LONDON: India skittled out England for 120 in less than two sessions on a highly charged fifth day at Lord’s to win the second Test by 151 runs on Monday.

With about a half-hour left of a fractious day featuring regular verbal clashes between players, young seamer Mohammed Siraj bowled Jimmy Anderson and celebrated by removing the off stump he had just clattered and wheeling around the outfield in delight at the home of cricket. Victory gave India a 1-0 lead in this five-match series after a rain-marred draw at Trent Bridge.

India, after Ajinkya Rahane’s 61, saw tailenders Mohammed Shami (56 not out) and Jasprit Bumrah (34 not out) both make their highest Test scores and share an unbroken stand of 89 before skipper Virat Kohli declared his side’s second innings on 298-8 shortly after lunch, while setting England 272 to win in 60 overs on a largely docile pitch.

It was a victory target the hosts never intended to chase, but one they couldn’t defend either.

Pace bowlers Bumrah and Shami then struck with the ball, removing England openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley, both for ducks — the first time that has happened to England at home in 143 years of Test cricket — before Bumrah captured the prize wicket of England captain Joe Root, who made a superb 180 not in the first innings, for 33 after Jonny Bairstow had gone just before tea.

All-rounder Sam Curran then suffered the embarrassment of becoming the first player to succumb to a king pair two golden ducks in the same Test match at Lord’s.

A pumped-up India team wrapped up the win soon after Jos Buttler’s 96-ball vigil, for 25, feathered a catch behind off Siraj, who removed Anderson in his next over to claim figures of 4-32 off 10.5 overs. There were only 8.2 overs remaining. Siraj took eight wickets in the Test overall.

Player-of-the-match K.L. Rahul made a fine 129 in an India first-innings 364 that saw fellow opener Rohit Sharma score 83, with England great Anderson taking 5-62.

It was India’s third win at Lord’s in 19 attempts. Their previous triumphs came in 1986 and 2014.

The third Test at Headingley in Leeds starts on Aug 25.

Scoreboard

INDIA (1st Innings) 364 (K.L. Rahul 129, R.G. Sharma 83, V. Kohli 42; J.M. Anderson 5-62).

ENGLAND (1st Innings) 391 (J.E. Root 180 not out, J.M. Bairstow 57; Mohammed Siraj 4-94, Ishant Sharma 3-69).

INDIA (2nd Innings, overnight 181-6):

K.L. Rahul c Buttler b Wood 5

R.G. Sharma c Moeen b Wood 21

C.A. Pujara c Root b Wood 45

V. Kohli c Buttler b Curran 20

A.M. Rahane c Buttler b Moeen 61

R.R. Pant c Buttler b Robinson 22

R.A. Jadeja b Moeen 3

I. Sharma lbw b Robinson 16

Mohammed Shami not out 56

J.J. Bumrah not out 34

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-12, NB-1) 15

TOTAL (for 8 wkts decl, 109.3 overs) 298

FALL OF WKTS: 1-18, 2-27, 3-55, 4-155, 5-167, 6-175, 7-194, 8-209.

BOWLING: Anderson 25.3-6-53-0; Robinson 17-6-45-2 (1nb); Wood

18-4-51-3; Curran 18-3-42-1; Moeen 26-1-84-2; Root 5-0-9-0.

ENGLAND (2nd Innings):

R.J. Burns c Siraj b Bumrah 0

D.P. Sibley c Pant b Shami 0

Haseeb Hameed lbw b I. Sharma 9

J.E. Root c Kohli b Bumrah 33

J.M. Bairstow lbw b I. Sharma 2

J.C. Buttler c Pant b Siraj 25

Moeen Ali c Kohli b Siraj 13

S.M. Curran c Pant b Siraj 0

O.E. Robinson lbw b Bumrah 9

M.A. Wood not out 0

J.M. Anderson b Siraj 0

EXTRAS (B-17, LB-4, NB-2) 23

TOTAL (all out, 51.5 overs) 120

FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-1, 3-44, 4-67, 5-67, 6-90, 7-90, 8-120, 9-120.

BOWLING: Bumrah 15-3-33-3 (2nb); Mohammed Shami 10-5-13-1 (1nb); Jadeja 6-3-5-0 (1nb); Mohammed Siraj 10.53-32-4 (1w); I. Sharma 10-3-13-2.

RESULT: India won by 151 runs to lead five-match series 1-0.

UMPIRES: M.A. Gough (England) and R.K. Illingworth (England).

TV UMPIRE: R.A. Kettleborough (England).

MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).

PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: K.L. Rahul.

THIRD TEST: Headingley, Aug 25-29.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2021