Brook and Root steady England after India's new-ball burst

BBC News

3 days ago

Update:
Date: 18:59 BST 3 July
Title: Join us on day three...
Content: England have plenty to do tomorrow to stay in this Test match. They are going to have battle and chip away at India's mammoth first-innings total.
If you have missed any of the action from today you can watch highlights on BBC Four at 19:00 BST or via iPlayer.
Scroll down to read the reaction and highlights after the close. Also make sure you check out Matthew Henry's report from Edgbaston.
We will, of course, be back with live coverage at 10:30 tomorrow morning for day three with the Test Match Special team providing ball-by-ball commentary.
Here's some stories which might be of interest between now then.
Update:
Date: 18:57 BST 3 July
Title: 'Not fussed what's said outside'
Content: England coach Jeetan Patel, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra: "The new ball tonight did a little bit and we got it to go as well, so it feels like a little bit of the new ball working at the moment but the boys put in some graft and 150 overs in the dirt takes a lot out of people."
Reflecting on the toss: "We won't. I don't think you reflect on what's happened. Hindsight's hindsight. We decided to bowl and we'll stick by that. On the first day it showed enough for us and we created a lot of opportunities and it didn't go our way. The day might've looked different yesterday and this morning if we got those decisions.
"People are going to look at any scorecard and make a decision on what they're going to think. I'm not really fussed and I don't think any of us are fussed about what's said outside of the group."
On the group's fitness: "The fitness is alright, the boys are just tired. It's taken a lot out of the boys. It was a longer spell than I thought Brooky [Harry Brook] would've bowled."
Update:
Date: 18:53 BST 3 July
Title: Post
Content: England suffered a top-order wobble when Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope made ducks and were swiftly followed back into the pavilion by Zak Crawley.
However, Joe Root and Harry Brook steadied the ship somewhat. Even if Brook's aggressive approach was questioned at times.
They will resume unbeaten on 18 and 30 respectively on Friday.
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India take two wickets in two balls as England fall to 13-2
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Crawley is caught by Nair off the bowling of Siraj
Update:
Date: 18:52 BST 3 July
Title: Get Involved
Content: #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)
This is the hole England would have found themselves in at Headlingley had it not been for the obliging Indian collapse. This time it went to script.
Simon, Hackney
Update:
Date: 18:50 BST 3 July
Title: Post
Content: Steven FinnFormer England fast bowler on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra
The fact that this felt like quite a long, slow innings when India scored at almost four an over is strange looking back now, but that was tough Test match cricket.
That intensity is what makes me worry about players coming into Test matches without the proper preparation beforehand.
Update:
Date: 18:50 BST 3 July
Title: Post
Content: Of course, we should not forget that earlier today Shubman Gill produced a stellar innings as he made the top score by an Indian in England with his majestic 269.
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Gill reaches 250 runs against England
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Vaughan analysis of Gill's batting 'masterclass'
Update:
Date: 18:49 BST 3 July
Title: Get Involved
Content: #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)
I think the pile-on merchants should just take a step back and reflect on what this England team are capable of doing in turning round what seems to be a slam dunk defeat into a victory. It's day two for goodness sake!!
Neil from Chester.
Update:
Date: 18:46 BST 3 July
Title: Post
Content: Michael VaughanFormer England captain on BBC Test Match Special
So far in this Bazball era they either blow teams away, chase brilliant or they get hammered. They don't play the boring draw because they've never had to.
I'll be intrigued to see what happens if England lose a few quick ones tomorrow and if they think we have to dig deep.
Update:
Date: 18:45 BST 3 July
Title: Get Involved
Content: #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)
The crazy thing about Bazball is that nobody knows whether 77-3 at the end of the second day in response to 587 is a good day or not.
From Peter Price in Morecambe
Update:
Date: 18:40 BST 3 July
Title: Post
Content: Michael VaughanFormer England captain on BBC Test Match Special
I'm not too sure what England will be thinking. I hope Ben Stokes is thinking, 'we should've batted first'.
The way that England bowled today was a slight concern. There were a few things I saw in the field which made me think this looks a bit ominous going forward.
Sometimes you bat first to grind the opposition into the dirt and that's what England looked like. They played three tired shots.
It couldn't have gone any better for India. They got lucky because Shubman Gill wanted to bowl first and I don't know why you would even consider that.
Update:
Date: 18:39 BST 3 July
Title: Post
Content: India captain Shubman Gill speaking to Sky Sports: "Good position to be in with England three down. Hopefully we get a good start tomorrow."
On his batting form: "I worked on a few things before the series and after the IPL. Looking at the results, those things are working for me."
On what India worked on after the first Test: "Getting the catches was really good confidence for us. Fielding is something we spoke about going into this match. If we were half as good [at Headingley], the result would have been different."
Update:
Date: 18:35 BST 3 July
Title: England 77-3 at stumps
Content: Harry Brook sees off the final delivery.
That's stumps. India's day, without any shadow of a doubt.
Update:
Date: 18:35 BST 3 July
Title: Post
Content: Michael VaughanFormer England captain on BBC Test Match Special
Harry Brook does well not to stand on his stumps there.
Update:
Date: 19.5 overs
Title: Eng 77-3
Content: This video can not be played
That's one way to avoid being bowled
A square drive from Harry Brook for four off Prasidh Krishna. This partnership now worth a 50.
Next ball, Brook jabs one into the pitch and is then like Bambi on ice as the ball loops up and is heading back down towards his stumps. Brook resists the urge to punch the ball - ala Graham Gooch - and instead shoulder barges the ball away.
Update:
Date: 19.3 overs
Title: Eng 73-3
Content: Heart-in-mouth stuff from Joe Root as he takes on a bouncer from Prasidh Krishna and top edges it towards deep square, but the ball does not carry.
Three balls left in the day. Harry Brook to face them.
Update:
Date: 19.2 overs
Title: Eng 72-3
Content: Two dots to Joe Root from Prasidh Krishna to start the final over.
Update:
Date: 18:31 BST 3 July
Title: Get Involved
Content: #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)
Ollie Pope, Josh Tongue, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir - none of them are good enough for Test cricket. I don't care about Pope's hundreds, he's shockingly inconsistent. Drop them all for the next Test and start building a team that can actually complete Down Under.
Brett, Leeds
Update:
Date: 19 overs
Title: Eng 72-3
Content: Despite Harry Brook's procrastination, India manage to get round quickly enough to get one more over in. To be bowled by Prasidh Krishna.
Update:
Date: 18.4 overs
Title: Eng 72-3
Content: Harry Brook is backing away to leg between deliveries from Ravindra Jadeja, trying to ensure this is the last over. But he gets a ticking off from the square-leg umpire.
Update:
Date: 18:28 BST 3 July
Title: Post
Content: Michael VaughanFormer England captain on BBC Test Match Special
We all know England don't play for draws. India look like they're going to dangle the carrot and not let them score at five or six an over.