MUMBAI, March 20: James Anderson celebrated his comeback with four wickets as England seized the initiative in the must-win third and final Test against India on Monday.
The 23-year-old fast bowler, playing his first Test in more than a year, also brought off a crucial run-out to strengthen his team’s chances of squaring the series.
Wicket-keeper Geraint Jones also had a good match, taking three superb catches to finish with five victims in a Test innings for only the second time in his career.
England lost Andrew Strauss and makeshift opener Ian Bell before reaching 31-2 in their second innings at stumps on the third day for an overall lead of 152. Debutant Owais Shah was unbeaten on 15 with Shaun Udal (two).
India were earlier bowled out for 279 in their first innings in reply to England’s 400.
Strauss, who scored a century in the first innings, made four runs before being caught behind off seamer Munaf Patel and Bell scored eight before being held by wicket-keeper Mahendra Dhoni off Shanthakumaran Sreesanth.
India were unlucky not the get one more wicket as Yuvraj Singh dropped night-watchman Udal at third slip in the day’s last over.
England trail 1-0 in the series after suffering a nine-wicket defeat in the second Test at Mohali. The opening match ended in a draw at Nagpur.
England’s surprise hero was Anderson, whose victims included well-set India captain Rahul Dravid (52) and free-stroking Dhoni (64). He finished with 4-40 off 19.1 economical overs.
Dravid and Dhoni were the only specialist batsmen to offer resistance to England’s hostile pace attack on a day when the tourists bowled and fielded brilliantly.
Wicket-keeper Jones caught Yuvraj (37) diving in front of first slip off paceman Andrew Flintoff, held Dravid down the leg-side off Anderson and then took an overhead catch to account for Harbhajan Singh.
England kept pressure on India from the beginning, with Flintoff and Matthew Hoggard testing the batsmen with pace and bounce and Anderson making scoring difficult with his tidy bowling.
The Indian batsmen could breathe freely only when stand-in captain Flintoff introduced a double-spin attack in the afternoon session.
Dhoni and Irfan Pathan (26) scored comfortably against off-spinner Udal and left-arm spinner Monty Panesar, but the partnership was broken when they tried one shot too many.
Udal, playing only his fourth Test aged 37, claimed his first wicket when he had Pathan caught by Hoggard at mid-off from a lofted drive.
England took the new ball in the 83rd over and Dhoni smashed Flintoff for three fours before being run out in the same over, thanks to Anderson’s direct-hit to the non-striker’s end from mid-on.
Dhoni smashed 10 fours in his second Test half-century before being given out by TV umpire K. Hariharan.
The Indian batting was entertaining in the closing session, with Anil Kumble (30) adding 55 for the ninth wicket with Sreesanth (29 not out). Their stand restricted England’s lead as the hosts were tottering at 217-8 at one stage.
Anderson ended the Indian innings when he bowled Patel for his fourth victim. He bowled with control throughout the day, but was unfortunate not to get more than one wicket in the morning session.
Two catches were dropped off Anderson’s bowling, with Panesar letting off Dhoni at mid-off and substitute Matt Prior grassing Dravid at gully. Dhoni was then on 23.
Scoreboard
ENGLAND (1st Innings) 400 (A.J. Strauss 128, O.A. Shah 88, A. Flintoff 50; S. Sreesanth 4-70).
INDIA (1st Innings, overnight 89-3):
Wasim Jaffer c Jones b Hoggard 11
V. Sehwag c Shah b Hoggard 6
R. Dravid c Jones b Anderson 52
S.R. Tendulkar c Jones b Anderson 1
Yuvraj Singh c Jones b Flintoff 37
M.S. Dhoni run out 64
Irfan Pathan c Hoggard b Udal 26
A. Kumble lbw b Panesar 30
Harbhajan Singh c Jones b Anderson 2
S. Sreesanth not out 29
Munaf Patel b Anderson 7
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-7, NB-3) 14
TOTAL (all out, 104.1 overs) 279
FALL OF WKTS: 1-9, 2-24, 3-28, 4-94, 5-142, 6-186, 7-212, 8-217, 9-272.
BOWLING: Hoggard 22-6-54-2 (1nb); Flintoff 21-4-68-1 (2nb); Anderson 19.1-8-40-4; Panesar 26-7-53-1; Udal 16-2-53–1.
ENGLAND (2nd Innings):
A.J. Strauss c Dhoni b Patel 4
I.R. Bell c Dhoni b Sreesanth 8
O.A. Shah not out 15
S.D. Udal not out 2
EXTRAS (W-1, NB-1) 2
TOTAL (for two wkts, 15 overs) 31
FALL OF WKTS: 1-9, 2-21.
BOWLING (to-date): Irfan Pathan 4-1-6-0 (1nb, 1w); Munaf Patel 4-0-12-1; Sreesanth 4-1-10-1; Kumble 2-0-3-0; Harbhajan Singh 1-1-0–0.—Agencies