Published: Dec 13, 2012, 02:36 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 13, 2012, 02:36 PM (IST)
England will rely on Kevin Pietersen to carry them through to stumps © PTI
England will begin the third session of Day One of the fourth Test against India at Nagpur on 133 for four with Kevin Pietersen (68 not out) and debutant Joe Root (10 not out) at the crease.
India picked up two wickets apiece in either session on a slow and low Nagpur pitch, as England scored at a run rate just under two runs an over in the first two sessions.
Pietersen’s fifty came off 108 balls as he laid anchor at the VCA stadium, as India picked up the wickets around him. He went into the lunch break unbeaten on 68 off 178 balls at a strike-rate of just over 38.
Jonathan Trott (44) and Ian Bell (1) were the two English wickets to fall in the post-lunch session as England scored at snail’s pace.
Earlier, in the first session, Indian pacer Ishant Sharma struck twice in the first hour of play to send back England captain Alastair Cook and Nick Compton cheaply as India took early control of the do-or-die fourth and final cricket Test on Thursday.
(With inputs from PTI)
Brief Scores: England 133 for 4 (Kevin Pietersen 68*, Jonathan Trott 44; Ishant Sharma 2 for 25) vs India
