New Delhi: Jamie Smith and Harry Brook continued to frustrate India in the second session of the third day as England went to Tea in a commanding position in the Edgbaston Test. Both Smith and Brook scored unbeaten centuries to take the hosts to 355 for 5 at Tea, hampering India’s follow-on hopes.
In the 28 overs bowled, England scored 106 runs, leaving India wicketless with the duo sharing an unbroken 271-run stand for the sixth wicket. After Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj provided back-to-back breakthroughs in only the second over of the day by getting rid of the dangerous Joe Root (22) and captain Ben Stokes for a first-ball duck, Brook and Smith steadied England’s innings launching a counter-attack with unbeaten scores of 140 and 157 respectively.
England crush India’s follow-on hopes
England, who were at one point looking at the prospect of a follow-on earlier during the third day when they were reduced to 84/5, are now 232 runs short of India’s first-innings total of 587. Smith was the first to complete his century just before lunch, while overnight batter Brook reached the landmark soon after the break.