Live Test Match Blogging / Andrew Hughes / 22 July 2011 /

Thursday's play was edgy, scrappy and rather soggy. Better things are expected on day two and Andrew Hughes will be on hand throughout to keep you up to date with proceedings at the home of cricket, whilst brushing cake crumbs from his lapels and trying not to be too irritated by Jonathan Trott

CLOSE India 16-0
That's it, a good last over from Tremlett, which bodes well for tomorrow. It's been an entertaining day's cricket, most notably for the monumental double hundred by Pietersen. Join me tomorrow to see how India go about chasing England's total

18:50 India 14-0
Big shout from Tremlett, but Umpire Rauf turns it down. That was a good decision to the first ball that Tremlett has managed to get on target.

18:35 India 5-0
Lively start, Anderson nearly broke through Mukund's defences with his first ball, Gambhir hits a four off the next then Anderson hurls the ball at the batsman and has to apologise.

18:25 England 470-8
A double hundred for Pietersen and he's celebrating it for all he's worth. It's been a triumph of character and will and he's proved a few people wrong. England have also declared, which is a little surprising. India will have about 12 overs or so to bat, although we may not see all of that. An adventurous declaration from Andrew Strauss, which isn't something you see every day.

WICKET Swann b Raina 24
Out of nowhere, a wicket. Swann tried to work the ball to the leg side and lost his off stump. That brings to an end an entertaining cameo from Swann that has helped tilt things once again in England's favour. He'd helped Pietersen to add 49 in the last five overs.

17:50 England 410-7
Big shout from Harbhajan, turned down by Billy Bowden. And the replay shows it would have been given out. Wonder what Bhaji thinks about the DRS system right now?

17:35 England 395-7
Pietersen has 150. It sounds weird but he has never really looked entirely fluent. The match odds have remained fairly static all day, England have been around the [3.3] mark for most of the day

WICKET Broad lbw b Kumar 0
Kumar on a hat-trick and he's on the honours board. India have kept plugging away and are not completely out of this yet.

WICKET Prior c Dhoni b Kumar 71
Reward for Kumar after toiling hard all day, he induces Prior to edge a cut

17:10 England 375-5
Easy going for Prior and Pietersen, the scoring rate is creeping up and they have added 72 without too much difficulty since tea. The game is being defined in this session and if carries on like this, all chance of an Indian victory will have gone by the close.

16:50 England 355-5
Praveen isn't happy. He was having a bit of a go at Pietersen last over and now he's debating matters with the crowd in the Edrich stand. Has someone said something untoward? He is a bit of a fiery character, Praveen

16:34 England 339-5
Harbhajan is starting to find his range now but England are ticking the score over nicely. There are still 38 overs to be bowled today so we could be playing till 7:00 and at their present rate of scoring, England could have reached 460 or so. And here come the floodlights. There is something slightly sinister about the way they rise up unobtrusively, if thirty-foot floodlights can be unobtrusive? Maybe not.

16:08 England 316-5
Pietersen and Prior have started quickly. We've had one over of Suresh Raina so perhaps he and Harbhajan could operate at either end. What do you think would be a good score for England from this position? I would think they'd want as near to 600 as possible. Let me know what you think at betfairliveblogger@hotmail.co.uk

TEA England 305-5
This game is beautifully poised. England still have power to add to their total, but given the strength of the Indian batting and the flatness of this pitch, they probably need another 150 at least to put themselves into a strong position. Back in 20 minutes.

15:15 England 282-5
India are really straining for another breakthrough before tea. Last over Ishant found Pietersen's edge and this time Praveen completely defeats Prior with a ball that swung in then seamed away. Great to watch.

WICKET Morgan c Dhoni b Kumar 0
There we go, another wicket for Kumar and Morgan undone by the slope and the swing. This is a huge effort from Praveen, almost Zaheer-esque. After touching [32.0] India are now down to [19.0]

WICKET Bell c Dhoni b Kumar 45
Fine catch by Dhoni and a lovely piece of bowling from Praveen on a surface that is offering absolutely nothing for the bowlers. They need a couple more wickets before tea though if they are to get back into this game.

14:40 England 262-3
Pietersen is just 2 short of his century and is watching at the other end whilst Bell is struggling. Praveen Kumar is getting the ball to swing and finishes the over by glaring at the batsman. India are not giving up and they'll have a chance to refuel as drinks come onto the field.

14:25 England 250-3
New ball has been taken but with no immediate effect as Pietersen pulls it to square leg where Gambhir makes an absolute horlicks and gives away four.

14:05 Engand 230-3
The new ball is due, but Dhoni hasn't taken it yet, perhaps he's enjoying a rare stint with the ball. How would you describe the Indian captain's bowling? Military medium? Graham Goochesque? Get in touch at betfairliveblogger@hotmail.co.uk and let us know what you think. Who's the best part-time bowler you've seen?

13:51 England 219-3
Could this be Pietersen's second reprieve of the day, indecisive sort of shot against the part time bowling of the Indian captain and the third umpire is having a long look at it. Not out!

13:41 England 217-3
Welcome back. A rare treat in store for spectators, because here comes M S Dhoni! Three overs till the new ball.

LUNCH England 217-3
That's lunch, England's session, although India started well, Bell and Pietersen have taken up the attack and Harbhajan in particular was badly mauled. England are now [3.4] to win this match. I'll be back in 40 minutes.

12:39 England 190-3
Bell and KP have been hanging in there and now they're starting to target Harbhajan. Twenty minutes till lunch and signs that the three man Indian attack is starting to flag a little.

12:24 England 174-3
Poor decision from third umpire. Pietersen flicked it to leg slip where Dravid took the catch low down. It was referred and looked a good catch on the replays, but it was given not out. And now Pietersen has his fifty

12:00 England 160-3
England's stodgiest bat wielders have gone and we're into the strokeplayers now, which gives India some hope. Perhaps we've underestimated this weakened Indian attack. Bowling on flat, unresponsive pitches is pretty much what they do most of the time. I'm tempted by that [17.0] about an Indian win.

WICKET Trott lbw b Kumar 70
Kumar skids one through and surprises Trott who takes a long look at it. I think he wanted to call for a review, but we're playing by different rules in this series. The replay suggests that Billy got it right in any case. Is it wrong to say I'm quite pleased? Seen more than enough of Trott this summer already.

11:40 England 152-2
Geoffrey Boycott's mother has made her first appearance of the match. She wouldn't have too much trouble facing Suresh Raina, apparently. But KP might.

11:25 England 147-2
Better shot from Pietersen, driving straight down the ground. Yesterday he looked a little like a man doing an impression of Kevin Pietersen but the timing is better today. Not sure what adjective you'd use to describe his batting - muscular? powerful? It isn't pretty, but it's compelling.

11:07 England 131-2
Trott has already hit a boundary and things look ominous for India. Without Zaheer, the part-timers will have to do some work, so we can expect to see Suresh Raina and possibly even MS Dhoni turning their arms over. But they aren't the world's number one Test team for nothing and [17.0] about an Indian win does seem a touch high.

11:00 England 127-2
The players are out and England are nicely poised to build on their score and if the pitch behaves as Lord's pitches usually do when the sun is out, India could be in for a tough day. Get in touch at betfairliveblogger@hotmail.co.uk and tell us how you think this day will go. Will England still be batting at the close?

10:49 England 127-2
Morning all. The sun is out, kind of, and we should get a full day's play today. The news on Zaheer is that he has pulled a hamstring and won't bowl today.

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