London (AFP) – New-ball veterans James Anderson and Stuart Broad were both in the wickets as England eyed a crushing victory over India in the second Test at Lord’s on Sunday.
India were 66 for their six in their second innings, still 223 runs adrift of England’s first-innings 396 for seven declared, when rain led to an early tea on the fourth day.
Despite rain having washed out the whole of Thursday’s first day and much of Friday’s second, England were now just four wickets away from going 2-0 up in this five-match series after a 31-run win in the first Test at Edgbaston last week.
Anderson, England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker, removed both India openers before lunch and Broad followed up in the second session.
Anderson started Sunday on 99 Test wickets in 23 Tests at Lord’s following his first-innings haul of five for 20 in India’s meagre 107 all out.
As in that innings, Sunday’s overcast conditions were ideal for the 36-year-old Lancashire swing bowler.
And having bowled Murali Vijay for nought in the first innings, it was not long before Anderson had him caught behind for the opener’s second duck this match to become the first bowler to take 100 Test wickets at Lord’s.
Fellow opener KL Rahul fell for 10 when, playing across the line, he was lbw to Anderson.
India were 17 for two when rain forced an early lunch, with Anderson having then taken two for eight in five overs.
Rahul’s exit gave Anderson, fifth in the all-time standings, his 551st Test wicket.
Anderson was now just 12 shy of the 563 Test wickets taken by Glenn McGrath.
The Australia great has taken the most Test wickets by any paceman.
The top three places all belong to spinners, with Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan leading the way on 800 Test wickets.
But with the remainder of this innings and three more Tests against India to come, Anderson could overtake McGrath before the end of this series.
– Kohli hobbled by stiff back –
After lunch, Rahane (13) was well caught by Keaton Jennings at third slip off Broad despite Jos Buttler moving across from second slip.
Rahane’s exit brought in India captain Virat Kohli, the world’s top-ranked batsman coming in at number five rather than his usual number four position because of a stiff back.
But Kohli could only watch as Broad’s superb late inswinger knocked over off stump to bowl Cheteshwar Pujara for 17.
Kohli, needing prolonged on-field treatment, fell for 17 when well caught by Ollie Pope at short leg off Broad.
And the next ball saw Broad have Dinesh Karthik plumb lbw.
Ravichandran Ashwin survived the hat-trick, Broad spearing the ball legside for four byes.
Earlier, England batted on for 36 minutes before Joe Root declared when Sam Curran, who swatted a six off Mohammed Shami, holed out for 40.
Chris Woakes, recalled for this match after fellow pace-bowling all-rounder Ben Stokes was omitted because of an ongoing trial for affray, finished on 137 not out.
Woakes faced 177 balls, including 21 fours.
He completed his maiden Test century on Saturday, when he shared an England record sixth-wicket stand against India of 189 with Jonny Bairstow (93).
That partnership helped England recover from a top-order collapse that saw them slump to 89 for four at lunch on the third day.
Woakes’s innings meant he became just the fourth cricketer after Gubby Allen, Ian Botham (both England) and Keith Miller (Australia), to have scored a century and taken 10 or more wickets in a Test at Lord’s, with the Warwickshire star returning match figures of 11 for 102 at the ‘home of cricket’ against Pakistan two years ago.
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