Live Test Match Blogging / Andrew Hughes / 23 July 2011 /

Andrew Strauss came over all adventurous yesterday with a spontaneous declaration. Now it's India's turn to enjoy the flattest pitch in England. Andrew Hughes will be bringing us all the news, all the runs and possibly even the occasional wicket

CLOSE England 5-0
Good work by Strauss and Cook, just getting through a tricky little period to finish off an excellent day for England. Broad in particular was right on the money and deserved to get himself onto the honours board. The plan will be to bat all day tomorrow and hope to roll India over on Monday. Join me at 10:30 tomorrow to see how it works out.

18:43 England 0-0
The England batsmen are out. This might turn out to be a tricky spell for the openers and Dhoni has set an attacking field. India might as well go for wickets

WICKET Ishant c Prior b Anderson 0
Or maybe not. Anderson polishes off the Indian innings. England have a lead of 188 and will have about 20 minutes to extend that before the close.

18:30 India 286-9
Some frustration now for England. Ishant Sharma is a stubborn kind of a tailender and he isn't going to give his wicket away. His resemblance to Jason Gillespie, with bat and ball is startling. England are as short as they've been all Test in the match odds market at [2.86]

WICKET Zaheer b Anderson 0
Anderson finally gets on the scoreboard, winkling out the injured Zaheer with a beauty. One more to go

18:05 India 282-8
A hundred for Dravid, he's been the backbone for India once again and the reason why they haven't collapsed in a heap. His fifth hundred against England

WICKET Praveen Kumar c Strauss b Broad 17
Clever bowling from Broad, a short one that Kumar has a bit of an ugly heave at and holes out. England's lead is just a touch under 200 and they are slowly working themselves into a strong position. They are [3.25] favourites in the match odds market.

17:53 India 275-7
Glorious smiting by Praveen and India have saved the follow-on although it was probably unlikely that Strauss would have enforced it, particularly given that Tremlett is struggling with a knee injury.

17:35 India 246-7
Bang! Take that Jimmy! Kumar takes one step down the pitch and smokes it straight back over the bowler's head! Fighting stuff from India's number nine

WICKET Harbhajan c Prior b Tremlett 0
Awful shot from Bhaji, just a vague waft in the manner of someone who had no intention of knuckling down.

WICKET M S Dhoni c Swann b Tremlett 28
Well bowled by Tremlett, he drew Dhoni forward and he found the edge. Still 34 runs needed to avoid the follow on. Now this should be fun, Harbhajan doesn't hang about.

17:10 India 235-5
The game had slowed a touch as the new ball was due. Now Anderson has it so things should perk up a bit. England's main strike bowler has been disappointing today; now he has the chance to make an impact.

16:50 India 224-5
The pace has slowed somewhat, though we are getting through the overs as Trott is bowling his gentle dobblers with Swann. India are [36.0] to win the game, England are also on the drift at [4.3]

16:30 India 212-5
Dhoni is in conservative mode, the approach that has defined his batting as captain and it is just what India need at the moment as they inch their way towards that follow-on target. If they do make it, it will be that much harder for England to force a win, particularly with talk of rain on the fourth day. Broad is starting to flag a little too.

16:10 India 196-5
Welcome back. India need just 78 to avoid the follow on and the big question is whether Strauss should enforce it if he has the chance. Do you think he should? Get in touch at betfairliveblogger@hotmail.co.uk

TEA India 193-5
We started the session expecting a feast of batting but instead we were treated to an excellent display from England. They are well on top now and India are battling to avoid the follow-on. I'll be back in 20 minutes for what should be a gripping final session.

WICKET Raina lbw b Swann 0
Another one goes down and England are well on top now. That was the arm ball, just skuttled through and pinged him, just would have hit leg stump.

WICKET VVS Laxman c Trott b Tremlett 14
Sloppy shot by VVS, he chipped it straight down to backward square-leg where Trott takes the catch. Given England a wicket when they didn't look likely to get one by their own efforts. Still, he never really looked comfortable out there.

14:55 India 169-3
Fifty for Dravid, his 68th and it takes him past Mukund as top Indian runscorer in this innings. He's [1.3] to win that particular contest.

14:40 India 159-3
Oopsie daisy! Two dropped in the same over. Strauss puts down a sitter off Laxman and off the last ball of the over, Swann can't cling on to a sharp one. Unlucky for Stuart Broad.

WICKET Tendulkar c Swann b Broad 34
What an anticlimax. Sachin is out, a fullish delivery from Broad and the chance of scoring his 100th century at Lord's is probably gone. That's a pity, I was enjoying that. But here's Laxman, the game's greatest batting stylist. An hour or two of VVS will be splendid entertainment.

14:25 India 154-2
India are rattling along. Swann is on and this is the toughest test of his international career to date, up against two expert players of spin. A session of these two and then a dash of Laxman after tea would be just about perfect.

14:00 India 132-2
Tendulkar doesn't destroy, he operates calmly like a surgeon. He's on 32 and he's only just warming up. Even the most rabid England fan must love watching this. If you don't, then you can't like cricket very much. Unsurprisingly, given his start, he is the [1.64] favourite to finish as top Indian batsman.

13:40 India 102-2
Good afternoon, hope you all enjoyed your lunch. Tendulkar has just eased the ball to the third man boundary and we're underway.

LUNCH India 102-2
An utterly absorbing session of cricket and hopefully more to come. England definitely have the edge, but there are some classy batsmen still to come. Back in 40 minutes

12:53 India 101-2
A glorious back foot punch by Tendulkar then Tremlett beats him twice. This is high class Test cricket.

12:40 India 91-2
Our first Broad tantrum of the day. KP flung the ball at the stumps, which he didn't need to do as Tendulkar was not going for a single. Overthrows were the result and Stuart was not particularly pleased. Still England on top at the moment and they've shortened up to [4.5] in the match odds market

WICKET Mukund b Broad 49
That's a shame for Mukund, playing on after having looked so good, perhaps a touch of inexperience, he didn't need to play at that. And here comes the Little Master. A standing ovation before he's scored a run. And why not. This could be his last innings here.

12:17 India 74-1
Highly enjoyable contest at the moment. England are pitching it up, the ball is swinging and Dravid is fortifying his position in inimitable fashion.

WICKET Gambhir b Broad 15
Full, swinging, straight and clattering into the stumps, Broad sends Gambhir back. That's more like it. The Wall is in next.

11:45 India 56-0
Like a five-year-old in charge of a garden hose, England are spraying it all over the place at the moment and they're on the drift in the Match Odds market. Out to [5.8]

11:41 India 44-0
Broad is back, but his radar is still wonky. A few down the leg side and a predictable bouncer causing Mukund no problems. Never mind the short stuff, Stuart, just try and get it straight.

11:17 India 17-0
Anderson is attempting to lure Gambhir into a reckless waft but he's restraining himself so far. Time for an odds update. The draw is [1.39] and still no-one wants to touch India, who are [28.0].

11:04 India 17-0
And we're off. Attacking field in place and Anderson bustling in. England will surely need a wicket or two while the ball is shiny and the batsmen are still rusty.

10:52 India 17-0
Morning all. A bright and sunny day at Lord's and the prospect of watching some of the greatest batsmen in the world. What could be better? Will Tendulkar score his 100th 100 today? Get in touch at betfairliveblogger@hotmail.co.uk

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