• Source:JND
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IND vs ENG 1st Test: Harry Brook and Jamie Smith frustrated India bowlers in the morning session as the duo stitched up 51 runs in a partnership, taking England to 327/5 at lunch on Day 3 of the opening Test at the Headingley on Sunday.

At the time of Lunch, England's score read 327/5 trailing by 144 runs with Brook (57) and Smith (29) standing unbeaten at the crease.

England continued their collected and swift march towards India’s total while losing two batters in the process this morning but Brook set the tone for hosts with a couple of audacious strokes, including an advancing cover drive off Jasprit Bumrah.

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India on the other hand picked up 2 wickets in the session. Ollie Pope fell early, edging Prasidh Krishna, and later it was Mohammed Siraj who sent back England skipper Ben Stokes packing.

The visitors got two welcome wickets of overnight centurion Ollie Pope (106 off 137) and England captain Ben Stokes (20 off 52). Like day two, the trio of Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Siraj could not match the accuracy of Jasprit Bumrah.

Brook, dismissed off a Bumrah no ball at the stroke of stumps on day two, was dropped by wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant on 46 shortly before lunch. Jadeja, who was able to extract sharp turn from the rough, got one to turn away sharply but Pant could not hold on to the rising ball.

In the same over, Brook completed his 12th Test fifty, adding to the frustration of the Indians who have been sloppy with their catching thus far in the game. Led by captain Shubman Gill, the Indians were also very vocal about their issues with a worn out Dukes ball throughout the session.

The umpires relented before the 75th over while the new ball will be due after 80 overs.
The session belonged to the highly rated Brook who produced a display of audacious strokeplay from the get go.

Krishna offered two loose balls in the first over of the day and Brook duly put them for a four through point and six off over mid-wicket. Brook's tactics against the pacers, including Bumrah, stood out as he charged down to them for aerial drives over extra cover.

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Krishna, in his following over, was lucky to get Pope out as the England number three edged a short and wide ball to the keeper. India's second success came after the first hour as Siraj had Stokes caught behind from round the wicket.

While Brook was the enforcer, Jamie Smith chipped in with 29 not out off 45 balls at the other end. The pitch is offering some turn on third day itself and Indian team management might just feel that they are missing their No.1 specialist spinner Kuldeep Yadav.