After an great day for England with the bat they knew they had to step up with the ball. This job was not going to be easy as India probably had the rest line up there is when it comes to batting. Talent all over with Gambhir, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman, Dhoni and even Harbhajan turned into an really good all rounder.
India started the day on 17-0. If England were in any doubt how hard the job was they soon found out as Gambhir and the new comer Mukund started to play some really nice strokes. Mukund seemed to be an positive player who likes to go for his shots while Gambhir played an more watchful innings. Mukund looked like an player in form and having a lot of match practice behind him and looked fluent as Gambhir struggled on. Nevertheless, the raced to an opening stand of 50 in no time at all with only 99 balls bowled. Tremlett and Anderson were unable to get through and it promoted the first change of Stuart Broad. Under pressure for his place he suddenly was pitching the ball up from the word go. This what most pundits were urging Broad to do more often than how he bowled against Sri Lanka. The batsman were having to get on the front foot which troubled the opening batters. This did bring the break in the partnership as Gambhir missed an full straight ball and he was balled for just 15. He looked like an man who is out of knick. India were 63-1. It got even better for Broad as another pitched up delivery to Mukund which he tried to drive on got an inside edge and went onto his stumps as Broad got another wicket. Broad was bowling much better and causing trouble for India as they were 77-2.
This brought out the old pair of Dravid and the great Tendulkar. Tendulkar got an standing obviation from the Lords crowd knowing this was his last test match here as he tried to get his 100 100s in international cricket at the home of cricket. Dravid and Tendulkar have batted together many times before and the pressure that England put them under they were able to handle. England kept plugging away with there line and length and did cause them problems but the pair were able to take India too lunch with not too many alarm even though an few play and misses. Within that time they got to India's 100 as they were 102-2 at lunch.
After lunch more of the same from this pair as they looked to be in for a long time. Anderson looked an yard short with his length and Tremlett wasnt quite getting to the pitch bowling an few too many short balls to hit away however Broad kept bowling line and length. An couple of play and misses from these 2 men however they were playing an class innings as England just could not find an break through. The 50 partnership was up and done in quick time in just 71 balls. But after an drinks break Strauss's men did start bowling better lengths as Tremlett and Broad were getting both men to play and miss an few shots. But the partnership was staying strong as they got to 150. They looked settled by now and looked as if they will go on to make an big score. But hopes of an century in the first innings for Tendulkar was dashed when Broad another super delivery full and straight which he edged and Swann did the rest. Tendulkar out for 34 and still 37 is his greatest score at this famous ground. Partnership broken after an stand of 81. This brought out another great player VVS Laxman. Broad was on fire and could have had another 2 wickets an over later as VVS and Dravid both edged Broad's ball with Swann and captain Stauss dropping the players and both in the same over.
Dravid went on to make an well deserved 50 as England were reeling from that missed opportunity. It wasnt an typical Dravid innings as he hit 10 fours off 98 balls to reach his 50. An over later Dravid overtook Ponting to become the number run scorer in test cricket behind the great man and friend Tendulkar. Laxman on the other hand was struggling against this England pace attack and was finding conditions difficult. Trying to hold on till tea didnt work as Laxman tried to play one of his favourite shots the pull England knowing that having an fielder at the boundary and he hit it straight to the man and he was out. It got even better for England as Swann trapped Raina LBW the next over without the troubling the scorers and from 182-3 now 183-5 and now in trouble. This brought out the captain. England's tail up knowing another wicket would really expose the Indian team Dhoni and Dravid had to battle till tea. They were able to survive at the score of 193-5 in deep trouble.
After tea the pair knew they had to build an partnership to first avoid the follow-on and second to try and get them close to the England target to give the bowlers something to ball at and defend. That is exactly what they tried to do. They tried to build an slow but an big partnership to keep them in the game. 275 was the first target and they reached 200 20 minutes into the final session. But slowly but surely the 2 men were starting to get an good feel for the pitch and the partnership was building. The partnership did make 50 off 137 balls much slower than Tendulkar and Dravid which was just 77 balls but just as important. For England the old bowl was just not working and took the fresh new ball straight away when it became available. The new ball did a lot more as the batsman struggled with the change in pace and the carry the ball had. With an few play and misses the England bowlers really looked up for the challenge again and looked hungry. The new ball then did the trick which England were hopping for as they got Dhoni to go after an wide ball which he was only able to edge and Swann did the rest. The value of pitching the ball was showing how important it is. Harbhajan didnt last long as he tried to attack the bowling the first ball missed and second ball he got contact but edged it to Prior and Tremlett had another wicket. India in real trouble at 241-7 and follow on looked on once again. But the man known as the Wall (Dravid) was still there and Kumar wasnt an mug with the bat.
This pair were able to get India an bit of momentum as Kumar was playing his shots while Dravid was holding up his end. Kumar hit an couple of 4s were able to help India over the follow on target just when Kumar went for one too many shots and edged another full ball from Broad's bowling as they were 275-8. Zaheer was the next man in but he was batting with an runner. For Dravid it was more he needed partners to just stay in as he was only 7 runs away from an century. An couple of overs after the drinks break he hit Tremlett for an boundary to move to 98 and then hits the ball in the gap to reached his first Lords 100. He hasnt been on the honours board before and his best was his debut with 95. He got it in 202 balls with 15 fours included. The innings didnt last too long afterwards as Anderson mopped up the final wickets. Zaheer out for 0 and Sharma no better with 0 as well. India bowled out for 286 with an lead of 192.
There were 15 minutes for the two England openers to survive. Despite an few play and misses Strauss and Cook were able to play out 5 overs which were bowled in that time with England 5-0 at the close of day 3. England are 197 ahead and are now in an commanding position as England will look to press home the advantage tomorrow. Needing an big enough lead to make sure this great battling line up of India will not be able to catch them up. It could have been even better for England if they held onto the catch for Laxman and more importantly Dravid as they might have had the option of following on. India another poor day very much behind the game. Almost impossible to win from this situation needing an big morning session to have any chance in there fight back if not an bowler light England might get to an declaration very soon tomorrow maybe sometime in the afternoon session but defiantly want them in by tea time. Dravid on the honours board is another feature in his great cricketing life as he is now the second most run scorer in all time and still has that concentration which helps him in times of trouble but apart from that an disappointing day for India as Tendulkar failed again at the home of cricket Lords!
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