score 540 was a tremendous effort. It has been a great Test match to play in so I'm sure it has been good to watch as well.\u201d
And Test Match Special's Brian Johnston's champagne moment? MS Dhoni's decision to retract the appeal for Ian Bell's wicket. The right decision in every way.
India captain MS Dhoni: "I think we could have done slightly better. As a bowling unit we tried whatever we could but it was one of those innings where it just didn't quite work for us. England bowled good lines. We need to improve in the bowling department and the batting department."
And as the England players drift back to the dressing-room to celebrate their win, we shall say our farewells. Hats off for all the emailstweetstexts over the last four days; we shall meet again at Edgbaston on Wednesday week. These glorious Test triumphs on otherwise meaningless Mondays - I'm rather enjoying them, aren't you?
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