A.Strauss (123 runs) and A.Cook (52 runs) lead a solid foundation for the batsman to follow but quick loss of four wickets in the last session of play helped team India to bounce back into the match at the end of first day’s play.
Electing to bat, both opener gave their team a much needed dream start by putting on 118 runs for the first wicket but the cheap dismissals of Ian Bell (17), Kevin Pietersen (4) and Paul Collingwood (9) helped the hosts to tilt the balance slightly in their favour on a placid track at the MA Chidambaram stadium.
At stumps All-rounder A.Flintoff batting on 18 runs with night watchman J.Anderson (2 runs). India bowlers all day bowled with discipline and didn’t give away too many runs. They kept their cool while England openers were going nicely. England were cruising along comfortably at 164/1 but suddenly lost their way as score reduce to 221/5.
England lost their last four wicket of day to just 57 runs. A.Strauss dismissal was the big blow for visitors as he was caught and bowled by A.Mishra. With his dismissal visitors hope of reaching to big score in their first inning are under threat as they now fully depend on how A.Flintoff plays on day2 of the test match.
England openers Cook and Strauss adapted to the slow track which offered little for the fast bowlers in the morning session as the duo went for lunch at 63 without being separated. However both opener picked up their pace after post lunch session. Z.Khan and I.Sharma also struggled earlier as they didn’t get much support from the wicket.
But the turning point of the first day’s play was when both Indian pacers started to reverse swing the ball in the last session of play. Zaheer Khan first removed I.Bell for 17 and then picked up dangerous Kevin Pietersen for 4. By the time pitch was also started to provide some help for the spinners as both spinners went on to picked one wicket each in the last session of play.
