KOLKATA: Alastair Cook's record-slaying acts with the bat elevated England to a position of advantage on the second day of the Eden Gardens Test. The visiting captain took possession of an 83-year-old statistic, overtaking the legendary Walter Hammond as England’s top century scorer in Test matches when he reached his 23rd hundred against an ineffective Indian attack on Thursday.
India sent down 73 overs across almost three tiring sessions and all they had to show for it was a dropped catch and a solitary wicket. The seamers - Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma - probed the batsmen, but failed to get a breakthrough. The spinners proved easy to handle, and Cook often used his feet to toy with them. England, 216/1, trailed by exactly 100 at the end of play.
Cook’s unbeaten 136 was also an unprecedented fifth century in as many matches as captain, and during the knock he became the youngest batsman to cross 7,000 Test runs. The 27-year-old received staunch support from Nick Compton (57), who made up for his lack of dash with a gluttonous appetite for occupying the crease. The openers racked up their second hundred alliance in reply to India 317 - a total that was gained on the back of MS Dhoni’s brisk fifty in the morning session. But if the Indian captain was pleased at having taken his team to beyond 300, his joy was short-lived.
A sullen frown, in fact, was visible on his face when Cheteshwar Pujara dropped Cook – then on 17 – off Zaheer Khan; and the failure of the spinners to break through on an even surface only froze the expression in place. It was a few hours later that England lost Compton leg-before to Ojha - about 20 overs from close - by which time the deficit had been reduced drastically. Cook and Jonathan Trott (21 batting) added another fifty to see things through to close.
England has the match firmly in their grasp. A lead of around 150 would prove in handy, since they are likely to bat last in this third Test match. For India, this may turn out to be the cataclysmic home series that catalyses a rash of changes - in team composition, if not elsewhere. A comeback is not beyond the home side, but with the no batsman - save for Pujara - inspiring Cook-like confidence, the task is bound to be uphill from here.
Dhoni pushes team across 300
After resuming on 273/7, India's tail wagged for almost an hour, providing Dhoni enough time to complete a half-century and take India to 316. Forty-three runs were added to their overnight total, and most were gained through the captain’s attacking methods, ones he had to resort to after Monty Panesar picked two wickets in his first five overs of the morning. Zaheer Khan, unbeaten on naught overnight, was the first to go, defending against Panesar only to be struck smack in front of middle stump. Ishant Sharma lasted three deliveries, before a full and fast Panesar projectile slid through his ugly high backlift.
India were nine down and still shy of the magic mark – with last man Ojha in - when Dhoni resorted to drastic measures. He clouted sixes off Panesar - an inside-out clearing of mid-off and another mow over long on – as India crossed the triple century mark. Dhoni was out when Steven Finn replaced James Anderson - to a menacing bouncer that he top-edged to gully, where Graeme Swann dove from widish slip to complete a good catch. Panesar finished with 4/90, including two on the second morning, and Anderson with 3/89, setting up things nicely for their in-form batsmen.
Little Nicky can hit them too! (File Picture)Reprieved Cook thwarts IndiaWhen England resumed after lunch, Zaheer and Ishant kept up the good work. They kept up a steady pace outside off stump, bowling just short of length – although that did allow the batsmen an escape route of choosing to ignore the delivery. Cook was dropped on 17 by Pujara, the batsman playing halfway forward to Zaheer and edging to a fumbling first slip.
Cook changed tempo when Ashwin came on. He swept him confidently to the fence, squirted a four off the edge and tramping majestically down the track to hoist the off-spinner over long on. Ishant was beginning to tire now and when he overpitched slightly, Cook dispatched a flowing drive through cover. Zaheer changed ends with Ishant and Ojha came on after the drinks interval. But nothing arrested England’s steady progress. A flicked boundary and a single brought up Cook’s third fifty of the series.
Hundred partnership
Compton had played his regulation stodgy game to elan - consuming 75 balls for 17 - finally broke out against the left-arm spinner, hoicking him agriculturally down the ground for maximum. The 29-year-old endured a cagey time against Ashwin after lunch, only to settle down nicely once digestive juices started to work their calming effect. Dhoni expressed his displeasure at the shape of the ball and was placated with a replacement. But the change had no bearing to the run of play, which was all going England’s way.
Compton cut Ojha through point to bring up the team’s 100, the second such alliance between this new opening pair. Runs came in a torrent just before tea as the spinners offered width to batsmen: Cook slapping Ashwin through cover, Compton flicking Ojha down the leg side. Tea was taken with England on 121 without loss, Cook flowing freely on 80, Compton resolute on 41. The two had added 99 in the post-lunch session.
Cook's records
Boundaries greeted Ishant to begin the last session, with India looking for wickets – and reversing the old ball their best bet for that – and England looking to carry on their imposing opening partnership. A dab for three made Cook the youngest player to reach 7,000 Test runs. An over later, Compton reached his maiden Test fifty. Denis' grandson was out when umpire Rod Tucker adjudged him leg-before to Ojha - bizarrely raising his finger a few seconds after having shaken his head in disapproval.
The England captain, however, was unstoppable. He reached his 23rd hundred to overtake Hammond, Colin Cowdrey, Geoff Boycott and Kevin Pietersen - all on 22 tons apiece - and creamed boundaries off Zaheer to cap a successful day at the office. The 200 came up, and by now Trott too had started to assert himself on the on side, as indicated by the fours he swatted off Ojha.
