Stokes strikes after Brook 99 as Leeds Test tightly poised
Agencies
Headingley
England captain Ben Stokes checked India's progress after Harry Brook's breathtaking 99 on a helter-skelter third day of the first Test at Headingley, reports BBC.com.
The tourists were painstakingly building their lead when Stokes had Sai Sudharsan clip to mid-wicket, leaving India 90-2 and with an advantage of 96 runs at the close.
India had earlier bowled England out for 465, claiming a first-innings lead of six runs.
Brook, who was caught off a no-ball late on day two, was dropped twice. He played some outrageous strokes and looked set for a century on his home ground until he top-edged a hook to long leg.
England were still 73 behind when Brook became the seventh man out, only for the hosts to be taken to virtual parity by a rapid stand of 55 between Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse.
Woakes was eventually bowled by the irrepressible Jasprit Bumrah, who did the same to Shoaib Bashir to end with 5-83.
England had the momentum, even more so when Carse had Yashasvi Jaiswal caught behind. Headingley was rocking, which made the stand of 66 between debutant Sudharsan and KL Rahul all the more impressive.
With drizzle threatening and the light closing in, Stokes removed Sudharsan for 30. When the umpires decided play could not continue, Rahul had 47, alongside captain Shubman Gill on six. It is beautifully poised.
This has been three days of wonderful, see-saw Test cricket, living up to the pre-match billing of two high-quality and evenly matched teams.
After England gifted away the chance to bat first, India have been just as generous in return. The visitors should have got many more than their first-innings 471, then dropped four catches, including three off Bumrah, the man culpable for Brook's no-ball reprieve.
For as well as they have battled back, England can also reflect on their own wasted opportunities and moments of recklessness.
A blustery Sunday showed the best and worst of Bazball. Jamie Smith fell into a bouncer trap two balls after hooking a six, in the over before the second new-ball was due, while Brook was also bounced out.
In contrast, the attacking intent of Woakes and Carse scrambled Indian minds and kept England in it.
Even the final session, with the lights on and clouds threatening, swung this way and that. England will have to chase on a pitch starting to look dry and uneven, so India might be slight favourites.
Brook dazzles before falling agonisingly short
Reprieved as England reached 209-3 on Saturday, Brook began Sunday by stretching his time on nought to 15 balls. He exploded into life at the end of the first over, slashing Prasidh Krishna for four then belting six over mid-wicket, and never looked back.
Ollie Pope was out to his sixth ball of the day for 106, edging a cut off Krishna, while Stokes was circumspect for 20 before tamely poking Mohammed Siraj behind.
Brook was full of intent. He danced down to hit Bumrah through the covers and found a similarly purposeful ally in Smith for their stand of 73. Brook was spilled by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant off spinner Ravindra Jadeja on 46, then fourth slip Jaiswal off Bumrah on 82.
ScorescColor:> India 471 (Gill 147, Pant 134, Jaiswal 101; Stokes 4-66, Tongue 4-86) & 90-2.
England 465 (Pope 106, Brook 99, Duckett; Bumrah 5-83).
India lead by 96 runs.
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