A sublime knock of 159 from Ian Bell coupled with half-centuries from Kevin Pietersen (63) and Eoin Morgan (70) and Matt Prior (64*) helped England dominate day three of the second test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham as the home side piled up a humongous lead of 374 runs. It was a great day of cricket which witnessed a classy century from Bell and a stupendous gesture of sportsmanship from Indian captain MS Dhoni.
England resumed the day on 24 for 1, trailing by 43 runs with nine wickets in hand in their second innings and got off to a good start as overnight not out batsman, Strauss, opened the scoring for the day with three runs through midwicket, Ian Bell then scored his first runs of the day with a guide off Praveen Kumar to the third man boundary and followed it up with a backfoot punch for boundary through point off Sreesanth.
Strauss joined the party, hitting Kumar straight down the ground to make it 42 for 1. The pair added 15 runs from the next four overs before Sreesanth struck in the 20th over, removing Strauss, caught behind for 16. Bell, who looked in good touch, then straight-drove Kumar for a boundary and followed it up with a flick to the midwicket boundary off Yuvraj Singh. He then took Ishant Sharma to the cleaners, hitting him for consecutive boundaries and bringing up his half-century from 73 balls.
He continued the mauling of Ishant Sharma with consecutive boundaries five overs later via a stupendous leg glance and a smart steer through third man. The pair of Bell and Pietersen added 73 runs after Strauss' dismissal as England went into lunch at 130/2, scoring 106 runs from the session. Bell's individual tally for the session read 75 off 85 balls.
After lunch, Pietersen got into an aggressive mode, hitting Sharma straight down the ground for a boundary and then powered him through midwicket and wide long on for another two boundaries off his next over. He then brought up his half-century from 98 deliveries with a single down the ground.
Bell then brought up his century from 129 balls with a couple through fine leg and followed it up with a boundary through third man. Bell looked in form of his life as he slammed a long hop from Harbhajan Singh to the midwicket boundary and then steered Sreesanth past third man for two boundaries in the 52nd over. The pair batted 36 overs together, adding 162 runs for the third wicket before Sreesanth finally had Pietersen caught behind for 63.
Eoin Morgan got off the mark with a couple through square leg and followed it up with a couple of boundaries through third man. Then came a moment of controversy off the last ball before lunch when Morgan flicked one to deep square, where Praveen Kumar made a desperate attempt at saving the ball and by hook or crook managed to cut it off, but he was unaware that he had saved the boundary.
Ian Bell too thought that it was a boundary and by the time the throw came back in, the batsmen were out their crease thinking it was tea. The Indians whipped off the bails at the keepers end and appealed to the square leg umpire as Ian Bell was at the other end way out of his crease. The on-field umpire referred it to the third umpire who gave the decision in favour of the Indian team.
After tea, to everyone's surprise, the Indian team recalled Bell, showing stupendous gesture of sportsman spirit. Morgan then hit Raina for a boundary through midwicket off the first ball after tea and brought up a lead of 200 with consecutive boundaries off Sreesanth in the next over. Morgan then clobbered Sreesanth for three boundaries in the 70th over, first through covers, second through square leg and the last one through fine leg. He brought up his half-century in style with a maximum down the ground off Harbhajan Singh.
Bell then brought up his 150 with a single down long-off off Yuvraj Singh. The pair added 104 runs from 22 overs for the fourth wicket before Yuvraj had Bell caught at first slip for 159. Bell's 206-ball innings included 24 hits to the fence. An over later, Praveen Kumar brought India back into the match when he had Morgan caught behind for 70. He was unlucky to miss out on Jonathan Trott's wicket off the very next ball as Trott was given not out when he was plumb in front.
A lucky Trott didn't last long as Kumar finally had him caught at first slip for 2. Prior and Bresnan then dominated the rest of the session as the pair went on rampage hitting 102 unbeaten runs from just 18 overs. In process, Prior brought up his half-century from just 38 deliveries as England ended the day on 441 for 6, leading India by 374 runs with four wickets in hands with Prior unbeaten on 64, while Bresnan unbeaten on 47.
At stumps on day 3:
England 1st inns: 221/10, India 1st inns: 288/10, England 2nd inns: 441/6
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