LONDON: India's pacemen impressed with both bat and ball as Virat Kohli's side thrashed England by 151 runs in the second Test at Lord's on Monday. Victory gave India a 1-0 lead in a five-match series after just their third win in 19 Tests at the 'home of cricket' followed a rain-marred draw at Trent Bridge. England, set 272 to win in a minimum of 60 overs on the last day, were dismissed for 120 -- their latest collapse. They were in dire straits at 1-2 after Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami removed openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley for nought apiece.
Fellow paceman Mohammed Siraj then followed up with 4-32 -- a return that saw him end the match by bowling No 11 James Anderson to seal an India win that followed their 1986 and 2014 Test triumphs at Lord's. Earlier, Shami, with 56 not out, and Bumrah (34 not out) both hit their highest Test scores and shared an unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 89, during India's second innings 298-8 declared.
'Super proud'
"I feel super proud of the whole team," said India captain Kohli. "The pitch didn't offer much in the first three days. The way we played this morning with Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Burmah with the bat was important. We believed we could get them out in 60 overs and the bowlers were outstanding."
The hosts appeared to fire India up during some tense verbal exchanges, with opener KL Rahul -- player of the match for his first-innings 129 -- saying: "If you go after one of our guys, all 11 of us will come at you." England captain Joe Root blamed himself for the reverse, despite his superb first-innings 180 not out and a top score of 33 in the hosts' second innings.
'Lot of learning'
His attack repeatedly bowled too short early in the Shami-Bumrah stand and by the time they adjusted, the batsmen were set. "A lot of it falls on my shoulders," said Root. "I've got to do a lot of learning and that if we find ourselves in a similar position that tactically I am better." Bumrah had Burns out for nought when the left-hander was caught off a leading edge at wide mid-off. The struggling Sibley followed soon afterwards when he nicked a superb Shami leg-cutter to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.
It was the first time in 141 years of Test cricket in England that both home openers had been out for a duck in the same innings The recalled Haseeb Hameed, in on a pair, was dropped in the slips on four before his nine off 45 balls ended when lbw to an Ishant Sharma nip-backer. New batsman Jonny Bairstow, was out for just two when lbw to Ishant on review. And England's 67-4 at tea became 67-5 three balls afterwards when Root was caught by Kohli at first slip off Bumrah for 33.
Siraj struck twice in successive balls to leave England 67-5, with Moeen Ali caught by a gleeful Kohli before Sam Curran completed a king pair when edging to Pant. New batsman Ollie Robinson, in an England side without Ben Stokes, taking a break from all cricket due to mental health issues and fellow all-rounder Chris Woakes (heel injury), gamely resisted for 35 balls.
But Robinson was eventually lbw on review to Bumrah, who finished with fine figures of 3-33 in 15 overs. His exit started a collapse that saw England lost their last three wickets all on 120, with Buttler caught behind for 25 before Anderson fell. India resumed Monday on 181-6.
Robinson struck with the new ball to have dangerman Pant caught behind for 22. Shami and Bumrah scored steadily against England's quicks. Shami went to his second fifty in 53 Tests in stylish fashion, driving successive deliveries from off-spinner Moeen for four and six off to reach the landmark in just 57 balls. This innings surpassed his 51 not out against England at Nottingham's Trent Bridge in 2014. Bumrah also topped his highest Test score for the second time this series after his 28 at Nottingham. - AFP