England, India first Test finely poised

LEEDS, England (AP):

Harry Brook tipped his head back. He couldn’t believe it.

On 99 he’d hooked Prasidh Krishna and thought it was a six for his hundred. He was out, instead. The ball was pouched on the fine leg boundary by Shardul Thakur.

England fans anticipating Brook’s first Headingley Test hundred were stunned, too, but stayed on their feet to applaud him off his home county ground.

Brook’s innings of remarkable shots was the main thrust yesterday in England reaching 465, only six runs short of matching India’s first innings total, in an enthralling Test series opener in Leeds.

Star bowler Jasprit Bumrah took 5-83, his 14th Test five-for, and by stumps his India were 90-2 in the second innings and leading by 96 runs after three riveting days.

“The game is in the balance,” Bumrah told the BBC. “We have to bat well. The wicket is a little bit (two-)paced so it will be an interesting game to come.”

BROOK TAKES CHARGE

Ollie Pope’s unbeaten 100 underpinned England’s reply on Saturday, but he added only six runs yesterday before he tried to cut a nothing ball from Krishna.

Ben Stokes came in and Brook allowed the captain to settle by taking on India. Brook charged at Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj for boundaries, drove Krishna on the up, and even pulled off a Rishabh Pant-type falling-ramp shot for four that Pant smiled at.

Brook had the most trouble with Ravindra Jadeja’s spin. Jadeja was getting the ball to fizz so well that he got Brook’s outside edge on 46, but Pant dropped a tough chance at the stumps.

Jamie Smith kicked on to 40 off 52 balls. Smith lasted until after lunch, when he attempted a second six in the last over before the new ball became available. He fell into Krishna’s short-ball trap, caught deep by Jadeja who, just before he stepped over the boundary, relayed the ball to Sai Sudharsan.

When Brook was dropped on 82 by slip fielder Yashasvi Jaiswal off Bumrah, it was Jaiswal’s second drop of a Bumrah delivery and India’s fourth, their most in a Test match in five years.

Bumrah took up his station on the boundary each time with a smile. “I like to enjoy my time on the field so I always smile,” he said. ”Nobody is dropping catches purposely, and sometimes the cold makes it difficult to catch. I try not to let if affect me and move forward quickly.”

As unlucky as Brook was on 99 — after 11 boundaries and two sixes — he was lucky to have scored one run. Before he scored, he was caught in Saturday’s last over but Bumrah overstepped. Then he was dropped on 46 and 82.

Brook was in control of partnerships of 51 with Stokes, 73 with Smith and 49 with Chris Woakes. When he was out at 398-7, England trailed by 73 runs and India would have expected to wrap up the tail with the new ball only five overs old.