England openers unbeaten at stumps

Cricket365
November 17, 2012

After being forced to follow on against India on day three of the first Test in Ahmedabad, England openers Alastair Cook and Nick Compton restored a bit of pride for their team as they reached stumps unbeaten for 111.

England were still 219 behind India's first innings score, but they looked worlds away from the disaster that was their first innings, which saw them all out for 191 on the stroke of tea.

Cook, who had played with composure in the first knock despite only scoring 41, recorded England's first half century of the match in fine style, and was on 74 not out at stumps. Compton showed similar grit, and was the supporting partner, making 34 off 104 balls.

Earlier in the day, Pragyan Ojha had taken five wickets as the visitors crumbled under the pressure at the Sardar Patel Stadium. They lost four wickets before lunch alone, including Cook, and only Matt Prior made a meaningful score of 48.

England began the day on 41 for three, and Kevin Pietersen was soon sent packing by Ojha, bowled middle stump after a series of bizarre shots and near-misses. He'd made 17 in his comeback to Test cricket.

Ian Bell played the most shocking shot of the day, coming in after KP's departure. Instead of getting his eye in, he tried to hit Ojha back over his head first ball, and was caught in the deep by Sachin Tendulkar, much to the England balcony's horror.

Matters went from bad to worse as Samit Patel and Cook soon followed back to the dressing room. Prior put on two 40-odd run stands with Tim Bresnan and Stuart Broad, but his efforts were in vain as he was the last man out, bowled by Ojha to become his fifth victim.

It would have been easy to assume more of the same when England came out to bat again, 330 runs behind. But Cook and Compton showed backbone, and were much more intelligent about what they hit and what they defended, leaving the Indians wicketless at the close.